SEATTLE — Keith Price entered Saturday’s game tied for second in the nation with 17 touchdown passes.
Then, he threw for four more.
He also has his team at 5-1, has completed 69.4 percent of his passes, and has compiled 1,466 passing yards.
So in the post-game press conference, the question came up.
“Is it preposterous to include Keith Price in the Heisman discussion?” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian was asked.
Answered Sarkisian: “No, it’s not preposterous. I mean, (the Heisman) is a big word, but at the end of the day, your job is winning. Then you add the stats. I mean, the stats are what they are. You can’t make them up. It’s not like baseball where you can score it a hit when it’s an error. They are what they are, and he’s playing at a very high level.”
Price, meanwhile, consistently downplays his influence and claims to never be aware of his numbers.
“You guys have to read them off to me,” he says with a grin.
So it is no surprise that when the Heisman question was posed to him, he reacted in predictably humble fashion.
“Oh, I’m not even thinking about the Heisman,” he said. “I’m not concerned with what people say about me. I just want to win.
Next week, Washington will meet Stanford, led by Heisman favorite Andrew Luck. Price’s thoughts on the matchup?
“He’s the best player in the nation,” Price said.
Montana welcomed
With the Huskies up by 28, Price was pulled out of the game late in the third quarter and replaced by freshman Nick Montana, the son of Joe Montana.
Montana hadn’t taken a snap all year for the Huskies, and when he finally got his chance Saturday, it, uh, didn’t go so well. He fumbled. Colorado ball.
Price said he went over and talked to encourage Montana after the play, but Sarkisian’s message was a little more ambiguous. His words to the young quarterback?
“I just told him, ‘Welcome to college football,’ ” Sarkisian said.
But Montana eventually composed himself, completing both of his attempts on the day and racking up 10 yards passing. Washington center Drew Schaefer was asked after the game what it was like to snap the ball to the son of the former NFL legend.
“It was good,” Schaefer said. “I’m happy for him. I’m glad he finally got to go out there and showcase what he could do.”
Big numbers
Washington’s 52 points Saturday were the most it has scored in more than a decade.
In September of 2001, the Huskies beat Idaho 53-3. Washington also has scored 30 or more points in all six games this year, the first time it has ever done so to start a season.
Fresh blood
When Kevin Smith scored on a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, it marked the first time a Husky other than Chris Polk scored a rushing TD this season. On top of that, it was the first time Washington player besides Polk or Jake Locker scored on a rushing TD since September of 2009.
Matt Calkins can be contacted at 360-735-4528 or email matt.calkins@columbian.com
