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Friday, December 13, 2002
Orange Bowl QBs to sit out Senior Bowl
Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. -- Two of the nation's top quarterbacks -- Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke and Josh Heupel -- will miss the Senior Bowl on Saturday because of injuries.
Heupel led Oklahoma past Weinke and Florida State in the Orange Bowl to settle the national title.
The two arrived in Mobile on Sunday and informed Senior Bowl officials and NFL scouts they needed to rest.
Also bowing out of Saturday's game:
Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, who is still feeling pain from a right shoulder sprain he suffered during the Huskies' 34-24 victory over Purdue in the Rose Bowl.
Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister, considered a possible high first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. McAllister was listed on the Senior Bowl roster, but he did not attend practice Monday or Tuesday. He could not be reached for comment and officials at Ole Miss were unaware of McAllister's decision or his whereabouts.
Weinke has a sprained left foot and was examined by Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham on Friday. Heupel, a left-hander, has an injured throwing arm.
"It's not a serious condition," said Heupel, who guided Oklahoma to a 13-0 season. "If I had a little more time to rest, it would be OK. If we were in the middle of the season, there's no doubt I'd be able to go out and play, but I don't want to be out here and not be 100 percent."
Weinke finished his college career by leading the Seminoles to their third straight national championship game. He initially hurt his foot in September and said he needs to rest so he can begin getting ready for NFL workouts.
"I played the whole year with constant pain," Weinke said. "We didn't have any weeks off after I injured it so I could rest it."
The 28-year-old quarterback hoped to showcase his skills at the Senior Bowl.
"I feel my age, because of my maturity, is an advantage, not a disadvantage, and playing here would have given me a chance to show that," he said.
Senior Bowl officials replaced Weinke on the South team with Florida quarterback Jesse Palmer. Heupel was replaced on the North team by Rashard Casey of Penn State, and Tuiasosopo was replaced by Rutgers' Mike McMahon.
Oregon St. quarterback Smith needs hand surgery
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith will miss spring practice to undergo surgery to repair his broken left hand.
Smith was able to play with the injury through most of Oregon State's record 11-1 season because he is right-handed.
Smith said his left hand began to hurt at halftime during the San Diego State game, the third game of the season. But doctors diagnosed the injury as a sprain until the 10th game of the season, when X-rays taken after the Beavers beat Arizona showed that Smith had a fracture.
Doctors will use bone from Smith's pelvis to repair the fracture in his hand, where it meets the wrist.
Smith has started 27 consecutive games over three seasons and threw all but six of the Beavers' 320 passes this season.
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