By Todd Milles
The News Tribune
SEATTLE — You can feel bad for Chico McClatcher.
But don’t feel sorry for him, said University of Washington football coach Chris Petersen.
McClatcher, the Huskies’ speedy slot receiver from Federal Way, will likely miss the rest of the season with a broken left ankle, suffered on a play late in the third quarter of the UW’s 37-10 victory at Colorado on Saturday.
“We think there’s going to be surgery and all that,” Petersen said Monday.
The injury happened on a run play with 31⁄2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Myles Gaskin busted up the middle for a 5-yard gain.
Engaged in a block in the middle of the scrum, McClatcher got his left foot stuck underneath two players who fell on top of his leg. The junior immediately went down in extreme pain.
A medical cart was immediately called out on the field, but instead McClatcher limped off with the help of two teammates, not putting any weight on his left foot.
“It’s always rough to see anybody go down,” said Gaskin after the game Saturday. “But a guy like that is always trying to play hard, always trying to make plays, always fighting to the very last second, it just kind of hurts.”
McClatcher flew back with the team early Sunday morning, and saw a doctor Monday to get a long-term prognosis.
“It is hard right now, but I think there are a lot of people here (who) play attention to our guys who are injured, and love them up as best as they can,” Petersen said. “But they are OK. They are strong guys.
“I mean, Chico had a really good demeanor after the game, he really did. I kind of shake my head and wish I could be that positive sometimes about things like they were. It is what it is, and it happens for a reason. I don’t know what the reason is — that is what Chico says to me.”
So, who will likely fill McClatcher’s snaps?
One option is the guy who opened the second half Saturday night with an acrobatic 43-yard touchdown catch from Jake Browning — redshirt sophomore Quinten Pounds.
“He can go up and get the ball,” Petersen said.
It also very well could open up more playing time for true freshman tailback Salvon Ahmed, if the Huskies move him more into a hybrid role.
On kickoff returns, the Huskies seem content with Austin Joyner and Sean McGrew as their returners, and mixing in Jomon Dotson.
Because it was just McClatcher’s fourth game of the season — and the injury happened before the midway point of the team’s 12-game season — he will be eligible to apply to the NCAA for a medical redshirt if he, indeed, misses the rest of the year.
“He still has a lot of football left to play,” Petersen said.
EXTRA POINTS
As far as the status of four players who did not play Saturday — tight end Drew Sample, running back Lavon Coleman, cornerback Byron Murphy and wide receiver Andre Baccellia — Petersen said what he always says about short-term injuries: All of them are week to week…As far as the status of placekicker Tristan Vizcaino, who missed two field goals and a PAT kick against Colorado, Petersen said the senior needs to get “back into a groove,” but is not in danger of losing his starting job — for now…Petersen was asked if his players wanted to protest the social injustices going on around the country before kickoff, he said assuredly he would listen. “People care about what’s going on in this country, not alone just in sports…If it can help us change and grow and get better, awesome,” Petersen said…The Huskies moved back up to No. 6 in the Associated Press media poll this week…Also, game time for their Oct. 7 game against California won’t be determined for another week, but it will either be at 5 p.m. (Fox Sports) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN). Fox Sports will get the first choice between the UW-Cal game and the WSU-Oregon game.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
