PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State coach Mike Price has been here before -- faced with starting a freshman quarterback in midseason.

As he did with Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf, Price may have to go with a freshman when the Cougars (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) travel to California on Saturday for the Pacific-10 Conference opener for both teams.

Starter Jason Gesser has a dislocated rib on his right side and backup Matt Kegel has a bruised left knee that limits his ability to run.

That means freshman Chris Hurd will take most of the snaps this week from the Cougars' No. 1 offense, while Gesser and Kegel take time to heal.

Gesser did not practice Tuesday and Kegel saw light duty while Hurd took a crash course in Washington State's spread offense.

Price would not say for sure whether Hurd, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback from Antioch, Calif., would start.

"I feel we're going to go into this game anticipating that Chris Hurd will be our starter and go practice that way. Jason and Matt ... can get by with missing a couple of days of practice, where Chris can't.''

Hurd could get fewer snaps later in the week if either Gesser or Kegel returns, Price said.

Bledsoe and Leaf went on to set records at WSU before leaving for the NFL after their junior years.

"Chris was very calm and did an excellent job last week,'' Price said. Hurd completed five of six passes for 44 yards in Washington State's 45-28 victory over I-AA Montana State.

Even if Gesser and Kegel are able to return, Hurd, a northern California native, likely will be in the game at the school where his father once coached track and field.

"So maybe this game means a little bit more to Chris Hurd than any other game,'' Price said.

Gesser and Kegel "are on kind of a day-to-day, wait-and-see mode right now,'' the coach said.

"I wish all of our players would have the same inspiration that these two guys are showing, because they're going to play. They're going to find a way to play,'' Price said. "If they have to play through pain, they're playing.

"They're definitely not primadonna quarterbacks.''

Price said the Cougars have been depleted by injuries, particularly at tight end, where sophomore Mark Ahlberg is expected to make his first start.