Prepared to Ignite Tailback Sparks Itches for More Playing Time at Washington State

Derek Sparks has recovered gamely from his first serious football injury. He has adjusted to the snail’s pace lifestyle of Pullman and the academic rigors of Washington State.

Sparks, a former Montclair Prep standout who was The Times’ Valley back of the year in 1989, now must tackle the most daunting challenge of his athletic career: learning to bide his time.

Sparks, a sophomore, is the Cougars’ No. 2 tailback behind senior Shaumbe Wright-Fair, the second-leading rusher in the Pacific 10 Conference with 582 yards in 114 carries.

It helps that the Cougars (5-0) are unbeaten.

“I’ve learned to be patient,” said Sparks, who has bounced back after recent shoulder surgery to rush for 152 yards in 39 carries. He plans to bolster those statistics Saturday when No. 22-ranked Washington State plays host to UCLA (3-2).

Patient but hardly placid, Sparks is uncomfortable being a reserve.

“The role I’m playing is getting old,” he said after Washington State’s 35-10 win over Oregon State last week. “The same thing week after week. But as long as we’re winning, I’m content.”

Restlessness is nothing new to Sparks, who played at four high schools. Before moving to California he attended Wharton (Texas) High. He sandwiched his sophomore year at Banning and his senior year at Mater Dei around a single, spectacular season at Montclair Prep.

Sparks rushed for 1,944 yards and scored 35 touchdowns at Montclair Prep.

The previous year at Banning, Sparks gained almost 1,500 yards and was named the state sophomore player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports. As a senior at Mater Dei, he played in 11 of 13 games, rushed for 1,745 yards--averaging 7.1 yards a carry--and scored 13 touchdowns.

Derek’s cousin, quarterback and receiver Leland Sparks, played at three high schools. He sat out a year after high school, then accepted a football scholarship to Washington State. He arrived at fall camp this year badly out of shape and sustained a season-ending knee injury.

The transfer of Derek and Leland from Montclair Prep to Mater Dei prompted a Southern Section investigation into recruiting violations that eventually led to a one-year postseason ban of Montclair Prep in all sports. The Sparkses and their uncle, Jerome Sparks, accused the school of recruiting violations and claimed the school altered their transcripts and failed to charge them tuition.

The controversy prompted a flurry of media attention that left Derek bitter.

“They printed in the newspaper that I was just a jock trying to get to another school to try to win a championship,” he said. “It was rough. It was really tough. The man upstairs guided me through the whole thing and here I am today--still kicking.”

Sparks said it was a need for academic instruction, not athletic exposure, that prompted him to transfer from Montclair Prep to Mater Dei.

“As far as recognition, we didn’t need any more,” he said. “We had pretty much established ourselves so that colleges knew who Derek and Leland Sparks were.

“When it was time to take the (Scholastic Aptitude Test), we wanted to know in our hearts that we had prepared ourselves for that. We just wanted to make sure we had the whole package.”

As far as football, Sparks does have the whole package. Sparks, whose picture adorns the cover of the 1992 Cougar pocket schedule, is considered by many to be the school’s back of the future.

“I don’t think there’s any question that with Derek we’re tougher,” Cougar Coach Mike Price said.

If anyone doubted Sparks’ ability to electrify an offense, proof was provided when he was assigned to play in a junior varsity game last fall against Wenatchee Valley Junior College. The Cougar junior varsity is composed of players third or lower on the varsity depth chart.

“The coaches were anxious for me to learn the system, get more of a feel,” Sparks said.

Wenatchee Valley players got a feel of Sparks’ jet stream as he streaked for 267 yards in 18 carries. Although his team lost, 44-43, Sparks scored five touchdowns.

“Those guys were like, ‘Dang, who is this guy?’ ” Sparks recalled. “The first time I touched the ball, I went 80 yards. They were saying ‘Uh-oh.’ ”

The performance earned Sparks a trip to Ohio State with the varsity the following day. There, he played on special teams.

Said Sparks of his soreness on Sunday: “It was hell.”

A bashing is something Sparks can handle. His battering-ram approach complements the slashing style of Wright-Fair.

“I’m a fluid, flashy type runner,” Wright-Fair said. “He’s more hard-nosed. He’s a go-get-’em back. He’ll hit it up there and keep pounding and pounding until you give up the big run.”

Price said it more succinctly: “Derek ain’t gonna dance with you. He gets off the dance floor quick.”

But that type of running style has exacted a toll on Sparks. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in late August to repair torn shoulder cartilage.

“It was an old injury from last spring,” Sparks said. “I thought it was a little bruise. I made it through two-a-day (practices) and it started to bother me. It got to a point where I really couldn’t take any shots.”

Initial word from the athletic department was that Sparks was lost for the season.

He missed the opener.

“I hate sitting out,” he said. “I got in there with the trainer and strength coach and said, ‘Hey, let’s get this baby ready.’ ”

Simply put, sitting still is just not Sparks’ way.

“I don’t have time to talk about shoulda, coulda, woulda,” he said. “I feel like I’m ready. It’s definitely show time.”