By John Sleeper
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – Bruised and battered, both Cody Pickett and Taylor Barton say they’re ready to start at quarterback Saturday for the University of Washington.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” UW coach Rick Neuheisel said.
In what will be the major storyline of the week as No. 15 Washington prepares to face unranked Arizona at Husky Stadium, Pickett and Barton are pushing to start to right the Huskies’ ship after a 35-13 loss to UCLA Saturday.
Pickett, who suffered a shoulder separation against USC, sat and watched Saturday as the Bruins teed off on Barton, who nevertheless threw for better than 300 yards. It was the toughest thing, Pickett said, to watch helplessly from the sidelines, something he doesn’t want to repeat.
“I want to play,” he said. “My shoulder is totally separated, so I can’t make it any worse. (The UW trainers say) that if I can just stand the pain, then I can play.”
Pickett warmed up Saturday after Barton was knocked woozy following one of a series of vicious hits by UCLA defenders. Barton stayed in the game, but was taken to a hospital after the game for observation for a possible concussion. Barton said he probably was suffering from exhaustion, given the 93-degree temperature at game time and the physical exertion he put forth.
Neuheisel said had Barton not been able to re-enter the game, that Pickett probably wouldn’t have gone in, anyway. The Bruins were ahead at the time, 28-6, and Casey Paus probably would have played.
“The outcome at that time was probably a foregone conclusion,” Neuheisel said.
Neuheisel said Pickett would have to be able to practice this week for him to be permitted to play.
Barton also suffered a sprained ankle against UCLA, but said he would be ready if called upon.
“I’m going to be ready to go,” Barton said. “I’m not going to be 100 percent, but a lot of guys on this team are injured and they’re going to play. So I plan on playing this week.”
Neuheisel said the decision may not come until Thursday. If both are healthy enough, he said, Pickett will start. If neither are, Paus would see his first action as a Husky.
Coming off losses: The Huskies haven’t lost two games in a row since the beginning of Neuheisel’s tenure at Washington, when the Huskies lost their first two games in 1999 against BYU and Air Force. Playing in a home game after a loss, the Huskies have won 12 of 15 games, dating back to 1989.
More walking wounded: Neuheisel said he hoped that Kai Ellis (arthroscopic surgery, both knees) would be back for the Arizona State game in two weeks. He is “questionable at best” for Arizona. Inside linebacker Tyler Krambrink (wrist) probably is a week away, Neuheisel said. He added that the Huskies are about a week away from projecting when tight end Jerramy Stevens (broken foot) can return.
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