Washington quarterback Jake Locker will be out for up to eight weeks. After breaking his right thumb, a damaging blow for a team looking at a possible 0-5 start for the first time in 39 years.

Locker had surgery Monday to repair the fracture. He was injured throwing a block in the second quarter of a 35-28 loss to Stanford on Saturday.

“Obviously, I think it’s a huge loss,” coach Tyrone Willingham said. “He adds so much to our team in so many ways. His presence, his running skills, what he’s done for us in the passing game.”

Locker has thrown for 512 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 180 yards and three scores this season.

With redshirt freshman Ronnie Fouch running the offense, the Huskies offense will change significantly. Fouch is an adequate runner but isn’t a threat like Locker, who set a modern Pac-10 record for yards rushing by a quarterback last season.

Fouch is a more conventional passer, who hit on 13 of 27 attempts for 186 yards and a touchdown in relief against Stanford. He also directed a 95-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes, capped with a 1-yard touchdown dive to pull Washington within 35-28 with 1:25 left. The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds, and Stanford ran out the clock.

“I’m the type of guy that if we lose a game, I put the blame on myself,” Fouch said. “Whenever we lose I feel like it’s my fault. I put the blame on myself for losing, and I want to go out against Arizona and do whatever to help this team win.”

Posted on September 30th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: College football news