Washington QB Locker to start at UCLA
November 6, 2009
SEATTLE (AP)—Washington quarterback Jake Locker will start Saturday when theHuskies try to break their 10-game road losing streak at UCLA, despite a deepthigh bruise that limited him the last two weeks.
After having his activity held back in practice early this week, coach SteveSarkisian took the reins off his quarterback Thursday to test and see how hisright thigh injury would respond. Locker passed.
“I wanted to see him run full speed. I wanted to see him really open up andgo full speed, and he was able to do that,” Sarkisian said.
Asked if the Huskies’ playcalling would be handcuffed in any way, Sarkisiansaid, “We won’t hold back.”
Locker was injured in the first quarter of Washington’s 43-19 loss to Oregonon Oct. 24. On a third-and-2 run at the Oregon 12 midway through the firstquarter, Locker kept for 3 yards before taking a hard hit from the Ducks’ JavesLewis. From there, Locker’s leg became progressively stiffer and he wasnoticeably limping in the final minutes of the blowout.
At first, Sarkisian said Locker was cramping, but a few days later Sarkisiansaid he had a quadriceps injury.
The injury has lingered to the point where Locker was a spectator duringWashington’s off week. The bleeding and swelling in his right leg was stillthere earlier this week, but Locker said on Monday the pain and stiffness hasgotten better each day.
Locker split reps with backup Ronnie Fouch this week, but was given themajority of the work on Thursday.
“It’s stability. It’s great to have your starting quarterback,” Sarkisiansaid. “Never mind an execution and all that standpoint. Just from an executionstandpoint, being in the huddle, all the things that he brings. There are someobvious leadership skills that he brings that I know the team feeds off of.”
Locker leads the Pac-10 in total offense at 271.9 yards per game and isthird in yards passing. Washington hasn’t won a road game since Nov. 3, 2007 atStanford, but its last two road games at Notre Dame and Arizona State weredecided in overtime or the final seconds.
“I think we’re close,” Sarkisian said. “We’re understanding what ittakes.”