Warszawski: Instead of leadership on Greenlee matter, Fresno State gives us gamesmanship

This was not the time for gamesmanship.

It was time for leadership.

We got plenty of the former from Fresno State this week, and saw scant evidence of the latter.

Whether Zack Greenlee starts or even plays Saturday night against San Jose State in light of his recent arrest for public drunkenness is secondary at this point. Unless you’re one of those people who only cares about wins, losses and covers.

What matters is why coach Tim DeRuyter and athletic director Jim Bartko have been so mum all week. Why they’ve both hidden behind vague statements.

So San Jose State doesn’t know who the Bulldogs will have under center in their Mountain West Conference opener?

That’s ridiculous.

Again, I’m not saying Greenlee should be suspended. College students drink at house parties all the time.

You’d like to think your starting quarterback, who happens to a few months shy of his 21st birthday, would make himself scarce the instant police showed up. Or at least comply immediately with their wishes.

Greenlee did neither of those things, according to police. Which is why he was cuffed, stuffed and booked downtown. Linebacker Brandon Hughes and women’s soccer player Fanny Johannson were also arrested and charged with obstruction, a more serious offense. (Johannson will serve a one-game suspension, the university announced Friday afternoon.)

Still, this is a far cry from the days of Terry Pettis and samurai swords. And there is precedent for leniency. In April, Boise State quarterback Ryan Finley was arrested on similar charges, except he ran and tried to hide from police.

Who started Boise State’s opener against Washington? Finley.

DeRuyter and Bartko have had several days to read the police report and watch video taken from the officer’s body camera. (The Bee requested both from the Fresno Police Department through the Freedom of Information Act. The request was denied.) They’ve had ample time to interview other football players who were allegedly at the party.

If they don’t believe what Greenlee did merits a suspension, come out and say so. Step up. Take a stand.

Because if Greenlee starts at San Jose State or just misses a few snaps, it sure gives the impression Fresno State is trying to dodge public scrutiny by limiting the window for criticism.

Now go the other way. Let’s say Greenlee gets suspended by the university. Why wait all week to announce it?

Don’t give us this mumbo jumbo about “the investigative process playing out.” DeRuyter could have easily handled this himself. Football coaches do it all the time. He could have issued a statement saying Greenlee violated team rules as well as athletic department policies irrespective of any legal charges.

If DeRuyter would’ve done that, he would’ve looked strong and forceful. Heck, he could’ve grabbed this story by the horns Monday morning and steered the coverage his way, before news of the arrests broke.

Instead he looks like he’s hiding.

Instead he’s taking a matter that’s about character and accountability and treating it like Greenlee has an ankle sprain.

Discipline has not been an issue for DeRuyter during his three-plus years at Fresno State. He recently held one of the young linebackers out of practice because the player missed a team meeting. He dismissed several players for violations of athletic department policies, which is usually code for failed marijuana tests.

But now DeRuyter’s keeping secrets because he wants to keep San Jose State guessing?

Fresno State’s posturing gets even sillier when you take a closer look at the Spartans’ coaching staff.

Greg Robinson, San Jose State’s defensive coordinator, has a 40-year résumé that includes coordinator stints with three NFL teams (Broncos, Chiefs, Jets) and three major college programs (Texas, Michigan and UCLA).

Robinson has coached four Rose Bowl winners. He’s coached for two Super Bowl champions. He coached against a 28-year-old Brett Favre in Super Bowl XXXII, for goodness sake.

You really think a coach with Robinson’s experience lost one wink of sleep this week over whether Greenlee, Ford Childress or Kilton Anderson would start at quarterback, each of whom were behind a true freshman on the depth chart until Chason Virgil broke his clavicle?

The whole thing is laughable.

The Bulldogs used to be known as a team that would go anywhere and face anyone. Just line up and play. Now they have to resort to legerdemain against San Jose State, a team that’s been to two bowl games since 1990.

DeRuyter’s habit these past two seasons of not naming a starting quarterback until just before kickoff is annoying but harmless. Just a little game more and more football coaches enjoy playing with each other, and the media.

Not in this instance. This time someone got character and accountability confused with inane tactics.

Fresno State could’ve – and should’ve – nipped this thing in the bud Wednesday or Thursday. By game day, the Greenlee story would’ve been a footnote. Now it gets five days’ worth of buildup. The longer DeRuyter and Bartko hide behind a smokescreen, the worse and weaker they look.

Keeping secrets from San Jose State should’ve been the last thing on anyone’s mind.

This was a time for leadership, irrespective of whether Greenlee gets a suspension. Instead, we got silly gamesmanship.

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Warszawski: Instead of leadership on Greenlee matter, Fresno State gives us gamesmanship."