Now He’s Serving as an Example

If and when David Minnich scores a touchdown Saturday against California at Martin Stadium, he plans on breaking rank and defying orders.

Minnich, Washington State’s starting tailback, says he’s going to stand in the end zone and salute.

“I know Coach doesn’t like us doing stuff like that,” Minnich says in a phone interview from Pullman, Wash., “but I think I’m going to do it anyway.”

When terrorists struck Sept. 11, Washington State players immediately sought Minnich’s perspective. Not because he is a senior leader or, at 27, the oldest player on the team.

They rallied around because Minnich is a Marine.

He was already one of the Pacific 10 Conference’s great success stories, leading the Cougars in rushing last year at age 26.

His old-man-makes-good story last year got lost in the older-man-makes-good story of Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke, who won the Heisman Trophy at age 28.

Minnich arrived at Washington State last year after a two-year stint at Mt. San Jacinto College. He was married, with two children, and worldly wise after four years in the Marine Corps that included six months at sea, a tour of Kuwait and assignment at Camp Pendleton.

Minnich (pronounced Minnick ) had a different view of Sept. 11, and his teammates wanted to hear it.

“They ask me things like, ‘What’s going to happen when they find out who did it?’ and ‘Do we have enough people to find out who did it?”’ Minnich said. “I tell them, ‘We’ve got enough people to find out and, when they do find out, just watch.’

“I know what’s going to happen. We’re pretty much going to send everything we’ve got at them. It’s not something I like to explain, because it’s really not going to be a pretty thing. I try to candy-coat it a little bit.”

Minnich had mixed feelings about football last week. Part of him wanted to take the field Saturday against Colorado to “get my mind off of all that.” But after Washington State’s home game was canceled, Minnich admitted to being relieved.

He says it’s important for Americans to return to a regular routine of cheering for sports stars.

“It’s going to be hard, especially on the East Coast, near to where it happened,” he said. “It might be a little different over there. But this is something people on Saturdays do. They watch us on TV or come to the games to watch us. It’s just something the American community does.”

Minnich says teammates ask him whether he can be called back into the service. Minnich was a communications expert. In battle, he would have run cable lines, set up switchboards, he said.

Minnich believes his military days are done.

“I have a family, so there’s that part of me that doesn’t want to go,” he said. “Then there’s that part that says I need to suit up and go do something about what they did. I don’t think they can call me back, but if they did, that’s something I would do without hesitation.”

Minnich guesses the Marines are going to be heavily involved.

“I’m feeling for all my brothers and sisters right now,” he said. “I know when they find them, I know they’re going to be the first ones they send in. I’m just feeling for them right now.”

Pac Bits

Arizona State and Stanford players will break tradition before Saturday night’s game in Palo Alto and remain on the field for the playing of the national anthem. You can understand why some Arizona State players are not thrilled about boarding a plane this week. Last year, on a return trip, the Sun Devils’ team plane was struck by lightning.

California Athletic Director Steve Gladstone told the Contra Costa Times this week that Coach Tom Holmoe’s job was safe through this season. Holmoe has suggested he would resign if the Bears, off to an 0-2 start, did not finish with a winning record. On a conference call this week, Holmoe said recent events have changed his priorities. “Personally, it has helped put my pressure, and things I might be under, in a proper perspective,” he said.

Washington will collectively mourn two disasters Saturday when it hosts Idaho. There will be ceremonies to honor victims of the terrorist attacks and, more personally, the deaths of 16 Washington boosters, killed in a plane crash while on vacation last week in Mexico. “It’s not only dealing with grief, but confusion,” Washington Coach Rick Neuheisel said. “The best way we can react, given the circumstances, is to do our best.”

The Pac-10 is 13-4 in nonconference play and 3-1 against top-25 teams.