WSU Football | Surgery sidelines Broadus

Washington State's Lance Broadus, a starting defensive end, had surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday and might miss some games early in the football season.

Defensive tackle Aaron Johnson (bulging disk in back) was seen by a doctor in Seattle on Tuesday.

The other injury news announced by coach Bill Doba on Tuesday was more upbeat: starting defensive tackle A'i Ahmu (foot surgery) is expected to be able to play in the fall and slot receiver Keith Rosenberg (shoulder) won't have surgery and plans to play.

Doba said the two position groups that stood out to him in spring drills that ended Saturday were receivers and linebackers.

"I really think the receivers are good," Doba said. "I thought they did a good job. ... I feel good about the linebackers."

Doba also said team spirit picked up in the last week of spring and that his players "seemed to have more fun."

Cornerbacks have been mentioned all spring as the major concern but Doba said Tuesday, "I think we can survive with what we have." The remark apparently includes incoming recruits Terry Mixon (a junior-college All-American safety who could play cornerback), Devin Giles and Chima Nwachukwu.

Doba said two Seattle-area freshman recruits, Bellevue safety Eric Block and Kennedy offensive lineman Kevin Freitag, might see action in the fall. Block, who quarterbacked Bellevue to three Class 3A titles and also played safety, was mentioned by Doba as being able to help on special teams.

Doba said he intends to talk to Block, who previously had been mentioned as a "grayshirt" (delaying enrollment until January) possibility.

Doba said incoming freshman lineman Andrew Roxas, a 300-pounder from St. Francis High School in Sun Valley, Calif., is interested in grayshirting. One definite grayshirt is quarterback J.T. Levenseller of Pullman.

The Cougars open Sept. 1 at Wisconsin, which is sure to be ranked in the Top 10. The regular season will go a week later because the Apple Cup in Seattle will be two days after Thanksgiving on Nov. 24 instead of the Saturday before.

The Apple Cup was moved one week so the Cougars and Huskies could have a bye week during the season. The Cougars' bye will be Oct. 20.

Doba said of the Apple Cup move, "I don't like it but we needed a bye. I think it was necessary." Thanksgiving week is a vacation week for WSU students.

UW and WSU played 12-game seasons without byes in 2006 and complained of weariness and injuries.

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com