ESPN College Football

Fresno State: Starting quarterback Paul Pinegar will likely not play in Saturday's season opener at (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) Tennessee because of a pectoral injury.

Bulldogs coach Pat Hill moved Jeff Grady to the starting spot.

Redshirt freshman Tommy Barrington will be the No. 2 quarterback Saturday, although Pinegar will dress for the game, Hill said.

"Paul's got a slight muscle tear in his pec, and it just hasn't healed,'' Hill said. "He'll make the trip, but it's doubtful he'll play.''

Pinegar said he first felt pain just below his right shoulder during a practice on Aug. 14. Since then, he has participated only in handoff, footwork and short-passing drills. An MRI revealed the muscle tear.

"That's when we knew I needed to take some time off,'' said Pinegar, who isn't sure how the injury occurred.

It is unclear how long Pinegar will be sidelined.

"It could be next week, it could be three weeks, it could be six weeks, I have no idea,'' Hill said. "Right now, Jeff's taken over the team until Paul gets healthy.''

Washington State: Chris Hurd, the No. 2 quarterback going into fall camp, will not be a part of the Washington State team this fall, coach Bill Doba said.

The sophomore is scheduled to have knee surgery in his home state of California soon, Doba said Tuesday.

A quarter-size hole at the end of the femur, caused by a congenital knee problem, must be fixed, Doba said.

Freshman Josh Swogger has moved up to the No. 2 spot behind senior Matt Kegel.

Freshman Alex Brink also is a backup.

Hurd, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder from Antioch, Calif., played in four games last season, completing 7 of 10 passes for 61 yards. He was the holder on field goals and extra points.

Walk-on Brett Johnson has taken over the holding duties.

SW Texas State: The NCAA has restored former Houston quarterback Barrick Nealy's eligibility, allowing him to play for Southwest Texas State on Saturday against New Mexico, the Southwest Texas athletic director told Houston television station KRIV on Wednesday.

Southwest Texas, which will officially become Texas State University-San Marcos on Monday, declared Nealy ineligible last month after Southwest Texas athletic director Greg LaFleur self-reported what he called two secondary violations to the NCAA regarding Nealy's recruitment from Houston.

He told KRIV on Wednesday that those violations were impermissible contact between Bobcat coaches and Nealy and head coach Manny Matsakis making public comments about Nealy before he signed a scholarship with Southwest Texas.

LaFleur said the NCAA gave the school verbal confirmation Nealy's eligibility was restored. A written report will follow.

He said the school penalized itself, but did not elaborate.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press