Hill’s regular season may be over
PULLMAN – Wide receiver Jason Hill confirmed that there is almost no chance he will play this week and cast considerable doubt on the possibility of a speedy comeback for the regular-season-ending Apple Cup as well.
Washington State’s star senior, who suffered a high ankle sprain when he slipped on the wet turf of Martin Stadium on Saturday, is wearing a protective boot and is in the same boat as junior wide receiver Michael Bumpus, who suffered the same injury to his left leg in the same second quarter.
“We have to keep fighting no matter what,” Hill said. “Adversity is going to come, and our team has been through a lot of it.”
The Cougars, 6-4, likely need another win in their final two games to wrap up a bowl bid, and playing without their top two wideouts won’t make things easy.
Asked about the possibility of returning for the Apple Cup, even if it meant endangering his status for a bowl game, Hill made it clear that he’s inclined to wait and make sure his injury has healed sufficiently.
“In the past years the Apple Cup was our bowl game,” Hill said. “The Apple Cup means a lot to a lot of people, but me not being from Washington it doesn’t mean as much to me as it would to some players on our team. I’m going to do what’s best for me and I’m going to protect myself and I’m sure the trainers and the coaches want me to do the same thing.”
Running an intermediate route against Arizona, Hill got his left cleat stuck in the turf, which was installed during the summer and apparently has not fully settled. To make matters worse, the Wildcats cornerback covering Hill fell over his leg as the ball sailed by, exacerbating the injury.
Hill stayed in the game and caught a pass over the middle for 10 yards on the next play, but that was the end of his afternoon.
Monday, the wideout said he stayed in the game because of the adrenaline pumping through his system, and offensive coordinator Mike Levenseller pulled him off the field when Hill tried to re-enter the contest on a later possession.
WSU travels to Arizona State this week hoping to make amends after being upset at home, and Hill said he’s unsure if he would make the trip as a team captain, even if he is in street clothes.
Hill has missed one game before because of injury, a loss to Stanford last season.
“I tried to be the big cheerleader on the sideline, but there’s only so much you can do with that,” Hill said, turning his attention to the team’s current psyche. “I don’t see any panic in the locker room. Guys are mad, and it’s rightfully so. That was a game we definitely should have won.”