Weekend Hot Clicks: Mike Leach Berates Reporter After Another Apple Cup Loss

Washington State lost its seventh consecutive Apple Cup to Washington on Friday, and Mike Leach wasn't happy when one reporter asked about those struggles after the game.

Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Duncan’s Kiss

Terrelle Pryor

This story just dropped before publishing Hot Clicks. What we have so far:

From Adam Schefter on Saturday morning:

“Former NFL WR Terrelle Pryor underwent surgery this morning and is in critical condition after being stabbed last night at his Pittsburgh apartment in the shoulder and chest, per source.”

And from Pittsburgh’s Action 4 News:

“Police were at the Heinz Lofts apartment complex on Saturday morning. Sources tell Pittsburgh's Action News 4 a woman is in custody at Pittsburgh Police headquarters in connection with the stabbing. Her identity is not known.”

Josh Shaw Busted

First, who’s Josh Shaw? Unless you’re a USC or Bengals fan, you probably don’t know Josh Shaw, a fifth-year cornerback who went undrafted out of USC in 2015 and hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since eight unnoticeable appearances with the Chiefs and Bucs last year. He’s currently on the Cardinals’ injured reserve.

On Friday, the NFL announced Shaw is suspended for the entire 2020 season (and possibly beyond) for betting on NFL games:

“NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell today suspended Josh Shaw of the Arizona Cardinals indefinitely through at least the conclusion of the 2020 season for betting on NFL games on multiple occasions this season . . . A league investigation uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way. Nor was there evidence suggesting any awareness by teammates, coaches or other players of his betting activity.”

Sour Apple

Mike Leach’s first recruiting class as Washington State head coach in 2009 ranked ninth in the Pac-12, one spot ahead of dead-last Washington. Since then, the Cougars have never finished above their in-state rival off the field, finishing an average of 5.4 spots behind the Huskies in the Pac-12 recruiting rankings. On the field, over that time, Washington State is just 1-10 against Washington, dropping their seventh straight Apple Cup on Friday night.

After the game, Leach pointed to recruiting as a potential reason for their Apple Cup struggles, which led Jon Blanchette of The Spokesman-Review to ask the obvious follow-up question: “You're not supposed to beat teams that have higher-ranked recruiting classes?”

Leach didn’t appreciate it, berating the “sanctimonious troll” Blanchette.

Photographer Alleges Assault

From the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

“A Honolulu Star-Advertiser photographer said he was assaulted at last week’s University of Hawaii football game and suffered injuries after being shoved by the head coach and then knocked to the ground by a UH employee.

“The attacks were confirmed by others, who spoke off the record.

“The assault took place toward the end of last Saturday’s game against San Diego State, according to the photographer, Jamm Aquino. Coach Nick Rolovich charged Aquino, swearing at him, and made contact. The UH employee then shoved Aquino to the ground, he said, leaving him with a concussion, a bloody nose and split lower lip as he fell on his camera, and a sore shoulder. A camera lens also was damaged.”

Hawai’i responded by acknowledging that Rolovich “came into physical contact with the photographer as he was attempting the clear the field to avoid being penalized” with two seconds remaining after San Diego State missed a game-tying field goal.

“We are disappointed that a Star-Advertiser photographer violated sideline protocol by entering the field of play Saturday night . . . “Coach Rolovich regrets the situation occurred. He contacted the photographer late Saturday night and apologized.”

Kelly Rohrbach

Odds & Ends

Herbstreit: Urban Meyer won’t be USC head coach in 2020 ... Updated college football bowl projections … With Minnesota off the board, only nine Power Five teams have never hosted College GameDay … 5 MLB throwbacks we’d like to see in 2020 … Incredible moment for McKenzie Milton on Friday night … The 2020 No. 1 NBA pick conversation changed in Maui last week … This Nick Saban impersonation is fantastic … Watch: Andy Reid’s appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

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