Harrison Smartly Answers Call Of Duty
Everyone knew about Washington State’s surplus of talent at the skill positions - Ryan Leaf, Michael Black and the well-publicized receiving corps.
Everyone also knew that those players might make little difference without a solid performance from the Cougars’ offensive linemen, who entered Saturday’s game against UCLA with much to prove.
They acquitted themselves magnificently, and fifth-year senior Lee Harrison was the key.
The backup center made his first career start, with usual starter Cory Withrow moving over one spot to play right guard - the position coach Mike Price had outlined as a major question mark during the final days of fall camp.
“I was very pleased with the offensive line picking up all those blitzes,” Price said. “We came up with our five smartest players because it wasn’t the biggest guys or the strongest guys (that were needed against UCLA’s multiple formations).
“And Lee Harrison is the smartest player on the team, probably.”
Harrison, who carries a 3.1 grade-point average in civil engineering, made the calls that helped the Cougars rack up 529 yards in total offense.
“Lee Harrison did an awesome job today,” said Jason McEndoo, the Cougars’ outstanding left guard. “He stepped in and he held his own today. That really helps us out.”
Harrison was a walk-on who didn’t earn a scholarship until his third season. At 6-foot-2 and 266 pounds, he has often been considered undersized. But size wasn’t a factor against a UCLA defensive line that averages 260 pounds per man.
“I think the leverage battle helps too,” Harrison said. “I mean, a lot of those guys play tall. “You can get under their pads and it’s not a big deal what your size is, to a degree.” With Harrison’s first start getting so much attention, Rob Rainville’s steady performance at left tackle went almost unnoticed.
The junior from Lewiston was making just his third start. He spent last season as the backup to Scott Sanderson, an All-America selection now with the Houston Oilers.
Big-play Boose
WSU defensive end Dorian Boose recovered a fumble and blocked a punt on consecutive UCLA possessions, setting up back-to-back WSU touchdowns that stretched the Cougars’ lead to 30-14.
Boose displayed admirable running skills for a man standing 6-6 and weighing more than 280 pounds. After breaking out of the grasp of Skip Hicks, UCLA’s 222-pound tailback, Boose discarded split end Danny Farmer with frightening ease.
“I saw guys flying at me, did a little Michael Black spin,” Boose said. “And it was kind of a reaction, I’m used to clubbing guys on pass rush, so I hit him (Farmer) and everybody told me he just flew.”
Several minutes later, Boose blocked Chris Sailer’s punt, sending the ball high into the air. Defensive tackle Rob Meier caught it and rumbled 38 yards to the UCLA 22-yard-line.
“It was just a great block by Boose,” said Meier, who was making his first start. “I just looked up and it was fluttering up in the air and then as soon as I caught it, I saw (Jonathan) Nance waving me forward - I thought, ‘OK, I can start running now.”’
Oh no:
About 26,000 hearts sank into Cougars’ stomachs when UCLA defensive end Weldon Forde crashed into WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf during a first-quarter incompletion - and Leaf came up limping.
Backup quarterback Steve Birnbaum replaced Leaf and had one bright moment - a 20-yard completion to Shawn Tims - and a nightmarish interception that led to UCLA’s second touchdown before Leaf returned.
“I just rolled my ankle,” said Leaf. “They gave me a good tape job and sent me back out. I’ll probably spend the rest of the night getting all this tape off.
“Spraining an ankle is worse than breaking anything, just because it feels so bad.”
Nian Taylor, who caught 200 yards worth of Leaf’s passes, also eventually was sidelined with a sprained left ankle, while Tims missed most of the second half with a pulled hamstring. Safety Duane Stewart suffered a compound fracture of a finger, and Price reported that linebacker Todd Nelson played the entire game with a pulled quadricep.
Scouting report
UCLA has one of the gnarliest schedules in the country - facing Tennessee next week, followed by a trip to Texas and home games against Arizona and Houston.
Can you say 0-5?
“They’re facing Peyton Manning next week,” said Leaf. “That’s your Heisman, your All-American, your everything. He probably doesn’t even know who I am. “Who knows? Maybe UCLA was overlooking us. But Manning’s the best quarterback in the country. I don’t think they’re going to beat Tennessee, no.”
Gleason stays cool
For somebody who felt the heat as acutely as Steve Gleason, the WSU linebacker from Gonzaga Prep found a way to stay cool in the heat of Saturday’s 37-34 win over UCLA.
Just don’t worry about it.
“Even when they were going down the field (on UCLA’s final aborted drive) I knew we were going to stop them,” said Gleason, who wears a distinctive white cross on the back of his helmet to demonstrate his Christian commitment.
“I wasn’t real worried. On their fourth-down play, as far as I was concerned, it was first and 10, second quarter. Know what I mean?
“My adrenaline is pretty much the same the whole game. High.”
No audibles here
As the Bruins broke the huddle for their last play with the ball, the decision-making was no longer the province of quarterback Cade McNown. The junior from West Linn, Ore., was not about to audibilize out of the play of the game.
“The coaches are going to call what they feel is best for the situation,” he said. “That’s what they felt was best. We didn’t get it done.”
Why no timeout, maybe to talk it over or let Hicks recover?,
“This is just speculation but the coaches probably felt we were on a roll and let’s punch it in,” McNown said. “I don’t know. It’s their call.”
Coach wanted win
UCLA coach Bob Toledo, on why he opted for going for it all instead of kicking a field goal to tie the game and possibly send it to overtime:
“We were close enough where we wanted to run the ball in on fourth-and-1,” he said. “We felt it was a good play. I know people will say, ‘Well, why didn’t you kick the field goal and go for overtime?’ We get that far, to the goal line, we want to win.”
As for the big picture, Toledo said he reminded his team that in ‘93 UCLA lost its opener to Cal, and went on to the Rose Bowl.
“I want to believe that there’s hope that it could still happen. It’s a long season. We’ve got a lot of football to play.”
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