No holding back

PULLMAN — Hamza Abdullah once thought that he’d never have another chance to play alongside his brother, Husain. When his high school team in Pomona, Calif., lost in the final game of Hamza’s senior year, Husain was just a freshman.

At the time, the elder brother didn’t know he would get a scholarship to Washington State University, wasn’t sure that he’d have five years of college football ahead of him. He certainly didn’t know that he’d get a shot to team up with his brother once more.

This time around, though, both Abdullah brothers know the reality for certain with the Cougars’ season finale one day away. Never again will they play organized football together.

“I remember the last game I played with him in high school. We lost that game, but just having him out there was a special feeling,” said Hamza, a defensive captain and starting safety for WSU. “And now that we’re at the Division I level, this is the second-highest level of football you can be playing. It means so much to me to play this last game with him and it’s going to be so emotional. He’s always been there for me. He’s been the guy that whenever I was down he’d pick me up, and vice versa.”

When Hamza first came to Pullman, he had little idea that his brother would want to accompany him. But Husain tells the story differently.

“That was kind of the goal from the jump,” he said. “Out of all of my brothers, Hamza is my favorite one. So I wanted to live with Hamza. He came up here and said it was cool.”

It’s an impressive compliment, as there are 12 children in the Abdullah family. That made the initial transition to WSU difficult for the older brother. (Hamza is the second-oldest sibling and has a twin; Husain is the fourth oldest.)

But since Husain arrived at WSU in the fall of 2002, life has been that much sweeter for Hamza. The two have roomed together, played football together, and also gone through Ramadan together, a time of daytime fasting that coincides with part of football season.

The older brother has also taken on a mentoring role for Husain, keeping him on the right track.

“Luckily for him, I was here to tell him the dos and don’ts of college,” Hamza said. “And it’s different coming from an older brother than a mom or dad, somebody like that. He knows I’m going to be straight up with him. I’m not going to beat around the bush.”

With that in mind, it’s worth taking Hamza at his word when he calls Husain “the better Abdullah.” Just a redshirt freshman, Husain is already making an on-field impact.

His older brother had to wait until this, his fifth year at WSU, to get significant playing time. But Husain has already shifted from cornerback to safety and made his way onto the field. He’s the first option behind his brother and senior Jeremy Bohannon, and he’ll likely assume a starting role next season when they graduate.

“We were very fortunate to get Husain and I’m sure Hamza being here had a lot to do with that,” WSU secondary coach Ken Greene said. “For a family situation with two brothers, having the opportunity to play in the same backfield is a tremendous thing. And it’s got to mean to them that they want to play the best they can and not have the other one show them up.”

Both brothers talk about the ease of communication when they share the field, although in many ways they couldn’t be more different. Hamza, the captain, is as vocal as a college football player gets. Husain is often quiet and shy.

“That’s how I was when I was younger, but he’ll grow into the vocal leader,” said Hamza, who speaks of his sibling with an almost parental pride. “He’s going to be a great player. He has all the tools and he’s smart.

“I know watching him is going to be history. Guys like him don’t come around that often.”

While Husain may end up being the better football player, it will be difficult for him to replace the built-in camaraderie when his brother moves on from WSU. Hamza said he intends to come back often and watch his brother play, something he could do just once in high school.

When he does come back, you can bet that he’ll be the loudest Abdullah in the building.

“He’s always gotten excited any time Husain made a play, jumping up and down. They have that good connection,” Bohannon said. “It’s been fun to watch those two, and the love that they have.”

Notes

After it was reported here that the success or failure in the 2-minute drill near the end of Thursday practices had been a perfect predictor of wins and losses, the Cougars defense didn’t cover a soul – on purpose – and Alex Brink lofted a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jason Hill on the first play. “Does that count?” Hill asked as he jogged off the field. If the trend holds for one final week, this would mean WSU’s Apple Cup woes are a day away from being over. … WSU defensive coordinator Robb Akey said he had not been contacted about the open head coaching job at I-AA Weber State, his alma mater. “My mind is on one thing, and one thing only, and that’s trying to win the Apple Cup,” he said. … Wideout Tramaine Murray and linebacker Brian Hall of the Cougars have been ruled out for Saturday’s game, but it appears that everyone else on the two-deep will attempt to play.