Gabe Marks gets Pac-12 receiving record and makes sure he gets the ball

PULLMAN – Gabe Marks, Luke Falk and the rest of the Washington State offense knew that Marks needed just one more catch to become the Pac-12’s all-time receptoins leader when they took the field halfway through the fourth quarter.

But the referee and other officials were not aware. So they were probably a little confused when the prolific wide receiver refused to hand over the ball after he made his 295th catch as a Cougar.

“I was running off with the ball, I looked at one ref and I was like ‘No,’” Marks said. “Then I was running and another ref was like ‘Ball! Ball!’ and I was like ‘No! It’s my ball!’ I just ran off the field.”

Marks said he did not care what kind of catch the record came on, but the fact that it was the goal line fade to the right corner for a touchdown that has become a signature for he and quarterback Luke Falk seems especially appropriate.

That might not be by accident, as Falk explained.

“Going on the field, we knew he needed one more,” Falk said. “I didn’t want to throw a screen or something small to him. It just ended up working out perfectly.”