Price Keeps Quiet On Qb Rotation

Mike Price refused again Tuesday to announce one of the most intriquing - if not most important - decisions of his Washington State coaching career.

And if everything goes as planned, he might never be forced to go public with his planned quarterback rotation for Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. Apple Cup showdown against arch-rival Washington in Husky Stadium.

Price has already named redshirt freshman Ryan Leaf, who threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns in last Saturday’s 36-24 loss to Stanford, as his starter.

But beyond that, he’s kept his plans a secret.

“I’m going to assess it day to day, including up to game time and see how it goes,” Price said once more of his quarterback rotation. “Then we’ll see what happens.”

With fifth-year senior backup Shawn Deeds sidelined for the final game of his career with a shoulder separation, the logical choice to back up Leaf would be Miguel Meriwether, another true freshman, who had been moved to running back.

Meriwether, who is listed as the backup running back to Frank Madu for Saturday’s game, has taken snaps at quarterback the past two days at practice.

But so has junior Chad Davis, who started 21 consecutive games before landing in Price’s doghouse following a 27-11 loss at California two weeks ago.

Davis was benched following that game because of what Price called “negative and non-supportive” behavior. Davis has since admitted to having a confrontation with offensive line coach Lawrence Livingston on the sideline. The following Tuesday, Price announced Davis was benched for the rest of the season.

Now there looms the big question of whether he might go back on that decision, should Leaf get injured or be rendered entirely ineffective by UW’s aggressive defense.

Other than letting Davis take some snaps at practice, Price has given no indication that Davis might play against the Dawgs. But if Leaf is injured, there is little doubt that Davis would offer the next-best chance to win.

And there is nothing Price would like more than to send his seniors out with a win over the hated Huskies.

Price’s players, to a man, have said they will live with whatever decision their head coach hands down. But at least one, senior tight end Eric Moore, thinks it is time for all parties involved in the current quarterback controversy to apologize and make up.

“I would want Chad Davis in the ballgame,” Moore said when asked what should happen if Leaf gets hurt. “He’s been our starter all year, then all of a sudden, one little controversial issue with a little bit of adversity in our season and everything goes haywire.

“I don’t think that kind of thing should be going on in a Division I program. If you’ve got to handle something, handle it and let’s move on. I don’t understand the whole situation, but if something were to go wrong (with Leaf), I’d definitely want Chad Davis in the ballgame.

“He’s won ballgames for us early in the season, and even some of the ones we’ve lost, he’s given us an opportunity to win.”

Leaf, who will be making his first college start, said he would not be bitter if Davis gets another chance.

“All I want our team to do is win,” Leaf said. “If coach wants to put Chad in, it’s not going to bother me, as long as we win. I want to be the leader out there, but if I do have to go out, I know coach is going to make the right decision.

“If I was doing really poorly, he’d probably be glad I got hurt. Then he could throw (Chad) in there and not get into another big quarterback controversy.

“But I don’t think I’ll let him off that easy. I’m don’t think I’m going to get hurt.”

With Davis under center, the Cougars won last year’s Apple Cup 23-6 at Pullman on their way to the Alamo Bowl.

Davis non-committal

Davis told reporters following Monday’s practice that he would like to stay at Washington State, despite his recent falling out with Price.

But he said he will have to talk with close friends and family over Thanksgiving break before making a decision on whether to transfer.

“I don’t want that to happen,” Davis said of transferring, “but I’ve got Thanksgiving coming up and I’ve got decisions to make.”

With only one year of eligibility remaining, Davis would have to transfer to a non-Division I school in order to play another year.

Annual run rally today

A rally for the 16th annual Kappa Sigma Apple Cup Touchdown Run Against Cancer will be held today at 1 p.m. at Eagle Hardware & Garden, 6902 N. Division in Spokane.

After the rally, runners will head to Martin Stadium in Pullman for the 3 p.m. hand-off of a football from coach Price.

The football will be passed to University of Washington chapter members on Thursday in Wenatchee, from where the UW members will carry it into Husky Stadium in time to present it to UW coach Jim Lambright before Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. kickoff.

Chapter members hope to raise $50,000 for cancer research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Info: 206-667-4149.

, DataTimes