Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sterk stands with Doba, WSU staff

PULLMAN – Sitting up in his box at Martin Stadium during a game or standing nearby while coach Bill Doba talks to the media afterward, there’s not much Jim Sterk can do.

But as Washington State University’s athletic director, the 3-7 disappointment – some would say disaster – that is this football season hits him as hard as anyone. As with Doba, Sterk is charged with helping to put the pieces back together.

“There’s a lot of factors that led to this season being one of those – I was thinking about it, I think we’re Best Supporting Actor,” Sterk said Tuesday morning, just days away from an Apple Cup pitting two teams that have combined for five wins. “We’re made-for-TV because our games, they know they’re going to be down to the wire. It’s exciting. I’d like a different ending, though.”

For the first time in Doba’s three-year tenure as head coach after 14 years as a defensive assistant, serious questions about his fitness for the job are being asked. Fans have openly booed some decisions during games and second-guessed them on the six days in between. Losing all seven Pacific-10 Conference games hasn’t helped.

Sterk sees things differently. His support for the coaching staff that works just down the hall from his office has publicly been clear.

“I get a few e-mails here and there. But people understand, and if they really look at it the coaching staff didn’t become dumb overnight,” he said. “We didn’t get the wins, but I think those people over there are the type of the people that will get it done. They’re still a great coaching staff. Everyone said it’s the best coaching staff we’ve had here at Washington Sate University. They’re the same guys.”

Realistically, even if Sterk felt the same as fans calling for massive changes, such a move might be difficult. A buyout of the head coach’s contract alone would cost more than $2 million. (The deal goes through the 2009 season and all of the assistant coaches have one year left on their contracts.)

Minutes after expressing confidence in Doba’s performance, Sterk talked about the weighty burden of $1.3 million in scholarship expenses that has fallen on the department because of cutbacks in state funding. So the likelihood of making such a huge splash to bring in an unknown entity would seem at best a long shot.

Furthermore, Sterk said the department hasn’t done its share to assist the football program. The renovation and expansion of Martin Stadium has become the top priority of the department, and one that Sterk suggested is necessary to ensure a competitive team and department in the long run.

The planning stages for the expansion still have a long way to go, although conceptually Sterk and his staff seem to have agreed upon a general outline. Eschewing the major upgrade to the south (press box) side of the stadium because costs would have spiraled into nine figures, the Cougars are hoping to put luxury suites on the north end of the stadium, widen the north concourse, and improve restroom and concession facilities on the north, east and south sides. A more significant addition to the east end zone near Stadium Way (a second deck, a multipurpose club area) remains a possibility.

Sterk said keeping costs less than $60 million is a near necessity, but WSU hasn’t figured out how much of that it can raise through bond issues and how much must be from private donors. Nor is it certain that WSU has the donors to provide the needed cash.

The athletic director insisted that the losing seasons in 2004 and 2005 won’t dramatically affect the short-term ability to raise money for a construction project he still hopes to begin in 2007.

“You know, I think that the people – our steering committee and those folks – are people that are, they’re not fly-by-night fans. They’re invested in the program,” he said. “Yeah, it’s fun and nice to win. But (losing) gives us even more resolve why we need to get this stadium completed and renovated.”

Still, he said it would be about a year before the school reached outside its primary fund-raising circle for donations – possibly a sign that WSU is hoping a better season in 2006 would help bring in more dollars.

Circling back to the issue of his football coaches, Sterk emphasized how the commitment to winning has to be a two-way street.

Asked if WSU would be a school that could sustain football success, as opposed to the current peaks-and-valleys trend, the athletic director paused for nearly 15 seconds before choosing his words.

“They need all the … I want to say weapons in the arsenal, but I’m kind of sensitive over that. But that’s the analogy, I guess,” Sterk reasoned. “Sixteen years ago, Bill Doba was told the stadium was going to be renovated in two years. And that hasn’t happened.”

Cougars win needle space

WSU fans donated more than $30,000 more than Husky fans to the Space Needle’s Hurricane Katrina relief effort, and as a result the Seattle landmark will be painted crimson and gray for Apple Cup weekend with the message: “Go Cougars!”

In less than two weeks $97,947 came in from Cougars supporters while Washington backers raised $66,346. The contributions, which came from 32 states and three countries, will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Notes

Funeral services for Janice Walden, wife of former WSU coach Jim Walden, will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Manito Presbyterian Church at 401 E. 30th Street, with a reception afterward at the downtown Doubletree. The Walden family asks for donations in lieu of flowers to the Mark Rypien Foundation. … X-rays revealed a small fracture in wide receiver Jason Hill’s left index finger, but he will play with a splint. Hill was also named one of 15 finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wideout. … Fellow wide receiver Brandon Gibson (hip) is questionable but did participate in practice. Jerome Harrison took the day off, as did Mkristo Bruce after tweaking his sore knee near the beginning of the session.