The turmoil on Washington State’s football team continued to grow Tuesday when coach Mike Price confirmed that Leon Bender, a projected starter at defensive tackle, has disenrolled from school and starting quarterback Ryan Leaf has been suspended for the first week of spring practice because of a driving-under-the-influence citation.

The latest developments come on the heels of backup QB Chad Davis’ recent decision to quit school and pursue a professional football career and the announcement late last month that four others players - all potential starters - have decided to quit the team.

Bender, a 6-foot-5, 275-pounder from Santee, Calif., came to WSU as a Prop 48 casualty in 1993 and has been in academic limbo ever since. He sat out his freshman season and played sparingly as a sophomore on the Cougars’ 1994 Alamo Bowl title team.

He missed the 1995 season becaue of academic problems and then, according to Price, disenrolled last semester because of various problems ranging from academic to disciplinary.

Price said Bender is currently enrolled at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston. He said there is still a chance Bender could be reinstated at WSU by next fall.

“But don’t hold your breath,” he added.

Leaf, who took over the starting job from Davis late last fall, was stopped by Pullman police late Saturday night and charged with driving under the influence.

Price said he was not certain of all the details surrounding Leaf’s arrest, but added that the charges were complicated by the fact that Leaf, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman, is underage.

In a statement released through the university’s sports information department, Price called Leaf’s citation “a very unfortunate incident.

“But it is fortunate there was no accident and no injuries,” he added.

Price said Leaf, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder last month, will be suspended from all football-related activity for the first week of spring drills, which start April 1. The 6-foot-6, 227-pounder was not expected to compete in any contact drills this spring because of his surgery.

“Now he won’t be allowed to participate at all (for the first week),” Price said. “Really, the suspension is more of an embarrassment than a physical punishment, becaue Ryan is a very high-profile player in our program.”

Leaf, also in a statement released by the university, apologized for his involvement and any embarrassment he might have caused his family or the football program. But he refused to discuss the incident in detail.

Price said he would also refrain from further comment until the issue is decided in court.

Davis’ departure, coupled with Leaf’s suspension, leaves freshman Steve Birnbaum as the only quarterback on WSU’s roster heading into spring practice.

Price said he placed an ad in the college newspaper asking for walk-ons to throw the football this spring and received 10 responses.

He added that he has since narrowed the list of prospects to three and will have them audition the first day of spring practice.

In addition to Davis and Bender, the Cougars will be without the services of departed linemen Darryl Jones, Ricky Austin and Paul Mickelbart and linebacker Phillip Glover, who quit the team last month.

, DataTimes