Armed With Potential Leaf, Returning Starters And Newcomers Give WSU Reason For Optimism; Price Cautious

Potential is one of the biggest coach killers of our time. California had tons of it heading into the 1995 season. So did Georgia.

Now, both schools have vacant head coaching positions to go along with all of that untapped potential.

It is understandable, then, that Washington State’s Mike Price discusses the vast potential of next year’s Cougars football team with the caution of a defendant testifying at his own trial.

With 14 starters, eight on defense and six on offense, scheduled to return from this year’s hard-luck 3-8 team, there is reason to be optimistic about 1996. Especially when one factors in the addition of 11 or 12 other “potential” contributors, guys who sat out this fall because of academic shortcomings, transfer rules or injury.

“We potentially have the makings of a good football team next year,” Price said, when asked his 1996 prospects. “But it’s really the players and what they do in the next six months that is going to determine if we meet our potential or not.”

Driving Price’s optimism is a renewed spirit on offense, where redshirt freshman Ryan Leaf has replaced junior Chad Davis as quarterback.

Leaf, a 6-foot-6, 228-pounder, brings an intimidating presence to the Cougars huddle - not to mention a rocket-like arm that produced 564 yards and four touchdowns in the final two game of the ill-fated 1995 season.

The emergence of Leaf seemed to help soothe the sting of a season-ending six-game losing streak. And after last weekend’s 33-30 Apple Cup loss to Washington, many Cougars players were already talking about off-season preparations for next fall.

“That’s a positive and uplifting sign,” Price said, “but you’ve still got to do it. You can talk about it after the game all you want, but when that alarm goes off, are you going to get up or are you going to roll over and go back to sleep?

“We have potential, yes, but it’s what we do with it in the off-season - the winter conditioning, the weight-lifting, over the summer, the spring practice; that’s the next step.”

WSU’s “potential” depth in 1996 could be unprecedented.

Not included among the list of returning starters are three players who were No. 1 on the depth chart heading into camp last fall.

Defensive tackle Leon Bender has one year of eligibility left after missing last season with lingering academic problems; junior offensive guard Zach Edwards is expected to return from off-season shoulder surgery, and junior free safety Ray Jackson, who started as a cornerback in 1994, returns from a sophomore redshirt season prompted by a couple of minor concussions during two-a-day practices.

In addition, Dorian Boose, a 6-6, 265-pound transfer from Walla Walla Community College, who was expected to play this fall, should be recovered from the broken foot that forced his redshirt season.

Among the other transfers already penciled in for key roles next fall are sophomore cornerback Tray Crayton, from defending national champion Nebraska; sophomore offensive tackle Paul Mickelbart, from Notre Dame; sophomore running back James Curtis, from San Diego State, and sophomore wideout Chris Jackson, from Orange Coast Community College.

Three of last year’s top recruits, who failed to meet minimum requirements on their college boards, appear to be back on track academically, according to Price, and could contribute immediately in 1996.

Malcom Stewart, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman, was considered to be the strongest freshman ever to enroll at WSU. And he proved as much by bench-pressing 475 pounds four times shortly after arriving on campus.

Defensive end Eboni Wilson and Nian Taylor, a lightning quick receiver/defensive back, also have a chance to contribute, Price said.

And Price expects to add two more players to his roster when Kevin McKenzie, a 5-11, 185-pound running back, from Long Beach Community College, and Ivan Mercer, a 6-6, 210-pound tight end from Oakmont High School in Roseville, Calif., enroll this spring.

McKenzie signed with WSU last winter, but still needs to finish a class to earn his AA. Mercer, a late prep signee, decided to sit out a semester before enrolling, and will be eligible for spring practice without losing a year of eligibility.

“That gives us (twelve) players who are in our program, or close to being in our program, who could be huge factors in our depth next year,” Price said. “If we just went out and recruited those players, you’d say, ‘Man, what a great class you have!’

“Well, we have a great class, but they’re not all eligible, so we need to work real hard to make sure that they’re eligible and ready to go.”

Price said he has five scholarships available this semester and hopes to use at least two of those to bring in a running back and punter from the junior college ranks.

He said his staff has contacted the top six players in the country at each of those positions and hopes to be ready to make scholarship offers this week.

Price added that one of his top recruiting priorities for next fall will be signing at least one high school quarterback to provide much needed depth should Davis decide to transfer.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo Graphic: What’s on tap for Washington State in 1996