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Expect WSU's Long, Oklahoma's Griffin to be focus of Rose Bowl LOS ANGELES - Rien Long creates a huge shadow wherever he goes; Quentin Griffin casts a little one. Long is 6-foot-6 and describes himself as "skinny" at 290 pounds. Griffin is 5-foot-7, but at a stout 195 pounds he says he's "big enough" to do whatever he needs to do on a football field. The matchup between the two could go a long way toward determining the winner of the 89th annual Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Wednesday. Long is the Washington State defensive tackle who won the Outland Trophy as the best lineman in college football. Griffin is the Oklahoma running back who was 10th in the Heisman Trophy balloting to determine the best college football player in the country. Long, from Anacortes, is known for stopping the run and his 13 sacks this season. Griffin, from Humble, Texas, is known simply as Q. He's run for 100 yards or more in each of Oklahoma's last nine games and is behind only Billy Sims and Greg Pruitt on the all-time team single-season rushing list with 1,740 yards this season. He's also caught 167 passes in his career, more than anyone in OU history. Long says he is coming back to WSU for his senior season, turning down the NFL's millions. "For some reason, nobody really believes I'm staying, but I am because of the man right up there," Long said, pointing at new coach Bill Doba. "He's the one who recruited me. He's always been interested in me. Not used-car salesman interested, but genuinely interested. Going for the millions while knowing I have another year left is just not in my character." Griffin is a senior, although this is supposed to be his junior year. He sat out the first seven games of his freshman season with plans to redshirt, but volunteered to give up a season of eligibility when injuries wiped out Oklahoma's running game. He is second on the all-time Oklahoma rushing list with 3,612 yards, but some even project him to be the next coming of Oklahoma State product Barry Sanders once he reaches the NFL. Long knows of Griffin; Griffin has heard of Long. "The one thing we have to do with him," Long said of Griffin, "is have 11 hats flying to the ball. We can't let this guy break a tackle because he is explosive." Griffin said he doesn't really watch much college football but has seen Long on film. "I can't really critique him, but obviously he has to be pretty good to get all his accolades," Griffin said. If Long can slow down Griffin, WSU will have a great chance to win. If Griffin is able to run by Long, Oklahoma could win easily. Long is outspoken, critical of head coach Mike Price after he accepted a job at Alabama but was allowed to stay on to coach the Cougars in the Rose Bowl. He and Price haven't exchanged thoughts about the situation since the announcement. "We've talked, but we haven't had THE talk yet," Long said. "We kind of have an understanding that regardless of what has gone on, regardless of the emotions of the players on the team, we all have a common goal and that's to win the Rose Bowl." Griffin is quiet, quick to pass off credit for his outstanding season to an improved attitude, great coaching and a talented, athletic offensive line. Long is strong, able to fight off bigger but slower offensive lineman. Griffin is fast. He's been timed 4.36 in the 40, but he doesn't think that statistic means very much. "All that stuff is overrated," Griffin said. "Look at someone like Jerry Rice. He's not that fast according to the clock, but you don't see guys catching him from behind." Similar and totally opposite, when the spotlight settles on the hero after the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, it will either big Rien Long or little Quentin Griffin basking in the middle of it. | ||||||||||
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