ROSE BOWL REPORT

Los Angeles Times – Chris Dufresne – Dec 28, 1997 – If Michigan wins, fifth-year defensive end Glen Steele plans to stay in Los Angeles and have a large rose tattooed on his left shoulder blade, to go with the one of Yosemite Sam he has on his right arm.

First, he’ll have to leave an imprint on Leaf.

“He’s a pretty big man,” Steele said of the 6-foot-6 Leaf. “It’s probably going to take a lot to rattle him.”

What’s the best way to attack Leaf? In Washington State’s only defeat, a 44-31 loss to Arizona State on Nov. 1, the Sun Devils forced two Leaf fumbles late in the game with blitzes up the middle. Both resulted in Arizona State touchdowns.

The strategy has a catch, though. When Arizona State didn’t get Leaf, he passed for 447 yards and three touchdowns.

“If they [Michigan] do what Arizona State did to us, I guess I’ll throw for 450 yards again,” Leaf said.

Will the game be won on the field or on a couch?

John F. Murray of Washington State’s Counseling Services notes that Ohio State, last year’s Rose Bowl champion, and Washington State lead the nation in providing sports psychology services to their players, teams and coaches.

“Both the Cougars and Buckeyes have regulars sports psychologists, still very rare at the college level,” Murray writes.

Of course, the joke here is that Ohio State needs a full-time psychologist just to get through Michigan week. Ohio State is 1-8-1 against its Big Ten archrival the last 10 years.
Caption:
CHRIS DUFRESNE
Edition: Home Edition
Section: Sports
Page: C-10