WSU Has Good Cos To Be Focused On Illinois Despite 2-0 Start, Cougars Say They Won’t Be Looking Past Winless Fighting Illini

Washington State football coach Mike Price says his 19th-ranked Cougars won’t be overlooking winless Illinois when the teams tangle this morning.

“I’m not wasting any energy worrying about our guys not being focused,” Price said. “Unless Bill Cosby shows up.”

A little history is in order.

The last time WSU was a double-digit road favorite - Sept. 7 of last year, against Temple - Cosby showed up on his alma mater’s sideline. The Owls proceeded to give the Cougars a scare, although WSU held on for a 38-34 victory.

Illinois has produced its share of legends, too, from Red Grange to Dick Butkus. But this year’s team may have to settle for Famous Hulbert, a third-string linebacker and a legend in name only.

The Fighting Illini are 0-2. They have scored a grand total of 21 points in losses to Southern Mississippi and Louisville. With upcoming games against No. 13 Iowa and top-ranked Penn State, an 0-5 start seems likely.

“We’re just not making plays,” first-year coach Ron Turner said.

The Cougars, by comparison, are coming off an unprecedented sweep of UCLA and USC. They have scored 37 and 28 points, respectively. With Illinois today and Boise State next week, a 4-0 start seems likely.

Turner, meanwhile, has faced a difficult task since being rescued from his job as offensive coordinator for Dave Wannstedt’s fading Chicago Bears.

Turner is known primarily for his offensive acumen.

In his one season as head coach at San Jose State (1991), the Spartans averaged better than 400 yards per game. In 1995, when Turner was in Chicago and the Bears looked like a team on the rise, his offense broke the franchise record for passing yards in a season.

His older brother, Norv, has been widely credited with turning around the Washington Redskins.

Of course, none of this helps Ron Turner now. He has inherited a team that went 2-9 last season and has the schedule to fare even worse in ‘97.

Turner’s biggest problem is that he lacks big-play athletes on offense. His predecessor, Lou Tepper, was known for preaching defense and, too often, for losing games.

“This program was in a downslide for a couple of years and we were losing some games,” Illinois quarterback Mark Hoekstra said. “The players kind of turned a little bit and started going on that downward slope.

“Coach Turner has come in and really turned around the attitude of the team. Guys are really pulling together now.”

Running back Robert Holcombe is the Illini’s only proven offensive threat. The senior has 3,108 career rushing yards on 709 carries. Last season, he passed Grange to become the school’s all-time rushing leader.

“He punishes you when you tackle him,” Price said.

Holcombe carried 40 times for 165 yards and one touchdown in last week’s 26-14 loss to Louisville. He also lost two fumbles.

Holcombe is tied for the team lead in receptions with 10, an indicator of how dull the Illinois offense has been.

“It’s just the ability to break the big play, and right now, we’re just not doing it,” Hoekstra said.

On the season, Hoekstra has thrown one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Two of those picks came after the ball had been tipped by a defender - a major concern today, considering WSU defensive tackle Leon Bender got his hands on no fewer than three passes in the USC game alone.

Hoekstra has seen the tapes. He is wary.

“Most teams, there’s always some sort of a weakness where you can kind of game-plan towards that,” he said. “But I don’t see a real weakness on them.”

Illinois’ troubles are not limited to offense.

On special teams, Louisville burned the Illini twice - first on an 85-yard punt return, later on a fake punt that netted 25 yards and a first down.

The Illinois defense, once among the nation’s best, is vulnerable to the pass. Louisville’s Ibn Green caught three TD passes last week, including a 63-yarder that sealed the game’s outcome.

WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf figures to fare at least as well, especially if his offensive line picks up the Illini’s increasing blitzes.

“Against Louisville, it looks like they put in a few blitz schemes and tried to make something happen a little more,” WSU offensive lineman Jason McEndoo observed. “They’re kind of desperate for a win right now, and that’s why I anticipate them coming out and throwing the kitchen sink at us.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Cougars at Illinois

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Top 25 at a glance

Vs. Rank. Team Rec T25 This week Extra Points 1. Penn St. (25) 2-0 0-0 idle 18-0 non-conf run 2. Washington (19) 2-0 1-0 vs. Nebraska 3-1-1 vs. Nebraska 3. Florida (14) 2-0 0-0 vs. Tennessee 8-2 last 10 vs. Tennessee 4. Tennessee (6) 2-0 0-0 at Florida 3-5 at Gainesville 5. Florida St. (3) 2-0 0-0 at Clemson 8-2 vs. Clemson 6. N. Carolina (1) 2-0 1-0 at Maryland 7-3 last 10 vs. Maryland 7. Nebraska (2) 2-0 0-0 at Washington Osborne 0-2 vs. UW 8. Michigan 1-0 1-0 vs. Baylor Tied Bears at 14 in ‘75 9. Ohio St. 2-0 0-0 vs. Arizona 1-1 vs. Arizona 10. LSU 2-0 0-0 vs. Auburn 9-3-1 vs. Auburn at home 11. Alabama 2-0 0-0 vs. Arkansas 5-2 vs. Arkansas 12. Auburn 2-0 0-0 at LSU Held Ole Miss to 3 FGs 13. Iowa 2-0 0-0 at Iowa St. RB Banks 314 yds, 4 TDs 14. Arizona St. 2-0 1-0 vs. BYU 2-2 at home vs. BYU 15. Colorado 1-1 1-1 idle Fewest pts since 11-12-88 16. Clemson 2-0 1-0 vs. Florida St. 1989 was last win vs. FSU 17. Michigan St. 2-0 0-0 at Notre Dame 7-26 at Notre Dame 18. Virginia Tech 2-0 0-0 at Temple 8-2 vs. Temple 19. Washington St. 2-0 1-0 at Illinois Swept UCLA/USC 1st time 20. Kansas St. 2-0 0-0 idle Won by 3 after 23-0 lead 21. Stanford 1-1 0-1 at Oregon St. 7-2-1 last 10 vs. Ore. St. 22. Miami 1-2 0-1 vs. Pitt, Thur. Lost 21-17 23. Colorado St. 2-1 0-1 vs. Air Force 6-1 vs. AFA in 1990s 24. UCLA 1-2 1-1 idle 2nd-biggest margin ever 25. Georgia 2-0 0-0 vs. NE La. Last ranking 9-17-95