August 29, 1998
PULLMAN, Wash. -- "This will be a unique team, different from any other we have had," head coach Mike Price offered Saturday minutes after sending over 100 players through a mock game in preparation for next Saturday's season and home opener against Illinois.
For the record newcomer Leaford Hackett caught most of the passes, Troy Woody made the touchdown grabs, both from Paul Mencke, and James Price was the designated interceptor with two thefts. He took the first one 33 yards for a touchdown.
Statistics, however, were not what Price wanted in a two-hour practice that was controlled to the extent there was no tackling. It was a game of touch football with the Cougar offense working against a group of scout team players running Illinois' defense. On defense it was the reverse with the scout team operating the Illini's offense.
"We got more out of this mock game that we have in recent years," Price said. "It was a great learning opportunity. I call them learning windows and we have a lot of them."
"One mistake we didn't make was to hustle," he said. "Our effort was there and the mistakes we made are correctable. With a team this inexperienced, mistakes will happen, but they are curable.
Starting quarterback Steve Birnbaum ended the morning practice completing 12 of 18 passes for 142 yards and one interception. Mencke, who started with one completion in his first five throws, ended the drills hitting 13 of 23 for two touchdowns, 170 yards and one interception.
With Nian Taylor nursing a sore groin, Hackett, a junior college transfer, took over, catching nine passes for 125 yards. Meanwhile Woody caught just two passes, both scoring tosses from Mencke. The first covered 52 yards, the second 36 yards.
"Mencke to Woody, that's the right combination," Mencke offered with a smile after the scrimmage.
We didn't have anyone hurt today," a pleased Price said. "If we stay healthy we will gradually get better." A dozen players, however, did not dress for the scrimmage, including safety Lamont Thompson and three receivers, Anthony Davis, Alexe Rodopoulos and Jason White. The only players not expected to be healthy for the opener are linebacker Tupo Tuupo and cornerback LeJuan Gibbons. Tuupo is recovering from a broken shoulder blade and Gibbons had arthroscopic knee surgery last week.
Looking ahead to next week, Price indicated the mental rather than the physical approach will be stressed in workouts.
"We are tired and I'm not going to beat the heck out of the players," the Cougar coach said. "We are going to rest them and do a lot of learning."
"This week we have to focus on the things we want to do against Illinois," according to Price. "We are a team that must block and tackle every day. That's what the game is all about and we need to improve those fundamentals. There won't be a lot of scrimmage type work."
Rushing - Gilmore 2/19, Brown 9/51, Thielbahr 3/16, Meriwether 1/3, Clayton 2/10, Mencke 2/25.
Passing - Birnbaum 18/12/1/142/0/25, Mencke 23/13/1/170/2/52.
Receiving - Gilmore 2/8, Hackett 9/125, Jefferson 4/60, DeCambra 3/18, Zubedi 2/22, Roquemore 2/9, Woody 2/88, Clayton 1/9.
