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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Another tarnished Cup

Locker stands out – but the two teams don’t

SEATTLE – The 102nd version of the Apple Cup – for the uninitiated, the annual rivalry football game between Washington State University and the University of Washington – will take place this afternoon in Seattle.

And for the second consecutive year it will match two of the nation’s poorest teams, if records and statistics mean anything.

In the challenger corner is WSU, 1-10 overall and winless after eight Pac-10 games. Out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, the top echelon of college football, the Cougars are in the bottom 10 in 11 of the 17 major statistical categories the NCAA keeps.

The home Huskies, who were winless last season, including a 16-13 double-overtime Apple Cup defeat in Pullman, are better at 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Pac-10. Washington is in the bottom 10 of the NCAA statistics in just one category – kickoff returns – but is in the bottom 20 in three more, including total defense.

But UW has one weapon the Cougars have a tough time matching: quarterback Jake Locker.

“Jake Locker obviously spearheads all of (their offense),” WSU coach Paul Wulff said this week. “It starts with him in the run and pass game.”

A broken thumb kept Locker out of last year’s Apple Cup, but the redshirt junior did some damage the year before. That’s when WSU invaded Husky Stadium and came away with a 42-35 victory before 72,888 fans.

Locker was overshadowed that day by Alex Brink, who threw for 399 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winner to Brandon Gibson with less than a minute left. But the Husky freshman still ran for 103 yards and threw for another 223, though he struggled with his accuracy, hitting just 12 of 35 throws.

Maybe that’s why he’s downplaying the significance of today’s game.

“To the players, to all of us, it’s just another game,” Locker said. “It is the Apple Cup and it has that added excitement to it.

“But once you put the pads on and step on the field, it’s you against them, just like every other game on the schedule.”

Locker should do better in this one, even if he doesn’t think it’s that big a deal. He’s improved his accuracy, completing 56.9 percent of his passes, and the Cougar defense gives up 282.8 yards a game through the air.

“He concerns everybody they face,” Wulff said. “I know for them, it hurt a ton for him to not be able to play last year after he got hurt. It really affected their team overall.

“Whenever he’s on the field, he always gives that team, whoever he’s playing for, a chance to win. He’s that kind of player and impact guy.”

Unless WSU can contain Locker, any chance for securing a third consecutive win in this rivalry – something WSU has never done – would seem to be poor at best.