Harrison gets two records

PULLMAN – For a while, it looked like this game might be different for Jerome Harrison. The senior running back, so dominant in the first quarter this season, had negative rushing yards after 15 minutes as the Oregon defense swarmed the 200-pounder.

A problem for Harrison? Not a chance.

The senior still managed to get his yards, breaking free for a 28-yard touchdown run in the second quarter one snap after a 27-yard score was called back on a holding penalty.

By halftime, Harrison had 89 yards on the ground, good enough to pass Rueben Mayes for first place on the all-time WSU single-season rushing list.

By game’s end, with 143 yards on 28 carries, Harrison had 1,693 on the season, easily enough to pass Mayes’ 1,637.

“Jerome got his record. That’s important for us,” guard Norvell Holmes said. “Not as important as getting a win, but that’s a positive we can take from the game.”

Harrison also extended his streak of 100-yard games to 13, a Pac-10 record as he passed California’s J.J. Arrington, who ran for at least 100 in all 12 games last season.

Harrison got a break in the race for a national rushing title when Memphis’ DeAngelo Williams sat out Saturday’s game against Tennessee with an injury. As a result — should their per-game averages remain the same — the Cougar senior will run for more yards than anyone else in America this season.

“Whenever you have a weapon like that you wonder how you can lose a game,” defensive end Mkristo Bruce said. “He’s a player you want to watch whether you’re on his team or an opponent.”

One captain back, one lost

As expected, senior middle linebacker Will Derting made his return after missing five games because of a knee injury.

Derting played the first six defensive plays before yielding to his freshman replacement, Greg Trent. After that, Derting was limited to passing situations and took 12 snaps in the game.

“He couldn’t play a lot, obviously,” head coach Bill Doba said.

Meanwhile, tight end Troy Bienemann sustained a sprained left knee and his availability for the Apple Cup is a question mark. Bienemann had injured the knee early in the game and missed some snaps, but returned to catch a touchdown pass that brought the Cougars to within three points in the fourth quarter. On that catch, however, an Oregon defender fell on that same left knee and Bienemann had to be helped off the field.

The senior captain was being evaluated after the game and more should be known today.

A new Leaf

Oregon sophomore quarterback Brady Leaf briefly saw his older brother, Ryan, after the Ducks’ 34-31 win.

“He told me, ‘Congratulations,’ and that he was proud of me,” the younger Leaf said. “And then he said, ‘Why’d you have to beat my Cougs?’ “

Brady Leaf, who alternated at quarterback with Dennis Dixon, completed 12 of 17 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. Leaf was intercepted once.

“We’re 9-1 and we have an opportunity to play in some big bowls, but we can’t start thinking about that too much,” Leaf said. “We’ve got one more big game (against Oregon State) coming up.”

Ryan Leaf guided the Cougars to the 1998 Rose Bowl, where WSU fell to Michigan.

Notes

Twenty-one seniors were honored before the game. The seniors were introduced individually and greeted by family members on the field.