PACIFIC 10 FOOTBALL / MAL FLORENCE : Neither Hype Nor Hope for Kansas State

It’s often amusing to see how coaches of heavily favored teams try to pump up the prospects of an obviously inferior opponent.

They will search for any positive aspect, such as so-and-so has a wonderful kicking game.

Washington will play Kansas State today in Seattle. The fourth-ranked Huskies are prohibitive favorites, and Coach Don James realizes it would be ridiculous to hype an outmanned opponent.

“I don’t think it helps me to go lie to the players,” James told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “They’re able to read the paper. They’re going to see the stats and the numbers. The approach I try to take may be a little different. It is not to pump up Kansas State to be something they may, or may not, be.

“The approach is to play ourselves.”

The Wildcats are unbeaten, but victories over Indiana State, Idaho State and Northern Illinois won’t prepare them for Washington, which was impressive in its 36-21 victory over Nebraska last Saturday at Lincoln, Neb.

Kansas State has had eight consecutive losing seasons and only one winning season in the last 20 years.

Credit the Wildcats with some common sense: They tried to get out of the game this year, but Washington wouldn’t let them.

Washington has only one non-conference game remaining, an Oct. 12 date with Toledo, another soft touch.

The Huskies are clearly the class of the Pacific 10 Conference. Yet, they have a loftier goal--the first national championship in the school’s history.

As for Saturday’s mismatch with Kansas State, Post-Intelligencer columnist John Owen summed it up when he wrote: “James approaches each game like a golf match. The greatest concern is not the opponent. The Huskies are playing against themselves and against the course, represented by a full season.

“If that’s the case, then Nebraska was a giant bunker fronting the 18th green. Kansas State represents a mud puddle and a free drop.”

Trivia time: What is the record for a Pac-10 team for most yards gained in a game?

Quarterback George Malauulu of Arizona is predominantly left-handed but also can throw right-handed. He kept a drive alive against Stanford on Sept. 14 with a right-handed completion.

Malauulu credits his cousin, former Washington State quarterback Samoa Samoa, with teaching him to throw with either arm.

California is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 1979. The Golden Bears, who are idle this weekend, haven’t started a season 4-0 since 1977.

They will get their opportunity next Saturday against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

After an absence of 14 years from the national rankings, Cal was No. 24 in the Associated Press’ top-25 poll last week and is No. 20 this week.

Coach Bruce Snyder is enjoying such recognition.

“I’m kind of giddy, like everybody else, but it’s achievement that’s important,” he said.

Trivia answer: USC gained 978 yards against Pomona in 1925.

Cal is promoting tailback Russell White as a Heisman Trophy candidate. White had 35 carries in a comeback 23-21 victory over Arizona last Saturday night and gained 150 yards, even though he had flu.

However, he lost two fumbles, leading to an Arizona touchdown drive and negating one for his team.

“Russell White is not a chronic fumbler, so I don’t think it’s a chronic thing,” Snyder said.

Coach Dennis Green of Stanford calls Colorado’s Darian Hagan the best running quarterback in the country.

Green will have to be aware of another dimension of Hagan’s play when Stanford meets the Buffaloes today in Palo Alto.

Hagan, from Locke High, also is returning punts, averaging 17.1 yards on 10 returns.

An option-type quarterback, he says he doesn’t believe that the NFL would be interested in him as a quarterback.

“I’d like to prove I could be a running back or a third-down specialist,” the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Hagan told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m preparing myself by returning punts. I could be a (New York Giants’ Dave) Meggett-type and open things up.”

Hagan underwent knee surgery after being injured on the last play of the first half in the Jan. 1 Orange Bowl game against Notre Dame.

He said he didn’t have any doubts that he could come back and play this season, adding: “I didn’t want to sit out my senior year and let people forget me.”