Subdued Brink breaks passing yardage record

PULLMAN – It’s been a season of record-breaking disappointment for Washington State quarterback Alex Brink.

The senior has broken passing record after passing record, but too often those individual marks have come during losses in the Cougars’ 2-4 season.

Saturday was no different.

Brink’s 13-yard hookup with Michael Bumpus on a fourth-quarter, game-tying drive lifted him past Jason Gesser to the top of the Cougars’ career passing yardage list. But the mark – Brink has 8,923 yards with at least six more games left – rang hollow when WSU fell short once again, losing 23-20 to Arizona State before a homecoming crowd of 35,117.

“I’m sure Alex would have given that record up for a win,” Cougars head coach Bill Doba said. “If I know Alex, he would. It’s nice to have a record, but he’d rather have the win, running the ball 100 times and have no yards passing. He’s a competitor.”

It’s obvious Doba knows his quarterback.

“Personal accomplishments don’t mean a lot right now, honestly,” said Brink, who has the most pass attempts, yards and completions in WSU history. “This is a rough stretch for our team. … At some point I’m sure it will sink in, but right now I’m feeling that loss.”

Brink, after starting 1 for 9, finished the day 27 of 50 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. That allowed him to easily eclipse Gesser’s mark of 8,830 yards. The two touchdowns gave him 68 for his career, pulling within three of that Gesser record.

Gesser, who played for the Cougars from 1999 to 2002, was in Martin Stadium and he congratulated Brink after the record-breaking pass play.

“It was awesome that Jason got to be here for it,” Brink said. “That meant a lot to me. It was a great gesture by him.”