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Washington State’s Luke Falk breaks Pac-12 record for career touchdowns

By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

SALT LAKE CITY – Luke Falk broke the Pac-12 Conference record for career passing touchdowns in his home state, against one of the local programs that decided the Washington State quarterback wasn’t worth a scholarship offer.

Falk, who grew up in Logan, Utah, approximately 80 miles north of Rice-Eccles Stadium, tossed the 117th touchdown of his career in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against the Utah Utes. Kyle Sweet caught the record-breaking touchdown, a short 1-yarder with 3:02 left in the half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It gave the Cougars a 20-10 lead.

Former USC quarterback Matt Barkley held the previous record with 116 touchdowns.

Both Falk and Mike Leach have downplayed the significance of many of the records the Cougars QB has set throughout a memorable senior season. The WSU coach was at least willing to speak up for his player’s latest record.

“This is a big one,” Leach said. “It’s a real credit to not just Luke but to our team. There’s a lot of people involved with it.”

Coming into the game, Falk already owned the Pac-12 records for career pass attempts(1,931), completions (1,327), passing yards (13,806), total offensive yards (13,453), total plays (2,171) and completion percentage (68.7).

Falk now has at least two more games to pad all of those records.

“He’s the all-time leading passer in the greatest passing league in the history of college football,” Leach said, “and he also leads it in touchdowns.”

Does that make Falk the best to have ever thrown a ball in the Pac-12? Leach of course would lobby for his redshirt senior.

“I think his numbers speak for themselves,” Leach said. “I think, especially early on in his career, most of those other guys came from a better supporting cast. Because we were a team that evolved and got better and improved as time went on. I think that’s your real distinction there.”

Falk tied Barkley’s record in the first quarter with a 11-yard touchdown toss to junior wideout Tavares Martin Jr. In the fourth quarter, he notched No. 118 with a 6-yard dart to Isaiah Johnson-Mack.