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

WSU receivers coach struggles with Wilson situation

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PULLMAN – Dennis Simmons shakes his head, throws up his arms. He just doesn’t know what to do about junior Marquess Wilson, the star Washington State receiver who was suspended Monday after walking out of a workout Sunday night. Simmons, WSU’s outside receivers coach, said he hasn’t heard from Wilson since. Rumors have been swirling that Wilson may have quit the team, although neither Simmons nor coach Mike Leach provided any clarification on that matter. Instead, Simmons emotionally described the relationship between player and coach, more than once comparing it to that between a parent and a son. “Part of me feels like I should probably be more of the adult in the situation and reach out to him,” Simmons said. “But also a part of me feels like in life, you learn things, and sometimes, with the way my mom raised me, sometimes she had to sit back and let me learn on my own and kind of sit back and let me figure some things out. I don’t know what the right answer or what the right way to handle the situation is. I’m kind of at a loss. “They (players) are like my kids. And having kids that are older, sometimes they’re going to make decisions and make choices you may or may not agree with. … And I think that’s what’s happened in this situation. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s very unfortunate. Where we go from here, I don’t know. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that I do.” Wilson, WSU’s all-time leading receiver, has been suspended for at least Saturday’s game against UCLA. Beyond that, Leach said, he’s not sure. Simmons said he feels he speaks for both himself and Leach when he says Wilson is welcome to speak with them at any time: “My door is always open,” Simmons said. “He knows that.” Receiver Isiah Myers, who hasn’t played since WSU’s loss to California on Oct. 13, returned to practice on Tuesday.