WSU's Brink Goes Out in Style

It's been a long, tough ride for WSU's Alex Brink. The senior QB has shot up the Washington State record books, passing the likes of Jason Gesser, Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf, Timm Rosenbach, Mark Rypien and Jack Thompson to become the all-time leader in passing yards and TD passes among many school records.

But the one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb to WSU fans has always been his inability to lift the team onto his shoulders and win the big one, however that is defined. Alex Brink tonight, however, showed all the doubters, the "Brinkhaters" and all others, that he could in fact have that shining senior QB moment that everyone had been waiting for.

In a seesaw battle that saw both teams combine for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense, Brink lit up the brisk Seattle evening with 399 yards and five TD passes. The last throw was maybe his best, as he beat a corner blitz and threw a rainbow 35-yard TD pass to a streaking Brandon Gibson with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter, leading the Cougars to a 42-35 victory. That now gives Brink a 3-1 record in his four Apple Cup starts, the best WSU starting QB ever in terms of wins and losses in the 100-year history of the rivalry. That's more wins than Bledsoe, Leaf, Gesser, you name it.

But while passing records look nice in the school media guide, and it's also a great thing to beat your rival three out of four, it's still overall wins, losses and bowl games (or lack thereof) for how you are remembered. And that's where WSU fans will always be split on Brink's legacy. After all, the Cougars just finished their fourth straight non-bowl season with a record of 5-7. Those four years are the longest stretch of post-season misses since the mid-80's. So while Brink's career has already been argued quite a bit while he's been at WSU, it's likely the debate will be there in one way or another, for many years to come.

The frustration of no bowl games and losing seasons, however, has boiled over this year. Now, even after this thrilling Apple Cup victory, head coach Bill Doba is rumored to be hanging on to his job by a thread. The Cougars have already said that an announcement about Bill Doba's future will come on Monday afternoon.

Is that good news for Bill Doba, or bad? It's hard to decipher, because there's been very little positive or negative information about Doba in recent weeks. It's like the cone of silence has enveloped the program, and everyone is left to speculate. It's a very, very critical juncture for the WSU football program. Martin Stadium is right in the middle of a four-phase renovation plan, and with the remaining phases, there includes a lot of money that needs to be raised to complete the job. One wonders what the overall message is if WSU does in fact keep Doba to finish out his contract. Will that make fund-raising that much more difficult? Does he deserve to keep his job after missing out on post-season play for so long? Or are there things that are more important to the athletic director and school president than wins and losses, and that will be the message they convey on Monday?


We'll find out in less than 48 hours, but for now, WSU fans will bask in the glow of an Apple Cup victory. And best of all, finally, Alex Brink can walk off the field knowing that yes, he did elevate a team to greater heights, and he can close out his career at WSU as the best Apple Cup QB in school history. No debate can ever take that away from him.