Day of reckoning in Apple Cup

  • John Sleeper / Herald Writer
  • Friday, November 16, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By John Sleeper

Herald Writer

SEATTLE – Part of the healing process lies in the power to forget.

The Washington Huskies have been staunch in saying they have to put last week’s 49-24 defeat to Oregon State behind them.

“We definitely didn’t play as well as we know we can,” UW quarterback Cody Pickett said. “I’m glad to have four days of practice. We’re ready to go.”

While the loss obliterated No. 16 Washington’s chances for a repeat Pacific-10 Conference title and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, the Huskies have much to play for. Besides the Apple Cup game against arch-rival Washington State and all the resulting hoopla, the Huskies can nail down a Holiday Bowl bid with a victory. A loss likely will keep them home for the inaugural Seattle Bowl at Safeco Field.

But that’s looking ahead, something UW coach Rick Neuheisel has preached against all season. Certainly, ninth-ranked Washington State is a foe formidable enough to require as little distraction as possible. Neuheisel said that alone prohibits Washington from both agonizing over Oregon State and from looking ahead.

“We need to pick ourselves up, get going and play with everything we’ve got,” Neuheisel said. “Otherwise, it’ll be another long afternoon. I’m excited about our kids doing just that. Everybody that has been a part of this program has dealt with some adversity. We have always risen to the occasion after the fact.”

Neuheisel’s main concern is about his pass defense, which Oregon State took apart for 317 yards via the air. The problems have been twofold: The pass rush hasn’t recorded a sack in the last two games and has 18 all season. Then, too, is the coverage, which has allowed opponents a 55.9-percent completion rate and has picked off just seven passes.

That doesn’t bode well for today. The WSU passing attack, led by quarterback Jason Gesser, is the best in the conference. Receivers Nakoa McElrath, Mike Bush and Jerome Riley have 127 receptions and 20 touchdowns between them.

“They’ve got big playmakers out there,” Neuheisel said. “They have really been explosive. We’ve got to try to cover them. Sometimes, we just lack experience. But we just have to play better.”

The Cougars have done a fine job of forgetting 3-8, 3-9 and 4-7 seasons since their 1998 Pac-10 title. Coach Mike Price survived sharp criticism from alums and media and is a likely choice for the conference’s Coach of the Year honors.

A win gives WSU at least a share of the Pac-10 title.

Our fans have been very, very patient,” Price said. “Our administration has been very, very supportive. We have a new president and a new athletic director. Maybe they’re not tired of me yet. I’m a fan and I’m an alum and I want the Cougs to do good, too. I was getting upset with myself and the football coaches here the last couple years.

“Basically, what we’ve been doing the last three years is building character. That’s what you do when you lose, is build character. We’ve got all the character you need.”

If that’s true, last year’s 51-3 UW victory in the Apple Cup had to be an overload of character-building. It was such a low point that tailback Deon Burnett, frustrated by a lack of playing time and his own injuries, quit the team at halftime.

“I told the players to forget about last year’s Apple Cup,” Price said. “I told them that in the locker room after the game. It was such a disappointing performance. It hasn’t been a rallying cry for us at all.”

Judging from WSU’s season, memory loss hasn’t hurt the Cougars one bit.

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