Leaf Swaggers In As Spring Begins Ready To Assume Role Of Cougars’ Leader
If not for the crimson uniform and shiny gray football helmet, Ryan Leaf might have passed for a politician on the campaign trail.
Washington State’s junior quarterback dished out enough handshakes and high-fives to satisfy an entire precinct Wednesday afternoon as the Cougars opened spring practices in Martin Stadium.
The trademark swagger was still there, perhaps out of habit, but it was tempered by a heightened level of enthusiastic interaction - one way Leaf is taking over for departed leaders like Scott Sanderson and James Darling.
“Last year I still was the sophomore and wanted the older guys to still be the leaders - they earned it,” said Leaf, who passed for 2,811 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. “But now it’s like I’m the leader, I’m the junior.”
Leaf appeared sharp throughout the non-contact workout, particularly on a couple of deep passes to junior Nian Taylor. A slight limp was the only indication Leaf had undergone minor knee surgery in late January, but even that was debatable.
“Was I limping today?” Leaf asked afterward, feigning incredulity as coach Mike Price approached. “That’s my stagger. That’s my cocky stagger, isn’t it?”
Price joined in the laughter, then offered his own theory: “He just looks over and sees the green light on the TV camera and that’s when he starts limping.”
“The red light,” Leaf corrected.
Some things, it appears, will never change.
As spring openers go, Wednesday’s was more rudimentary than most. Under new guidelines passed by a vote of Pacific-10 Conference coaches, the first two practices are conducted without pads.
That means the Cougars, after taking today off, won’t have a real practice until Saturday. Price can’t wait.
“We looked good in our underwear,” he joked. “This is a contact game and we didn’t have any contact. So it was just real, real basic.”
So basic, in fact, that one 5-minute segment was spent explaining how players are to align in the huddle.
Then came the customary windsprints, which, between pained gasps, produced the quote of the day from one repentant veteran: “There was no reason to be at The Coug (tavern) last night.”
Spring schedule
WSU will hold practices in Martin Stadium every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for four weeks.
The first Saturday scrimmage will be April 5 at 9 a.m. The annual Spring Game is April 19 and scheduled for the afternoon.
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