WSU Coach Proud -- Kickoff-Return Td Highlights Opening Scrimmage

PULLMAN - Newcomer Tony Salter returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and All-America kicker Jason Hanson booted field goals of 57 and 47 yards last night to highlight Washington State's first fall scrimmage.

Four Cougar quarterbacks combined to complete 25 of 43 passes to 17 receivers and backs for 408 yards without throwing an interception in the 105-minute scrimmage.

The overall performance put Coach Mike Price in a good mood and he hollered at the team, ``Be proud of yourselves! Good job tonight!''

Price told reporters, ``We're ahead of schedule.''

Second-string quarterback Aaron Garcia led all quarterbacks with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 186 yards, including a 75-yard TD play to receiver Augustin Olobia for the night's first score. The Nigerian sprinter broke one tackle at midfield then easily outraced defenders to the end zone.

Other touchdowns were scored by Paul Carr on a 1-yard run, by Rich Swinton on a 10-yard pass from Brad Gossen, a 13-yard keeper by Mike Pattinson, a 7-yard burst by Shaumbe Wright-Fair and Salter's kickoff return. Salter is a defensive back who last played at San Jose City College.

Olobia led all receivers in yardage with 127 on three catches and C.J. Davis led in total catches with four, for 65 yards.

Swinton led running backs with 31 yards on 10 carries.

Linebacker Lewis Bush was a defensive standout with three sacks.

NOTES

- Jason Hanson, WSU junior All-America kicker-punter, says the odds are 95 percent he will return next fall for his senior year. ``I'm just worrying about this season right now,'' he said. Hanson said he would have to have an ``incredible'' year to consider jumping to the NFL. He said he would have to be confident of being a high draft pick ``and getting a lot of money'' before he would make the move.

- Deron Pointer, Kingbowl player of the day for state-champion Curtis High School, failed to pass the Scholastic Aptitude Test and can't play this season.

- Another Tacoma-area player who isn't around is Ross Filkins, a sophomore defensive lineman who quit football before turnouts began, saying he no longer enjoyed it.

- Non-student season-ticket sales have climbed past 6,700 and are expected to exceed the all-time record of 7,100 set in 1985, when the Cougars had the RPM trio of Mark Rypien, Kerry Porter and Rueben Mayes.

SCRIMMAGE STATS

- RUSHING - Swinton 10-31, Pattinson 3-31, Brown 2-17, Wright-Fair 4-15, Scott 1-9, Tuivai 2-8, Harley 1-7, Fletcher 1-6, Gossen 8 minus 9, Garcia 1 minus 8, Carr 4 minus 3.

- PASSING - Gossen 9-15 126, Garcia 10-16 186, Bledsoe 5-8 68, Pattinson 1-4 11.

- RECEIVING - Davis 4-65, Olobia 3-127, Lark 3-37, Cushing 2-23, Scholz 2-29, Sears 2-16, Johnson 2-29, Clayton 1-5, Young 1-14, Brown 1-7, Swinton 1-10, Bobo 1-6, Williams 1-28, Harley 1-4, Carolan 1-13, Tuivai 1 minus 5.

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1990 COUGAR FOOTBALL

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(Home-game opponents capitalized).

Sept. 1 - at Texas Christian.

Sept. 8 - WYOMING.

Sept. 15 - at BYU.

Sept. 22 - CALIFORNIA (Dad's Day).

Sept. 29 - UCLA (Homecoming).

Oct. 6 - at USC.

Oct. 13 - bye.

Oct. 20 - at Oregon State.

Oct. 27 - at Arizona.

Nov. 3 - at Stanford.

Nov. 10 - ARIZONA STATE.

Nov. 17 - WASHINGTON (Apple Cup).

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