Today was the Pac-10 coaches’ conference call. There seems to be a number of injuries to big-name players this week.
UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said starting quarterback Ben Olson had exploratory knee surgery Tuesday to assess the damage to his injured knee. Olson is thought to have a meniscus tear, and Dorrell hopes to have him back before the end of the season. Backup Patrick Cowan, who injured his knee against Washington, is practicing but limited.
USC quarterback John David Booty, who broke a bone in a finger of his throwing hand, has not been practicing this week because of swelling. If he can’t play, Mark Sanchez will start.
Washington State receiver Brandon Gibson, who leads the Pac-10 in receiving, is doubtful for the Cougars’ game against Oregon because of a heel injury.
Tuesday is also the media’s day with offensive players and coaches, which means a weekly meeting with offensive coordinator Tim Lappano. One thing of note Lappano said was that the Huskies may be closer to choosing a backup tailback. He noted the strong play of J.R. Hasty and Brandon Johnson during last week’s practices, but did not mention Curtis Shaw.
According to the Oregonian, receiver Sammy Stroughter is out for the season with a bruised kidney. Bad news for OSU, but good news for Husky fans.
Also worth passing along is this link to an ESPN story about best tailgating spots in college football. Washington makes the list at No. 4 thanks to the uniqueness of its “stern-gating.”
And finally, just because it’s really entertaining, both for the play and the over-the-top call on the play, check out this crazy finish in Akron’s win over Western Michigan.
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