Rehabs Can Add Strength Morais, Holmes Hope To Help WSU’s Fine Defensive Line

Even without juniors Delmar Morais and Gary Holmes, Washington State University’s defensive line figures to be among the best in the Pacific-10 Conference this football season.

If Morais and Holmes are healthy enough to contribute anywhere near full strength, the Cougars’ line could be downright scary.

It’s far too early to make any such proclamations, but the first 48 hours of two-a-day practices have yielded clues as to each player’s eventual availability.

Morais, who missed the final eight games last season after tearing a ligament in his left knee, appeared remarkably close to full strength Saturday. He experienced discomfort late in the afternoon, but that was attributed to the relatively benign occurrence of loosened scar tissue.

Holmes, meanwhile, still suffers from a sore back. His biggest problem may be conditioning. Unable to work out following off-season surgery, the 6-foot-7 tackle ballooned this summer from 308 pounds into the 320 range.

“I’m doing all right,” Holmes said. “It just feels like it tightens up real bad. They say there will be pain, but I don’t know. I think once I get in better shape and everything, it will go down.”

That will take time, and coach Mike Price said he isn’t counting on Holmes for the Aug. 31 opener against UCLA.

Rehabilitation has gone more smoothly for Morais.

“I had a great practice yesterday - the first day, it felt really good,” said Morais, who was the starter ahead of Holmes until injuring his knee Sept. 21 against Oregon. “It was like I didn’t lose a step from last year. Coaches said they were amazed.”

The real test will come when Morais faces a 300-pound offensive lineman hurtling toward his lower extremities. Not to worry, Morais countered. In fact, the 6-4, 257-pounder became positively giddy when presented with such a scenario.

“My quickness - I still have it,” he marveled. “I still got my quickness. I really still got my quickness!”

Notes

The Cougars have suffered no major injuries since camp started, although freshman defensive back Jermaine Lowman blew a knee playing basketball last week and is out for the season. Sophomore defensive lineman James Agnew has a sprained ankle and is not practicing.

WSU’s four starting receivers continue to perform magnificently.

Seniors Shawn McWashington and Shawn Tims each made spectacular catches during passing Saturday scrums set drills, while senior Kevin McKenzie and junior Nian Taylor broke free for long TDs.

McWashington briefly went horizontal while soaring to wrest Ryan Leaf’s deep pass from cornerback LeJuan Gibbons; Tims reached back with one hand to make an equally improbable grab over the middle.

Backup running back Adam Hawkins received a 6 p.m. wakeup call Sunday courtesy of senior linebacker Brandon Moore, who leveled the freshman on the final play of drills.

The Cougars will scrimmage Thursday after noon for one hour and more vigorously Saturday morning, Price said. They will practice Saturday afternoon at Larson Park in Coeur d’Alene.

Martin Stadium is scheduled to get a new scoreboard Aug. 18. The most noteworthy feature: video-replay capabilities.

As usual, the Cougars are practicing on the grass field next to the stadium. But this year, the field is protected by a 6-foot chain-link fence, erected to keep others from using the field.

Poor field conditions have hindered the team in past years.

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