Cougars Elude Injury Bug
In the ongoing quest to explain Washington State’s 6-0 record and No. 10 national ranking, consider this: Defensive tackle Gary Holmes is the only WSU starter to have missed a game because of injury this year.
Compare that with the maladies afflicting WSU’s next opponent, Arizona. When the Wildcats visit Martin Stadium for Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. contest, they could be without several top players.
No doubt, WSU has been fortunate in avoiding serious injuries (that sound you hear is trainer Mark Smaha knocking on wood). But there may be more to avoiding injuries than just luck, the Cougars believe.
For WSU, one key appears to be additional rest. In an effort to reduce fatigue-related injuries, coaches decided before the season not to hold practices on Mondays following games. So far, players and coaches are raving at the results.
“It seems like everybody has a little more pep in their step when we come back Tuesday,” quarterback Ryan Leaf said. “I think we have better Tuesday practices this year than we have in the past.”
Players are still required to come in on Sundays. In addition to getting treatment, they stretch, run and lift weights. If players are too sore to run, they often ride stationary bikes.
Players have always been encouraged to seek treatment on Sundays, but this is the first season it has been mandated by coach Mike Price.
“Coach Price and his staff have put a lot more focus on discipline this year,” Smaha said. “There’s consequences for everything. Now, if you miss an appointment with me it’s like missing an appointment with the coach.”
For every missed appointment, players receive one week with a personal trainer - at 6 a.m.
“Same thing if you miss an appointment with an academic counselor,” Smaha added. “I think that’s been extremely beneficial for this program because it’s created a focus.
“It’s the little things, and the little things are what help you win.”
Which brings us back to having Mondays off.
The way Smaha sees it, the extra day’s rest does more than simply allow injuries to heal. It also allows players time to organize the rest of their lives.
Of course, luck also plays a role. Arizona hasn’t practiced on Mondays for years, and that hasn’t kept talented players like Mike Szlauko (8-1/2 sacks) from suffering serious injuries.
Star defensive tackle Joe Salave’a is also hurting, having suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s 58-28 loss to Washington. On offense, Arizona could be without Trung Canidate (ankle), the Pac-10’s second-leading rusher.
Jones calls it quits
Washington placekicker Randy Jones has quit the team after losing his job to a freshman walk-on.
Jones, a third-year sophomore from Ferris High School, was only the second scholarship placekicker in UW history. He intends to stay in school.
After hitting just two of six attempts this season, both inside 30 yards, Jones was replaced by Nick Lentz, a walk-on freshman from Curtis High.
UW coaches hit home run
At times, Washington coach Jim Lambright has left himself open for criticism by making risky coaching decisions. But Lambright and his staff are receiving nothing but praise for their efforts in Washington’s big win over Arizona.
Specifically, UW offensive coordinator Scott Linehan came up with an offensive game plan that left the Wildcats befuddled.
Arizona was expecting Washington to stick with its traditionally powerful running game. When the Huskies opted instead for a spread passing attack, Arizona was unprepared. It was a gutsy move by Linehan, considering that just three weeks ago, he was lamenting his decision to abandon the running game in a loss to Nebraska.
Lambright, who was ridiculed when a botched on-side kick killed his team’s momentum against the Cornhuskers, showed similar courage in making the same call against Arizona. The trick worked this time as the Huskies, already leading 21-7, recovered near midfield.
Around the conference
UCLA coach Bob Toledo has received a new five-year contract that will pay him more than $400,000 annually, athletic director Peter Dalis said… . ESPN’s Steve Ciphers was in Pullman this week for a feature on Leaf that was expected to run Saturday morning… . Sports Illustrated visited Leaf last week for a story about Pac-10 quarterbacks. The story, titled “Top Guns,” also features Washington’s Brock Huard and UCLA’s Cade McNown… . Leaf, on a recent SI story that listed him as the likely No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL draft: “I don’t believe any of that. There are so many athletes out there that are better that NFL teams want.” … Add Leaf: “If you believe that good stuff, then that means you have to believe all the bad stuff they say about you. You’ve just got to kind of not take any of it.” Sounding like a pro already… . Prized UCLA recruit Freddie Mitchell, who enrolled two weeks ago, will redshirt. Mitchell did not take the news well. A Florida native, he said he could have redshirted at Florida or Florida State and claimed he would not spend five seasons at UCLA. Not with that attitude, he won’t… . Recent headline in the San Francisco Examiner: “Cal D built for last.” Said defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich, “You can get on them because they line up wrong, or because they don’t make a call. But you can’t punish them because they can’t make a play.” Ouch.
, DataTimes