Derting’s chances of playing in New Mexico game improve

PULLMAN — Middle linebacker Will Derting’s chances of playing against New Mexico in the opener a week from today appear to be improving.

Trainer Bill Drake said the linebacker could be cleared to participate in contact drills as soon as this weekend, and the team has upgraded Derting’s status from questionable to possible.

“Heading into game week, we got to find some time either this weekend or the beginning of next week to do some hitting with it,” Drake said. “We have some guarded optimism.”

Derting suffered a torn ligament and dislocated wrist on Aug. 15 during Washington State’s first scrimmage of the fall. The damaged ligament connects the scaphoid and the lunate, two of the bones in the wrist.

“We know the ligament is torn,” Drake said. “If you can keep the wrist stable and protect it, then in theory you can play.”

Derting has been wearing a cast, plus a protective pad, plastic and an inordinate amount of tape around the wrist in practice this week since returning to the field for the first time on Tuesday. X-rays have indicated that the wrist is improving since the injury, and the team plans to continually re-evaluate Derting every few days.

Afif keeping guard

Patrick Afif, who entered camp as the favorite to start at left guard, has nailed down the job, according to offensive line coach George Yarno.

The 6-foot-7, 328-pound senior will split time at the position, probably yielding about half of the offensive snaps to Bobby Byrd. That leaves Riley Fitt-Chappell, once expected to be the starting right guard and still the team’s long snapper, out of the mix for now.

“All three of them had great camps. At the left guard position, neither (Afif nor Byrd) separated themselves, so they’re both going to play.”

Yarno said Fitt-Chappell will be the primary backup at right guard to Norvell Holmes, who has had an impressive fall. Fitt-Chappell suffered a concussion earlier in camp and missed about a week, giving the others an opportunity to shine.

Afif remains a question mark, however, with a lack of cartilage in his knee causing continuing problems. Afif had surgery over the summer and has been in and out of practices because of lingering effects.

So long, Mike

While Karl Paymah, the Cougars’ top corner, did his best to be diplomatic, it’s not hard to understand why he wasn’t crushed about USC wide receiver Mike Williams being denied re-entry into college football by the NCAA on Thursday.

Even without Williams, the Trojans enter the season as the preseason No. 1 and a unanimous Pac-10 favorite.

“You got to look at it both ways,” Paymah said. “I mean, in one way, that’s his future. He’s a student, just like us. So you want what’s best for him. He’s got to take care of his family. So that’s unfortunate for him. But I guess for us, USC, they got way too much talent anyway. So one loss isn’t going to matter.”

Paymah squared off against Williams in 2003. And while the WSU senior has earned a reputation for going up against top wideouts, he still doesn’t mind having this one crossed off his list of assignments for 2004.

“You want to go against big-time receivers,” Paymah said. “(But) I’ve seen him once. I can live with him gone.”

Notes

Backup running back Allen Thompson is being held out of practice again after returning for one day on Wednesday. Thompson had suffered a concussion and a lower back strain earlier in camp and was making his return after he completed the Cougars’ post-concussion program. But the back problems flared up almost immediately, and Drake said Thursday the junior is questionable for the New Mexico game. If Thompson can’t go, junior college transfer Jerome Harrison would be Chris Bruhn’s primary backup. … Another junior college transfer, cornerback Tyron Brackenridge, missed Thursday’s practice with a tweaked hamstring. The injury isn’t expected to be a long-term problem. … Sophomore offensive lineman Josh Duin got good news last weekend when an MRI revealed no major damage to his knee. Duin had surgery Tuesday morning to repair his lateral meniscus and was off crutches for the first time on Thursday. The Covington, Wash., product is expected to miss about four weeks. … Walk-on wide receiver Blake Ferguson has started to work his way into some drills. The freshman from Bellevue injured his thumb over the summer and has missed all of camp thus far. … The Cougars have their final scrimmage, which is more a formality and a run-through than a full-contact session, at 5 p.m. today in Martin Stadium.