Seen and heard at UA-Washington State game

Patrick Finley

Nov. 8, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Cancer awareness

Pac-10 officials looked a little different Saturday.

The officials wore blue forearm sleeve covers to help raise prostate cancer awareness for the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The gesture was inspired by Washington high school football coach Terry Ennis, whose death in 2007 prompted the state to use blue penalty flags for one week last year.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men; almost 200,000 cases will be diagnosed this year alone. One in six men will get the disease during his lifetime; one in 35 will die from it.

Yawn

One minute into the second quarter, we saw a stream of red-clad fans walking out of Arizona Stadium, presumably headed for their nearest Homecoming party or watering hole.

We can't blame them -- by that point, WSU had failed to register a first down; that came with 12:122 left in the half. UA backup quarterback Matt Scott was inserted four minutes later. The Cougars registered 25 yards worth of penalties in the first quarter -- and only 4 yards of total offense.

It's not like the slow start was a shock for the Palouse faithful.

After being outscored 24-0 in the first quarter Saturday, WSU has now been outscored 145-3 in the first quarter. Over nine games, that's an average score of 16-0, give or take a WSU field goal.

Welcome back

Cheryl Smith, the wife of late UA coach Larry Smith, led the Wildcats' 25th anniversary team on the field before Saturday's game.

Defensive coordinator Moe Ankney and wide receiver Jay Dobyns, a Sahuaro High School graduate who would later gain worldwide fame as an undercover agent, were also in the group.

The school also introduced the 40th and 50th anniversary teams, as well as a group of emeritus players from older squads.

UA athletic director Jim Livengood stood on the field and shook the hand of each player and coach as they filed past under a sign bearing their team's season.

Who are those guys?

Here's one reason for Washington State's lousy play so far this season -- the team has yet to start the same starting lineup in consecutive games this season.

Free safety Jay Matthews was the latest new starter Saturday, marking the seventh different starting defensive unit in nine games. The Cougars' offense has also used seven different starting groups this season.

Thus far, 65 different player appearances have been missed by Cougars because of injury or illness. On the offensive line alone, five players who have started a game at least once missed a combined 17 games.

The Cougars have only five fifth-year seniors and only 15 players with more than one varsity letter. In 2002, for example, the Cougars had 28 such players.

By the numbers

3 Offensive plays it took the Wildcats to score 14 points -- the first on a 95-yard kick return and another on a 28-yard Terrell Turner touchdown reception.

There will be blood

Starting Monday, ZonaZoo will look to defend its blood drive title.

The UA's student cheering section begins the Territorial Blood Drive, an annual competition that pits it against the Sun Devils. Last season, the UA defeated ASU by 150 units of blood. The cheering section's drive is Monday and Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Student Union's North Ballroom and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Main Library.

She said it

"Believe! We Will Be Better Next Year"

T-shirt worn by a woman standing on the Washington State sideline

Hall of Famers

Wearing sunglasses and a red golf shirt, Lute Olson received a 30-second standing ovation Saturday at halftime as one of the newest members of Arizona's Hall of Fame.

The ovation was the loudest of the day.

Four of the five inductees were present for the halftime announcement. Former baseball player J.T. Snow -- who wore a "Viva Los Gatos" T-shirt -- joined former golfer Chris Nallen, former pole vaulter Amy Linnen and Olson on the field.

Lorena Ochoa, probably the greatest active women's golfer, was unable to attend because she is playing an LPGA event in Japan.

The group was officially inducted at an event Friday.

Mascots on parade

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Wilbur the Wildcat, a gaggle of former mascots gathered at the 50-yard line at halftime. Wilbur donned a red jersey with the No. 50 and stood near "wife" Wilma, while former students who wore the costumes through the years stood behind and cheered.

Washington State's Butch T. Cougar contributed, too. Late in the second quarter, he helped a UA academic adviser who had fainted near the south end zone.

Stoops over hoops?

The basketball-crazy UA campus is in an odd place today. For the first time since January 1987, the football team is ranked but the basketball team is not.

The last time that happened, Larry Smith's team beat North Carolina in the Aloha Bowl to finish No. 11. At the same time, the basketball team was 5-3, playing without injured guard Steve Kerr, en route to an 18-12 record.

Days after the win, Smith left for USC.

Not the biggest

The 48-7 trouncing of Washington State was a homecoming to remember, even for a tradition based on playing a bad team for the pleasure of returning alumni.

It was the biggest homecoming blowout in 74 years, but not the largest by far.

That distinction belongs to the 1921 Cats squad, which whupped New Mexico Military Institute 110-0. In 1916, the Wildcats beat another Land of Enchantment squad, New Mexico State, 73-0.

He said it

"Nick Foles is really, really good. He was so accurate and poised. He's just a sophomore -- and he's really, really good."

WSU coach Paul Wulff, on the Wildcats quarterback

The big number

12-6 Arizona's record in its last 18 Pac-10 games. Of the six losses, four came by three points or fewer. The six losses came by a combined total of 26 points.

Scoreboard watching

Before UA coach Mike Stoops met with the media after the game, he checked the television to see who was winning the Stanford-Oregon game. The Cardinal was ahead, and Stoops was eager to watch the end of the game.

"I'm trying to get out of here as fast as I can," he said.

The Cardinal hung on to move the Wildcats and Ducks into a tie, with one conference loss apiece, atop the Pac-10.

"I think we all know what kind of team Stanford has," he said. "I've seen them up close and personal."

Stoops praised the Pac-10's depth, saying the conference was the best in the country and joking someone should "get that out to ESPN."

Game ball

Two days after announcing the largest one-time donation in the history of the UA athletic department, alums Jeff and Sharon Stevens went to the UA locker room after the game. They received one of two game balls -- and with good reason. Their $10 million donation is earmarked for a stadium upgrade.

Patrick Finley

Newstex ID: KRTB-0014-39551737