Inside info: Cougs hurting

PULLMAN – Don’t let the 300-pound physiques of Washington State University’s defensive tackles fool you.

Thin is most definitely in.

With Ropati Pitoitua recovering from surgery and Fevaea’i Ahmu doing the same after undergoing an operation on his foot fracture Tuesday, the Cougars are down to three scholarship players for the two spots on the line’s interior.

While both should be back by the time the season rolls around – Pitoitua’s injured leg is healing and it’s possible he could be back for the last week of spring practice; Ahmu will need 2-3 months to recover – for the time being WSU is looking at some tough times inside.

Aaron Johnson, with two years of starting experience, is alongside senior Odell Howard inside on the first team, with sophomore Matt Eichelberger and walk-on Adam Hineline in reserve.

It may not quite be the football equivalent of “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain,” but it’s not too far off, either.

“It’s a challenge for me to get Eichelberger and Hineline and Odell ready,” defensive line coach Mike Walker acknowledged. “It kind of keeps me on my toes. As far as fun, watching A’i and Ropati and AJ play together, that’s fun. It’s more of a challenge right now.”

Of the backups thrust into prominence this spring, Howard clearly has the most immediate potential. Once considered a likely contributor, Howard found himself buried on the depth chart last season after Ahmu arrived as a true freshman and beat him out in fall camp.

Eichelberger, a prized recruit from Bellingham in 2004, has slimmed down to about 315 pounds but still may need another year of work before he’s ready to contribute on the field.

“I think (Odell’s) trying to fight back right now to get his job back and here’s his opportunity, his chance to do it,” Walker said. “I’m opening the door for him, so we’ll see how it goes this next scrimmage.

“Eichelberger also needs reps. It’s really a chance for those two guys to work all spring. They need every rep that we can give them.”

Hineline, while productive with a good motor, doesn’t have the size of his teammates and has ping-ponged between offense and defense in his two seasons at WSU.

Notes

The injury bug – and apparently the flu bug as well – is hitting the Cougars hard. A pair of middle linebackers, Jason Stripling and Chris Baltzer, sat out with right shoulder sprains. Linebacker Alex Hamill also sat out with a shoulder injury. … Cornerback Tyron Brackenridge took the day off because of a nagging hamstring injury. … Three wide receivers were out: Lorenzo Bursey has a sprained right foot, and both Chris Jordan and Greg Walker were ill.