Darling Apologizes For Actions Uses Public Platform To Talk About Drunk-Driving Incident

Washington State linebacker James Darling apologized publicly to his family, friends and teammates Tuesday, saying he was hurt and embarrassed by a recent drunk-driving incident that caused him to miss Saturday’s 24-14 loss to Arizona.

Darling, the Cougars’ leading tackler and defensive signal-caller, was suspended from all football-related activities for one week last Monday after rolling his Jeep and being charged with driving under the influence.

The single-vehicle accident occurred early Monday morning just outside Pullman as Darling was returning from a hockey game in Spokane.

Darling met with teammates Monday night but did not formally address the media about the incident until Tuesday afternoon at coach Mike Price’s weekly press conference.

The 6-foot-1, 245-pound junior, from Kettle Falls, said it “hurts my heart that this whole thing happened.” He said he was most embarrassed for his grandmother and mother, who first learned of the incident through the media and were later asked to discuss it as guests on a radio talk show.

“This whole thing is in no way a reflection on how they raised me,” Darling said, adding that he does not feel the incident suggests he has an alcohol problem.

Darling, a starter at middle linebacker all season, said he watched part of the Arizona game from the stands and admitted that he left feeling like he had let his teammates down.

“I think I could have contributed, helped out a little bit on defense, helped out with a little bit of leadership,” he said of the defeat, which dealt a knockout blow to the Cougars’ bowl hopes. “So, I’m sorry for the players.

“I’ve talked to a lot of them on the phone and a lot of them have come by just to say they’re glad I’m OK. But I just want to say publicly to them that I’m sorry.”

Darling, who suffered only a minor cut on his hand as a result of the accident, also assured WSU fans that the incident was “in no way a reflection on anyone else but myself and the bad choice that I made.

“It was a mistake and I’m going to learn from it,” Darling added.

Darling said he has been pleased with the reaction of his coaches to his problems, saying Price and several members of his staffed stayed in touch over the phone throughout his suspension.

“They treated me great even though I screwed up,” Darling said, “and that right there made me feel kind of good to know that I was just not a piece of meat running around making tackles.”

Price responded by saying he still wanted Darling to “continue to go around making tackles, though,” and added that Darling would start in Saturday’s road game against California.

Edwards finished?

There is a chance that the college football career of UCLA linebacker Donnie Edwards is over due to the back injury the Bruin senior sustained six weeks ago in a 38-31 loss to Oregon.

Edwards, a pre-season All-American, has not played since suffering a compression fracture of three vertebrae in his upper back and coach Terry Donahue said he doesn’t expect him to play against Arizona State on Saturday.

“I’m not going to be shocked if I don’t get him back at all,” Donahue said of Edwards, who was cleared to play three weeks ago but insists the pain has not subsided. “I don’t think Donnie Edwards is confident enough right now to feel good about what football players need to do.

“We’re talking about three vertebrae. I’ve encouraged him to take his time and not play until he’s totally confident. My bet is he won’t play. He’s got some pain. I don’t blame him at all. I’m not frustrated by it, I understand it totally.”

Sun Devils heat it up

Forget the earlier drubbings at Nebraska (77-28) and Southern California (31-0). Arizona State is on a roll.

The Sun Devils, after a beating only Texas-El Paso and Oregon State in their first six games, have knocked off Brigham Young and nationally ranked Oregon the past two weeks and enter Saturday’s home showdown against UCLA as one of the Pac-10 hottest teams.

“I think we’ve just matured as a team,” said ASU defensive lineman Mike Langridge. ‘We were embarrassed early in the season, really embarrassed.

“But we’re peaking at the right time. Our guys feel strong. We’re healthy. I don’t see why we can’t win out.”

Third-and-shorts

UCLA wide receiver Kevin Jordan, who missed last Saturday’s game against California with a knee sprain, is expected to be ready for this Saturday’s matchup against Arizona State ….. Bruin coach Terry Donahue picked up the 97th Pac-10 victory of his career against Cal and is currently tied with former Washington coach Don James for the career lead in that category….. Despite Saturday’s 24-14 loss to Arizona, Washington State maintained its league-record string of having scored in 152 consecutive Pac-10 games… .

USC coach John Robinson says the Trojans’ slump is over, despite a loss to Notre Dame and a tie with Washington in their last two games. “The last two weeks have been a bit nightmarish for us,” Robinson told the Associated Press Tuesday. “We have been quite shaken by the things that have gone on. We have declared ourselves out of the slump, and hopefully are playing with more daring, more aggressiveness. All the things we hoped for are still attainable.”

, DataTimes