Washington State will be without a pair of key playmakers on offense for the foreseeable future.

Coach Jake Dickert announced on Monday that receiver Renard Bell and running back Nakia Watson will be sidelined indefinitely after both sustained injuries during Washington State’s 30-14 loss to USC.

The expectation is for Bell and Watson to return to the Cougar lineup at some point over the Cougs’ final six games, but it won’t be “until a little bit later,” Dickert said.

“We’re going to be without Renard and Nakia for some time,” he said. “But their leadership is going to be much-needed and much-appreciated.”

Bell has 20 receptions for 282 yards and two scores so far this year.  He missed the entire 2021 season with an ACL injury, received a medical redshirt from the NCAA, allowing him to come back to Wazzu for a seventh year, and was subsequently voted a team captain. The injury now appears to be an upper-body injury. He left Saturday’s game in the first half and was later spotted with his right arm in a sling.

Watson exited in the second half with an unspecified lower-body injury. The tailback has 325 rushing yards and two scores on 64 carries so far this season. Jaylen Jenkins has been his primary backup, getting 37 carries and totaling 257 yards so far as a true freshman. He’ll presumably take over as the lead back in Watson’s absence. Jenkins is coming off a week where he ran for 130 yards and earned the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Week honor.

The other notable injury from the game was to nickel Armani Marsh, but Dickert said he “seems to be just fine.”

Washington State (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) plays Oregon State (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) in Corvallis on Saturday.