Davis out indefinitely; Holiday out for one game
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Associated Press
PULLMAN, Wash. -- A locker room fight may have put a serious hit on No. 8 Washington State's quest for the Pacific-10 Conference championship.
The altercation -- between linebacker Ira Davis and cornerback Jason David -- sidelined David for six to eight weeks with a broken cheekbone and led to Davis' indefinite suspension.
The loss of David, in particular, is a blow to the Cougars (7-1), who will face one of the nation's top offensive teams in 16th-ranked Arizona State (7-2) Saturday in Martin Stadium. Both teams are 4-0 in conference.
The winner will become the Pac-10 Conference leader and front-runner for the Rose Bowl.
Cougars coach Mike Price said the altercation "saddens me very, very much,'' but said coaches are "going to do everything we can to get our team focused on our opponent this weekend.''
"The most dangerous animal in the jungle is a wounded animal and we're wounded, so look out,'' Price said.
He characterized the fight as "an isolated event between two players'' involving a misunderstanding over "a third party,'' and refused to say who that person was.
Both David and Davis are juniors. Davis is from Seattle. David is from Covina, Calif.
Trainers said Davis could require surgery for three fractures of his right cheekbone.
The Sun Devils' Andrew Walter has passed for more than 400 yards three times this season. He passed for a conference-record 536 yards in ASU's victory over Oregon Oct. 19.
His favorite receiver is junior Shaun McDonnell, second in the conference with 58 receptions and 10 touchdowns.
WSU's Davis, who is expected to miss six to eight weeks, played opposite Marcus Truant at left cornerback, and led the conference with six interceptions, including one in each of the last five games.
Price said earlier this week he was amazed that Davis, who has started every game this season, got the interceptions despite his small stature. He is 5-foot-8, 173 pounds.
Davis had started the last five games at strongside linebacker. He is 6-foot, 224 pounds.
Additionally, Price suspended Adam Holiday, who specializes in kickoffs, for one week for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Karl Paymah, a sophomore from Culver City, Calif., will start for David, while no starter has been announced to replace Davis.
Price said freshman linebacker Will Derting, who had a record three interceptions against Idaho before suffering a high ankle sprain, likely will move into Davis's starting spot.
If not, sophomore Pat Bennett could move to Davis' position and junior Kevin Sperry, who started two games at middle linebacker before being replaced by Muwali Davis, could move to a starting role in Bennett's place at weakside linebacker, Price said.
Freshman Graham Siderius is expected to take Holiday's place.
Price also said two receivers who were injured in last Saturday's game at Arizona would be out of action for several weeks.
Senior Collin Henderson suffered a collar bone injury and will be limited to holding on field goals and conversion kicks, while junior Scott Lunde will be out four to six weeks with a back injury.
WSU's medical staff said Lunde, the Cougars No. 4 receiver, suffered a broken vertebra wing in his lower back when he was hit by a helmet.
Senior wide receiver Mike Bush sprained an ankle against Arizona. It was not known whether he would be ready for the ASU game, Price said.
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Associated Press
PULLMAN, Wash. -- A locker room fight may have put a serious hit on No. 8 Washington State's quest for the Pacific-10 Conference championship.
The altercation -- between linebacker Ira Davis and cornerback Jason David -- sidelined David for six to eight weeks with a broken cheekbone and led to Davis' indefinite suspension.
The loss of David, in particular, is a blow to the Cougars (7-1), who will face one of the nation's top offensive teams in 16th-ranked Arizona State (7-2) Saturday in Martin Stadium. Both teams are 4-0 in conference.
The winner will become the Pac-10 Conference leader and front-runner for the Rose Bowl.
Cougars coach Mike Price said the altercation "saddens me very, very much,'' but said coaches are "going to do everything we can to get our team focused on our opponent this weekend.''
"The most dangerous animal in the jungle is a wounded animal and we're wounded, so look out,'' Price said.
He characterized the fight as "an isolated event between two players'' involving a misunderstanding over "a third party,'' and refused to say who that person was.
Both David and Davis are juniors. Davis is from Seattle. David is from Covina, Calif.
Trainers said Davis could require surgery for three fractures of his right cheekbone.
The Sun Devils' Andrew Walter has passed for more than 400 yards three times this season. He passed for a conference-record 536 yards in ASU's victory over Oregon Oct. 19.
His favorite receiver is junior Shaun McDonnell, second in the conference with 58 receptions and 10 touchdowns.
WSU's Davis, who is expected to miss six to eight weeks, played opposite Marcus Truant at left cornerback, and led the conference with six interceptions, including one in each of the last five games.
Price said earlier this week he was amazed that Davis, who has started every game this season, got the interceptions despite his small stature. He is 5-foot-8, 173 pounds.
Davis had started the last five games at strongside linebacker. He is 6-foot, 224 pounds.
Additionally, Price suspended Adam Holiday, who specializes in kickoffs, for one week for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Karl Paymah, a sophomore from Culver City, Calif., will start for David, while no starter has been announced to replace Davis.
Price said freshman linebacker Will Derting, who had a record three interceptions against Idaho before suffering a high ankle sprain, likely will move into Davis's starting spot.
If not, sophomore Pat Bennett could move to Davis' position and junior Kevin Sperry, who started two games at middle linebacker before being replaced by Muwali Davis, could move to a starting role in Bennett's place at weakside linebacker, Price said.
Freshman Graham Siderius is expected to take Holiday's place.
Price also said two receivers who were injured in last Saturday's game at Arizona would be out of action for several weeks.
Senior Collin Henderson suffered a collar bone injury and will be limited to holding on field goals and conversion kicks, while junior Scott Lunde will be out four to six weeks with a back injury.
WSU's medical staff said Lunde, the Cougars No. 4 receiver, suffered a broken vertebra wing in his lower back when he was hit by a helmet.
Senior wide receiver Mike Bush sprained an ankle against Arizona. It was not known whether he would be ready for the ASU game, Price said.
