November 6, 2008 in Sports

Dad knows best in tough times

• Print
• Email
• Share

The Spokesman-Review photo

Mitz
(Full-size photo)(All photos)

PULLMAN – College football games are, at their core, a series of violent collisions.

They’re a test of wills and willpower. A reckless abandon is needed to compete, to risk pain for glory. Only those who have played really can understand.

That’s why it’s nice to have someone in the family with a football pedigree.

Washington State running back Logwone Mitz knows he’s one of the lucky ones.

“We try to communicate on a daily basis, if not every other day, for sure,” said Mitz, whose father, Alonzo, played at the University of Florida and for six years in the National Football League, four with the Seattle Seahawks. “He gives me advice on everything.”

Mitz isn’t the only Cougar with a former football star at home. Others, like tight end Tony Thompson, have a dad who was a college legend and a common sight around Pullman. Others, like cornerback Romeo Pellum, have a surrogate father who is busy coaching another Pac-10 team but contributes advice when possible.

Much of that advice this season centers round dealing with the adversity of a 1-8 record. The Cougars enter this Dad’s Weekend game against Arizona 0-6 in the Pac-10 and unable to score for the last 10 quarters.

Football doesn’t get much more adverse than that.

“Mostly he’s been telling me nothing is ever too tough,” said Thompson, whose dad, Jack, still has his name firmly entrenched in the WSU record book. … “My dad knows there are brighter days for this university on the football field.”

Mitz, whose dad was a defensive end and linebacker, has also been getting some of the tough-times-don’t-last advice.

“I don’t know if he ever went through the trials and tribulations as a team at Florida that we have,” Mitz said. “But he’s been there, definitely, for football and he lets me know what I have to do, how I need to attack things.”

Such an aggressive attitude isn’t surprising, considering Mitz’s middle name is Warrior.

“I don’t need to live up to that name, but I want to,” Mitz said. “It was given for a purpose.”

That purpose is personal.

“That’s in the family now, and it’s a part of my name,” Mitz said. “I don’t feel I need to live up to it to satisfy anybody but myself.”

Pellum never really had a father in his life, so when he needs advice he reaches out to his uncle, Don, a former college player at the University of Oregon and a long-time assistant for the Ducks. Actually, it’s usually Don who is reaching out.

“When he watches film on other teams, he obviously sees me on defense,” Pellum said. “He tells me what I’m doing wrong. He tells me to make sure I make my tackles. I missed a couple here and there and he got me on that.”

Spoken like a true former player.

Cougar notes

The injuries just keep on coming. Defensive end Andy Mattingly sprained an ankle Tuesday when WSU practiced inside because of driving rain. He was in a boot Wednesday and is questionable for Saturday. … Tight end Devin Frischknecht returned from an injury.

No comments on this story so far. Add yours!