The Washington Huskies have been without an important piece of their defensive line, as edge rusher Zach Durfee has missed the team’s last two games.
Jedd Fisch had previously said that he was hopeful the former Sioux Falls transfer would return when the Huskies traveled to Indiana, but following a pregame workout on the field, he was unable to suit up.
On Monday, the head coach said that Durfee is dealing with turf toe in both of his feet, which is a sprain of the ligaments in the big toe caused by hyperextension, and offered an update on his status.
“I want to say it was the third week of the season where it happened on the left toe, and then in the fourth week of the season, it happened in the right toe, I might be off a week,” Fisch said on Monday. “He was fighting the left toe, then the right toe, then the left toe got better, and the right toe didn’t. Then we had to settle down the right toe; we thought we were in a good spot, and then the left toe got aggravated.”
“This game, we thought both toes were ok; we had him taped up and suited up, and he went out to work out, and he couldn’t explode off of his right foot. So, we went back to a foot specialist today to take a look at it, so I don’t have an update for you as to what Saturday will look like. Its been a challenge for him, and it’s unfortunate because, as we all know, he would certainly be very helpful setting the edge with his toughness and his strength.”
Washington has struggled to defend the run without Durfee in the lineup, but Fisch said that due to his situation, the coaching staff may pursue an extra year of eligibility for him. After playing in the first three games of the season, he has missed the Northwestern, Iowa, and Indiana games and was limited against both Michigan and Rutgers.
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