Tafralis to play with broken bone

Oakland Tribune, Nov 9, 2007 by Laurence Miedema

SAN JOSE -- Adam Tafralis will try to help revive the ailing San Jose State offense Saturday against New Mexico State with a broken bone in his left thumb.

The senior quarterback hurt his non-throwing hand late in the first half of the Spartans'

42-7 loss at Boise State last weekend. Tafralis threw a touchdown pass to Kevin Jurovich, SJSU's only score in its past two games, later in that drive and played the entire third quarter (completing 4 of 8 attempts for 30 yards) before he was taken out of the game with the Spartans trailing by 28 points.

"It's painful, but mostly it's annoying," said Tafralis, who completed 5 of 11 attempts for 34 yards after suffering the injury. "You don't realize how much you use your left thumb as a right- handed quarterback: catching the ball, turning it and getting it into your (right) hand to throw, and being able to grip it on the option (running plays).

"But I'll make it work."

Tafralis said he smashed his thumb on a Boise State player's helmet. The blow tore off half the thumbnail at the root, and the distal phalanx, the bone above the top knuckle in the thumb, "broke just like a carrot. It snapped right in half."

After the game, the rest of the nail was removed to make sure the bone hadn't pierced Tafralis' flesh. The nail then was sewn back to protect the underlayer of skin on his thumb.

Tafralis didn't miss any time in practice this week.

"He's a tough dude," Jurovich said.

ON THE GRASS: The Spartan Stadium grass has had four weeks to recover since Hawaii coach June Jones blasted the rain-soaked conditions as "atrocious" and "an embarrassment for a Division I field."

The only visible signs of wear are at the goal lines (especially at the north end of the field) and the sideline areas after SJSU played host to men's and women's soccer doubleheaders Friday and Sunday.

EXTRA POINTS: Although he isn't officially considered out of the season, tailback Yonus Davis didn't practice for the fifth week in a row because of a sprained left ankle and won't be in uniform Saturday. ... Jared Strubeck will handle the place-kicking duties Saturday, looking to snap a string of seven consecutive missed field- goal attempts. The slump was extended against Boise State when his 38-yard attempt was blocked.