Hisaw Regains Starting Qb Role For Idaho’s Game Against Ewu

Almost a year ago to the day, Eric Hisaw’s knee buckled against Eastern Washington at Woodward Stadium in Cheney. It was supposed to be Hisaw’s triumphant homecoming, having been a football star at nearby Cheney High.

Perhaps Hisaw’s true homecoming will come this Saturday.

He’s been named - make that renamed - Idaho’s starting quarterback when Eastern Washington visits for a 3:05 Big Sky Conference game in the Kibbie Dome. And yes, it’s UI’s homecoming.

After rehabilitating from reconstructive knee surgery last January, Hisaw won the starting job from sophomore Brian Brennan this fall, but was demoted after UI struggled in a 14-7 loss to open the season against Oregon State. Brennan started the next three games, with Hisaw playing in a 66-3 rout of Sonoma State, sitting out a 26-21 setback at Idaho State and relieving late in last week’s 16-13 loss at Montana State.

“He came in and gave us a spark (against MSU) in the fourth quarter,” UI coach Chris Tormey said. “He’s also been throwing the ball better in practice, so we’re going to give him a chance.”

Outside of Division II Sonoma State, Idaho’s offense has produced just 13.6 points per outing. On the season, Idaho is averaging only 312.8 yards per game.

“We’re looking at everything we’re doing offensively

and going back and looking at what’s been good here in the past,” Tormey said. “We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. We’re not going to make any drastic changes.”

Burns lost for season

Washington State cornerback Greg Burns will undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder today and will be lost for the rest of the season, Cougars coach Mike Price announced.

Burns, a fifth-year senior, originally dislocated the shoulder in WSU’s 24-15 win over UCLA three weeks ago. He missed the Nebraska game the following weekend but was cleared to play in last week’s homecoming game against Oregon State.

Burns started in the Cougars’ 40-14 win over the Beavers, but re-injured the shoulder during the game.

Junior college transfer Shad Hinchen will start in place of Burns in Saturday’s important Pacific-10 Conference matchup against unbeaten and fifth-ranked Southern California in Los Angeles.

“I feel terrible for Greg,” Price said. “He’s been such a great guy for us, and player, too. This is the end of his career at Washington State.”

Burns, a 5-foot-10, 175-pounder out of Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, lettered as a true freshman in 1991 and started every game during his sophomore and junior years.

He missed the 1994 season, however, after undergoing off-season knee surgery.

Edwards ineligible

Donnie Edwards, UCLA’s All-American linebacker who has missed the Bruins’ last two games with a compression fracture of the vertebrae, has been declared ineligible following a Pac-10 investigation into his connection with sports agent Robert Caron.

Edwards was accused of accepting $150 from Caron.

Third-and-shorts

Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder said he will start Michael Martin, a 6-1, 204-pound sophomore, at tailback in place of senior Chris Hopkins when the Sun Devils entertain Brigham Young this Saturday… . Snyder also announced defensive end Malchi Crawford will miss the rest of the season with a broken kneecap sustained in last Saturday’s 30-28 loss to Stanford… . Oregon has suspended starting fullback Pulou Malepeai for Saturday’s game at California after the 220-pound junior was arrested and charged with third-degree assault following a brawl near the university bookstore early Sunday morning.

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