PULLMAN – Washington State’s Connor Halliday will never forget his epic performance Saturday against Arizona State, but the young quarterback’s most poignant memory from the weekend may have taken place the day before.
Former WSU linebacker Steve Gleason, who is battling a fatal disease for which there is no cure, was honored at the game. Gleason toured the football locker room Friday and spoke to the team a few hours prior to kickoff Saturday.
“Me and (fellow quarterbacks) Keith Gilbertson and Marshall Lobbestael saw Mr. Gleason walking through the locker room last night,” Halliday said after the game.
“It’s so sad, to think a couple years ago, he was playing in the NFL. That disease is so tragic, but to have him come and talk to us meant the world.
“That guy is awfully tough.”
Gleason, 34, suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a muscular and nerve disorder commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is named after the New York Yankees great, who died of the disease in 1941.
Gleason now moves and speaks slowly, but his mind remains sharp. Players and coaches said they were inspired tremendously by Gleason’s talk with the team.
TUEL UPDATE
WSU coach Paul Wulff, mindful of Halliday’s 494 passing yards in his first extensive action last week, said Tuesday he has not ruled out a battle for the starting job next season between Halliday, a redshirt freshman, and incumbent Jeff Tuel.
Tuel, an honorable mention all-Pacific-10 Conference selection last year as a sophomore, has missed most of the season with collarbone injuries. Wulff said he does not expect Tuel to play the next two weeks, and the possibility of Tuel receiving a medical redshirt year from the NCAA would factor into a decision on playing Tuel in a bowl.
BOWL PROSPECTS
The Cougars (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) close out their home schedule Saturday on Senior Day against Utah (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12). Satellite systems that carry Fox College Sports Atlantic will televise the game – Halliday’s first start – at 2 p.m.
The weather forecast calls for a high of 26 degrees, with little chance of snow. The Utes, riding a three-game winning streak, are 31/2-point favorites.
The Cougars will join Utah among bowl-eligible teams if they finish the regular season with wins over the Utes and Washington. Wulff said senior Lobbestael, who has started eight games, has not been promised playing time Saturday.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Utes struggle to pass the ball, but John White ranks ninth in the country in rushing (119.1 yards per game). The Cougars struggle to run the ball, but they rank ninth in passing (318.7).
Utah has been far better on defense than WSU. However, the Cougars are tied for fifth in successful fourth-down stops (75 percent), right behind third-place Utah (77.5).
EXTRA POINTS
WSU’s Marquess Wilson is five short of Nakoa McElrath’s school record of 72 receptions in one season. ... Why was the Arizona State game played at night in mid-November in Pullman? Simple – Versus paid the Cougars approximately $250,000 to $300,000 to televise the game nationally. ... Ticketmaster has limited upper-level tickets ($58) left for the Apple Cup, set for Nov. 26 in Seattle (4:30 p.m., Versus). Due to construction at Husky Stadium, the game will be played at CenturyLink Field.
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