Washington QB Locker on same recovery schedule

There's no change in the recovery time for injured Washington quarterback Jake Locker.

That was the word from Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham on Thursday after Locker had his latest visit with a hand specialist a day earlier. Locker's broken right thumb required surgery to insert pins and a plate to stabilize the fracture.

Willingham said the timetable for Locker's return is still six to eight weeks.

Assuming there are no setbacks, the back end of that period would get Locker back around the time of the Apple Cup on Nov. 22, where the Huskies play cross-state rivals, the Washington State Cougars.

Locker has another exam in about two weeks, at which time a better idea of when he could return will be known, Willingham said.

"The timetable will be exactly what we thought it would be," Willingham added. "There will be later decisions based on the healing process that takes place."

Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said his hunch was that Locker was done for the season. Locker was hurt during the second quarter of the Huskies 35-28 loss to Stanford on Sept. 27, while trying to throw a block as the lead blocker on a reverse. He remained in the game for two plays after being injured.

"It's that eight week period that puts it right about the second to last ball game, if I am correct, so anytime you get to that point you are in danger of not being available," Willingham said. "We'll make the smart decisions. As always the players health is the first thing and the team is second."

Despite missing 1 1/2 games, Locker is still the leading rusher - with 180 yards on 56 carries - for the winless Huskies.