Washington State guard Ma’ake Fifita sustains injury against Arizona State

PULLMAN – Washington State’s shorthanded offensive line may have taken another hit to its depth.

Right guard Ma’ake Fifita sustained a lower-body injury early in the third quarter of the Cougs’ game against Arizona State on Saturday afternoon at Gesa Field.

Fifita stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes as trainers inspected his left leg/ankle. He was helped up and carted off the field. The Cougars sent in sophomore Quinn McCarthy to replace him.

Fifita started at right guard last season and served as the Cougars’ first-team right tackle for the first six games of this season before returning to his original position. The Everett native started at right guard against Arizona State after WSU shifted some pieces around up front to make up for the absence of standout left tackle Jarrett Kingston, who suffered a season-ending injury last weekend versus Stanford. Grant Stephens, the Cougars’ regular starter at right guard, filled in for Kingston.

WSU’s offensive line, which came into the week having surrendered a conference-high 30 sacks, is concerningly short on playing experience behind its starters.

The Cougars played the second half without starting slotback Robert Ferrel, who came up limping after a hard collision in the second quarter. The senior transfer watched the rest of the game from the sideline in street clothes.