Cougars looking for some respect

  • NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS / Associated Press
  • Thursday, October 11, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By Nicholas K. Geranios

Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Off to one of the quietest 5-0 starts in the nation, Washington State’s football team is ready to make some noise.

The Cougars play at No. 22 Stanford (3-0) on Saturday, and there is little doubt they want to make a statement for the voters on the Top 25.

“It’s not going to help us beat Stanford to be ranked,” coach Mike Price said. “But we probably are the only 5-0 team from a bigger conference that isn’t ranked.”

At 3-0 in the Pacific 10, the Cougars are alone atop a league that also sports such unbeaten teams as Oregon, UCLA and Washington.

Several players said after last Saturday’s victory over Oregon State that the Cougars deserved a ranking. The latest Top 25 poll found the team just a handful of votes from breaking into the elite rankings.

Fans are also starting to notice the Cougs. After a disappointing crowd in the home opener against California that had Price pleading with fans to show up, the Cougars sold out Martin Stadium against Oregon State, and tickets are starting to sell faster for upcoming games.

Respect has always come hard for the Cougars because they play in Pullman, far from major media centers, and because of the team’s up and down football fortunes.

The issue is exacerbated this year because the Cougars have played on television only once and played a modest non-conference schedule against Idaho and Boise State. But their huge victory margins, explosive offense and good defense are starting to get noticed.

A victory at Stanford, where the Cougars have not won since 1988, would go a long way. Price is 2-8 against the Cardinal.

Stanford’s new offensive line coach, John McDonell, joined the team this season after being WSU’s offensive coordinator the past seven seasons.

“John McDonell has every one of my playbooks,” Price said. “He wrote them.”

Washington State got some good news on Wednesday, when it appeared leading rusher David Minnich would be able to play. Minnich bruised his knee against Oregon State while rushing for 195 yards, the ninth-best performance in WSU history.

Quarterback Jason Gesser, who threw up on the field Saturday after taking a helmet to the chest, also is ready to play.

Gesser said he is worried more about the team’s record than its poll ranking.

“At the end of the season, we would still like to have a zero at the end of the column,” Gesser said.

The Cougars are piling up some impressive statistics. They ranked fourth in the nation with 323 passing yards per game; fifth in total offense at 488 yards per game; seventh in rushing defense by holding opponents to 59 yards per game and 19th in total defense at 289 yards per game.

A victory at Stanford would make the Cougars bowl-eligible for the first time since the 1997 Rose Bowl season. Even if the Cougars lose, they play Division 1-AA Montana State five days later in Pullman in a game that can count toward bowl eligibility this season.

“We’re not thinking one bit about Montana State right now,” Price said.

The Cougars have started 5-0 seven times in their history (this is the third time under Price). Five times they went to a bowl game. The sixth time they finished undefeated.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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