Idaho’s Greer in Critical Condition

Idaho’s Keith Greer, a former Santa Ana Mater Dei High player who has been hospitalized since he broke his leg during the Washington State game Aug. 30, was listed in critical condition Monday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Kristin Foley, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said Greer has been in critical condition for some time, and a report over the weekend that he was in serious condition was incorrect. She would provide no other details.

Greer, a 19-year-old sophomore fullback, is suffering from complications of surgery to repair his leg, the Spokesman-Review of Spokane reported Monday.

He broke his tibia and fibula during the fourth quarter of the season opener for both teams, which was played at Seahawks Stadium in Seattle. Surgery was performed Aug. 31.

“He was in real bad shape Thursday,” Washington State Coach Bill Doba told the Spokesman-Review. “I talked to his dad Friday night, and it kind of put things in perspective.

“We wanted to win a ball game, but this kid is fighting for his life ... we need prayers,” Doba said. “That is a heck of a lot more important thing than any football game.”

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Kansas State quarterback Ell Roberson will be sidelined indefinitely after an injury during a victory over McNeese State.

Roberson, who is right-handed, hurt his left hand or wrist. Bill Snyder, coach of the No. 7 Wildcats, was not sure when Roberson would be back.

“We’re not going to play him this weekend,” he said. “How quickly we can get him back, I am uncertain right now.”

Snyder refused to elaborate on the injury, even to say if it required surgery.

The Wildcats, the first Division I-A team to reach 3-0, are unlikely to need Roberson this week against Massachusetts, their second straight Division I-AA opponent. But he could be missed the next week against Marshall, which gave No. 13 Tennessee a scare in a 34-24 loss.

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Washington’s first victory of the season proved costly when two starters -- linebacker Joe Lobendahn and guard Rob Meadow -- were ruled out for the season because of knee injuries.

“They’re both big blows to us, on both sides of the ball,” Coach Keith Gilbertson said. “We don’t have a lot of depth, particularly on the offensive line.”

Lobendahn hurt his right knee while making a tackle less than four minutes into No. 21 Washington’s 38-13 win over Indiana on Saturday. Meadow, who hurt his left knee in high school, re-injured it late in the first half when he was blocked on an interception return.

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Miami receiver Devin Hester could sit out Saturday’s game against East Carolina because of a sprained right ankle.

Hester, the second-ranked Hurricanes’ top kickoff returner and one of their most explosive players, injured his ankle Saturday in the 38-33 victory over Florida. He was wearing a soft cast Monday and likely will sit out some practice this week, Coach Larry Coker said.

Hester returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against the Gators and returned another 28 yards.

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Florida quarterback Ingle Martin, who left the loss to No. 2 Miami with a mild concussion, was cleared to practice.

Martin played down its seriousness, saying it was at least his fourth football concussion. The sophomore played the first two series of the second half last Saturday, then sat out the third possession in a planned rotation with freshman Chris Leak.

This is Martin’s second concussion at Florida, after one earlier this year in spring practice. He said he had two concussions in high school.

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Former Missouri player Nick Tarpoff was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered not to own firearms after pleading guilty to possessing an illegal weapon.

Police found a sawed-off shotgun in Tarpoff’s house in February after he reported being shot by an intruder. Tarpoff recanted the story a day later when he acknowledged he shot himself in the arm.

Tarpoff is on the roster at Texas A&M; Kingsville, a Division II school, athletic department spokesman Craig Merriman said.