EV’s Roof won’t play this season

LOS ANGELES – Andy Roof, a returning offensive lineman for Washington State University, is ineligible for the 2007 season after being cited for driving under the influence last spring, head coach Bill Doba said Thursday.

Doba, speaking at the Pac-10 football media day, said Roof, a redshirt junior who graduated from East Valley High in 2004, has been suspended from school for a semester.

“Washington State has a policy that, after your third alcohol violation, you are suspended from school for a semester,” Doba said. “He had a couple of (minor in possession) when he was younger then he had a DUI this spring.

“The good thing is he recognized he had a problem, he went to treatment and he’s doing very, very well.”

Roof started five games last season after recovering from a broken thumb in preseason camp. He also missed two games later in the season with a heel bruise.

Roof was listed as the starter at right guard in the spring. His loss makes a thin area even thinner.

“Yes it does,” Doba said.

Doba said Roof is working and will continue to work through the fall semester “to pay back his bills.”

“He hopes to come back in January,” Doba said, adding Roof is a student in good standing.

“I talked to him yesterday and asked him what he wanted me to say,” Doba said of Roof. “He said, ‘Tell them the truth.’ “