Leaf’s All WSU Has Vs. Dawgs

Mike Price has to feel like he’s passed this way before.

It’s Apple Cup Week and unless Washington State’s coach reneges on last week’s decision to bench junior Chad Davis for the rest of the season, he has only one scholarship quarterback he can realistically throw at arch-rival Washington in Saturday’s annual 12:30 p.m. showdown in Seattle.

With Davis, a two-year starter, deep in Price’s doghouse because of a poor attitude, fifth-year senior Shawn Deeds out with a separated shoulder he sustained on the fourth play of last Saturday’s 36-24 home loss to Stanford, and true freshman Steve Birnbaum 10 games into his redshirt season, Ryan Leaf is all that is left.

Not that Leaf isn’t capable. He showed immense promise Saturday, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns after coming on in early relief of Deeds.

But the unsettled situation eerily parallels the one Price faced heading into Apple Cup ‘90, when Drew Bledsoe, then a true freshman, was left to stand alone under the Huskies’ relentless defensive pressure.

Brad Gossen, a fifth-year senior who had opened the year as Price’s starter, lost his job to Bledsoe at mid-season and then quit the team in late October to undergo surgery on a troublesome right shoulder.

Sophomore Aaron Garcia was the doghouse tenant that year, having been suspended for the Apple Cup for underage drinking and public drunkenness.

And Mike Pattinson, another sophomore, was redshirting after having burned his shirt the year before to throw six passes as a true freshman. his roster - Darrin Burchak, a walk-on from Cle Elum.

But the Cougars got hammered at home 55-10 to close out a 3-8 season that still ranks as Price’s worst as WSU’s head coach.

All of the comparisons, as interesting as they are, will mean nothing, however, when the Cougars (3-7 overall, 2-5 in the Pac-10) attempt to salvage something from an otherwise dismal season by upsetting the Huskies (6-3-1, 5-1-1).

What matters is how Leaf, a rugged 6-foot-5, 228-pounder, will hold up physically against the Dawgs. And what will happen if he doesn’t.

Price said Sunday, during his weekly teleconference with writers and broadcasters, that he will not go public with his quarterback plans - beyond naming Leaf as his starter - until he has had a chance to talk with the players who might be involved.

“As far as a backup is concerned, I’m going to assess that as the week goes along and I could possibly assess it as the game goes along,” he explained. “But before I announce any moves or anything like that, I’ll talk to the players involved.”

Price refused to say whether he might consider using Davis in an emergency situation. But he has given no indication that he even plans to welcome the disenchanted transfer from Oklahoma back on the team next fall, let alone let him play Saturday.

Davis was reportedly told he did not have to suit up for the Stanford game, but he was in uniform on the sidelines. His mother, DeAnn, was in Pullman over the weekend and talked to Price about her son’s situation. But, apparently, nothing was resolved.

Price did say he is not likely to burn Birnbaum’s redshirt this late in the year, which would seem to leave redshirt freshman running back Miguel Meriwether as the leading candidate to back up Leaf.

Meriwether, who was recruited as a quarterback, moved to running back just prior to the start of the season and ran well against Stanford, gaining 37 yards on 10 carries.

“We have a couple of options, two or three, that we could do,” Price said. “I have a pretty good idea of what I’ll do. I just want to tell (the players) before I tell you guys.”

Adding to the depth problems at quarterback is the uncertain health status of senior running back Frank Madu, who left the Stanford game after being shaken up by a hard tackle late in the third quarter.

Madu, like most of the other regulars who were dinged up Saturday, is expected to play against the Huskies. But if he can’t, Meriwether might get the start at running back.

, DataTimes