Big shoes to fill
Birnbaum ready to take over for Leaf at Washington State
Posted: Tuesday August 18, 1998 08:00 PM
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High expectations: Birnbaum threw for 142 yards last season. Leaf averaged 330 passing yards per game AP |
PULLMAN, Washington (AP) -- You can scratch one goal off Washington
State quarterback Steve Birnbaum's quest to replace the
irreplaceable Ryan Leaf.
Birnbaum recently tied Leaf's team quarterback record with a
320-pound bench press, and then waited for the inevitable phone
call from San Diego.
"Hey, buddy, I hear you're tying some records," Birnbaum said,
in his best Leaf imitation. "What's going on?"
What's going on is that Leaf is gone to the San Diego Chargers
of the NFL after shredding the record books in leading Washington
State to the Rose Bowl last season.
Birnbaum, a little-used understudy, has been handed the starting
job by coach Mike Price.
At 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, the junior is shorter and lighter
than Leaf, claims to have a weaker arm and admits he lacks the
fiery rhetoric that made Leaf a field general.
"He could throw it off his back foot into the end zone," the
21-year-old Birnbaum said. "I'm physically not able to do what he
did, the 60-yard bombs.
"My game's a little different. I will not try to do what Ryan
did," Birnbaum added.
Leaf set school records last season with 3,968 passing yards, 34
touchdown passes, 330 passing yards per game and 5,922 total
offensive yards, among others.
He took the 10-2 Cougars to the Rose Bowl for the first time in
67 years.
By contrast, Birnbaum completed just 11 of 19 passes for 142
yards last season, with one touchdown and one interception, in five
games.
Birnbaum was little seen after midseason. The team revealed
after the Rose Bowl that Birnbaum had torn the anterior cruciate
ligament of one knee midway through the season. He had surgery in
January and missed spring drills.
But he contends he is 100 percent recovered.
"Health permitting, it will be a great two years," Birnbaum
said.
He got off to a rocky start in Monday's first scrimmage,
completing just 6 of 15 passes for 34 yards, with one interception.
Offensive lineman Rob Rainville, one of only two returning
starters on offense, said the team has confidence in Birnbaum,
despite his lack of game experience.
"Leaf was a guy you wanted on the field," Rainville said.
"But when Birnbaum came in, no one's confidence came down.
"He's anxious to get out of Ryan Leaf's shadow," Rainville
said.
Birnbaum, from Chino Hills, California, expects the Cougars to throw
more short passes to running backs this season, since four of the
Fab Five receivers from 1997 were lost to graduation.
After spending the past couple of seasons as Leaf's roommate,
where they shared marathon video game battles, Birnbaum got his
chance to start a year early when Leaf decided to forsake his
senior season for the NFL.
"He was a very good friend on and off the field. The guy was
the second pick in the NFL draft," Birnbaum said. "I've set
myself some high standards."
Among the things Birnbaum learned from Leaf was the danger of
trying to win a game single-handed.
"In his sophomore year, he tried to do too much himself,"
Birnbaum said.
Price is confident that Birnbaum can lead the Cougars this
season.
"Birny is a good leader," Price said. "He's not as visual as
Leaf is. Leaf was more animated."
Other quarterbacks on the roster are Paul Menke and junior
college transfer Bryan Paul. Freshman recruit Jason Gesser will
probably redshirt, Price said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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