Price Returning to the Palouse

I have been saying this for months now. Washington State should hire Mike Price back from UTEP, Doba can return to his defensive coordinator role, and the victories will start to return to Pullman. John McGrath wrote exactly my idea in his column on Friday. This hire makes sense for all involved.

Price would jump at the opportunity to return to the place where he should have never left. He would return to a Pac-10 school where he was adored before he made a selfish and stupid mistake to take the Alabama job. He would be more committed then ever because he would feel like he has something to prove, that he can still coach in a major conference. If he came back I believe he would feel like he owes something to the fans of the Cougars for his abrupt departure. Price has proven he can recruit players who are talented and prepared for life just a little outside of the spotlight. This team needs a coach who knows the area, knows what kinds of players can play at Washington State, and has a knack for finding the hidden gem. All of those things Mike Price possess.

The biggest problem with Price returning, according to many Cougar fans, is his actions upon leaving. He shouldn't have coached the Rose Bowl, many have said. Since he was leaving he should have turned the team over to Doba and been gone. I agree that he should not have coached that game, but is that really a reason to not bring him back if he is capable of producing a winner? People learn from mistakes. Price made a mistake that embarrassed him in front of the entire country. I believe he has learned from that mistake and there is no reason not to give him a second chance.

The best part of the story is that Bill Doba would be able to stay on with the team. He is a great guy who unfortunately is not cut to be a head coach. He is a great defensive coordinator and if he can commit all of his energy and time to that you may well see another Palouse Posse very soon.

Some fans want AD Jim Sterk to find a younger, hipper coach. One similar to Tony Bennett. But there is only one Tony Bennett. If I had to throw a name out there I would say Steve Sarkisian, the offensive coordinator at USC. But the chances of an up-and-coming coach staying in Pullman for a long time is not likely. He would use Pullman as a stepping stone to a higher profile job. If Price is hired, WSU will be higher profile job he was looking for. It would be the place he would retire from after leading the Cougars to their first Rose Bowl victory since 1916.

Price back to WSU? Never. Won't happen. Can't happen. Can it? [Tacoma News Tribune]