Columnist Steve Guiremand: 9-11 rough on Neuheisel in more ways than one

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Sept. 13, 2002 | 9:15 a.m.

Steve Guiremand covers college football for the Sun. He can be reached at steveg@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2324.

September 11 will go down as one of the darkest days in the history of the United States following last year's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But for Washington head coach Rick Neuheisel, it brings about a double dose of bad memories.

It was on Sept. 11, 1982 that Neuheisel, then a backup quarterback at UCLA, threw a pass against Long Beach State that resulted in the paralysis of 49ers defensive back Todd Hart.

Hart has since recovered well enough to become the father of three children and the director of government and community relations for the Orange County (Calif.) district attorney.

Neuheisel told the Seattle Times that he hadn't talked to Hart since shortly after the accident, but that he planned to call him this week, the 20-year anniversary of the play. He still feels some guilt for the injury.

"It was my throw," Neuheisel said.

It was only the second pass of Neuheisel's college career. He entered the game with UCLA already holding a 41-10 lead and was attempting to complete a pass into double coverage to star wide receiver Jo Jo Townsell.

Hart and teammate Darrell Pattillo converged on Townsell as the ball arrived. Pattillo came down with the ball, but Hart smashed into the turf head first, cracking his spine.

Hart nearly died of complications after the accident and spent six months in the hospital, where then UCLA head coach Terry Donahue was a regular visitor. Hart eventually returned to classes and regained some use of his legs although he is mainly confined to a wheelchair.

Ironcially, Hart later attended UCLA Law School, in part because of the support UCLA showed him after the injury. He regularly attends UCLA games at the Rose Bowl, the site where his life nearly came to an end that hot afternoon.

Neuheisel, who also has had to deal with the May death of Husky defensive back Curtis Williams from what became a fatal neck injury against Stanford in 2000, said he would like Hart to attend Washington's game against USC at the Coliseum on Oct. 19.

"If he's a UCLA guy, he should have no trouble rooting for us against USC," he said.

A real air show

With most of the hotel rooms in Reno this week booked far in advance because of the Reno Air Show, BYU coach Gary Crowton has decided to fly to Saturday's game at Nevada-Reno early that morning instead of today.

The Cougars will take a one-hour charter flight from Provo that is scheduled to land at 8:30 a.m. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Before heading to Mackay Stadium, BYU will hold pregame meetings and a team meal at a Reno steakhouse.

"I wasn't really concerned about it," Crowton said. "We are going to stay at a hotel here (in Provo) and it is a short flight. By the time we bus it from the hotel, it is almost the same kind of time (as flying)."

With a near sellout crowd of about 30,000 expected for the game, Wolf Pack officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the Cougars don't run into bad weather or mechanical problems on Saturday morning.

"We would (delay the start of the game)," Nevada-Reno athletic director Chris Ault said. "We'd have to."

Ault, for one, understands why Crowton wants to test the short same-day flight to Reno.

"We did it the first eight years when I was coaching," Ault told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I loved it. We'd stay as a team in the hotel here in town and then leave early in the morning. We'd get in there and get the win and get out, hopefully."

Once around the Mountain West