Bruce player of week

PULLMAN – As fun as Saturday was for Washington State defensive end Mkristo Bruce, Sunday might have been even better.

A day after getting five sacks at Stanford, Bruce got to do something still more fun – watch the film of himself getting five sacks at Stanford.

“It was just great. You see all these pluses on your grade sheet,” Bruce said. “(Defensive coordinator Robb) Akey decided to just make up a couple minuses for me to even it out.”

For his efforts, Bruce was named the Pac-10’s defensive player of the week, no surprise after setting a school record for single-game sacks and also claiming the national lead in sacks this season with seven.

“I got the first two and I said, ‘Hey, this is a good game,’ ” Bruce recalled. “I didn’t really think anything of it. And then I got the third one and I was like, ‘Man, this is a great game.’ And then the fourth and fifth, and I was like, ‘What is going on?’ It was just awesome, a great feeling.”

Things probably won’t be so easy this week going against a third-ranked USC team that sports one of the nation’s top offensive lines.

“If Mkristo Bruce gets five sacks against these guys, I think he’s a pretty good defensive end,” head coach Bill Doba said. “It’ll be a good measure, and I think that’s the way our kids should look at it. It’s a great challenge, and see if they can do well against a quality opponent.”

Jordan’s career in doubt

Doba strengthened his words in discussing the severity of wide receiver Chris Jordan’s knee injury.

Jordan had successful arthroscopic knee surgery Friday, but there remains additional damage in the bones near his knee that will one day require major surgery. While the senior still has a recovery timetable that could get him back on the field, Doba suggested the choice will be left up to Jordan as to how much further he wants to push his already-damaged joint.

“It’s entirely up to him,” Doba said. “He could be out for the season. It’s a decision he has to go through, because the more you keep pounding on that thing the better chance you have of having arthritis.”

Kicking questions

For a second week in a row, Doba passed on a field goal of a reasonable distance in favor of a fourth-down situation.

The head coach said he’d continue to make similar calls, like the one last week at Stanford, so long as kicker Loren Langley’s struggles continue.

“I think, until the ball’s on the 10 or 15, until Loren get s a little more confidence – he gets out around 25 or 30 and he misses them, I don’t think that helps him,” Doba said.

The Cougars passed on a 38-yard kick Saturday and a 44-yard kick against Baylor as well, going 1 of 2 on the resulting fourth-down attempts. Doba said he’d like to get Langley kicking longer field goals again, but sees no reason to in the short term.

Notes

Center Josh Duin almost certainly won’t play this week because of his knee injury, and Doba said Kenny Alfred will start at center in his place. Also, Sean O’Connor will move out to left tackle in Bobby Byrd’s continued absence, meaning Dan Rowlands will take O’Connor’s usual spot at guard. Doba said he was more pleased with O’Connor’s play at tackle as opposed to that of Derek Hunter, Byrd’s listed backup on the depth chart. … Tight end Jesse Taylor returned to practice and is going to try to get ready for Saturday’s game. … USC All-America wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett has told his coaches that he will try to suit up for the game, even after coach Pete Carroll had said publicly a shoulder injury would probably cost the wideout 2-4 weeks. … Cougars linebacker Jason Stripling’s shoulder is not responding well to off-season surgery and Doba said the second-year sophomore will use his redshirt season, meaning he will return as a sophomore again in 2007.