Offense Surprisingly Effective Against The Cougs’ Touted D

There were some obvious indications during Saturday’s two-hour football scrimmage that Washington State’s offense might not be as lame as some people suspect.

For openers, the Cougars’ inexperienced offensive line battled all morning on near-even terms against a mature front-seven that is expected to be the backbone of one of the country’s best defenses.

That allowed sophomore quarterback Chad Davis to pick at the secondary with an 11-for-20 passing performance that netted 131 yards.

And it produced some running room for Derek Sparks and Kevin Hicks, the two leading running back candidates, who combined for 103 yards - including a 41-yard touchdown sprint by Hicks.

Throw in junior slotback Jay Dumas’ five catches and three nice receptions by freshman redshirt flanker Bryant Thomas and it’s not hard to see why Cougar coach Mike Price, the man who calls the offensive plays, was pleased.

“It went good,” he said. “This is the first time in a long time that I can remember when the offense has legitimately taken the ball and moved it down the field and scored.

“Usually, if there was a score, it took a freak-type of deal because our defense was so dominating.”

Davis, who continues to distance himself from the other quarterback candidates, credited his line for much of the offense’s production.

“They protected really well and we were able to effectively run the ball,” he said. “If we’re able to move the ball against our defense, we’re going to be able to move the ball on a lot of people in the country - and we were able to do that today.”

Price said he liked the way Davis and his other quarterbacks operated under center, making most of the right reads and audible calls at the line of scrimmage.

He also had special praise for Hicks, who seems to be rounding into playing shape after missing spring practice because of academic deficiencies.

“He ran the ball, particularly up the middle, very well,” Price said of his beefed-up 5-foot-9, 188-pound senior, who gained 60 yards on nine carries. “He hugged his blocks and knifed in for extra yards instead of trying to break it outside for a home run every time.”

Among the defensive standouts during Saturday’s scrimmage were sophomore linebacker James Darling and junior defensive end Dwayne Sanders, who each recovered a fumble for the No. 2 defensive unit.

Missing from action: Backup tailback Frank Madu was held out of Saturday’s scrimmage because of an ankle sprain he aggravated Friday.

In addition, defensive tackle Todd Shaw was held out because of a sprained ankle and offensive tackle and co-captain Clay Reis retired early after suffering back spasms early in the workout.

Senior defensive end DeWayne Patterson remained on the sidelines while waiting for the collarbone he broke in a rollover automobile accident this summer to heal completely.

All four players expect to be healthy in time for the Cougars’ Sept. 1 season opener against Illinois at Soldiers’ Field in Chicago. ;

Haskell back in school: Sophomore running back Will Haskell has been readmitted to school after flunking out last semester.

Price said Haskell, who came into fall camp ranked No. 1 on the depth chart, still has not passed enough credit hours to be eligible to play this fall and will use his redshirt season to catch up academically.

According to Price, Haskell underwent an operation to repair damage to his right wrist while he was at home in Staten Island, N.Y., over the summer. The cast is due to come off Monday.

Bender makes it: Leon Bender, a highly touted 6-5, 270- pound defensive end who attended school as a Prop 48 casualty last year, has been reinstated academically and is practicing with the team for the first time.

Practice changes: Price announced that the start of morning practices have been pushed back to 10 a.m. for the rest of fall camp.