SportsNovember 3, 2015

WSU coach says he's not ready to spend the money required to air his grievances

PULLMAN - Mike Leach went through his entire news conference Monday without using the word "officiating" or any related term. Nor did he refer specifically to any disputed plays.

But some of his allusions were unmistakable.

"I think it's pretty obvious, but I'm not able to comment on it," the Washington State football coach said when asked what irked him most about the Cougars' 30-28 loss Saturday night to then-No. 8 Stanford. "But it's pretty clear what irks me the most, and I think it does a lot of people."

He was probably referring mainly to a third-quarter play in which WSU defender Ivan McLennan stripped the ball from Stanford tailback Christian McCaffrey before officials ruled against a change of possession.

The Cougars (5-3, 3-2), for whom a victory would have meant control of their destiny in the Pac-12 North, are instead tied with Oregon for second place, two games behind the Cardinal in the loss column.

Leach was a bit more direct when asked about recent suggestions that Arizona State is trying to decipher its opponents' offensive signals. He said the Pac-12 should investigate the matter to ensure that the Sun Devils aren't breaking any rules.

Arizona State happens to be the Cougars' next opponent, at Martin Stadium on Saturday (12:30 p.m., FS1), and Leach didn't rule out taking the same measures that Oregon did last week against the Sun Devils. The Ducks used large white sheets on the sideline to hide their offensive signals.

A few Utah players, too, have suggested that ASU tries to decipher signals. There has been little intimation, however, that the Sun Devils are breaking any rules with such tactics.

"You've got two straight schools with concerns over it ... " Leach said, "and they have a reputation for it that extends beyond that. So the conference ought to investigate them, see what they're doing, make sure nothing's illegal."

The Cougars are favored by 21/2 points against Arizona State (4-4, 2-3).

Meanwhile, ESPN has secured the television rights to the Cougs' game Nov. 14 at UCLA, which will now start at 7:45 p.m.

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On the most controversial play in the WSU-Stanford game, officials on the field ruled against a change of possession after the strip by McLennan, believing either that McCaffrey was out of bounds before he fumbled or that McLennan failed to secure possession before going out of bounds himself. A video-replay official then declined to overturn the call.

The 9-yard gain to the Cougars 20-yard line helped set up a field goal that cut WSU's lead to 22-13, triggering a 17-0 Stanford flurry over a five-minute span.

"I think we need to recognize the fact that we played extremely hard the whole game," Leach said. "We did a lot of good things. For reasons that can't be described, we were deprived of some opportunities we should have been allowed. But also we left plenty on the table that we could have capitalized on, and we could have been better at. And that's where our focus needs to be, on improvement."

He was asked if he has been deprived of more "opportuntities" since joining the Pac-12 three-plus seasons ago than he experienced in the Big 12.

"We can't go too much into that," said Leach, who as Texas Tech coach in 2007 was fined $10,000 for a pointed critique of officials. "You've got to figure out if you're going to spend the money. Right now I'm not going to, deserved or otherwise."

Leach also seemed to allude fleetingly to a disputed play in the second quarter, when WSU nickelback Parker Henry snagged a deflected ball and ran 50 yards for an apparent touchdown. After a video review, the ball was ruled to have hit the ground before the deflection by receiver Michael Rector.

It would have been Henry's second interception of the game.

"He's done a tremendous job, and should have had another play that last game," Leach said of the former walk-on. "His play is elevating, and it's inspiring to everybody out there."

MORE HONORS FOR FALK - Washington State learned Monday that quarterback Luke Falk is one of 17 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award, given annually to the nation's top college quarterback. He was one of five QBs in the Pac-12 to make the list.

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Grummert may be contacted at daleg@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2290.

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