Husky punter Will Mahan sprained his non kicking knee last night at practice. If he can't go on Saturday walk on Kiel Rasp will take over the punting duties. The severity of the injury will be determined later this afternoon. Special teams coach Johnny Nansen says he has a lot of confidence in Rasp but he isn't ruling Mahan out of the game either.
Update: According to Softy Will Mahan has torn his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. He will be able to redshirt this year and return next season.
I think it is no big surprise that the coaches weren't happy with the performance of the offensive line last weekend. Two guys who are getting a lot of work this week with the one's are Erik Kohler and Colin Porter. Kohler got his first taste of action this week and Porter is expected to get his indoctrination this week against Syracuse.
I wrote that Kohler and Porter were being groomed to be starters. The question of course is if it is going to be this season or next season? To do it this season they need to beat out some incumbents that have a lot of experience and time in the weight room. Kohler and Porter were both working at guard yesterday.
Taz Stevenson is getting some looks with the offense and it was at running back not wide receiver. Johri Fogerson was out yesterday so perhaps they were just trying to get a healthy and fast body in the depth to run with the scout team this week. Fogerson is bothered by a pulled hamstring. Stevenson saw action last week on special teams.
The Huskies are going to play fourteen true freshman this year. Thirteen played last week and Colin Porter is scheduled to make his debut this week.
TB Jesse Callier
SS Sean Parker
LB Cooper Pelleur
LB Garret Gilliland
LB Princeton Fuimaono
DE Hau'oli Jamora
WR Kevin Smith
CB Greg Ducre
TE Michael Hartvigson
DT Sione Potoa'e
OT Erik Kohler
SS Taz Stevenson
FB Zach Fogerson
OL Colin Porter
Pac 12 Alignment
A couple of weeks ago we heard that the California and Arizona schools were going to be kept together and the Northwest schools would team up with Colorado and Utah.
According to Bud Withers of the Seattle Times it doesn't look like that is going to happen and some variation of the zipper is going to be the final solution.
The AD's have a teleconference scheduled on the subject today.
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott is not believed to be a fan of that format, because it overloads the big TV markets in one division. Do that, and why not just call the Northwest schools, plus Colorado and Utah, the Outpost Division? Or maybe the Trail Mix Six?
Oregon and LSU to play
The Oregon Ducks will travel to Cowboys Stadium to open the 2011 season against LSU in a nationally televised game on ESPN. It will be the third annual Cowboys Classic at the state-of-the-art facility in Arlington, Texas and second featuring a team from Oregon.