Louisville’s Brohm Might Play on Saturday

Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm said Monday that his surgically repaired right thumb feels so good he’s optimistic he’ll play Saturday when the No. 7-ranked Cardinals play host to Cincinnati.

Brohm had surgery on Sept. 17, a day after he sprained the thumb in Louisville’s 31-7 victory over Miami. Doctors had said Brohm would be out up to six weeks, but Brohm said his thumb was about “60% to 65%” of where it needs to be, and it had improved noticeably in the last week.

“I could play; it’s the matter if that’s what would be in the best interest of the team,” said Brohm, who will wear a splint over the thumb until it is fully recovered.

Coach Bobby Petrino said he’ll see how Brohm progresses in practice.

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Adam Austin will start at quarterback when Arizona visits Stanford on Saturday. Austin, a senior, replaces sophomore Willie Tuitama, who suffered his second concussion in a month during last Saturday’s 27-7 loss at UCLA.

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Michigan wide receiver Mario Manningham, one of the Wolverines’ top threats on offense, is questionable for Saturday’s game against Penn State. Manningham appeared to injure his knee during the Wolverines’ 31-13 victory over Michigan State last Saturday, but Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr wouldn’t confirm that.

“I don’t have any comment on Mario,” Carr said. “I’m sure you understand, because I don’t know everything there is to know.”

Carr said that if Manningham can’t play, freshmen Greg Mathews will be counted on.

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Five players were dismissed by Connecticut Coach Randy Edsall for violating team rules. The players are sophomore wide receiver Nollis Dewar, freshman wide receiver Todd Dorcelus, junior safety Ricky McCollum, junior defensive end Harold Stanback and freshman Carl Teague. The school would not elaborate.