Qbs Take Beating, But Look Sharp Injury Concerns Birnbaum; Price Likes Team’S Toughness

Last season, it was painful to watch the quarterbacks at Washington State University.

Interceptions, fumbles, stalled drives - you name it, they did it. Most of the time, more than once.

In the first spring scrimmage, it was evident things had changed.

No interceptions. No fumbles. Two red-zone scores. And a combined 20 of 29 for 229 yards.

Now, it is just painful to be a WSU quarterback.

Only Paul Mencke survived the first scrimmage unscathed. Steve Birnbaum and Jason Gesser went down with knee and shoulder injuries, respectively.

Birnbaum went out when safety Lamont Thompson nailed his left knee.

“I was laying there and was scared,” said Birnbaum, who tore his right anterior cruciate ligament two seasons ago. “I’m thinking to myself `This has happened before. I put in all this hard work. All this time. Everything’s going right. Now, there’s no season this year. And I have to go through this again.”’

Right now, the training staff is calling the injury a sprain. But even that worries Birnbaum.

“Last time this happened, I thought I was OK,” he said about the ACL tear in 1997. “I even played.”

The senior quarterback will be reevaluated and given an MRI if it is warranted.

Gesser came to the sidelines unable to lift his left arm without pain. He injured the non-throwing shoulder trying to push off an offensive lineman.

Gesser, who has also had a tender hamstring, was able to return later. The trainers said there may be cartilage damage in the shoulder. But it probably will not be enough to hold him out of spring practice.

“We showed two things today,” said WSU coach Mike Price. “We showed that we can hit - I mean there were some ferocious hits - and that we are tough.”

The Cougars also showed that quarterback may not be the problem area many have thought it would be.

“All of them played well,” said Price. “The quarterback position is very solid. We are good there.

“I still don’t know who (the starter) is going to be,” he said. “But they have all improved vastly.”

The most noticeable improvements are poise and intelligence.

Mencke, who went 8 of 10 for 83 yards, made smart decisions, used his athleticism and made a solid throw on the run. “I felt real calm,” Menke, who’ll be a junior, said. “Last year, I was real jittery in the pocket, even in spring ball, because I didn’t know the offense. But this year, I feel real comfortable.”

Birnbaum, who went 7 of 10 for 77 yards, was able to place the ball where only the receiver had a chance to catch it or, in some cases, just threw it away.

“One of the biggest emphasis on the quarterback is to take care of the football,” he said. “If we have to throw away the football and start back at the line of scrimmage that’s fine. It’s better than turning the ball over or losing the yards on a sack.”

And Gesser, who was 5 of 9 for 69 yards, tucked and gained positive yardage running when nothing was open downfield.

“It’s starting to come natural now,” the redshirt freshman said. “I’m connecting so much better with the receivers and the offensive line. I’m just starting get more in a groove now.”

Alex Tinsley led the Cougars ground game. The junior gained 53 yards on 11 carries and used his speed to get into the secondary on a 34-yard run.

Running back Kevin Brown only went the first series and pretty much abused anyone who got in his way, gaining 18 yards on the ground and six receiving.

“Guys like Kevin and Nian (Taylor), we didn’t play them much because we know what they can do,” said Price.

On the defensive side of the ball, middle linebacker Curtis Holden, a JC transfer, had a productive day, as did linemen Joey Hollenbeck and Austin Matson.

But, Price was nonplused by the defense’s performance.

“Overall the defense needs improving,” he said. “We need to play better defensively. “Right now, I don’t now what the problem is.”

There is also a problem with the blocking scheme on special teams. Kicker Rian Lindell had one attempt tipped and another blocked.

“We need to work on teamwork,” said Price. “We have got to make sure we don’t have 10 guys doing their job and one guy is not.”

Notes

Wide receiver Leaford Hackett did not participate in Saturday’s scrimmage. The team leader in receptions last season was late arriving on Saturday morning and the coaches relegated him to the sidelines.

Wide receiver Jerry Roquemore, who has been out of most of the practices due to his grades, was in Saturday’s scrimmage. His only catch was a 40-yard pass from Gesser.

Four players aside from the quarterbacks were injured on Saturday. Defensive end Mark Hedeen turned an ankle. Holden twisted his knee. Jeremy Thielbahr strained his quadriceps muscle. And wide receiver Mike VanMannen injured his clavicle. Hedeen and Holden returned to action. Thielbahr should be fine for next week. VanMannen remains a question mark.