If you had told me at the beginning of the season that two WSU quarterbacks would be nominated for Manning Player of the Week awards, but neither of them would be Jeff Tuel, there would have been a good chance I’d laugh in your face.
Well, it’s fantastic that you didn't because, boy, would I look stupid. I would look stupid and you would be from the future. Why not use your knowledge of the future for more productive things than trolling me.
I digress.
Marshall Lobbestael has been nominated for the honor twice and won it once. This couldn't have happened to a better person.
I have to admit that before this season Lobbestael was not on my list of favorite Cougar football players. I mean, if you attended the 2009 UCLA you can understand where I’m coming from.
But I was looking at Lobbestael purely as a player, and even then only the player he used to be, not the player he is now.
After what I have seen from the redshirt senior this season, he’s quickly become one of my favorite Cougars in recent memory.
First of all, to stick with this program when he easily could have gone elsewhere and probably started is a true testament to his dedication to this school. Lobbestael is a Coug through and through. He is exactly the person you want representing your athletic department.
As a former quarterback, albeit at the high school level, I understand the mentality of most who play the position. A quarterback is an extreme competitor who wants nothing more than to win, but at the same time a quarterback realizes that the team is above him and more important in the big picture.
That second part is something that often escapes most players, but not Lobbestael. When it came time for Tuel to (briefly) take back his role as starter, the media turned to Lobbestael to see how he would react to the news.
The Lobster simply told the media that whatever gave the Cougars the best chances of winning, he was happy with, even if that meant he had to give up his starting role. Instead of being angry or visibly disappointed in his demotion, Lobbestael displayed incredible humility, talking up Tuel and making a bunch of new fans in the process.
It seems that at every turn he has said exactly the right thing, not scripted, but because that’s truly how he feels.
I had already become a major supporter even before I saw some of his excitement on the sidelines this past Saturday, as redshirt freshman quarterback Connor Halliday tore up the school and conference passing record books.
His support for his fellow quarterback's success and genuine happiness about the team's success makes him something special.
Saturday is Lobbestael’s final game in Pullman, so now it is more fitting than ever to say thank you.
Thank you, Lobbestael, for staying until the very end, doing everything you could to help the team. Thank you for being an exemplary leader and for helping our younger players become better athletes and people. Thank you for setting an example for every other Cougar athlete and thank you for just being a nice person.
When I think of the qualities I would like to see in an athlete representing our school, my mind automatically now fills in the name blank with “Marshall Lobbestael.”
Once a Coug, always a Coug. We wish you the best of luck in everything you do.
