Silent Price, Dickson Let Rumors Swirl At WSU
Mike Price continued to keep a low profile Thursday, ignoring interview requests and leaving his Washington State football players to join in the speculation concerning the coach’s immediate future.
Price was seen eating dinner Tuesday night with University of Minnesota athletic director Mark Dienhart in the Twin Cities, and WSU confirmed that Minnesota was granted permission to speak with Price about the vacancy created when Jim Wacker resigned three weeks ago.
The ensuing speculation has been incessant, fueled by the public silence of Price and WSU athletic director Rick Dickson. According to WSU, Price is on a recruiting trip through today and Dickson is out of town until Monday. Neither has returned messages this week.
WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf said Thursday afternoon that Price mentioned nothing about job-hunting when the two spoke Sunday night. Leaf added that, based on his close relationship with Price, he believes Price would have shared any such intentions.
“I feel that he’s going to stay here,” Leaf said. “What I really want to know is why he didn’t say anything to me that he was going to even meet with these guys.
“Maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and he couldn’t get a hold of me and stuff like that, and if that’s the case, I’ll understand. It’s just kind of upsetting for our friendship that we weren’t able to communicate it.”
Leaf said he anticipated hearing from Price later Thursday. Several other players also expressed concern Thursday, but most felt Price would return.
Minnesota is reportedly willing to pay its next football coach between $700,000 and $1 million per season - far more than the $110,000 Price earns annually under a contract that runs through 2000. Even with money from contracts for shoes, radio, television and summer camps, Price’s WSU income probably doesn’t exceed $200,000.
“I believe that he just took it as a flattering concept and made the visit,” Leaf theorized. “Like in high school, I took recruiting trips where I didn’t plan on going to.”
According to media reports in Minneapolis, Price isn’t considered the leading candidate at Minnesota. More likely choices include San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and Florida defensive coordinator Bob Stoops.
In addition, Dienhart reportedly approached Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who did not express interest.
The Price speculation intensified after the eighth-year WSU coach was mentioned in Tuesday’s Boston Globe as a candidate for the vacant Boston College job. That talk has since cooled.
Price has a 43-47 record at WSU, including victories in the Copper and Alamo bowls. The Cougars were 5-6 this season.
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