Cougar Football -- WSU Loses Cb Martin To Academics

For one season, the football relationship between City College of San Francisco and Washington State was an alliance of great promise.

Three players - running back Kevin Brown, cornerback Chris Martin and wide receiver Jerry Roquemore - transferred to WSU from the two-year school last year and all three became Cougar starters.

Brown set a sophomore school record by rushing for 1,046 yards. Martin covered well as a cornerback and finished No. 2 on the team in interceptions with three. Roquemore caught 14 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown.

With a season of experience, all three figured to make greater contributions this year.

Instead, none is with the Cougars, scheduled to open their season Saturday against Utah at Pullman.

Earlier this year, Brown was suspended for the season after he and two teammates were convicted of residential burglary. Roquemore was declared academically ineligible after spring semester. And it was learned this week that academic deficiencies have caused Martin to be declared ineligible, too.

The loss of Martin led to a significant personnel shift.

Coach Mike Price said yesterday that Lamont Thompson, an all-Pac-10 candidate at free safety, has been moved to left cornerback in place of Martin. Thompson's spot at free safety has been taken by redshirt sophomore Billy Newman, who played in the first 10 games last season as a reserve, then started the Apple Cup against Washington and got in on eight tackles.

"Martin being declared ineligible doesn't help," Price said. "But . . . we're going to be OK. Just thin. Thanks to the job Billy Newman and Torry Hollimon are doing we were able to move Thompson to corner."

Elsewhere on defense, the players who were expected to start will, including Curtis Holden at middle linebacker. Holden and backup defensive end Melvin Camarena are this year's contributions to the Cougars from CCSF.

Offensively, Price said the Raymond twins, Ryan and Reed, who have been recovering from injuries, will play against Utah but won't start. Right guard Ryan has been battling a hamstring pull; right tackle Reed an abdominal strain.

Price said fifth-year senior Mike Schwarz will start at right guard and Phil Locker, a redshirt freshman, will start at right tackle in place of the Raymonds.

Notes

-- Price said that four true freshmen are likely to see action against Utah: wide receiver Collin Henderson of Puyallup, running back Deon Burnett of Upland, Calif.; linebacker Melvion Simmons of Compton, Calif., and tight end Josh Shavies of Fremont, Calif.

-- Adam Hawkins, a redshirt junior from Pendleton, Ore., who hasn't carried the ball in a game since 1997, is scheduled to start at running back in part because he has had more repetitions in practice than any of his backfield companions.