Status of Ducks’ stars uncertain for WSU game

EUGENE, Ore. — The guessing game surrounding Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas and running back LaMichael James continues against Washington State.

Oregon football coach Chip Kelly won’t make it official, so it’s left to the Cougars and the fans to speculate whether both stars for the No. 7

Ducks will play today at Autzen Stadium.

It appears as though Thomas will return. He said earlier this week he’s 100 percent and he presumes he’ll start, wearing a knee brace. He’s listed atop the depth chart.

Of course, last week he also said he expected to play but he was held out of Oregon’s 45-2 win over Colorado. Instead, backup Bryan Bennett started and completed 11 of 20 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks (6-1, 4-0 Pac-12).

Thomas was hurt the week before when a defender fell on him early in the second half of Oregon’s 41-27 victory over Arizona State.

James is more questionable. He told a Portland radio show this week that his chances of playing against the Cougars (3-4, 1-3) are at about 60-40. Because the Ducks close their workouts, it was impossible to tell if James was consistently practicing with the team.

James is wearing a brace on his right elbow, which he dislocated in Oregon’s win over California on Oct. 6.

If James doesn’t play against the Cougars — and many onlookers argue it’s best to hold him out until next week when the Ducks visit Washington — he has a proficient replacement in Kenjon Barner.

Barner ran for 171 yards against the Sun Devils and 115 against the Buffaloes.

For Washington State, quarterback Jeff Tuel is definitely out. He suffered a bruised right calf in Washington State’s 44-21 loss to Oregon State last weekend in Seattle. He went to the hospital because of the injury, which was diagnosed as acute compartment syndrome.

The Cougars also have a capable backup, in this case Oak Harbor High School graduate Marshall Lobbestael, who will make his seventh start this season. The fifth-year senior has thrown for 15 touchdowns with five interceptions this season, and is averaging 248.4 yards passing a game.

The Cougars are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, which has renewed criticism of coach Paul Wulff and his staff.

Wulff said the sniping was actually a good thing, because it showed that expectations for WSU were raised after a 3-1 start to the season.

“People expect us to win,” he said. “That’s been a long time coming.”

WSU, looking to become bowl eligible this season, is averaging 433.6 yards of total offense, a big improvement after averaging 269.3 last season. Oregon, which beat WSU 43-23 last year in Pullman, is well aware of the improvement WSU has made.

“(Wulff’s) done a nice job rebuilding that program,” Kelly said. “They play with a toughness, they play with a physicality on the defensive side of the ball. I’ve seen a marked improvement in the three years Paul’s been there.”