Washington State athletics director Bill Moos backs Mike Leach, could meet with police
Washington State University’s president and athletics director could meet with Pullman Police as soon as Thursday, athletics director Bill Moos told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
Cougars football coach Mike Leach twice this week has discussed what he sees as a hostile relationship between police and his players. Pullman Police chief Gary Jenkins called a string of summer arrests “an anomaly” on Wednesday, but when Leach was asked after Wednesday’s practice if he thought his players were being profiled, he responded, “The numbers speak for themselves and I’ve said pretty well everything I’m going to say about it.” Leach declined further comment. He had said plenty on Tuesday.
Moos told ESPN.com, “He's doing what any good football coach would do. He's trying to protect his players. There is no coach I've ever been around in my long career as an athletic director that is more of a disciplinarian than Mike Leach. He's got solid rules that pertain to drug testing, assault of women, and robbery that are no-tolerance. He's tough on fighting, too.”
In response to a question of whether he agreed with Leach that Washington State football players are being singled out by police, Moos said, “I don't know if they are deliberately doing that. I think our guys are the most recognizable. When you're in a group and there is a party ... a big guy stands out. This is an intimate enough campus. There, students know who the athletes are.”
Washington State, which received votes in the major preseason polls, is off to an 0-2 start this season.
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