Rudy Carpenter was out of the walking boot on Wednesday, but the Arizona State quarterback did not practice and is “very doubtful” for this week’s game at Southern California, coach Dennis Erickson said.

Carpenter has been sidelined since suffering a nonweight-bearing projection of a bone in his left ankle during last week’s game at California. He has made 36 straight starts, one behind Curtis Painter of Purdue for the longest streak in the nation.

“It’s day by day,” Erickson said. “We still have three days, but our plan is that Danny Sullivan will play.”

Carpenter wore street clothes with cleats during practice, with the left shoe taped. He did not speak with reporters because, a school spokesman indicated, there has been little change in Carpenter’s condition since his Monday press conference.

Sullivan, a junior, would make his first career start.

“We do the same things (in the game plan) with both of them,” Erickson said.

“Obviously, because it would be his first start, you are more careful.

  

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