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SEATTLE — Tyrone Willingham is being vilified from every direction of Washington's fractured fan base, and he believes the conjecture regarding his future is beginning to gnaw into the Huskies' program.

Just when it seemed Washington couldn't find a new bottom, the Huskies redefined disappointment on Saturday night. Instead of a rebirth following a brutal early season schedule, their nightmare worsened with a 35-28 defeat at the hands of Stanford and the loss of quarterback Jake Locker to a broken right thumb.

Willingham believes the injury happened when Locker was throwing a block in front of Jordan Polk on a reverse that went for 27 yards.

A school spokesman said Sunday that Locker will be examined and evaluated by a hand specialist today.

Offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said Locker could be out for six weeks.

Now the Huskies are left to ponder another embarrassing loss and when the ax will fall on Willingham, who said the 0-4 start has been the most difficult point in his coaching career.

"Without question," Willingham said. "There are so many things flying around my young men right now, and we're trying to keep them focused on that next task, that next goal, because they're frustrated, the coaches are frustrated, everyone's frustrated, the fans are frustrated.

"We want to get this thing right."

The loss to Stanford makes Willingham's dismissal at the end of the year seem almost inevitable. He is 11-29 at Washington and winless through the first four games for the first time in his career. The Huskies have lost six straight dating back to last year.

"When people don't like the head coach of your team, it's always tough, but we're 0-4 now, so I feel like there's stress on everybody," linebacker Mason Foster said. "Everybody has to do better, not just coach Willingham or any of the coaches. The whole team has to do better.

"If we're going to be 0-4 and losing at home like that, everyone has to do better."

Washington's defense gave up 466 yards to less-than-powerhouse Stanford, but most concern was on the quarterback position.

Ronnie Fouch took over after Locker left in the first half Saturday night.

Offensive coordinator Lappano said Locker might be back in two weeks at another position. That possibility will likely fuel debate on whether Locker is the quarterback savior many expected.

The question could be unresolved for weeks as Fouch gets the first extensive playing time of his college career and his abilities are fully evaluated. Fouch completed 13 of 27 passes for 186 yards, threw for one touchdown and ran for another against Stanford.

"I just tried to get in there and complete passes and get things moving," Fouch said. "I was just trying to score and help our team win.

What appeared to be a potential softening of the schedule for the Huskies now seems daunting. Washington is at Arizona this weekend, followed by another bye and then Oregon State, Notre Dame, Southern California and Arizona State. The Huskies will likely be underdogs in all those contests, and their most winnable game could come in late November against similarly miserable cross-state rival Washington State.

"This is tough. This is not easy right now," Willingham said on his post-game radio show.