As detailed in the post below, punter Will Mahan is out for the year after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his left (plant) knee in practice Tuesday. Walk-on Kiel Rasp becomes the new punter

Also, Johri Fogerson is almost certainly out for this week with a hip flexor, and Anthony Boyles and Taz Stevenson are being tried at new positions --- Boyles back to his old spot of WR and Stevenson at RB.

Here's what UW coach Steve Sarkisian had to say about it today after practice:

Mahan status: "Will's got a torn ACL and a torn MCL. He'll be having surgery in a week or two, depending on the swelling and how that goes down. It's unfortunate. It was a routine drill - a drill we do every day, and it was actually the last punt of the day for him. Kind of a freak accident. IT's unfortunate. We'll be OK. We have a nice backup plan in Kiel Rasp, and we've got a couple other options, contingency planning.''

Contingency plan at punter: "Well, we'll kind of keep that in our back pocket. It's not a kicker. We might have a little something.''

Locker doing a Hobert?: "Well, I don't know.''

On Rasp: ''He's got a great leg, and he's been terrific all training camp. The key is to go into a game, catch a ball and punt it, which he's never had to do. Sooner or later, we all have to go out there and experience, and go do it. He's given us all the confidence that he can do that. If we didn't think so, we'd have somebody else doing it. I have all the confidence he can get it done.''

On Fogerson's injury: "Johri's got a hip flexor strain - a hip flexor in his quad that he did Monday that has not allowed him to run, no explosiveness at all. We're trying to get it treated as quickly as we can, but I would put him really doubtful for Saturday.''

On getting Mahan a redshirt year: "We're going to do all the work we can to get that accomplished. The kid deserves it. So we're working on that already.''

On Boylez, Taz in new positions: "We have some guys moving around. Just trying some guys at some different spots, just to make sure we're versatile enough, especially when we get into conference play when our travel numbers get limited ... to 70 players. We're just trying to make sure guys, in case of some injuries ... can fill in at different spots.''

On the physicality of the offensive line: "I've been analyzing that myself here. I recognize the fact that I'm talking about it. I think ultimately you can be physical when you know what you're doing, and you're on the same page with the guy next to you. I think that's something that is key. As much as I want our guys just to fire off the football, be physical and knock guys around and butting heads and all that stuff - we need to work together. That's been a big point of emphasis of mine now since looking at the film Sunday, and coming back and going to work Monday - I just want us on the same page, and if we're all on the same page, guys, then it's time to really fire off. If that doesn't worked, then we'll get it fixed. But if you're unsure and hesitant, then you're not firing off, then you can't be physical. I think we're taking a little bit of a different approach to it that way - maybe a little bit of a cerebral approach - but one I think they're responding to. I've really seen it out of the guys here in the last two days - Tuesday and Wednesday of padded practices - I thought really our 1 and 2 OLines have really fired off the football better. Part of that is they're listening to the call, and just doing it together. We might not be right all the time, but when we're right, we should be more explosive than we've been.''

On whether there will be any changes to the starting unit: "I don't know if there will be changes to the starting unit, but the goal is to play some other guys throughout the ball game.''

On working on special teams a lot Wednesday: "I feel good about the situation in the kickoff return game. I like the punt game today.. We protected well, executed well, Kiel punted the ball well. Erik (Folk), don't know if Erik struck the ball as well as we've seen him strike the ball on field goals, but that's the least of my concerns right now.''

On Erik Kohler and Colin Porter working with the ones: "How much time, (they'll get), I don't know, but I would like to get them in the ball game.''

On differences between Syracuse and BYU: "They're more traditional than BYU, they get under center, they do a nice job, not that they don't do a good job, they're very well coached, but they're more traditional.. They're a base four-down defense, but as soon as they can, they get into their nickel-odd package,which is essentially a 3-4 defense, similar to BYU in that they love their zone pressure game out of that 3-4 package.. They're a little more straight pressure-oriented than BYU --- you cross the 50, they're going to come after you pretty good with man pressures, zone pressures, a variety of them.''

Any added weight being 0-1 heading into this game?: "It's a non-issue. It's about going out and playing well, playing to our potential and maximizing our opportunity on Saturday at Husky Stadium, which I think we will do. We've had two really good practices, been competitive and upbeat and energetic. (If you) Watched our practices, you really wouldn't' know we lost Saturday. It shows the mental makeup and mental toughness these guys possess.''

On winning every game at home, as he predicted at the Raise the Woof celebration: "This is our first opportunity to prove me right. This is our house, these are our fans, we want to play our best . We understand the opportunity we have here. And the pride we have, coming out of that tunnel, it's going to take a great effort to beat us here.''

On getting the year back for Mahan, who had seemed to be on the road toward a big year: "I think that's why it's important for us to get this year back for him, so he can come back and do it all over again next year.''