Fasani Passes Test As Stanford Eyes Repeat

A few days before Stanford’s season opener at Washington State, Cardinal coach Tyrone Willingham conceded he did not know what to expect from quarterback Randy Fasani. He figured Fasani would be nervous in the first start of his career, but he hoped that eventually the jitters would abate and Fasani’s talent would emerge.

As if scripted, Fasani overcame a sputtering first quarter to perform brilliantly. He directed four scoring drives in the second quarter, made no significant mistakes and led the Cardinal to a 24-10 Pacific-10 Conference victory.

Fasani’s 38-yard run helped Stanford to its first score, a short field goal by Mike Biselli. A few minutes later, Fasani tossed an 84-yard touchdown pass to tailback Kerry Carter. On the next series, he sidestepped a pass rusher and threw a 33-yard strike that set up Stanford’s second touchdown. His 24-yard pass, a tight spiral to the opposite sideline, set up the third. His first-half numbers were 13 of 21 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

“I was calm,” Fasani said. “I tried to relax myself before the game. I read in the paper that Coach (Mike) Price said they were going to blitz the hell out of me. I just wanted to show I was ready for it.”

The result was an early lead in the Rose Bowl race.

“It’s great to get that first Pac-10 win and be on top from the start,” wide receiver Ryan Wells said. “The key was getting the offense established early. The defense also played very well. This was a great way for us to get going.”

Although a one-game advantage seems insignificant before Labor Day, the Cardinal showed last season what a quick start can do: it was 3-0 in conference play in September, and never looked back.