ROSE BOWL NOTEBOOK: OKLAHOMA ON GESSER WATCH.

Byline: Keven Chavez and Gabe Lacques Staff Writers

Whether he's limping or high-stepping around the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser is clearly the player that Oklahoma's vaunted defense most wants to contain.

``We want to put a little pressure on him and knock him down a little bit,'' Oklahoma defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson said on Monday.

Gesser badly injured his right ankle and knee in Washington State's loss to Washington in November. Hobbling badly four weeks ago, the senior quarterback led the Cougars to a 48-27 victory over UCLA in the team's season finale.

``He's the most effective, most precise quarterback we've seen, ahead of (Texas Tech's) Kliff Kingsbury,'' Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. ``He's even more dangerous. By and far, the best quarterback we've seen.''

All niceties aside, the Sooners' defenders obviously are eager to get their hands on the Pacific-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, who said Sunday his leg is at about 75 percent. Oklahoma has 30 sacks this season, including 16 in the past four games.

``They're probably building (the injury) up a little more than it is, I think he'll be fine,'' said Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma's consensus All-American linebacker. ``We'll see on game day, but I'm sure we'll be seeing a little bit of each other.''

Lehman isn't the only Sooners player who thinks Gesser's leg injury will be a nonfactor.

``Everybody's hurt going into the 14th game,'' Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris said. ``It's the last game and we can't hold back.''

Oklahoma has not allowed a touchdown in its past two bowl games.

--Coaches have been there: Oklahoma has never played in the Rose Bowl Game, but there's plenty of Pasadena experience in the Sooners' coaching staff.

Head coach Bob Stoops, co-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes all played for Iowa in the 1982 Rose Bowl.

But perhaps the most seasoned of the Oklahoma contingent is offensive coordinator Chuck Long, who was the starting quarterback for the Hawkeyes in the 1985 Rose Bowl. He knows that even the experienced Sooners, who have played in three consecutive January bowl games, will be in for quite a thrill Wednesday.

``When they get there on game day, that's a special feeling in that stadium,'' Long said. ``You get 100,000 people in those seats, and that's when it will hit them.''

Long, who also suited up for the 1982 game, completed 29 of 37 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown in Iowa's 45-28 loss to UCLA.

``You stay in this business long enough and it all comes around again,'' Long said. ``You want to take advantage of the opportunity when it does, because you never know when it's going to come around.''

--Final time: Mike Price is coaching his last game for Washington State, and he's tried all week to stifle the emotions at least until the final seconds tick off the clock.

Monday, he got by one milestone, conducting his last practice as Cougars coach.

Washington State will hold a brief walk-through in its hotel ballroom today, so the Cougars' practice at the Coliseum was their last under Price, who accepted the Alabama coaching position Dec. 17.

``I'm not going to allow myself any feelings on that now,'' he said. ``I can't look (offensive coordinator Mike) Levenseller in the face without crying. I'm a real emotional person anyway, so I don't want to talk about it and get upset. I'll be a blubbering idiot 60 seconds after the game. But I won't be now, and I won't be going into the game.''

Levenseller, who will remain the Cougars' offensive coordinator, is counting on a rush of emotions from his boss come game day.

``You'll see a quietness about him, and then you'll see a brief eruption,'' Levenseller said. ``You know at the end of a (TV show), when they flash back to all those moments? I think that will happen to him. But it won't happen until the end of the game.''

Price said Monday's practice was ``excellent.'' It's probably safe to say the Cougars, never shy to run trick plays, have some razzle-dazzle planned for Wednesday.

``It's going to be a fun game,'' he said. ``We're not putting the lid on anything. Why stop now? (Trick plays) are part of what we do.''

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JASON GESSER

Washington State quarterback is sure to be the target of Oklahoma's defense Wednesday.