Paus sidelined by thumb injury
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 29, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 DANIEL WONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Quarterback
Cory Paus audibles during the loss to Stanford on
Saturday.
By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Reporter
Cory Paus’ thumb sticks out like, well, a sore thumb. With
an ace bandage wrapped around the sprained thumb, Paus told
reporters Monday that he will probably not play this weekend
against Washington State.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to grip a
football well enough to practice this week,” Paus said.
Scott McEwan will start in Paus’ place provided that he
recovers from a sprained ankle sustained in the Stanford game.
Should McEwan not be able to start, Ryan McCann will be under
center.
“Ryan hasn’t really been in the mix because of
injuries,” Paus said.
McCann had shoulder surgery in the off-season and moved down
from the second- to third-string quarterback after winning the
Michigan, Fresno State and Alabama games in Paus’ place last
season.
And McCann’s backup?
“We’ve got this kid named John Sciarra, but I
don’t think he knows what he’s doing. I’d
probably put DeShaun in the shotgun and run it every play,”
Paus said.
“I’d put (freshman corner Matt) Ware back there and
run every time,” Coach Toledo jokingly speculated.
Paus will be at the game, and refused to rule out playing if he
feels fine. However, should McEwan perform well this weekend
against Washington State, Toledo said he could start him against
Oregon as well.
“Then I would have a decision to make,” Toledo said.
“I would have to go with who is the most
efficient.”
Toledo is confident in McEwan, a fifth-year senior who passed
for 221 yards Saturday and two touchdowns but also had one
interception and two fumbles.
“We think the world of Scott McEwan,” Toledo said.
“He is the epitome of a team guy. He just wanted to wait for
his chance and contribute if he could.”
Although Paus was injured at the end of the first half, Toledo
said he would have sat him out one series anyways.
“I probably was going to take him out and put him back
in,” Toledo said. “Sometimes you need to take a deep
breath.”
Paus was 5 of 16 in the first half.
“I don’t know why Cory starts instead of
(McEwan),” Washington State head coach Mike Price said after
seeing the Stanford game.
