Lobbestael likely to make first college start

Published 11:10 pm Monday, September 22, 2008

PULLMAN — Freshman quarterback Marshall Lobbestael is preparing for what could be the first start of his college career after Washington State’s top two quarterbacks went down with injuries in the game against Portland State, the Cougars’ first win of the season.

Lobbestael took all the snaps at Sunday’s practice as the Cougars (1-3) began preparing for Oregon on Saturday.

“There is no question he’s got a feel for the game,” Coach Paul Wulff said after Lobbestael sparkled in the second half of the 48-9 win over Portland State.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Lobbestael led Oak Harbor to the 2006 state 4A title. But he had hardly played since before entering Saturday’s game early in the third quarter after quarterback Gary Rogers suffered a broken neck following a late hit.

Rogers was able to walk out of Pullman Regional Hospital on Sunday, after suffering a cervical spine fracture that did not require surgery, WSU trainer Bill Drake said. Recovery time is typically three to four months, so Rogers’ college career is likely over.

Rogers retained feeling in his extremities during the 15 minutes he was on the ground before taken off by ambulance, Wulff said.

Rogers wore a hard collar as he left the hospital. The injury was described by Drake as a small C7 fracture, a non-displaced break of the seventh bone from the base of the skull. There is no spinal cord or neurological damage and Rogers is expected to get his strength and range of motion back, Drake said.

Wulff visited with Rogers and his family Saturday night and said Rogers was “obviously disappointed and sad, but thankful, too.”

Rogers had gone in after starter Kevin Lopina left before halftime with a deep bruise on his throwing shoulder and didn’t return. Lopina is questionable for Saturday’s game with Oregon.

“We’re hoping he can improve throughout the week,” Wulff said.

Lobbestael threw for touchdowns on his first two pass attempts Saturday and completed nine of 12 passes for 149 yards against the Vikings. He led the Cougars to 24 points.

“You can tell he’s got a little bit of moxie,” Wulff said.

Receiver Brandon Gibson is a fan. “Marshall played exceptionally well,” Gibson said. “He ran the offense to a ‘T’ and sparked us.”

Lobbestael said it was fun to play in a game, even if the circumstances were grim because of the injuries to Rogers and Lopina.

“The first couple of plays I tried to act calm,” he said.

Behind Lobbestael, the quarterbacks are walk-on Dan Wagner and J.T. Levenseller, a true freshman who enrolled in January.