By Chadd Cripe

The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-29-2004
RENO, Nev. — Go ahead. Try to name five WAC starting quarterbacks. Can't do it? Don't worry. Most conference coaches probably couldn't, either. The WAC, known for its quarterback play and scoreboard pyrotechnics, enters the 2004 season with just three veteran starters under center.

The other seven teams go to fall camp with starting quarterback prospects who combined have thrown fewer than 70 college passes or more interceptions than touchdown passes.

Boise State will replace 2003 WAC Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Dinwiddie with senior Mike Sanford (17 career attempts) or sophomore Jared Zabransky (23).

"The defenses will take control, and I think the running backs will take over the WAC," Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Chris Van Hoy said Wednesday at the WAC media preview. "I would like to see the defenses be more of a factor in the WAC. I'd like to see more low-scoring games."

There is another theory. Maybe the next Dinwiddie, or Luke McCown, or Scott Rislov is about to get his shot at stardom.

Maybe his name is Mike Sanford, Jordan Palmer or Matt Kubik.

"You know people are going to step up and become stars," BSU senior safety Chris Carr said. "It's just a matter of time before people start recognizing the names of all the quarterbacks in the WAC."

The list starts with the potentially exciting trio of Hawaii's Timmy Chang, Tulsa's James Kilian and Fresno State's Paul Pinegar.

It's no surprise those teams were picked in the top four in the preseason media poll.

However, all come with question marks. Chang lost his starting job last season, Kilian and the Hurricane were embarrassed in the Humanitarian Bowl against Georgia Tech and Pinegar and Fresno State ranked 80th nationally in scoring offense.

After them, the most noteworthy quarterback is Rice senior Greg Henderson, who runs the option.

"It's very nice from a safety standpoint," Rice defensive back Terry Holley said of the widespread inexperience. "I'm really licking my chops. You've got your new fresh faces out there, so I can move around and confuse them and get some picks."

Van Hoy also spewed a little trash talk at the quarterbacks, most of whom were not at the Peppermill on Wednesday. In fact, Boise State, Louisiana Tech, Nevada and UTEP enter fall camp with no clear-cut favorite for their starting jobs.

"I like seeing them hold the ball a little longer, seeing them run a little quicker, and seeing them just think they can take the hits that they've seen on TV," Van Hoy said.

The WAC featured four of the top 17 passing offenses in the country last season. Hawaii was second and returns Chang, but No. 5 Boise State (Dinwiddie), No. 11 Louisiana Tech (McCown) and No. 17 San Jose State (Rislov) all lost their starting quarterbacks.

Louisiana Tech's top two starting prospects, Kubik and Donald Allen, haven't thrown a college pass between them.

One will follow McCown (2000-03), Tim Rattay (1997-99) and Jason Martin (1994-96), who combined for 34,000 yards and 260 touchdowns over the past 10 seasons.

"It is strange to have a question mark at that position," Van Hoy said. "... But we have some good candidates. They'll fill the shoes. They know what they're up against."

So does San Jose State senior quarterback Dale Rogers, who doubles as a punter. The Cal Poly transfer threw a whopping four passes last season.

However, he doesn't see any reason why the WAC quarterback tradition should suffer a hiccup just because some of its greatest throwers are gone.

"If you're going to school in the WAC, you're recruited because you can throw the ball," Rogers said. "There's definitely going to be some guys step up this year that just haven't had a chance to shine, and they're more than capable of throwing the ball just like the guys previous."

Maybe Chang, the man who went from Heisman candidate to bench warmer to bowl hero in the span of one season last year, said it best.

"The WAC is very unpredictable," he said.

That tradition, even more than the wide-open offense, seems safe this year.

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Some WAC coaches take a gamble off the field in Nevada

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The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-30-2004
RENO, Nev. — The nation's Texas Hold 'Em craze even reaches the college football coaching profession.

Fresno State coach Pat Hill took a break from the WAC's media preview Wednesday night to win a few bucks at the game exploding in popularity because of the recent outbreak of TV poker broadcasts.

His winning night was keyed by four 7s.

Hill has a poker table with an automatic shuffling machine in his home and likes to play with his sons and their friends.

"We watch that ESPN poker all the time," Hill said.

Even Boise State coach Dan Hawkins, the WAC's official recluse this week, enjoys Texas Hold 'Em.

He plays with his family.

"It is a fun game to play," Hawkins said. "We went on vacation and played with our relatives. That was fun to sit around and play that. I'm not sure I'd want to be at a table where some guy was doing it serious."

The WAC brought all 10 of its coaches and 17 players to the Peppermill Hotel Casino this week to meet with the media.

Most could be found in the casino at some point, trying to win a little spending cash about 10 days before they start preparing to win football games.

None of the coaches, however, claimed to enjoy it that much.

"I don't like to gamble," said Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell, who goes on a once-a-year casino trip with a buddy. "I like it even less after (Wednesday) night."

He anchored a blackjack table in the "third base" spot Wednesday night.

"I have no idea about playing blackjack," he said. "They told me I was in the worst seat. All I care about is not getting the guy next to me mad."

He probably should have taken a cue from Hawkins and UTEP coach Mike Price, who both stayed away from the casino.

Bicknell and Hill tried to pry Hawkins from his hotel room Wednesday night, and he wouldn't budge.

Hawkins instead took care of some work — phone calls, letters, planning, thinking — and spent a couple hours a day in the gym.

"Every rock you turn over, there's another rock to turn over," Hawkins said.

Many of the players hit the casino floor as a group. BSU only brought one player, Reno product Chris Carr, and he stayed with his family.

Hawkins didn't want to stick a player in the hotel with little option other than to gamble.

"For the average guy, it's a lot of down time, it's a lot of dead time," Hawkins said. "I just don't want to put them through that. If there were a wide variety of activities and stuff for them to do, that would be fine."

Tulsa coach Steve Krag- thorpe and Rice coach Ken Hatfield got some fresh air instead of that stale, smoky casino air.

Hatfield took his two players to nearby Lake Tahoe on Tuesday afternoon and was one of three coaches who played in the golf outing Wednesday morning.

"It's been kind of a realizing and relaxing time for the players," Hatfield said. "It's been good for the players to get to know some of the other players. They enjoyed the fellowship of getting to know them."

Kragthorpe left the hotel for "a nice, long walk" Thursday morning to check out the town. He said he gambles about $20 when he plays.

"I have enough stress and tension in my life without doing that," he said. "I try to avoid that. ... It's an interesting industry — a psychologist's dream to come to a place like this. My heart beats enough on Saturdays."

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