WSU receiver Lincoln Victor to miss ‘a couple weeks’ with ankle injury

Sept. 26, 2023 Updated Tue., Sept. 26, 2023 at 10:06 p.m.

By Greg Woods gregw@spokesman.com (509) 459-5587

PULLMAN – Washington State will be without one of its top receivers for at least its next game.

WSU senior Lincoln Victor will miss “a couple of weeks” with a high-ankle injury he suffered during the Cougars’ win over Oregon State on Saturday, coach Jake Dickert said on Tuesday morning.

That means Victor will likely miss his team’s next game, Oct. 7 at UCLA, but he could return the following week, when Washington State hosts Arizona on Oct. 14.

If there’s good news for the No. 16 Cougars, they are off this week. Their one bye week of the season comes Saturday. That, Dickert said, will give Victor more time to recover.

“I know Lincoln,” Dickert said. “If there’s 24 hours in a day, he might have spent 25 hours in this building getting rehab. So he’s working his tail off just to get back, and he’s gonna give this team everything he’s got. He’s an emotional leader for us. So it’s important still to see him out here. We’ll get him back when he’s ready, but a high-ankle (injury) is hard with the receiver position. He’ll be ready to go when he’s ready.”

WSU will miss one of quarterback Cameron Ward’s favorite targets. Victor exited Saturday’s game early in the first quarter, around the time he held an extra point to push WSU’s lead to 14-7, so he did not record any receptions .

Have not seen WSU WR Lincoln Victor since he held this PAT. An OSU player may have accidentally stepped on his hand — he motions to the sideline at the end of this clip. pic.twitter.com/iPpErQ9VRQ
— Greg Woods (@GregWWoods) September 24, 2023

Through the Cougars’ first three wins, Victor has 24 catches for 342 yards and three touchdowns – the best start to a season in his career. In three games this fall, he has topped his yardage and touchdown totals from each of his first two seasons at WSU.

While he’s out, WSU might ask more from wideouts Josh Kelly and Kyle Williams. On Saturday, Kelly had one of the best games of his career, with eight catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Williams caught seven passes for 174 yards and one touchdown, a 63-yarder from Ward on the second play from scrimmage.

WSU might also get a boost from receivers Isaiah Hamilton and Carlos Hernandez, the latter a true freshman who Dickert said he recruited to play the slot – where Victor plays – and outside.