Cougars' Eric Moore Making Most Of Starting Role -- WSU Starting Tight End Learned Position By Watching From Bench

Based on the quality of the company Eric Moore has kept, it isn't all that surprising that he's developed into a valuable part of the Washington State offense.

Clarence "Butch" Williams, named all-Pac-10 three times (1990, 1991, 1992) and Brett Carolan, now a San Francisco 49er, preceded Moore as the Cougars' starting tight ends.

Moore's had plenty of time - three seasons - to learn, all from a great vantage point, the Cougar bench.

"It was great from the standpoint that I learned a whole lot from watching them," said Moore, a junior. "As far as sitting around for three years, I wasn't too excited about that. But everybody has to pay their dues."

He said he learned how to block from Williams and how to catch from Carolan, who led WSU with 49 receptions last season.

The knowledge paid off in Moore becoming "a solid tight end," said John McDonell, WSU tight-end coach and offensive coordinator. "He needs to be more consistent, but he's playing pretty well."

After catching just two passes in WSU's first three games, he has helped Chad Davis become a more effective quarterback by catching 18 in the past five. He is tied with Albert Kennedy for second on the team with 20 receptions each (behind Jay Dumas' 26) going into Saturday's Pac-10 game with USC in Pullman.

Moore, 6 feet 5 and 240 pounds, was recruited by WSU as much for defense as offense when he was a high-school senior in Garden Grove, Calif.

"But the first week I was here (WSU) they tried me out as tight end - they threw a bunch of balls at me - and I guess they thought I looked all right because that's where I've been ever since," he said.

Finding himself as a redshirt freshman on the scout team in 1991 "was a rude awakening," Moore said. "You come off the field in high school an all-star and you come here and it was like, `What's going on?' "

That experience was followed with backup roles in 1992 (behind Williams and Carolan) and 1993 (behind Carolan). He caught no passes.

This season, Moore has caught only five fewer passes than reigning all-conference tight end, Mark Bruener of Washington. Both have one touchdown each.

"I feel I'm off to a good start," Moore said. "I just hope they keep coming my way."

Williams and Carolan were not the only tight ends who provided positive examples for Moore. Another one was Pete Holohan, who was a tight end for the Los Angeles Rams when Moore spent two years as a ball boy for the NFL team.

"I would go out and play catch with him before games," Moore said. "He was a great tight end, with great hands."

USC 5-2-2 in Pullman

The Cougars and their fans might want to turn back the calendar to Oct. 11.

Teams representing WSU and USC have played nine times in Pullman. USC won five times; two games were tied and the Cougars won twice, with both victories coming on Oct. 11.

On that date in 1930, the Cougars prevailed, 7-6, in the first game ever between the two teams in Pullman. USC lost only to WSU and Notre Dame that year. WSU went on to the Rose Bowl, where it lost to Alabama, 24-0.

On Oct. 11, 1986, the Cougars gained 510 yards and held ninth-ranked USC to 75 yards rushing in a 34-14 victory. Kerry Porter rushed 27 times for 164 yards, a big reason WSU had a time-of-possession advantage of 40:30 to 19:30 over the Trojans, who lost three fumbles and had two passes intercepted. After that, the Cougars lost five straight and finished 3-7-1.

Results of WSU-USC games in Pullman: 1930 (Oct. 11) - WSU 7, USC 6; 1937 (Oct. 30) - WSU 0, USC 0 (tie); 1950 (Oct. 7) - WSU 20, USC 30 (tie); 1953 (Sept. 19) - USC 29, WSU 13; 1956 (Nov. 3) - USC 28, WSU 12; 1984 (Oct. 6) - USC 29, WSU 27; 1986 (Oct. 11) - WSU 34, USC 14; 1989 (Sept. 30) - USC 18, WSU 17; 1991 (Oct. 12) - USC 34, WSU 27.

Overall, USC leads the series, 45-5-4.

Notes

-- Saturday's National Weather Service forecast for Pullman: cloudy, chance of rain, temperatures near 50 degrees, wind likely.

-- Contrary to earlier reports, the game is not a sellout. Some tickets for two or more seats together in the horseshoe end of Martin Stadium are available, as are tickets for some single seats throughout the stadium.