Locker avoids key injury
SEATTLE – You can relax, Husky fans. Your quarterback is fine.
On Monday, Tyrone Willingham said Jake Locker’s sore shoulder was nothing to be concerned about, and on Tuesday, the Washington quarterback confirmed that he is, in fact, doing fine after taking a helmet to the shoulder on a touchdown run in the final minute of the Huskies’ win over Stanford.
Locker came out of the locker room Saturday night icing his right shoulder, as well as his left elbow, putting a scare into Husky fans everywhere.
“I had the ice packs and that was a little deceiving, but my shoulder feels good,” he said. “I was able to participate fully in the lifting this morning, so I feel really good.”
So good, in fact, that Locker said he is ready resume play on the football field, as well as in Guitar Hero III with teammate Paul Homer. While Locker can talk about next week’s game and joke about the intricacies of rocking out to Foghat – “You can’t sit down while you rock” – the brief injury scare shows just how dangerous the quarterback position can be, especially for a running threat like Locker.
The Huskies will have their quarterback Saturday, but their opponent likely will not. For the second straight day, Oregon State coach Mike Riley said it is doubtful that starting quarterback Sean Canfield will be able to play against the Huskies. Like Locker, Canfield hurt his shoulder running the ball.
“Throwing a football is definitely out of the question,” Canfield told the Oregonian about the way his arm feels.
UW needs passing grade
One of the keys to Oregon State’s dominant run defense is the play of their cornerbacks. If they do their jobs well covering receivers in man-to-man coverage, then safeties are free to help out against the run. This formula has helped Oregon State hold opponents to 59.6 rushing yards per game, the second-lowest total in the nation. The Beavers allow only 1.8 yards per carry, which leads the nation.
To be successful, Washington needs to punish Oregon State in those 1-on-1 situations.
“It puts a premium on your receivers and your quarterback to be very successful against man coverage, and their corners usually do a great job,” said Willingham.
Golden performance
Husky coaches liked what they saw in Saturday’s win, because 11 players – the most this season – were awarded gold jerseys for this week’s practice.
In gold jerseys were: Locker, Louis Rankin, Ryan Tolar, Cody Habben, Darin Harris, Mesphin Forrester, Jay Angotti, Paul Homer, Michael Gottlieb, Jordan Reffett and Greyson Gunheim.
Good health
For the first time in a while, no players practiced in red jerseys to start a week of practice, although Donald Butler (knee) is still sitting out.