PULLMAN – This afternoon, barring an upset that would rank with the biggest in Pac-10 history, Sam Tennant will become part of the most infamous senior class in Washington State football history.
For that, Tennant makes no apologies. In fact, Tennant only wishes he could share more of the blame.
Tennant, a lifelong Pullman resident and Cougars fan, is a fifth-year senior walk-on who has made token appearances in just seven games in college – and he’s yet to play one nanosecond this season. Thus, Tennant can hardly be blamed for WSU’s 33 losses the past four seasons.
Should the 1-9 Cougars lose to 20th-ranked Oregon State on Senior Day at Martin Stadium, WSU will have lost more games in a four-year period than ever before. The 1967-70 Cougars went 7-33-1; a loss today would drop WSU to 14-34 since 2006.
Naturally, Tennant regrets that his teams did not enjoy more success. That’s about the only regret he has about essentially paying to play – or, in his case, paying to hardly ever play – and spending five years on the scout team at practice after practice after practice before or after weight-lifting session after weight-lifting session after weight-lifting session.
“I’ve always been an athlete, so it would be hard to imagine not being an athlete,” said Tennant, a 6-foot, 217-pound linebacker.
Tennant, who attended plenty of Cougars games while growing up, admits he had visions of future scholarships and regular playing time when he accepted WSU’s invitation to walk on.
“That was always the dream,” he said with a smile. “It didn’t work out quite that way.”
Earlier this week, Tennant – who hopes to work in a zoo or aquarium after graduating in December with a biology degree – learned that he will make his season debut Saturday by playing on special teams. Tennant said he never asked why he hasn’t played this year.
“I don’t want to be a distraction to the coaches,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of stuff to worry about.”
Tennant’s got that right. The Beavers are flying high – they’ve won three in a row and five of six – and the Cougars have lost seven straight, most by ugly margins.
WSU’s 14 seniors (minus suspended linebacker Jason Stripling), including five walk-ons, will be honored prior to the game. The most prominent names are center Kenny Alfred, running back Dwight Tardy, outside linebacker Andy Mattingly, free safety Xavier Hicks and quarterback Kevin Lopina.
Perhaps the least prominent name among the seniors is K.C. Thometz. A running back out of Marysville-Pilchuck High, Thometz has turned out four years – he missed the 2006 season after redshirting the year before because he didn’t realize he had to turn out on the one tryout day – but he has never played in a game and might not play in these last two games.
“I just like the personal challenge,” Thometz said.
COUGARS GAMEDAY
OREGON St. (7-3, 5-2 Pac-10) AT WSU (1-9, 0-7)
Kickoff: 2 p.m., Martin Stadium
TV: None Radio: 850-AM, 1240-AM, 1030-AM
The series: Washington State leads, 47-43-3. It‘s the only Pac-10 series WSU leads, but Oregon State has won two straight, and with ease – 52-17 in Pullman in 2007, and 66-13 in Corvallis last year.
What to watch: Temperatures in the 30s and possible rain and/or snow could slow the explosive Oregon State offense. However, WSU is so banged-up on defense, at least two little-used reserves on offense could be forced to play some defense. The Beavers might have the best running back, quarterback and receiver in the Pac-10; they score 96 percent of the time in the red zone; and they’ve made only seven turnovers.
What’s at stake: The 20th-ranked Beavers must win at WSU and then finish the regular season with a win at Oregon on Dec. 3 to have a shot at going to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1965. The Cougars must win today or next Saturday in the season finale at Washington to avoid surpassing Oregon State’s Pac-10 record of 21 losses in back-to-back seasons. After giving up 40 or more points each of the past four games, the WSU defense – ranked last nationally – could use a respectable showing to build momentum for the Apple Cup.
TNT pick: Oregon State, 59-17
PRIME NUMBERS
Oregon State
1Jacquizz Rodgers (RB)5-7/191Sophomore
1,148 rushing yards, 62 receptions, 18 TDs
18James Rodgers (WR-KR-PR)5-7/185Junior
180 all-purpose yards per game; watch out for the reverse
5Sean Canfield (QB)6-4/214Senior
70 percent completions, 2,566 yards, 17 TDs
32Keaton Kristick (OLB)6-3/230Senior
Plays with fire, has team-high 75 tackles
54Stephen Paea (DT)6-1/285Junior
“As good as there is out there” at DT, WSU’s Paul Wulff said
Washington State
69Kenny Alfred (C)6-3/289Senior
Dedicated leader picked for East-West Shrine all-star game
9Kevin Lopina (QB)6-3/241Senior
First start since Sept. 12
66Reed Lesuma (OG)6-4/303Senior
Popular senior gets first WSU start
83Zach Tatman (TE)6-5/248Senior
Former JC basketball player gets first WSU start
26Xavier Hicks (FS)6-0/219Senior
Tied with Kristick for 3rd in Pac-10 in tackles
Howie Stalwick, For The News Tribune
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