Originally published October 30, 2009 at 7:48 PM | Page modified October 30, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print
Share
Game in Texas is home for Cougar
Washington State's Jason Stripling will line up today at linebacker against Notre Dame in the Alamodome. He'll be playing in front of some 50,000 people, about two dozen of them friends and family.
Spokane Spokesman-Review
PREV
JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES
WSU's Jason Stripling, trying to sack Stanford QB Andrew Luck in the opener, is from Tyler, Texas.
Washington State vs. Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m., Ch. 5
SAN ANTONIO — This day was a long time coming for Jason Stripling.
A fifth-year senior, Stripling will line up today at linebacker against Notre Dame in the Alamodome.
He'll be playing in front of some 50,000 people, about two dozen of them friends and family.
"They've never come [to Pullman]," said Stripling. "This will be the first game they were at. They were supposed to come to Baylor last year, but Hurricane Ike hit."
The Stripling fan club has made the five-hour journey from Tyler, Texas (95 miles east of Dallas) to watch their favorite Washington State player.
With all those eyes on him, Stripling is feeling a little pressure.
Then again, he repeatedly does.
"There's always pressure," he said. "Especially being on the defense, and being looked at as a leader. You want to do right. Have all the young people follow you in the right direction. So there's always pressure."
Those young people, the overwhelming majority of WSU's roster, call him "Papa Strip," mostly because he's been in the program for five grueling years and partly because of his 5-foot-11, 242-pound build.
Stripling's journey to a starting spot — he has 23 tackles, including 2 ½ for loss, and has started each game in WSU's 1-6 season — was a winding one.
As a true freshman, he played in 10 of Washington State's 11 games, mostly on special teams. He redshirted in 2006, then was academically ineligible the next season.
Last year started promising, despite the coaching change that meant the group that brought him so far from home was no longer in Pullman. He had eight tackles in the Oklahoma State opener, but a shoulder injury two weeks later ended his season.
Now he's back on the field. And he can look back at five years in Pullman with the wisdom born of experience.
"Na," he said when asked if this was how he imagined his college career would go. "It's not what I envisioned, especially playing as a true freshman. But that's how it ended up, so ... "
It's little wonder, then, as Stripling works toward his social science degree, he can describe the group coming to the Alamodome today in a few words:
"They're proud of me."
UPDATE - 8:27 PM
UCLA extends win streak in Pullman to 18
UPDATE - 8:00 PM
Florida football recruits couldn't wait to get started at Washington State
Washington State women lose to No. 9 UCLA
Bud Withers: WSU star Klay Thompson shows serious lack of judgment, leadership
Cougars' star Klay Thompson arrested, charged with marijuana possession
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell has locked children inside his home
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell's house on fire with children inside
911 audio: Sister of Josh Powell reports disturbing emails
Chuck Cox reacts to Powell home fire, death of his grandsons
Sheriff's update: Josh Powell spread gasoline in home fire, sent goodbye emails
Don Bateman, inventor of Ground Proximity Warning System
Pierce County sheriff reacts to Powell home fire
Price of Protection: A victim speaks out
Price of Protection: Inside the Special Commitment Center
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
Open Houses
|
Find all open houses.
|
nwautos
Are you one of the many hanging onto their old beater? Or do you just love that new-car smell? When did you last purchase a vehicle? Take our poll or....
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature 434
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming 346
- Sheriff's office unhappy with 911 dispatcher in caseworker's call 282
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising 235
- Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement 205
- Oregon live game thread 152
- Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game 140
- Lakewood cop accused of taking donations for slain officers' families 114
- Department of Justice owes the Seattle Police Department an apology 87
- Thursday morning links --- and a video!!! 72
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Here it is: The secret to stir-fried chicken | Taste
- Local aerospace suppliers say they feel squeezed by Boeing
- Dicks channeled federal money to Puget Sound project his son ran
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- Buttoned Up: Nine immutable laws of time management
- Happy Hour: French-accented charm at Gainsbourg
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
