Washington State Cougars - Football



 
Cougs Back on the Road for UCLA, Then Three Straight at Home

Football looking to get back on winning track.

September 28, 1998

FOOTBALL: WSU Returns to Rose Bowl For UCLA Bruins
WHO: WSU Cougars (3-1-0, 0-1-0) vs. #4 UCLA Bruins (2-0-0, 0-0-0)
WHAT: Pacific-10 Conference Football
WHEN: Saturday, October 3; Kickoff 12:30 p.m. PT
WHERE: The Rose Bowl (94,000, grass), Pasadena, Calif.
TV: ABC TV regional live; Fox Sports Northwest replays the game Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

1998 WSU RESULTS

Record: 3-1-0, 0-1-0            [OPP REC]
9/5     Illinois (20-13)        [1-3-0]
9/12    @ Boise State (33-21)   [3-1-0]
9/19    Idaho (24-16)           [2-2-0]
9/26    @ California (14-24)    [3-1-0]
10/3    @ UCLA                  [2-0-0]
10/10   Oregon                  [4-0-0]
10/17   USC                     [3-1-0]
10/24   Bye 
10/31   Arizona State           [2-2-0]
11/7    @ Arizona               [4-0-0]
11/14   @ Stanford              [1-3-0]
11/21   Washington              [2-1-0]

WSU THIS WEEK: UCLA

Record: 2-0-0, 0-0-0
9/12    Texas (49-31)
9/19    @ Houston (42-24)
9/26    @ Miami (canceled)
10/3    Washington State
10/10   @ Arizona
10/17   Oregon
10/24   @California
10/31   Stanford
11/7    @ Oregon State
11/14   @ Washington
11/21   USC

WSU NEXT WEEK: OREGON

Record: 4-0-0, 1-0-0
9/5     Michigan State (48-14)
9/12    @UTEP (33-26)
9/19    San Jose State (58-3)
9/26    Stanford (63-28)
10/3    Bye
10/10   @ Washington State
10/17   @ UCLA
10/24   Southern California
10/31   @ Arizona
11/7    Washington
11/14   Arizoan State
11/21   @Oregon State

THE COACHES: WSU - Mike Price (Puget Sound '69) has a 56-50-0 (.528) record at WSU in 10 years and a career mark of 102-94-0 (.520) in 18 seasons at Weber State (1981-88; 46-44-0) and WSU (1989-present). UCLA - Bob Toledo, in his third season with the Bruins, has a 17-8 mark at UCLA and a 31-38 career record in seven seasons...he is 1-1 against Washington State.

PRICE PICKS UP 100TH WIN: Washington State's Mike Price picked up his 100th win in WSU's 20-13 victory over Illinois Sept. 5.

WSU VS. UCLA: The Cougars and Bruins have been meeting on the gridiron since 1928..in the previous 46 games, UCLA holds a 33-12-1 advantage, but since Mike Price took over at WSU in 1989 each team has won four times...WSU has won three of the last four meetings, including last season's opener 37-34 that started the Cougars on the road to the Rose Bowl...since the Bruins moved their home games to the Rose Bowl in 1982, UCLA has won five of the seven matchups there, with WSU wins coming in 1988 and 1994..

COUGS WIN 8TH STRAIGHT AT HOME: Washington State's 24-16 win over Idaho was the school's eighth straight win at home, including a perfect 6-0 mark last year...the Cougs have also won six straight regular season games (the final three of 1997) and 13 of its last 14 regular season games.

WSU ON TV: WSU will make its third live television appearance of the season this week and second straight on ABC Sports...this week from the Rose Bowl ABC's Brad Nessler will call the action and Gary Danielson will provide commentary.

FOX SPORTS NORTHWEST TV: WSU's matchup with UCLA will be replayed at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, by Fox Sports Northwest.

WSU RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS:

WSU boasts biggest offensive line ever
Birnbaum to Hackett goes 75 yards and a TD
SI says WSU best quarterback school
Thompson already seventh in career interceptions
WSU's Pac-10 scoring streak of 174 on the line
WSU scoring streak at 159 games
Cougars 32-17 at home under Mike Price
Mike Price third among Pac-10 coaches with 102 wins
WSU's defense among Pac-10's elite
Cougars 43-30-0 in last six years
Cougar "D" tough to run against
Nance, Meiers only experienced D-linemen active
CAPTAINS: WSU - OT Rob Rainville (79), DT Gary Holmes (95) and LB Steve Gleason (34). UCLA -The Bruins ..........

COUG LINE GETS BIGGER: WSU's starting offensive line is the biggest in school history...the starters weigh a collective 1,538 pounds, an average of 307.8 pounds...Mike Sage is the largest at 323 poundsOeRyan Tujague, at 294, is the only regular under 300...WSU never before has started an offensive line averaging over 300 pounds...here are the regular Coug starters:

    LT Rob Rainville, 315, senior
    LG Ryan Tujague, 294, junior
    C Mickey Long, 305, senior
    RG Mike Sage, 323, senior
    RT Reed Raymond, 302, sophomore
HOW YOUNG ARE THE COUGS?: The Cougar roster this year includes 37 freshmen (15 redshirts), 23 sophomores (18 redshirts), 35 juniors (23 redshirts) and 17 seniors (14 redshirts)...the starting lineup against UCLA this week breaks down like this:
    CLASS           OFFENSE DEFENSE TOTAL
    Freshman        0       1       1
    RS-Freshmen     1       0       1
    Sophomores      0       2       2
    RS-Sophomores   1       3       3
    Juniors         2       1       3
    RS-Juniors      2       3       5
    Seniors         3       2       5
    RS-Seniors      2       0       2
SENIORS TOTAL 16: WSU's Pac-10 championship team of 1997 played 23 scholarship seniors...this year just 11 members of the 16-player senior class are on scholarship.

TRAVELING A NEW EXPERIENCE: For over half of WSU's 60-player travel squad at California, making a road trip was a new experienceOe34 of the players on the WSU travel roster are in their first season as a member of the travel squad...in addition, 24 players are in their first year of competition for the Cougars and 10 were not on campus last season.

TAYLOR SETS RECORD: Nian Taylor was on the receiving end of the longest pass in WSU history against Idaho...quarterback Steve Birnbaum hit him with a pass and Taylor took it the rest of the way for a 97-yard return...the previous record was 87 yards in 1957 when Bon Newman hit Jack Fanning against Stanford, and then again in 1992 with a Drew Bledsoe to Phillip Bobo pass...Taylor caught eight passes for 254 yards in that game...the 254 yards was one yard short of Deron Pointer's WSU record (1993).

TRUE FROSH ON DL: First year freshman Joey Hollenbeck from Enumclaw, Wash, started for senior Gary Holmes (out with an ankle sprain) last week at California...he is the first true freshman to start on the defensive line since Ken Collins started in 1978...Collins later was drafted by the New England Patriots...two other WSU rookies played but didn't start, Milford Hodge (1980) and Nick Volk (1985).

COUGS NATIONALLY: Several Cougars are ranked high nationally, including: Lamont Thompson (2nd in interceptiosn, 1.0), Chris Martin (tie 7th in interceptions, 0.75), Rian Lindell (tie 9th in field goals, 1.75), Dee Moronkola (13th in KO returns, 31.40),

PRICE'S COUGS START FAST: Washington State, since Mike Price took over in 1989, has won eight of 10 home openers, including each of the last seven...during Price's 10 years, WSU is 33-15 through the first five games of each season...his squads are 6-4 in season openers (not home openers), 8-2 in the second game of the year, 8-2 in the third game, 6-4 in the fourth game and 6-3 in the fifth game.

WSU INJURIES: Here is WSU's injury report for Monday, Sept. 28, from Mark Smaha, director of athletic medicine: LB Tupo Tuupo (broken shoulder blade Aug. 24; out until mid-Oct.), DT Gary Holmes (ankle sprain, will not play), WR Nian Taylor (calf strain, doubtful), LB Brad Philley (shoulder bruise, should play), SS Earl Riley (shoulder bruise, questionable); DT Joey Hollenbeck (knee strain, questionable), WR Jason White (finger dislocation, questionable), RB Jason Clayton (groin strain, doubtful).

THOMPSON PICKS ANOTHER PASSES: Sophomore Lamont Thompson, in his eight career starts, already has 10 interceptions, four this season and six in the final four games of 1997...Thompson is now seventh on WSU's career list just four behind record holder Richard Reed, 1966-68...Thompson had one pick at Cal, returning it 24 yards.

LINDELL HOT: Junior Rian Lindell, who booted four field goals at Boise State to tie the WSU one-game record, made his final six field goals of 1997...this year he missed his first attempt of the year, then made seven straight before two misses late in the Idaho game...that gives him 13 field goals in his last 16 attempts...he did not have an attempt at Cal.

SI TABS COUGAR QUARTERBACKS: A recent issue of Sports Illustrated tabs Washington State as the best college in the nation for quarterbacks...the weekly magazine rated every position for the past 10 years and concluded, on the strength of Cougars Timm Rosenbach, Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf, WSU had done the best job of turning out top-notch quarterbacks.

MOST STARTS: Seniors Gary Holmes and Dee Moronkola each have 18 starts to their credit, tops among the Cougar playersOehere's a list of WSU's leading starters:

    Dee Moronkola - 19 (18 consecutive)
    Gary Holmes - 18 (2 consecutive)
    Rob Rainville - 18 (16 consecutive)
    Rian Lindell - 16 (16 consecutive)
    Love Jefferson - 16 (16 consecutive)
    Steve Gleason - 15 (16 consecutive)
    Lamont Thompson - 8 (8 consecutive)
ODDS AND ENDS: Lamont Thompson made his debut on offense with seven minutes to play in the first quarter at Cal...he ran a deep route, but Steve Birnbaum's pass was overthrown...Cal held WSU without a score in the first half...not since meeting USC in 1995 had WSU been blanked in the opening 30 minutes...the Cougs turned the ball over six times against Cal...the last time WSU had six or more turnovers was against Montana in 1992 when WSU coughed the ball up seven times...James Price had six tackles in the opening quarter at Cal and finished with nine...WSU has allowed just one touchdown pass in four games, a two-yard scoring pass in the first quarter at Boise State.

SCORING STREAK ALIVE AT 159: The Washington State Cougars have scored in a record 159 straight games. The current streak started with a 16-14 win over Ball State in the fourth game of the 1984 season and came on the heels of a 44-0 blanking at the hands of Ohio State. The following is a breakdown of WSU scoring by game since 1980:

YR     RECORD   0   1-9 10-19   20-29   30-39   40-49   50> PT/PPG
1980    4-7-0           1       6       4                   287/26.1
1981    8-3-1           5       2       5                   297/24.8
1982    3-7-1   1   1   6       2       1                   170/15.5
1983    7-4-0       1   5       3       1       1           237/21.5
1984    6-5-0   1       1       5       2       1       1   317/28.8
1985    4-7-0       1   2       2       5               1   313/28.5
1986    3-7-1       1   4       4       2                   221/20.1
1987    3-7-1       3   5                       3           238/21.6
1988    9-3-0                   5       3       3       1   415/34.6
1989    6-5-0       1   1       3       2       3       1   351/31.9
1990    3-8-0           4       3       2       1       1   266/26.0
1991*   4-7-0       1   4       2       1       2       1   280/25.4
1992    9-3-0       1   1       4       4       1       1   337/28.1
1993    5-6-0       3   2       2       1       1       2   271/24.6
1994    8-4-0       3   3       6                           192/16.0
1995    3-8-0       1   4       3       2       1           236/21.5
1996    5-6-0           2       6       1               2   314/28.5
1997    10-2-0          1       2       5       1       3   483/40.3
1998    3-1-0           1       2       1                   91/22.8
     103-100-4  2   17  52      63      42      18      14  5316/25.7

* = TD RECORD: WSU scored at least one touchdown in 82 consecutive games between 1984 and 1991...the streak ended with a 44-3 loss to UCLA in 1991.

PAC-10 SCORING STREAK AT 174: In addition to having scored in 159 consecutive games, WSU also has scored in 174 straight Pac-10 Conference games, by far the longest active scoring streak in the league...the last time WSU was shut out in a Pac-10 game was Oregon State's 7-0 win in 1975 at Corvallis.

COUGS STINGY IN FIRST QUARTER: WSU's defense has allowed 213 first quarter points in the last 61 games (3.49/quarter) over the past six years...WSU allowed 41 first-quarter points in 1993, 29 in 1994, 45 in 1995, 43 in 1996, 48 first quarter points in 1997, and seven this year (defensive returns such as Cal's fumble return do not count).

PRICE THIRD IN WINS: WSU coach Mike Price is third among the current Pacific-10 coaches with 102 wins...Arizona's Dick Tomey has 139, followed by ASU's Bruce Snyder, 111...Price, in 10 years at WSU, is second in consecutive years at the same school...Tomey is in his 12th at Arizona.

MIKE PRICE AMONG WSU'S BEST: Only one Washington State football coach with tenure of five years or longer at WSU put together a better record than Mike Price...Price, in his 10 seasons at WSU, is 56-50-0 (.528), while his career mark is now 102-94-0...Babe Hollingbery was 93-53-14 (.625) during his 1926-42 (17 years) tenure...Price's record is the best at WSU in the last 50 years for coaches with a tenure of three or more years...Price's 56 wins at WSU ranks second to Hollingbery's 93...Jim Walden is third on the victory list at 44.

NOTHING LIKE HOME: The Washington State Cougars love to play at home and after looking at the team's home and away records during Mike Price's 10-year tenure, it's easy to see why teams don't enjoy their trips to Pullman...Price at home has a 32-17 record, including a 25-8 mark the past six years...on the road, WSU is 24-33...WSU's 6-0 home record in 1997 is the best ever for the Cougars, who previously had never won six home games in one year:

    YEAR    HOME    AWAY    OVERALL
    1989    3-2     3-3     6-5
    1990    1-4     2-4     3-8
    1991    2-3     2-4     4-7
    1992    5-1     4-2     9-3
    1993    4-1     1-5     5-6
    1994    3-2     5-2     8-4
    1995    3-2     0-6     3-8
    1996    3-2     2-4     5-6
    1997    6-0     4-2     10-2
    1998    2-0     1-1     3-1
    TOTALS: 32-17   24-33   55-50
COUGARS VS. RANKED TEAMS: In 1997 WSU defeated No. 22 USC and lost to 21st ranked ASU...unranked at the start of the season when WSU won, UCLA finished the year ranked seventh...in the final game of the year, WSU lost to co-national champion Michigan...WSU, in 1995, suffered losses to three nationally ranked teams: No. 2 Nebraska, at No. 5 USC and at No. 12 Oregon...in 1996 WSU lost at No. 5 Colorado, defeated No. 25 Oregon and No. 19 California and lost to No. 12 Washington.

RED ZONE: Washington State has scored 10 times in 14 trips into the Red Zone this year (71.4%), four touchdowns and six field goals...the Cougs have missed three field goals and lost the ball on downs once...opponents have had 11 opportunities in the Red Zone, scoring four touchdowns and two field goals (54.5%)...they have missed three field goals and suffered two interceptions by WSU...last year the Cougs scored 49 times (39 TDs) in 55 Red Zone entries (89.1%), while WSU opponents converted 23 times (20 TDs) in 32 tries (71.9%).

RUSHING TOTALS UNDER 100: In the last six years WSU has held 29 of 61 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing...the lows include Montana State's -35 and Pacific's -6 in 1993 and Montana's -6 in 1995...in those 61 games, WSU has held opponents to 50 or less yards 12 times:

1993 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 3/11
    Michigan 179, USC 104, Washington 302.
1994 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 3/12
    Tennessee 149, Oregon State 178, Washington 102.
1995 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 5/11
    UCLA 137, Nebraska 428, California 134, Stanford 131,
    Washington 222.
1996 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 10/11
    Colorado 192, Temple 125, Oregon 118, SJSU 100, 
    Arizona 145, OSU 141, California 44, Illinois 148,
    UCLA 164, Stanford 102, Washington 213.
1997 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 8/12
    UCLA 209, USC 31, Illinois 173, Boise State 46,
    Oregon 154, Cal 109, Arizona 73, ASU 150, USL 75,
    Stanford 160, Washington 101, Michigan 128.
1998 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 3/4
    Illinois 123, Boise State 120, Idaho 100, California 79.
WSU DEFENSE HALTS LONG RUSHES: WSU's defense just doesn't allow long runs...in the last six years WSU has allowed just 41 runs of 20 yards or longer in 61 games:
1993 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 8
1994 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 7
1995 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 12
1996 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 6
1997 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 7
1998 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 2
    Idaho: Thomas 21, Dean 46.
1994 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 15
1995 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 24
1996 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 33
1997 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 29
1998 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 15
WSU SECOND IN PAC-10 DEFENSE: In 1997 WSU's defense ranked second in the Pac-10 (six yards short of first), marking the third time in the last six years the Cougar defense has ranked either first or second...since 1992 WSU has been in the top half of the conference all but once...the Cougs won the defensive title in 1994, allowing 229 yards a game, the best average in the league since 1982 and the second best since 1971...here's how the Pac-10 defenses rank, 1992-97: Arizona 293.6 yards per game (66 games/19,375 yards), WSU 311.8 (66/20,581), Washington 333.8 (66/22,033), ASU 343.8 (66/22,691), USC 354.7 (68/24,120), Oregon 359.1 (67/24,062), UCLA 360.1 (66/23,769), OSU 360.7 (66/23,807), California 375.8 (66/24,806), Stanford 382.3 (67/25,614).

WSU AMONG WIN LEADERS SINCE '92: The Washington State Cougars have won 43 games since the start of the 1992 season, equalling the fifth best overall mark among league teams......the Cougars' 25 conference wins ranks seventh when totaling league victories...here's a look at the records for Pac-10 teams, 1992-98:

                        OVERALL     PACIFIC-10
    1992-98             W   L   T   W   L   T   
    Washington          49  23  1   34  14  1
    USC                 46  27  3   31  17  1
    Arizona             46  27  1   28  20  1
    Oregon              46  29  0   26  23  0
    Washington State    43  30  0   25  24  0
    UCLA                43  28  0   27  21  0
    Arizona State       43  29  0   29  21  0
    Stanford            37  35  2   23  27  0
    California          32  41  0   16  33  0
    Oregon State        17  52  1   5   44  1
100-YARD RUSHERS FEW: Only 15 running backs have been able to crack the 100-yard mark in the last six years against WSU's defense...UCLA's Skip Hicks is the only back to have done so in back-to-back seasons and the Bruins are the only team to have a back go over 100 yards in each of the last three seasons:
1993 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 2
    Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan, 117
    Napoleon Kaufman, Washington, 181
1994 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 1
    J.J. Young, Oregon State, 100
1995 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 5
    Karim Abdul-Jabar, UCLA, 125
    Ahman Green, Nebraska, 176
    Reynard Rutherford, California, 124
    Anthony Bookman, Stanford, 123,
    Rashaan Shehee, Washington, 212
1996 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 2
    Skip Hicks, UCLA, 116
    Corey Dillon, Washington, 155
1997 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 4
    Skip Hicks, UCLA, 190; Robert Holcombe, Illinois 163;
    Michael Martin, ASU, 111; Anthony Bookman, 
    Stanford, 115
1998 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 1
    Steve Havard, Illinois, 103.
SPECIAL TEAMS, DEFENSE SCORE: WSU's special teams and defense have scored 39 of the team's 91 points, while the offense has contributed 52 points...the breakdown includes 27 points from field goals, six from a kickoff return and six from a returned fumble...the offense has scored eight touchdowns and one two-point conversion.

SCHEDULING: Coaches often talk about whom an upcoming opponent faces the week before or the week after the two teams collide...here's a look at WSU opponents and whom they play before and after meeting the Cougars:

    DATE    BEFORE WSU      WSU OPP         AFTER WSU
    9/5     ---             ILLINOIS        Middle Tenn.
    9/12    CS-Northridge   @ BSU           Portland State
    9/19    @ San Jose St.  IDAHO           @ LSU
    9/26    @ Oklahoma      @ CAL           @ USC
    10/3    Miami (canceled)@ UCLA          @ Arizona
    10/10   Bye             OREGON          @UCLA
    10/17   California      USC             @ Oregon
    10/31   Stanford        ASU             Cal
    11/7    Oregon          ARIZONA         @ Cal
    11/14   USC             STANFORD        @ Cal
    11/21   UCLA            @ WASHINGTON    ---
I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO: Washington State picked up three players off last year's San Francisco City College club...they are running back Kevin Brown (sophomore), cornerback Chris Martin (junior) and receiver Jerry Roquemore (junior)...Brown is the only one of the three from California, West Covina...Martin is from Brooklyn, New York, while Roquemore prepped at Gahanna, Ohio...all three transfers are either starters (Martin) or very active reserves.

TOUGH PLAYING DL AT WSU: Since coming off the Rose Bowl nine months ago, WSU has lost seven defensive linemen...those anticipated to be in fall camp who are no longer members of the team include: Saeed Abdul-Malik (250 pounds, junior, JC transfer who did not receive his AA degree), James Agnew (330, RS-So., decided not to play football), Takari Blash (265. RS-Jr., attending school but not playing football), Eric Hodge (246, junior, a JC transfer who left fall camp after one week), Nate Mallory (265, RS-Fr., did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements), Delmar Morais (257, RS-Sr., injuries), Taeao Salausa (284, Sr., transferred)...adding to the woes is the loss of senior Gary Holmes following a severe ankle sprain in the Idaho game.

NANCE, MEIER NOW WSU'S ONLY EXPERIENCED DL: Washington State's list of defensive linemen with any significant experience is down to two with the loss of Gary Holmes, out for a few weeks with an ankle sprain...only Jonathan Nance and Rob Meier had any significant experience before the season started...both Nance, a senior, and Meier, a junior, entered this season with backup duty in 23 games during the 1996 and 1997 seasons...each had two starts last year...going into the season the combined experience of all other active linemen was 12 games.

REVIEWING WSU'S 1998 SEASON

  • WSU captured its seventh straight home opener with a 20-13 win over IllinoisOeKevin Brown led WSU offensively with 111 yards in his Cougar debut...defensive tackle Rob Meier returned a fumble 52 yards for WSU's first score after Jonathan Nance knocked the ball loose with a sackOethe win was Mike Price's 100th career victory;
  • The Cougars came from behind to beat Boise State 33-21 at BoiseOe28 Cougars were making their first road trip and 22 of the 60 are in their first competitive season with WSUOeDee Moronkola had an 88-yard kickoff return for one score, DeJuan Gilmore broke a 79-yard TD run and Chris Martin made 14 tackles and intercepted two passes.
  • Lamont Thompson picked off two passes and Steve Birnbaum threw for 299 yards as WSU beat Idaho 24-16...Nian Taylor was the receiving star, scoring all three Cougar TDs...he caught eight passes for 254 yards...James Price has 13 tackles, including two sacks...WSU had 479 yards in total offense, with 366 passing, 113 rushing.
  • Washington State's defense rose to the occasion against California, but three costly turnovers by the offense produced three Bear touchdowns in a 24-14 setback...Lamont Thompson and Dee Moronkola each had interceptions as WSU forced three turnovers, but gave the ball up six times, including four interceptions...each team converted just two third-down opportunities...Kevin Brown rushed for 80 yards and Leaford Hackett caught four passes for 139 yards and one score..Thompson and James Price had nine tackles each and Steve Gleason two sacks.

    SACKS AND TFL: WSU quarterbacks have been sacked just four times in four games...on the other side of the ball WSU has recorded 15 sacks...James Price is the leader at 2.5 sacks, while four others each have two sacks...WSU's team sack record is 48 in 1989, Price's first year at WSU...the Cougs also have 41 tackles-for-loss (TFL), headed by Earl Riley with seven...the team record is 100.

    TURNOVERS: The Cougs are even in turnovers after four gamesOeWSU was -1 in turnovers in 1997, +9 in 1994, even in 1995 and -9 in 1996.

            ------ W S U -----  -- OPPONENTS --
        OPP +/- F   FL  PI  TOT F   FL  PI  TOT
        ILL -2  3   2   1   3   1   1   0   1   
        BSU +2  5   4   0   4   4   3   3   6   
        IDAHO   +3  1   0   2   2   2   1   4   5   
        CAL -3  2   2   4   6   1   1   2   3
        UCLA                                        
        TOTAL   +0  11  8   7   15  8   6   9   15
    
    1998 RANKINGS FOR THE COUGARS
     PLAYER CATEGORY    AVG PAC-10
    

    Kareem Anderson- Punting 41.58 3 Steve Birnbaum- Passing Offense 110.4 8 Total Offense 193.5 6 Kevin Brown- Rushing 59.50 9 Total Offense 59.50 20 DeJuan Gilmore- Rushing 59.75 8 Total Offense 59.75 19 Leaford Hackett- Pass Receptions 4.25 11 Receiving Yards 69.5 11 Rian Lindell- Scoring Offense 7.25 9 Field Goals 1.75 *2 Chris Martin- Interceptions .75 *2 Paul Mencke- Passing Offense 108.9 9 Total Offense 41.0 25 Dee Moronkola- Kickoff Return 31.4 2 James Price Tackles 10.3 *2 Earl Riley- Interceptions .25 *15 Lamont Thompson- Interceptions 1.00 1 Nian Taylor- Punt Return 11.80 5 Scoring Offense 6.0 *11 Pass Receptions 5.0 8 Receiving Yards 88.5 6 All-purpose 108.5 8 * = Tie

    1998 TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS

                            WSU     WSU     WSU
    TEAM CATEGORY           AVG     PAC-10  NCAA
    Rushing Offense         124.0   6       75
    Passing Offense         239.3   6       32
    Total Offense           363.3   6       54
    Scoring Offense         22.8    9       70
    Rushing Defense         105.5   2       *22
    Pass Efficiency Defense 79.4    1       4
    Total Defense           284.3   1       20
    Scoring Defense         18.5    5       *30
    Net Punting             35.6    6       61
    Punt Returns            7.8     9       66
    KO Returns              21.0    9       54
    Turnover Margin-        .00     *6      *54
    

    UCLA UCLA UCLA TEAM CATEGORY AVG PAC-10 NCAA Rushing Offense 150.0 5 64 Passing Offense 347.0 1 6 Total Offense 497.0 2 10 Scoring Offense 45.5 2 5 Rushing Defense 165.0 7 68 Pass Efficiency Defense 108.9 7 43 Total Defense 415.0 9 90 Scoring Defense 27.5 8 *71 Net Punting 37.3 4 41 Punt Returns 9.4 7 54 KO Returns 26.1 3 *20 Turnover Margin .50 *4 *37 * = Tie

    NATIONAL LEADERS

    Kareem Anderson Punting         41.58   46
    Steve Birnbaum  Total Offense   193.5   46
    Rian Lindell    Field Goals     1.75    *9
    Chris Martin    Interceptions   .75     *7
    Lamont Thompson Interceptions   1.0     *2
    Dee Moronkola   Kickoff Return  31.4    13
    Nian Taylor     Punt Return     11.80   36
                    Receiving       88.5    35
    
    WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS: Washington State's weekly Fox Sports Northwest award winners from the California game are:
    Pac-10 Offense:  Leaford Hackett (Sylmar, Calif.)
    Pac-10 Defense:  Steve Gleason (Spokane, Wash.), Rob Meier (West Vancouver, BC)
    Pac-10 Special Teams: None
    Offensive Lineman: Rob Rainville (Lewiston, Idaho)
    Offensive Back:  Kevin Brown (West Covina, Calif.)
    Offensive Scout Team: Derrick Roche (Kent, Wash.)
    Defensive Back: Dee Moronkola (Richmond, Calif.)
    Defensive Lineman: Jonathan Nance (Miami, Florida)
    Defensive Scout Team: Steve Strand (Vancouver, Wash.)
    Defensive Pursuit Player: Brad Philley (Puyallup, Wash.)
    Cougar Claw:: Jesse Ratcliff (Lacey, Wash.), Jason White (Milpitas, Calif.)
    Big Hit: Jeremy Thielbahr (Sandpoint, Idaho)
    Cougar Tackler: Brad Philley(Puyallup, Wash.)
    Specialist of the Week: Erik Larson (Olympia, Wash.)
    Most Disciplined Offense: None
    Most Disciplined Defense: Lamont Thompson (Richmond, Wash.)
    Most Disciplined Special Teams: Dee Moronkola (Richmond, Calif.)
    Special Teams Big Play: None 
    
    PAC-10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Kareem Anderson was named special teams player of the week for his 47.6 yard average on five punts against Illinois; Nian Taylor was offensive player of the week for his eight catch, 254 yard, three touchdown performance against Idaho.

    1998 WSU FOOTBALL STARTERS

    POS ILL         BSU         IDA         CAL         UCLA    ORE USC ASU ARIZ    STAN    WASH
    SE  Hackett     Davis       Davis       Davis   
    LT  Rainville   Rainville   Rainville   Rainville   
    LG  Tujague     Tujague     Tujague     Tujague 
    C   Long        Long        Long        Long    
    RG  Sage        Criscione   Criscione   Sage    
    RT  Raymond     Raymond     Raymond     Raymond 
    TE  Jefferson               Jefferson       
    SB              Hackett     Hackett     Hackett 
    QB  Birnbuam    Birnbaum    Birnbaum    Birnbaum    
    RB  Gilmore     Gilmore     Gilmore     Gilmore 
    RB  Brown               
    FL  Taylor      Taylor      Taylor      Taylor  
    SE              White                   White   
    PK  Lindell     Lindell     Lindell     Lindell 
    NOTE: WSU's starting offensive lineup usually includes three wide receivers
    and one running back, but can include four wide receivers and no running
    backs, or two wide receivers and two running backs.
    

    DE Nance Nance Nance Nance DT Ratcliff Holmes Holmes Hollenb'k DT Meier Meier Meier Meier DE Marong Ratcliff Ratcliff Mason SLB Gleason Gleason Gleason Gleason MLB Smith Price Price Price WLB Price Philley Philley Philley CB Moronkola Moronkola Moronkola Moronkola FS Thompson Thompson Thompson Thompson SS Riley Riley Riley Riley CB Martin Martin Martin Martin P Anderson Anderson Anderson Anderson

    MIKE PRICE TV SHOWS: The "Mike Price TV Show" airs Sunday evenings at 11:30 p.m. PT on KXLY, KAPP and KVEW television stations....KXLY's Rick Lukens hosts the shows...FOX Sports Northwest's nightly (7:00 p.m.) Northwest Tonight show also gives extensive coverage to Price and Cougar football.

    RICK DICKSON RADIO SHOW: "Cougar Chat with Rick Dickson" is aired each Sunday 60 minutes before the Seattle Seahawk pre-game show on Spokane's KXLY Radio (920)... veteran Cougar broadcaster Paul Sorensen hosts the weekly show with the WSU athletic director.

    WEEKLY WSU PRESS CONFERENCES: WSU hosts a weekly press conference each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Media Information Conference Room, Bohler Addition 195. All in-season head coaches and selected players (when available) will be available for the phone conference and in-person interviews. Contact the WSU Media Information Office for more information. Members of the media may attend in person or participate by use of the telephone.

    LISTEN TO COUGAR GAMES ANYWHERE: Cougar football fans can listen to the Voice of the Cougars Bob Robertson's broadcasts, even if a network station is not in your locale. TRZ Sports Service Inc.'s "Teamline" provides the hookup directly into the Cougar Sports Network. Call 1-800-846-4700 and punch in the Cougar access code 5938. The cost is charged to your VISA or Mastercard.

    LIVE TELEVISION: Oct. 3 the Pac-10 Conference television package includes: ABC Sports will telecast the Washington State at UCLA game regionally at 12:30 p.m. PT., and the Arizona State at USC game regionally at 4:00 p.m. PT. NBC Sports will telecast the Stanford at Notre Dame game nationally at 11:30 a.m. PT. Fox Sports Net will show the Arizona at Washington game 7:00 PT.

    FSNW-TV: Fox Sports Northwest will replay Washington State's game at UCLA Oct. 4 at 1:30 p.m..

    TICKETS: Tickets for all Cougar home and away games are available through the WSU Ticket Office, North 225 Grand, Pullman, Wash. 99164-1910, or by calling 800-GO-COUGS (available toll free from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands).

    WSU RADIO: Bob Robertson, Paul Sorensen, Jeff Aaron, and Bud Nameck will combine talents on the 24-station Crimson and Gray Sports Network. Robertson is in his 32nd year of broadcasting Cougar sports and Sorensen is in his 13th season with WSU. Broadcast time is 60 minutes prior to kickoff. The "Mike Price Show," produced and distributed by Broadcast Ink, airs weekly throughout the network, with Robertson as the show's host.

    AUDIO ON INTERNET: WSU's football broadcasts are now available on the Internet through Broadcast.com...the address is: http://www.broadcast.com/schools/wsu.