SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Washington State's football team took several hits Tuesday when troubled defensive tackle Andy Roof was kicked out of school and fifth-year senior Dan Rowlands quit football because of shoulder pain as the Cougars prepared for Saturday's season opener against Oklahoma State.

Roof, a senior, was arrested for investigation of assault last April, accused of head-butting a man at a party. He had already missed last season after he was kicked out of school for alcohol offenses.

Coach Paul Wulff said the student conduct board at WSU decided to dismiss Roof, a 6-foot-9, 299-pound senior from Spokane.

"Obviously he was in our rotation," Wulff said. "It's going to have an impact, no question. The team is already very thin in a lot of areas."

Wulff was hired last December, and said Roof has been a good influence in that period.

"From where he was a year ago, he has changed his life 180 degrees," Wulff said. "He's done everything we asked."

Wulff said he would be willing to recommend Roof to another program.

Roof played as a freshman and became a starter his sophomore year. He had been expected to see plenty of action this season. He told reporters earlier this year that he had stopped drinking after being kicked out of school last season.

Wulff has been revamping his starting lineup as he prepares for his debut as WSU's head coach this Saturday at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Among the moves, Micah Hannam will play offensive right tackle. Brian Danaher will make his first collegiate start at right guard, following Tuesday night's announcement that Rowlands has been forced to quit football due to chronic shoulder pain. Rowlands started all 12 games last season. Steven Ayers, a freshman from Sehome, is the starting offensive left tackle ahead of returning starter Vaughn Lesuma, who has a back injury.

Logwone Mitz, a freshman from Redmond, is now the No. 2 running back because hamstring problems have slowed Chris Ivory. Wade Penner will handle field-goal and extra-point duties, while Patrick Rooney will do kickoffs. Dan Wagner will punt.

Sophomore Romeo Pellum deposed Devin Giles as the starting left cornerback. Junior college transfers Myron Beck and Easton Johnson are fighting for free safety.

Freshman Jared Karstetter has earned a starting job at receiver. Dwight Tardy will start at running back.

Wulff said so many young players are starting because the team lacks depth.

Saturday's game is the season opener for both teams. The Cougars reported selling some 42,000 tickets so far at 67,000 seat Qwest Field.

Wulff, a former WSU player who spent the past nine seasons as head coach at Eastern Washington, said he used to be a critic of the annual game in Seattle. Now that he is back inside the WSU fold, he sees the advantages of the game.

The major benefits are bringing WSU football to the huge alumni base in the Seattle area, which is some 300 miles from the campus in Pullman, Wulff said.

"It exposes our team to West side recruits," he added.

Washington State is 5-1 in Seattle games, losing only to Colorado in 2004.

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