Injury list hurts

PULLMAN – The hope for practice Tuesday, the first with school in session, was that more players would be healthy and available.

A few were, but WSU’s injury list was still longer than head coach Bill Doba would like.

“We need to get healthy,” he said. “We need to get certain guys healthy.”

One player who returned after missing the past few days was senior safety Husain Abdullah, who participated in a yellow, no-contact jersey. That didn’t stop him from grabbing his sixth interception of the fall in a goal-line drill.

“Senior safety Christian Bass also had an interception in the same drill as Abdullah.

“The players held out included starters such as receiver Brandon Gibson, guard Dan Rowlands and safety Alfonso Jackson. Key backups out included linebackers Andy Mattingly, who expects to return today, and Alex Hamill, corner Markus Dawes, long snapper Tony Thompson and receiver Daniel Blackledge.

“Backup quarterback Gary Rogers was sharp in the 2-minute drill that ended practice, but he was hurt by multiple drops. Neither the first- or second-team offenses scored in the drill, with safety Xavier Hicks Jr. ending the first-string offense’s drive by stepping in front of an Alex Brink pass in the flat and returning the interception for a score.

“WSU will meet Oklahoma State in Seattle during September 2008. The game, which completes next season’s schedule, will be announced today.