UW Football | Stanback all done

Isaiah Stanback tried to take it as normally as possible Sunday, attending regular Huskies team functions, including the annual picture of the senior class at Gas Works Park.

But the specter of his injured foot loomed. At one point, according to Washington teammate Scott White, Stanback wondered aloud, "Dang, am I ever going to get to play [for the Huskies] again?"

Stanback got his answer Monday afternoon, and it wasn't the one he wanted. Doctors diagnosed the injury he suffered Saturday against Oregon State as a complex midfoot sprain, similar to what is commonly described as a Lisfranc injury.

Stanback will have surgery today at noon and is out for the season. UW officials said Stanback did not suffer a fracture, but will have surgery to insert screws and, most likely, a small plate to stabilize the bones in his foot.

Coach Tyrone Willingham said there is no chance Stanback could return to play for UW this season, even in a bowl game, and said the greater concern is for Stanback's post-UW career.

"Without surgery, they don't heal correctly, so you have to go in and make repairs so he can be able to walk and run again," Willingham said during his weekly radio show Monday night. "The one thing that we want is for Isaiah to be taken care of, and the prognosis, I think, is very good that he will be able to recover and play football again at a high level."

Normal recovery and rehabilitation time for such an injury is eight to 12 months.

"Of course, this is a setback and [a future as a professional athlete] is on my mind," Stanback said in a prepared statement released by the UW. "But it is more important that I don't rush things and come back 100 percent."

Stanback said he planned to "continue to be a leader for his team and help the other quarterbacks as much as I can."

Earlier in the day, during his regular weekly news conference before he knew for certain the severity of Stanback's injury, Willingham said Carl Bonnell will start for Washington this Saturday at California. He also said all options will be considered this week, including possibly playing highly-touted true freshman Jake Locker of Ferndale.

That Stanback is now out for the year could heighten the interest Washington coaches might have of playing Locker, whom the coaches have been attempting to redshirt.

"We have to look at every possibility that will allow this football team to have success," Willingham said.

But for now, the job belongs to Bonnell, a junior from Kentwood who originally signed with Washington State in 2002 before transferring to Washington. He started two games in 2004 before suffering a groin injury. A thigh injury in preseason camp knocked him out of the 2005 season.

Last spring, he re-emerged to win the backup job ahead of Johnny DuRocher (who is officially listed as the backup this week) and has played quarterback in three games this season.

"I don't know if you can fill Isaiah's shoes," Bonnell said Monday. "He took over the leadership role on this team a long time ago. So I just have to go out there and perform and try to get the guys on my back to play their butts off."

Should Bonnell struggle either in practice or against Cal, however, Locker could be an option.

"We are going to look at Jake, Johnny and Carl and figure out what is best for our football team," Willingham said.

Willingham said Locker has worked almost exclusively with the scout team in practice since the regular season began, but would get more snaps with the regular unit this week.

Willingham has repeatedly said that if it made sense to play Locker he wouldn't hesitate, even if it was for just one game. The Huskies need two more victories to qualify for a bowl game, and part of the decision this week will be balancing the value of achieving that goal against the value of having Locker for another year at the end of his career.

Willingham said it's a decision that might not come until later in the week, if then.

"My thing is, don't rush to judge," he said. "We do that too much, too often. Just be patient and make the right decision when the time comes. And today, we don't have to [make that decision], we just have to gather the right information. Suppose we give Jake snaps and it's clear he's ready to go, then we make that decision."

Whoever gets the call will have a tough time replacing Stanback, especially starting on the road against a Cal team that might be playing the best in the Pac-10.

Stanback was injured at the end of a 24-yard scramble when he planted his right foot and landed awkwardly.

It was such running plays that made him such a unique threat as he ranks second in the Pac-10 in total offense at 239.3 yards a game and his 350 rushing yards is third on the team.

Willingham reiterated Monday that Bonnell also runs well and that the Huskies wouldn't have to drastically alter their offense. Locker also has good mobility, while DuRocher is more of a dropback quarterback.

Stanback had also emerged as a solid passer this season, throwing for 10 touchdowns against just three interceptions, and his 3,868 career passing yards ranks 11th in UW history.

More importantly, the fifth-year senior from Garfield had become the team's emotional leader.

"It's tough not only losing his presence and his performance, but just losing him as a friend and a teammate that everybody respects," White said. "He has the respect of everybody on the team and not having him around and seeing him in the huddle is a setback. But at the same time, we are excited about Carl and his ability."

Notes

• Kickoff for the home game against Arizona State on Oct. 28 has been moved to 4 p.m. so it can be televised live on FSN.

• Other than Stanback, none of the injuries suffered Saturday should keep anyone out of the Cal game, Willingham said.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com