Meriwether Blocks Out Missed Assignment

Miguel Meriwether is a shifty runner, adept at making defenders miss.

He faces adversity head-on.

No one felt worse than Meriwether, a sophomore tailback, in the hours following Washington State’s 34-26 loss at Arizona six days ago.

Thrust into prominence once junior Michael Black was injured, Meriwether rushed for 79 yards, including a 24-yard burst that set up the Cougars’ first touchdown. Afterward, all he could think about was the error that seemed so pivotal to the game’s outcome.

“It was a very crucial missed block,” Meriwether said Thursday, two days before he’ll make his first college start, against Oregon State.

“I mean, at the time it happened, we were down at the (UA) 10-yard-line and I think we were in a two-tight end formation where I was supposed to block to the side where the tight end was going to release, and I blocked to the side where the tight end stayed.

“And so where he released, the open man came in free.”

The open man, Arizona linebacker Armon Williams, blindsided WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf, keeping him from throwing to Chris Jackson, who was open in the end zone.

The ball flew free, and Arizona recovered. It took Meriwether a little longer. Fate can be an unforgiving teacher.

“He knows what he did,” said Buzz Preston, WSU running backs coach. “A lot of guys miss blocks. He’ll be all right.

“Everybody missed blocks or didn’t make catches or didn’t make tackles, so it wasn’t like that was the only play.”

Meriwether seems to have moved on. “All I can do is work hard and focus in on what I have to do this week,” he said.

With Black considered doubtful for Saturday’s Pacific-10 Conference game in Corvallis, the 6-foot, 198-pound Meriwether has spent the week preparing to be the regular back.

Ron Montgomery will also play, as could true freshman DeJuan Gilmore. WSU had intended for Gilmore to redshirt, but coach Mike Price was less certain Thursday.

“I’m not going to hesitate to play DeJuan Gilmore,” Price said. “He’s going down there with the intent to play.”

The 5-10, 185-pound Gilmore played quarterback and running back at Gardena (Calif.) High School.

Videogate

By the time Oregon State’s game film made it from Corvallis to Pullman, the Cougars were half-expecting to discover an 18-minute gap.

As reported this week, the film did not arrive until Sunday night at 11:55 - nearly 11 hours late. The delay set WSU coaches back in their preparation for the Beavers, who benefitted from a bye last week.

According to OSU, Horizon Airlines mishandled the package containing tapes of the Sept. 28 California-OSU game. Incredibly, the package was apparently misplaced behind a shipment of potatoes.

“At one time, Horizon had completely lost the package and couldn’t find it,” OSU video director Charlie Halbrook said.

Notes

WSU offensive right tackle Ryan McShane injured his left pinky this week, forcing him to wear a splint. … The Beavers have not named a starting quarterback for Saturday. Starter Tim Alexander has been limited by a pulled hamstring, meaning true freshman David Moran could start. Alexander is a better runner, but lacks Moran’s passing skills. … Leaf was quoted by Oregon media this week as saying he didn’t consider the Beavers to be a rival. It isn’t the first time the sophomore quarterback has been burned by his reluctance to give sugar-coated answers. Thursday, Leaf said he hadn’t intended to be inflammatory. Washington is WSU’s only true rival, he said.

, DataTimes