Freshman Safety Thompson Makes a Late, Great Impact for Cougars

By ROBYN NORWOOD and HELENE ELLIOTT

Dec. 31, 1997 12 AM PT

Washington State safety Lamont Thompson will be the only true freshman on either team scheduled to start in the Rose Bowl game.

Thompson had five interceptions this season, tying for most in the Pacific 10 Conference.

All five came in the final two games. He picked off two passes against Stanford and three in the Apple Cup against Washington.

It was a heady enough debut for some people to mention Michigan’s Charles Woodson.

“Lamont could be that kind of player,” Coach Mike Price said. “I think that’s good for college football.”

Woodson will become the seventh Heisman Trophy winner to play in the Rose Bowl game the season he won the award. The others: Georgia’s Frank Sinkwich (1942), USC’s O.J. Simpson (1968), Stanford’s Jim Plunkett (1970), Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974 and ‘75), USC’s Charles White (1979) and Michigan’s Desmond Howard (1991).

“When you win the Heisman Trophy you’re in a very select fraternity and he understands he’s expected to uphold those standards,” Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said. “I don’t think there’s anybody I’d rather have represent the University of Michigan than Charles Woodson. . . . He understood that a lot of his success comes because he has a good team around him.”

The more Michigan’s defensive players see of Washington quarterback Ryan Leaf, the more they see to be concerned about.

“Initially, I was really impressed with his arm and his accuracy,” nose tackle Rob Renes said. “As we’ve watched more film, I’ve watched him scramble and what he does if he can’t find an open receiver.

“He’s hard to bring down. I’ve seen him break several tackles. He’s deceptively quick for a guy who’s 6-6 and 250. We’re going to have to get the nose guard and tackles up there to get some serious push right away. We’ve got to get some push into his face and get into his throwing lane.”

Said defensive end Glen Steele: “This offense is a very explosive offense and we’re going to really have to apply pressure on Ryan so he can’t set his feet. It’s important to come at him from all angles.”

Price, on California’s contribution to the Washington State team: “The heart and soul of this Washington State team is the state of Washington,” he said. “But the arms and legs are from Southern California--except one arm from Montana.”

Leaf is from Montana, but 14 other starters--many of them at the skill positions--are from California.

In case you were wondering: The Rose Bowl record for passing yards in a game is 456, set by Oregon’s Danny O’Neil against Penn State in 1995.

O’Neil completed 41 of 61 passes--both Rose Bowl records.

Leaf’s career high is 447 yards against Arizona State this season, when he completed 24 of 49 passes.