It has been a quiet week with WSU having a bye. On the plus side it is a mortal lock that the Cougs will not lose their second consecutive game this weekend. However, many other Pac 12 teams have lots too worry about.
Lets jump in with the game of the week to Coug Fans!
UW vs California
We all have heard from the Barking Sark about how great Keith Price is at QB. With the numbers he has put up it is hard not to buy into the hype. Unless of course you look behind the numbers. He has been facing the #81 passing defense of Hawaii, and the #78 passing offense of Nebraska. Plus with two bum knees it is hard to believe any defense will be too worried about him outside of the pocket. Chris Polk is proving to be a force to be reckoned with but lets not forget about his record against solid defenses. Cal held Polk to 86 yards on 19 carries last season. The Cal defense is still pretty solid. It will be an interesting test for Polk.
Cal on the other hand has a new QB who is actually playing up to their potential. Maynard is looking the part but he hasn't really been challenged either. However, he has one huge advantage. The Cal offensive line is very experienced and the Husky D-Line has been less than stellar. Throw in the Husky's inability to make adjustments and second half woes and Cal could put up some serious numbers. Let's not forget that Cal will be thirsty to beat up on the Dawgs who have ended their seasons the last two years.
Cal 35, UW 17
Colorado vs The Ohio State
This is a tough game to call. My guess is that it will be closer than anyone really thinks. Ohio State is just playing poor football. However, they get a few guys back this week and they should win the talent game. This game is a win/win for Coug Fans. Colorado could win and think they are better than they are going into next week or they could get whooped and hurt along the way.
Ohio State 17, Colorado 10
UCLA vs Oregon State
Wow this may be the worst game of the Pac 12 for the year. You have the Bruins who are quitting on Tricky and Rick vs Oregon State who is battling a QB controversy and 2 years of major attrition.
UCLA 31, Oregon State 13
USC vs Arizona State
Has anyone really been impressed with USC yet? Barkely looks good but he underperformed against Minnesota who ranks 112 nationally against the pass. It should be interesting to see what he does when ASU minimizes the damage Woods can do and Burfict shuts down the TE game. My guess is that this is the perfect storm for ASU to win.
ASU 24, USC 14
Oregon vs Arizona
Seriously, I would love to say this will be a game but the Wildcats look like Rubbish lately.
Oregon 42, Arizona 23
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Weekend Recap -- Week 3 WSU vs SDSU
Well three weeks into the season and you would think that you would have some understanding of what you are as a team. Unfortunately for Coug Fans, I don't think we quite know yet. The Cougs fizzled down the stretch and handed a SDSU an easy win 42-24. However, the score doesn't reveal what type of game it actually was. Let's start with what we know.
Marquess Wilson is an absolute stud. Besides gaining 236 receiving yards, he also is showing glimpses of a very special WR. The 78 yard screen pass reminded me off watching old Randy Moss highlights. Wilson is going to continue to get better and that is a positive for the Cougs.
The Lobster got a little cooked under pressure. This was a surprise to many in Cougar nation but it wasn't the end of the world. Lobster got a little rattled and made some mistakes. The problem was the rest of the team folded as well. The Cougs still put up some monster numbers on offense.
Ricky Galving/Carl Winston make a wonderful RB combo. While they didn't put up monster numbers they did provide a good balance. Unfortunately, for the duo the Aztecs defense was able to contain them just enough to force us into becoming a one dimensional team.
The Coug Defense still needs to grow a bit in the secondary. Granted Lindley turned out to be a good Sr. Quarterback, but the Cougs still need to put up a better showing than that. He was able to pick apart our secondary.
The Coug defense is still young and therefore still made young mistakes. I don't know if anyone noticed but it was our Sr. LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis who was still making the big tackles in the fourth the quarter. Mizell and Sekope have a ton of talent but as the Aztecs wore down our defense they also began to resort to bad habits. Hence, poor tackling started to rear its ugle head again.
Special Teams is far from perfect. The Cougs need to find a kicker who can put it into the endzone. They also need to play with some more discipline. Many Coug fans are imploding because of the roughing the punter but I do not really care. It was a momentum changer but I am fine with being aggressive on special teams. Unfortunately, Bontempts got a little excited and tried to a block a kick that he wasn't in position to get too.
The Cougs just beat themselves. They were the more physical and dominant team for 3 quarters. However, because they are young and playing their first game on the road they were not prepared for the adversity they faced. This is correctable and an important lesson. While we as fans may be frustrated by the result this is a game the Cougs needed to learn. I am glad they had the opportunity to learn the lesson early in the season before a bye week than against UCLA or Colorado. I would rather them have this memory headed into the Pac 12 season than still believing they are world beaters.
The Cougs are a good football team. UNLV put up 40 points against Hawaii and the Cougs held them to 0 offensive touchdowns. I think it is more likely that SDSU is a real good football team at the moment than it is the Cougs are a poor football team. Stick in there Coug Fans. Many good things are too come and if you think the Cougs are not going to get to 6 wins this year then you are the one who is drinking some funky Kool Aid.
Here is my predictions for the Cougs for the rest of their schedule.
Colorado: Cougs win convincingly. The Buffaloes are thin on both lines and their secondary struggled with Colarado State WR's. Plus their defense is still making dumb mistakes in terms of penalties.
UCLA: The spiral has already began for the Bruins. The team is quitting on the coaches and they are depleted with injuries. Not to mention the Cougs always play well in Pasadena when it isn't a Bowl game. Cougs Win going away.
Stanford: Probably Loss. The Cougs have played great at home and they will have a good crowd if they win their previous two games. Not to mention it will most likely mark the return of Jeff Tuel. The Cougs will have some emotional advantages over the Cardinal.
Oregon State: Win for Cougs. The Cougs get a semi home game in Seattle and the Beavers will continue to be circling the drain. The Beavers are absolutely depleted on both sides of the ball and the Cougs know they can win that game.
Oregon: Loss for the Cougs. While I don't think Oregon is as good as everyone else I don't think the Cougs can beat them in Autzen this year.
Cal: Toss up. Who knows what Cal is this year. Who knows what Bear team will show up. I have a feeling it could go either way and because of it I will put it into the Loss the category.
ASU: Emotional home game win for the Cougs. ASU is all over the board this year and they have already won their big road game. I think the Sun Devils will not take the Cougs very seriously and unless ASU is completely focused they play completely undisciplined.
Utah: Coug Win. Utah will continue to get beat up and playing them at the end of the year at home is a huge advantage. I don't think their win over BYUPac 12 teams this year.
UW: Coug win. I wasn't very impressed with Nebraska last weekend and therefore, I am not impressed with the Husky hype. They have been abysmal against teams they should beat and relied on the Huskers doing everything they could to beat themselves. The Huskies are in for a long year.
Therefore, I think the Cougs will finish their schedule with a 5-4 record. They might be able to steal another win along the way from Cal. That would put us at 7-5 and bowl eligible. I don't think that is necessarily out of the realm of possibility either.
Marquess Wilson is an absolute stud. Besides gaining 236 receiving yards, he also is showing glimpses of a very special WR. The 78 yard screen pass reminded me off watching old Randy Moss highlights. Wilson is going to continue to get better and that is a positive for the Cougs.
The Lobster got a little cooked under pressure. This was a surprise to many in Cougar nation but it wasn't the end of the world. Lobster got a little rattled and made some mistakes. The problem was the rest of the team folded as well. The Cougs still put up some monster numbers on offense.
Ricky Galving/Carl Winston make a wonderful RB combo. While they didn't put up monster numbers they did provide a good balance. Unfortunately, for the duo the Aztecs defense was able to contain them just enough to force us into becoming a one dimensional team.
The Coug Defense still needs to grow a bit in the secondary. Granted Lindley turned out to be a good Sr. Quarterback, but the Cougs still need to put up a better showing than that. He was able to pick apart our secondary.
The Coug defense is still young and therefore still made young mistakes. I don't know if anyone noticed but it was our Sr. LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis who was still making the big tackles in the fourth the quarter. Mizell and Sekope have a ton of talent but as the Aztecs wore down our defense they also began to resort to bad habits. Hence, poor tackling started to rear its ugle head again.
Special Teams is far from perfect. The Cougs need to find a kicker who can put it into the endzone. They also need to play with some more discipline. Many Coug fans are imploding because of the roughing the punter but I do not really care. It was a momentum changer but I am fine with being aggressive on special teams. Unfortunately, Bontempts got a little excited and tried to a block a kick that he wasn't in position to get too.
The Cougs just beat themselves. They were the more physical and dominant team for 3 quarters. However, because they are young and playing their first game on the road they were not prepared for the adversity they faced. This is correctable and an important lesson. While we as fans may be frustrated by the result this is a game the Cougs needed to learn. I am glad they had the opportunity to learn the lesson early in the season before a bye week than against UCLA or Colorado. I would rather them have this memory headed into the Pac 12 season than still believing they are world beaters.
The Cougs are a good football team. UNLV put up 40 points against Hawaii and the Cougs held them to 0 offensive touchdowns. I think it is more likely that SDSU is a real good football team at the moment than it is the Cougs are a poor football team. Stick in there Coug Fans. Many good things are too come and if you think the Cougs are not going to get to 6 wins this year then you are the one who is drinking some funky Kool Aid.
Here is my predictions for the Cougs for the rest of their schedule.
Colorado: Cougs win convincingly. The Buffaloes are thin on both lines and their secondary struggled with Colarado State WR's. Plus their defense is still making dumb mistakes in terms of penalties.
UCLA: The spiral has already began for the Bruins. The team is quitting on the coaches and they are depleted with injuries. Not to mention the Cougs always play well in Pasadena when it isn't a Bowl game. Cougs Win going away.
Stanford: Probably Loss. The Cougs have played great at home and they will have a good crowd if they win their previous two games. Not to mention it will most likely mark the return of Jeff Tuel. The Cougs will have some emotional advantages over the Cardinal.
Oregon State: Win for Cougs. The Cougs get a semi home game in Seattle and the Beavers will continue to be circling the drain. The Beavers are absolutely depleted on both sides of the ball and the Cougs know they can win that game.
Oregon: Loss for the Cougs. While I don't think Oregon is as good as everyone else I don't think the Cougs can beat them in Autzen this year.
Cal: Toss up. Who knows what Cal is this year. Who knows what Bear team will show up. I have a feeling it could go either way and because of it I will put it into the Loss the category.
ASU: Emotional home game win for the Cougs. ASU is all over the board this year and they have already won their big road game. I think the Sun Devils will not take the Cougs very seriously and unless ASU is completely focused they play completely undisciplined.
Utah: Coug Win. Utah will continue to get beat up and playing them at the end of the year at home is a huge advantage. I don't think their win over BYUPac 12 teams this year.
UW: Coug win. I wasn't very impressed with Nebraska last weekend and therefore, I am not impressed with the Husky hype. They have been abysmal against teams they should beat and relied on the Huskers doing everything they could to beat themselves. The Huskies are in for a long year.
Therefore, I think the Cougs will finish their schedule with a 5-4 record. They might be able to steal another win along the way from Cal. That would put us at 7-5 and bowl eligible. I don't think that is necessarily out of the realm of possibility either.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week 3
If this week is as exciting as last weekend was in college football, then I can't wait until kick off tomorrow. Lets take a look at the upcoming weekend games.
Lets start with the Good Guys!
WSU vs SDSU
The Cougs are off to a blistering pace while the Aztecs are limping out of the gate. They did handle Cal Poly but didn't pull away until late in the third quarter. They needed to recover 3 of the 8 fumbles of Army to hold on to beat them by 3. Granted they have an experienced O-Line, QB, and RB but I think it is safe to say all three have been underwhelming thus far. Hillman is the cream of the crop of this team but he only managed 62 yards on the ground before breaking one late in the third quarter. Lindley is a four year starter that is looking pretty average without his star WR's from last season. Their O-Line struggled against an undersized Army D-Line.
On defense the Aztecs do have McFadden but he cannot cover all the weapons WSU will be firing at him. Look for WSU to test their secondary early and if they cheat to cover the WR's look for Galvin/Mitz/Winston to run wild. Our O-Line is bigger than their D-Line but they will be having to pick up the Blitz reads all day. If they pick up the Blitz's then things will get out of control fast for SDSU. If the Coug D-Line can hold Hillman will have little space to run in. Get ready for another big statement by the New and Improved Cougs
WSU 45, SDSU 13
Colorado vs CSU
Who knows what Buffalo team will show up on Saturday. Hopefully, Pac 12 world beaters. If they do not then it will be another hit for the conference. I think they will pick up from where they left off last week.
Buffs 17, CSU 10
Texas vs UCLA
UCLA is in shambles and the team is quitting on tricky Rick.
Texas 35, UCLA 9
Oregon vs Mizz St and Cal vs Pres.
Lets be honest these game will be blow outs and who really cares. Way to schedule weak week 3 games.
ASU vs Illini
Sorry Sun Devils but Erickson's lucky streak is going to end. The Sun Devil D is under performing and still making stupid mistakes. One big road win a year for ASU.
Illini 27, ASU 14
USC vs Syracuse
I would love to say that the Trojans will take care of business but I have a feeling they won't. It will be close with the Trojan's prevailing so ESPN can continue to talk about the Trojans.
USC 19, Syracuse 7
The Bible Bowl
Both BYU and Utah are looking worse than expected. It will be an offensive sputter off. Wynn > Heaps at the moment so I will give it to the Utes to save some Pac 12 pride.
Utah 20, BYU 13
Stanford vs Arizona
How about we just call this Luck vs Foles and at the moment Foles has less than impressed when Criner isn't on the field. Plus the Wildcat make shift O-Line experiment is failing.
Stanford 33, Arizona 17
UW vs Nebraska
UW has quietly put together one of the best Rush defenses in the country. In fairness though they have played to rushing prolific teams in Hawaii and EWU. Even better South Dakota held EWU to fewer rushing yards than the Huskies. That should say alot about how hard the Huskies have been tested by a running game. The Huskies allowed 31 yards rushing against EWU and South Dakota held the Eagles to 11.
Sure the Huskies would love to tell you about how good Price is playing and maybe he has been pretty good but let's not get too carried away yet. Nebraska will bottle up Polk so it will be up to Price. I don't see the Husky D improving their national rankings on defense this week. Nebraska will hit them in the mouth early and often and the Purple leg lifters will leave Nebraska embarrassed.
Nebraska 42, UW 13
Lets start with the Good Guys!
WSU vs SDSU
The Cougs are off to a blistering pace while the Aztecs are limping out of the gate. They did handle Cal Poly but didn't pull away until late in the third quarter. They needed to recover 3 of the 8 fumbles of Army to hold on to beat them by 3. Granted they have an experienced O-Line, QB, and RB but I think it is safe to say all three have been underwhelming thus far. Hillman is the cream of the crop of this team but he only managed 62 yards on the ground before breaking one late in the third quarter. Lindley is a four year starter that is looking pretty average without his star WR's from last season. Their O-Line struggled against an undersized Army D-Line.
On defense the Aztecs do have McFadden but he cannot cover all the weapons WSU will be firing at him. Look for WSU to test their secondary early and if they cheat to cover the WR's look for Galvin/Mitz/Winston to run wild. Our O-Line is bigger than their D-Line but they will be having to pick up the Blitz reads all day. If they pick up the Blitz's then things will get out of control fast for SDSU. If the Coug D-Line can hold Hillman will have little space to run in. Get ready for another big statement by the New and Improved Cougs
WSU 45, SDSU 13
Colorado vs CSU
Who knows what Buffalo team will show up on Saturday. Hopefully, Pac 12 world beaters. If they do not then it will be another hit for the conference. I think they will pick up from where they left off last week.
Buffs 17, CSU 10
Texas vs UCLA
UCLA is in shambles and the team is quitting on tricky Rick.
Texas 35, UCLA 9
Oregon vs Mizz St and Cal vs Pres.
Lets be honest these game will be blow outs and who really cares. Way to schedule weak week 3 games.
ASU vs Illini
Sorry Sun Devils but Erickson's lucky streak is going to end. The Sun Devil D is under performing and still making stupid mistakes. One big road win a year for ASU.
Illini 27, ASU 14
USC vs Syracuse
I would love to say that the Trojans will take care of business but I have a feeling they won't. It will be close with the Trojan's prevailing so ESPN can continue to talk about the Trojans.
USC 19, Syracuse 7
The Bible Bowl
Both BYU and Utah are looking worse than expected. It will be an offensive sputter off. Wynn > Heaps at the moment so I will give it to the Utes to save some Pac 12 pride.
Utah 20, BYU 13
Stanford vs Arizona
How about we just call this Luck vs Foles and at the moment Foles has less than impressed when Criner isn't on the field. Plus the Wildcat make shift O-Line experiment is failing.
Stanford 33, Arizona 17
UW vs Nebraska
UW has quietly put together one of the best Rush defenses in the country. In fairness though they have played to rushing prolific teams in Hawaii and EWU. Even better South Dakota held EWU to fewer rushing yards than the Huskies. That should say alot about how hard the Huskies have been tested by a running game. The Huskies allowed 31 yards rushing against EWU and South Dakota held the Eagles to 11.
Sure the Huskies would love to tell you about how good Price is playing and maybe he has been pretty good but let's not get too carried away yet. Nebraska will bottle up Polk so it will be up to Price. I don't see the Husky D improving their national rankings on defense this week. Nebraska will hit them in the mouth early and often and the Purple leg lifters will leave Nebraska embarrassed.
Nebraska 42, UW 13
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Army vs SDSU -- What it told us about SDSU
There isn't too much to take away from the SDSU vs Army squeaker last Saturday. Army runs a triple option and we do not. SDSU got housed in rushing yards but should that really be a surprise against a triple option set? Here is a few things to look out for.
WSU needs to establish the run early. SDSU 3-3-5 set will attempt to bring pressure early and often. The only way to counter that is to run the ball and set up screen passes.
Our D-Line has to set the tone early. The 4 senior offensive lineman for SDSU will be ready for anything we throw their way. Except maybe for the increase in strength of the Cougar D-Lineman. If we can control the line of scrimmage Mizell, Sekope, and AHE will dominate.
Lobster needs to just play his game. He throws with a little more zip than Tuel and that gives us a slight advantage in accuracy. Meaning he doesn't necessarily have to be accurate to complete passes. If our WR's come to play and get off the ball we should be able to pick them apart.
Furney and Company need to be consistent on kick offs and PAT's. We need to have put our kicking woes in the past this week.
WSU will probably not be as intimidated playing on the road as they should be. Huge advantage for a young team taking their first trip this year. Plus the temp is suppose to be 70 at game time which will allow our guys to stay on the field longer.
SDSU struck fast on their first two drives but then Army was able to figure them out. If we can minimize big plays in the beginning their is no reason to think we can't come away with a win here.
SDSU is playing at home but San Diego is a good place for Cougs to travel too. I have a feeling we will have a bit of a following in the stands and they will be itching to see the Cougs live.
That's all for now. Will try to get a piece up about the key match ups later in the day.
WSU needs to establish the run early. SDSU 3-3-5 set will attempt to bring pressure early and often. The only way to counter that is to run the ball and set up screen passes.
Our D-Line has to set the tone early. The 4 senior offensive lineman for SDSU will be ready for anything we throw their way. Except maybe for the increase in strength of the Cougar D-Lineman. If we can control the line of scrimmage Mizell, Sekope, and AHE will dominate.
Lobster needs to just play his game. He throws with a little more zip than Tuel and that gives us a slight advantage in accuracy. Meaning he doesn't necessarily have to be accurate to complete passes. If our WR's come to play and get off the ball we should be able to pick them apart.
Furney and Company need to be consistent on kick offs and PAT's. We need to have put our kicking woes in the past this week.
WSU will probably not be as intimidated playing on the road as they should be. Huge advantage for a young team taking their first trip this year. Plus the temp is suppose to be 70 at game time which will allow our guys to stay on the field longer.
SDSU struck fast on their first two drives but then Army was able to figure them out. If we can minimize big plays in the beginning their is no reason to think we can't come away with a win here.
SDSU is playing at home but San Diego is a good place for Cougs to travel too. I have a feeling we will have a bit of a following in the stands and they will be itching to see the Cougs live.
That's all for now. Will try to get a piece up about the key match ups later in the day.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Weekend Recap -- The Expectation Shift
While this weekend didn't really reveal too much about the Pac 12 that we didn't know it did yield some surprises. To begin with Oregon State is in a world of hurt as a program at the moment. I started telling my Beaver friends last year that their fate was going to be similar to WSU unless they got their recruiting under control. Surprise, it has happened. Poor Attrition, poor recruiting, and wrecked by injuries have left the Beavers in a tail spin that Riley cannot even correct.
We also learned an important lesson from the Huskies. They find ways to win, but they also find ways to almost beat themselves. Subtract the 21 point 6 minute effort and Hawaii pulls that game out. It will be interesting to see how the Dawgs play against a quality opponent because we know they play down to the level of their competition now.
Arizona Wildcats may be a beatable program. They are not as good as everyone thought they might be and for all the wrong reasons. Nick Foles was suppose to have a Heisman type year but without Criner it looks as if he is just an average Pac 12 QB. Where is the famous Wildcat defense? It just wasn't around against Okie State and because of it the Pac 12 is going to have to hear about it from Cowboy fans all year long.
California/Colorado have either figured things out or they are both sub par programs this year. I am leaning toward the latter. I thought Cal was going to hand it to Colorado and instead they almost got beat. It says more about Cal than it does about the Buffs. Colorado is thin at the lines but they got enough momentum to hang with Cal. The Bears defense just got torched for 582 yards against a team that only got 240 yards against Hawaii. Last time I checked I am pretty sure that Cal's defense was suppose to at least average.
Stanford handled its business against its second straight sub par foe.
Oregon looked like the Oregon of old against Nevada which makes you wonder if Oregon is still great or just able to knock out a punching bag if it is in front of them. I am interested to see how the Ducks look against the Pac 12 this year.
Utah/USC proved that neither of these teams should be too concerning. It is nice that Utah was a world beater in their old conference but they are going to have a long year in the Pac. USC has confirmed that they are not a top 25 team with that win though. Your hype can only keep you afloat for so long. USC has the talent but they look soft on the field. Kiffen better quit manscaping and start to feed his players man juice.
Big props to Arizona State for not giving the game away completely. They held out for the Pac in our non conference big games of the week. Osweiller also looked the part on Friday night television. It will be interesting to see what ASU team continues to show up each week.
UCLA??????? Really baby blue get your stuff together. Last time I checked SJSU shouldn't be flirting with a win.
Now to the Cougs! I understand that UNLV isn't the best program in the country but I don't think anyone, except the players, thought we were going to lamb baste them. Before the game started I was saying we will know what type of team we have after the UNLV game ends. Since we dominated them I have to admit I am shifting my expectations. Now we will have to wait until the end SDSU game to see what type of team we have.
Currently, the Cougs look like they may be an upper echelon Pac 12 team with the numbers they are putting up. We are leading the Nation in scoring offense and in the top 10 in numerous other categories. Statistically we are one of the best defenses in the Pac 12 at the moment and I don't think anyone saw it coming. There isn't too much to say that couldn't be gleaned from the scoreboard but here goes.
1. Lobster was spectacular and I couldn't be happier because of his story at WSU. He stuck with us without any hope of playing this year and when tragedy struck he seized his opportunity. I hope he continues to grow this year!
2. Marquess Wilson can catch anything. He just continues to grow into a great WR. With Karstetter, Barton, and Ratliff around him he will continue to put up huge numbers.
3. Pole, Rankin, and Laurenzi are a great rotation to have at D-Tackle. They are resting many of the concerns we had about our D-Line strength.
4. Sekope, Mizell, and AHE may be one of the best LB trio's around. They are fast, mean, and play well together. Anyone noticed how often our LB's were getting in on tackles? The only person who is disappointed by this is Deonne Buccannon.
5. I have never seen as many WSU O-Lineman down the field blocking ever. On one play BJ Guerra was out sealing the safety. The starting O-Lineman are doing a great job and with Spitz, Goetz, and Taylor being able to spell the starters it looks like no one is going to have to get over worked.
6. SDSU
We also learned an important lesson from the Huskies. They find ways to win, but they also find ways to almost beat themselves. Subtract the 21 point 6 minute effort and Hawaii pulls that game out. It will be interesting to see how the Dawgs play against a quality opponent because we know they play down to the level of their competition now.
Arizona Wildcats may be a beatable program. They are not as good as everyone thought they might be and for all the wrong reasons. Nick Foles was suppose to have a Heisman type year but without Criner it looks as if he is just an average Pac 12 QB. Where is the famous Wildcat defense? It just wasn't around against Okie State and because of it the Pac 12 is going to have to hear about it from Cowboy fans all year long.
California/Colorado have either figured things out or they are both sub par programs this year. I am leaning toward the latter. I thought Cal was going to hand it to Colorado and instead they almost got beat. It says more about Cal than it does about the Buffs. Colorado is thin at the lines but they got enough momentum to hang with Cal. The Bears defense just got torched for 582 yards against a team that only got 240 yards against Hawaii. Last time I checked I am pretty sure that Cal's defense was suppose to at least average.
Stanford handled its business against its second straight sub par foe.
Oregon looked like the Oregon of old against Nevada which makes you wonder if Oregon is still great or just able to knock out a punching bag if it is in front of them. I am interested to see how the Ducks look against the Pac 12 this year.
Utah/USC proved that neither of these teams should be too concerning. It is nice that Utah was a world beater in their old conference but they are going to have a long year in the Pac. USC has confirmed that they are not a top 25 team with that win though. Your hype can only keep you afloat for so long. USC has the talent but they look soft on the field. Kiffen better quit manscaping and start to feed his players man juice.
Big props to Arizona State for not giving the game away completely. They held out for the Pac in our non conference big games of the week. Osweiller also looked the part on Friday night television. It will be interesting to see what ASU team continues to show up each week.
UCLA??????? Really baby blue get your stuff together. Last time I checked SJSU shouldn't be flirting with a win.
Now to the Cougs! I understand that UNLV isn't the best program in the country but I don't think anyone, except the players, thought we were going to lamb baste them. Before the game started I was saying we will know what type of team we have after the UNLV game ends. Since we dominated them I have to admit I am shifting my expectations. Now we will have to wait until the end SDSU game to see what type of team we have.
Currently, the Cougs look like they may be an upper echelon Pac 12 team with the numbers they are putting up. We are leading the Nation in scoring offense and in the top 10 in numerous other categories. Statistically we are one of the best defenses in the Pac 12 at the moment and I don't think anyone saw it coming. There isn't too much to say that couldn't be gleaned from the scoreboard but here goes.
1. Lobster was spectacular and I couldn't be happier because of his story at WSU. He stuck with us without any hope of playing this year and when tragedy struck he seized his opportunity. I hope he continues to grow this year!
2. Marquess Wilson can catch anything. He just continues to grow into a great WR. With Karstetter, Barton, and Ratliff around him he will continue to put up huge numbers.
3. Pole, Rankin, and Laurenzi are a great rotation to have at D-Tackle. They are resting many of the concerns we had about our D-Line strength.
4. Sekope, Mizell, and AHE may be one of the best LB trio's around. They are fast, mean, and play well together. Anyone noticed how often our LB's were getting in on tackles? The only person who is disappointed by this is Deonne Buccannon.
5. I have never seen as many WSU O-Lineman down the field blocking ever. On one play BJ Guerra was out sealing the safety. The starting O-Lineman are doing a great job and with Spitz, Goetz, and Taylor being able to spell the starters it looks like no one is going to have to get over worked.
6. SDSU
Friday, September 9, 2011
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week 2
Well better late than never and considering Arizona was so embarrassing last night does it really matter I didn't pick that game?? Which reminds me that Arizona is going to be a beatable team in the Pac 12 if they play that poorly. Now onto the predictions.
Missouri vs ASU
According to all the Big 12 bloggers ASU is going to be over matched. While I do not understand that analysis it is hard for me to say that ASU will win this game. Mainly because we don't know what Dennis Erickson team will take the field. If I had to guess the ASU defense will be stout and ready to play. However, I just don't see the ASU offense clicking right away. I think it will be a close one with a late touchdown by ASU making the difference.
ASU 21, Mizzou 13
Oregon State vs Wisconsin
I could site the ability of the Beavers to play well early in big games. However, this team is different. Two straight years of recruiting attrition is really starting to become evident on the Beaver's depth. Now throw in a QB battle and it is a complete mess.
Wisconsin Large, Beavers Little
California vs Colorado
Cal looked great in their opener while Colorado looked exactly like we thought they were going to look. What does that mean for Saturday's game. Who knows? My guess is that Cal will prevail in this game but it wouldn't surprise me if they play down to their opponent in this one. The Buffs are a mess right now and it will be another year before they start to right the ship.
Cal 17, Colorado 3
Stanford vs Duke
Who cares. Stanford whoops em.
Stanford 42, Duke 7
Nevada vs Oregon
Nevada had a great year last year and while they lost some key players they have enough still in the cupboard to give Oregon a good game. If one thing has been proven is if a team has time to prepare for Oregon their offense becomes very plain. The D-Line for Oregon isn't very impressive and will need to get better but the real story will be how the Ducks rebound now that their national title hopes are over. My guess is complete implosion. Lack of solid leadership and character always reveals itself in the end. Entitled Oregon comes out thinking the Wolf Pac will just roll over. Surprise!
Nevada 35, Oregon 24
Hawaii vs Washington
You would think the Seattle Media and fans would be getting used to a Sarkisian coached team coming out flat and not ready to play at the beginning of the year. The Huskies have had their fair share of hype this year and they severely under achieved on last week. Hawaii just beat Colorado with ease and they are a facing a Husky secondary that got torched by EWU. This is not a recipe for success for the Huskies at home.
Hawaii 35, Washington 17
San Jose St vs UCLA
This would be a tough game for UCLA to lose but don't challenge them to do it. UCLA is in severe crisis at the moment. They could have averted the mess by winning last week but my guess is the team will begin to quit on this coaching staff. They will win this game but I have a feeling they won't impress anyone in doing so.
UCLA 28, SJSU 13
Utah vs USC
This is an interesting match up between two teams that under achieved last week. The Utes passing attacked proved feeble and they really didn't show too much. USC showed its hand a bit in that the offense is going to be centered around Woods and Barkley. It will be interesting to see who shows up to play this week. In the end I just don't think Utah is ready for Pac 12 play yet but I don't know if USC is actually ready for Pac 12 play too.
Utes 27, USC 24
WSU Kool Aid this afternoon
Missouri vs ASU
According to all the Big 12 bloggers ASU is going to be over matched. While I do not understand that analysis it is hard for me to say that ASU will win this game. Mainly because we don't know what Dennis Erickson team will take the field. If I had to guess the ASU defense will be stout and ready to play. However, I just don't see the ASU offense clicking right away. I think it will be a close one with a late touchdown by ASU making the difference.
ASU 21, Mizzou 13
Oregon State vs Wisconsin
I could site the ability of the Beavers to play well early in big games. However, this team is different. Two straight years of recruiting attrition is really starting to become evident on the Beaver's depth. Now throw in a QB battle and it is a complete mess.
Wisconsin Large, Beavers Little
California vs Colorado
Cal looked great in their opener while Colorado looked exactly like we thought they were going to look. What does that mean for Saturday's game. Who knows? My guess is that Cal will prevail in this game but it wouldn't surprise me if they play down to their opponent in this one. The Buffs are a mess right now and it will be another year before they start to right the ship.
Cal 17, Colorado 3
Stanford vs Duke
Who cares. Stanford whoops em.
Stanford 42, Duke 7
Nevada vs Oregon
Nevada had a great year last year and while they lost some key players they have enough still in the cupboard to give Oregon a good game. If one thing has been proven is if a team has time to prepare for Oregon their offense becomes very plain. The D-Line for Oregon isn't very impressive and will need to get better but the real story will be how the Ducks rebound now that their national title hopes are over. My guess is complete implosion. Lack of solid leadership and character always reveals itself in the end. Entitled Oregon comes out thinking the Wolf Pac will just roll over. Surprise!
Nevada 35, Oregon 24
Hawaii vs Washington
You would think the Seattle Media and fans would be getting used to a Sarkisian coached team coming out flat and not ready to play at the beginning of the year. The Huskies have had their fair share of hype this year and they severely under achieved on last week. Hawaii just beat Colorado with ease and they are a facing a Husky secondary that got torched by EWU. This is not a recipe for success for the Huskies at home.
Hawaii 35, Washington 17
San Jose St vs UCLA
This would be a tough game for UCLA to lose but don't challenge them to do it. UCLA is in severe crisis at the moment. They could have averted the mess by winning last week but my guess is the team will begin to quit on this coaching staff. They will win this game but I have a feeling they won't impress anyone in doing so.
UCLA 28, SJSU 13
Utah vs USC
This is an interesting match up between two teams that under achieved last week. The Utes passing attacked proved feeble and they really didn't show too much. USC showed its hand a bit in that the offense is going to be centered around Woods and Barkley. It will be interesting to see who shows up to play this week. In the end I just don't think Utah is ready for Pac 12 play yet but I don't know if USC is actually ready for Pac 12 play too.
Utes 27, USC 24
WSU Kool Aid this afternoon
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Is Character Built?????
It was a strange day last Saturday on the Palouse. As I took my morning jog as the sun was rising over the Palouse Ridge Golf Course I had a feeling. It was a good feeling because I just knew the Cougs were going to do something special. My kids were already up as I returned home and the Game Day Flag was flying in the upper right corner of the screen. My son couldn't eat breakfast fast enough so he could put on his Cougar Football player uniform and head to the game. Imagine a 3 year old sitting at the front door waiting until it is 11:30 so we can go tail gate with Nana and Papa. Everything was lining up nicely.
At about 11:30 we arrived in parking lot A across from French Ad to tail gate with the same Cougs we have for our entire lives. My son went nuts when the band came through and my daughter tucked into my wife's shoulder during the Butch visit. Bill Moos walked through dressed to the nines and talked Cougar football with us for a while. After a lunch and a few beers the time had finally arrived to head to the game.
We finally marched up Section 26 to the same seats I have been attending games at since my Dad used to drag me too them when I was five. Now I am sitting with my son, wife, daughter, sister, Dad, Mom, and Brother in Law in Martin Stadium under the beautiful sunshine awaiting kick off. Then it all started to go wrong.
We noticed that Jeff Tuel was not warming up. Word had already spread about the virus he had and was probably not going to play. By the time the we were singing Home of the Cougs at the end of the Star Spangled Banner a little bit of nervousness had crept into my stomach. (it wasn't the beer mixing with my lunch either) I knew we were going to win regardless of Tuel's participation but I wanted to see what this team was fully capable of.
When Lobster took the field on the first snap I was concerned. However, everything changed after the first snap. The Cougs looked great. Lobster was just a piece of the puzzle that Wulff and the Coaches have been building. It actually felt as if I was watching a Cougar team from the past handling their business the way they were suppose too. Our defense was dominating the line, our linebackers were attacking anything in their area, and our corners were making plays in coverage and on the run.
As I was sitting in a near deserted Martin Stadium at half because the Cougs had cruised to a 40-0 lead, I thought this was the team I had waited for. Then word slowly started to trickle in about Tuel's injury and the panic set in again. Why couldn't we just have everything fall into place for this team this year? Then Lobster came back and led the troops right down the field again. Then our third stringers came in and continued to march the football. By the end of the game we had 64 points and our defense held them to 21.
Then came the press conferences and the radio interviews with the players. Surprisingly they were saying what you expect them to say. However, it was different this time. You could tell in their voices that they meant what they were saying. Sure losing Tuel was concerning to them but they believe it isn't going to define their season. This team has gone beyond just one player. They are in this together and will continue to win games together. Mizell understands the defense is going to have to step up its play to keep the offense on the field. Lobster knows that this is his time and when Tuel is ready it will be his time. This team has something other than speed that has been missing in the past. It has character.
At about 11:30 we arrived in parking lot A across from French Ad to tail gate with the same Cougs we have for our entire lives. My son went nuts when the band came through and my daughter tucked into my wife's shoulder during the Butch visit. Bill Moos walked through dressed to the nines and talked Cougar football with us for a while. After a lunch and a few beers the time had finally arrived to head to the game.
We finally marched up Section 26 to the same seats I have been attending games at since my Dad used to drag me too them when I was five. Now I am sitting with my son, wife, daughter, sister, Dad, Mom, and Brother in Law in Martin Stadium under the beautiful sunshine awaiting kick off. Then it all started to go wrong.
We noticed that Jeff Tuel was not warming up. Word had already spread about the virus he had and was probably not going to play. By the time the we were singing Home of the Cougs at the end of the Star Spangled Banner a little bit of nervousness had crept into my stomach. (it wasn't the beer mixing with my lunch either) I knew we were going to win regardless of Tuel's participation but I wanted to see what this team was fully capable of.
When Lobster took the field on the first snap I was concerned. However, everything changed after the first snap. The Cougs looked great. Lobster was just a piece of the puzzle that Wulff and the Coaches have been building. It actually felt as if I was watching a Cougar team from the past handling their business the way they were suppose too. Our defense was dominating the line, our linebackers were attacking anything in their area, and our corners were making plays in coverage and on the run.
As I was sitting in a near deserted Martin Stadium at half because the Cougs had cruised to a 40-0 lead, I thought this was the team I had waited for. Then word slowly started to trickle in about Tuel's injury and the panic set in again. Why couldn't we just have everything fall into place for this team this year? Then Lobster came back and led the troops right down the field again. Then our third stringers came in and continued to march the football. By the end of the game we had 64 points and our defense held them to 21.
Then came the press conferences and the radio interviews with the players. Surprisingly they were saying what you expect them to say. However, it was different this time. You could tell in their voices that they meant what they were saying. Sure losing Tuel was concerning to them but they believe it isn't going to define their season. This team has gone beyond just one player. They are in this together and will continue to win games together. Mizell understands the defense is going to have to step up its play to keep the offense on the field. Lobster knows that this is his time and when Tuel is ready it will be his time. This team has something other than speed that has been missing in the past. It has character.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Weekend Recap - Week One
After a great opening weekend of college football the Pac 12 proved there are more questions to be asked than there were answers given in fall camps.
For example here are a few questions
1. We knew the Oregon State Beavers were decimated by injuries in the off season but are their cupboards really that bare?
2. Did the Seattle Hype machine forget to mention that the Husky Football team greatly underachieved on Saturday?
3. If Jordan Wynn is as good as everyone says then is 100 yards passing considered awesome?
4. Seriously USC at home?????
5. Is it finally time to recognize that opposing defensive coordinators have figured out ways to slow and beat Oregon?
6. Is Stanford a world beater or afraid to play real opponents?
7. Is Arizona even going to try to run the ball this year??
8. If ASU was looking past UC Davis should Missouri be worried??
9. Is Colorado's coach John Embree drinking Lava Flows in excess??
10. Did Cal dominate or just win?
11. Will UCLA figure out how to start a game in 2011?
With those questions out of the way it is time to ask the real question of the weekend. Did WSU really take care of business the way they were suppose too? I cannot remember being more nervous to watch a game with a 27 point spread. However, once the Cougs were up 40-0 at halftime I was more flabbergasted. Even more impressive was the abscence of Jeff Tuel at the helm.
There were really few aspects of the game that the Cougs did not deliver in. The highly touted WR's corps played lights out with 11 Cougar receivers catching passes. How about we has 8 players listed with rushing attempts and all of them rushed for positive yardage for the game? How about 0 sacks allowed and no turnovers? How about a 51 yard field goal? How about a pick 6? How about 6 sacks?
Realistically, the Cougs came out and played exactly the way they should have and it has been a long time. While Jeff Tuel was lost for a period of time Lobster stepped in and showed the benefit of having a 5th year senior as a back up. The Mitz, Mason, Winston, Mason combo at running back should keep defenses honest.
How about this for the recap WSU 64, Idaho State 21. Is there really too much more to go over?
For example here are a few questions
1. We knew the Oregon State Beavers were decimated by injuries in the off season but are their cupboards really that bare?
2. Did the Seattle Hype machine forget to mention that the Husky Football team greatly underachieved on Saturday?
3. If Jordan Wynn is as good as everyone says then is 100 yards passing considered awesome?
4. Seriously USC at home?????
5. Is it finally time to recognize that opposing defensive coordinators have figured out ways to slow and beat Oregon?
6. Is Stanford a world beater or afraid to play real opponents?
7. Is Arizona even going to try to run the ball this year??
8. If ASU was looking past UC Davis should Missouri be worried??
9. Is Colorado's coach John Embree drinking Lava Flows in excess??
10. Did Cal dominate or just win?
11. Will UCLA figure out how to start a game in 2011?
With those questions out of the way it is time to ask the real question of the weekend. Did WSU really take care of business the way they were suppose too? I cannot remember being more nervous to watch a game with a 27 point spread. However, once the Cougs were up 40-0 at halftime I was more flabbergasted. Even more impressive was the abscence of Jeff Tuel at the helm.
There were really few aspects of the game that the Cougs did not deliver in. The highly touted WR's corps played lights out with 11 Cougar receivers catching passes. How about we has 8 players listed with rushing attempts and all of them rushed for positive yardage for the game? How about 0 sacks allowed and no turnovers? How about a 51 yard field goal? How about a pick 6? How about 6 sacks?
Realistically, the Cougs came out and played exactly the way they should have and it has been a long time. While Jeff Tuel was lost for a period of time Lobster stepped in and showed the benefit of having a 5th year senior as a back up. The Mitz, Mason, Winston, Mason combo at running back should keep defenses honest.
How about this for the recap WSU 64, Idaho State 21. Is there really too much more to go over?
Friday, September 2, 2011
Buy in or Leave!
A story that lurks around Cougar Lore is when Billy Newman and Jason Gesser stood in front of the team during summer work outs and proclaimed Buy in or Leave!!! We all remember how that season turned out for that bunch of Cougs. It is also important to note that those Cougs were built around the 1998 Rose Bowl recruiting classes.
Fast forward to this season and you get a different sense from our Cougs. These kids have bought in and they are leaping forward. When Wulff first arrived at WSU the program was just entering its third year of a recruiting drought. It has taken time to get that same amount of talent onto the field. It is here now and the players know it.
The pieces are in place for us to have the same time type of season that Gesser led the Cougs into in 2001. We have a solid quarterback with great leadership skills in Jeff Tuel. We have a stable of quick running backs in Mitz, Galvin and Winston. We have an arguably better receiving corps in Barton, Karstetter, Wilson, Simone, ect. We have serious speed at linebacker in the form of Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis. We have a young and powerful safety in Buccannon. We have a schedule that will allow us to get out of the stable quickly with a couple of wins. We are coming off a season were we finally got competitive towards the end of the year.
Stir it all together and we have a beautiful brew of Cougar Football in the making. What is missing? The game tomorrow and the fans in the stands. The Cougs will be better this year and could have the opportunity to do something special. What it needs to push us over the edge is the fan base behind it. After we start 2-0 the Cougs will be tested by a battle ready SDSU. If the Cougs can continue the momentum we will have a winning record heading into the Stanford game. The key ingredient will be a sold out Martin Stadium to welcome the trees.
It is time for the casual Coug fans to Buy in or Leave. It might sound dramatic but anyone who has had the opportunity to talk to the players know they believe in themselves. It is time for us to jump on the Bandwagon and believe too. I hope to see everyone at the game tomorrow!
Fast forward to this season and you get a different sense from our Cougs. These kids have bought in and they are leaping forward. When Wulff first arrived at WSU the program was just entering its third year of a recruiting drought. It has taken time to get that same amount of talent onto the field. It is here now and the players know it.
The pieces are in place for us to have the same time type of season that Gesser led the Cougs into in 2001. We have a solid quarterback with great leadership skills in Jeff Tuel. We have a stable of quick running backs in Mitz, Galvin and Winston. We have an arguably better receiving corps in Barton, Karstetter, Wilson, Simone, ect. We have serious speed at linebacker in the form of Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis. We have a young and powerful safety in Buccannon. We have a schedule that will allow us to get out of the stable quickly with a couple of wins. We are coming off a season were we finally got competitive towards the end of the year.
Stir it all together and we have a beautiful brew of Cougar Football in the making. What is missing? The game tomorrow and the fans in the stands. The Cougs will be better this year and could have the opportunity to do something special. What it needs to push us over the edge is the fan base behind it. After we start 2-0 the Cougs will be tested by a battle ready SDSU. If the Cougs can continue the momentum we will have a winning record heading into the Stanford game. The key ingredient will be a sold out Martin Stadium to welcome the trees.
It is time for the casual Coug fans to Buy in or Leave. It might sound dramatic but anyone who has had the opportunity to talk to the players know they believe in themselves. It is time for us to jump on the Bandwagon and believe too. I hope to see everyone at the game tomorrow!
Crimson Kool Aid Predictions -- Week One
Week One is upon us and unlike most years, the majority of the games are going to give us a pretty good idea of what to expect this season. Before we get into the in depth predictions let me throw out the quick patsies.
Stanford is going to win big.
Oregon State is going to win. (Should be big but they are extremely banged up)
USC is going to win. (Not sure what Trojan team will show up but the Gophers aren't ready yet)
Those three teams did themselves favors by scheduling weak teams to ease into the season. I am not saying the rest of the Pac 12 scheduled world beaters but the remaining games will prove more about each team than the one's above. Let's get the Kool Aid predictions started.
UCLA vs. Houston
It wasn't too long ago that Ken Sumlin and Houston were the toast of the NCAA football season. In fact, many thought Sumlin might be the future coach of WSU. The results have been mixed since their huge season. Last year the Bruins put down Houston in more ways than one and in doing so left Houston without Keenum for the season. Unfortunately, for UCLA Keenum has recovered and will be looking for blood against the Bruins this year.
UCLA has had a rough off season with injuries and stupidity. They are installing a new system on offense with the departure of Norm Chow. The starting quarterback will be Prince who has yet to prove he is ready for the lime light. However, I am not sold on the fact that Prince couldn't be a star. The Bruins are going to have to establish the running game with Johnathan Franklin if Prince is going to get into any rhythm at all. This will be the key to the game.
UCLA's defense is going to be fast and somewhat healthy. They should be decent in coverage and apply some pressure on Keenum. If their D-Line can stay injury free, the Bruins could have a shot at putting up some big numbers. I am just not confident they will be able to get the offense going at the pace it needs to be moving in order to keep up with Keenum and the Cougars at home.
Prediction.
UH 34 UCLA 17
Cal vs Fresno State
This game is going to be very telling for Cal. Fresno is always known for giving good games to big opponents. USC in 2004 will attest to that. Cal is also playing a semi home game at AT&T field while their stadium is renovated.
Maynard was named the starting quarterback headed into the fall so that means that they at least have that situation under control. Their running game is always above average so that will also take some pressure off of Maynard. However, with the loss of their star D-Lineman it is hard to imagine it will take a little time to establish some consistency on defense.
Cal 24 Fresno 21 with the Bears scoring late to win.
Oregon vs LSU
There isn't too much to say about this game that hasn't already been said by every pundit in the country. This game is really Oregon vs an SEC defensive line. Unfortunately for Duck fans that doesn't bode well for them. Both teams are dealing with distractions off of the field but LSU has more to lose by a loss than the Ducks do.
Oregon 24 LSU 33 LSU's defensive line will be too much for Oregon.
UW vs Eastern Washington
UW is the only program in the country that can have an unproven signal caller and still be considered a major contender in the Pac 12. However, the practice reports coming out of Montlake keep referencing mistakes made by their offense. Price is an athlete but I am not sure he is the kind of QB that Sark wants to develop. Remember Sark tried to turn the best running QB in the country into a pocket passer and that experiment failed. If it wasn't for Polk I don't think the Huskies would have sniffed a bowl game last year.
However, they are playing Eastern who will be over matched at most positions. This game will be interesting to see if the hype coming out of Husky camp is warranted. The Huskies have everything to lose and very little to gain from this game. Eastern will be chomping at the bit to show everyone why they were the FCS champions last year. If Eastern is close at half the game will be up in the air.
UW 31 Eastern 28 on a late field goal by the Huskies.
The Cougar preview will be up later in the day.
Stanford is going to win big.
Oregon State is going to win. (Should be big but they are extremely banged up)
USC is going to win. (Not sure what Trojan team will show up but the Gophers aren't ready yet)
Those three teams did themselves favors by scheduling weak teams to ease into the season. I am not saying the rest of the Pac 12 scheduled world beaters but the remaining games will prove more about each team than the one's above. Let's get the Kool Aid predictions started.
UCLA vs. Houston
It wasn't too long ago that Ken Sumlin and Houston were the toast of the NCAA football season. In fact, many thought Sumlin might be the future coach of WSU. The results have been mixed since their huge season. Last year the Bruins put down Houston in more ways than one and in doing so left Houston without Keenum for the season. Unfortunately, for UCLA Keenum has recovered and will be looking for blood against the Bruins this year.
UCLA has had a rough off season with injuries and stupidity. They are installing a new system on offense with the departure of Norm Chow. The starting quarterback will be Prince who has yet to prove he is ready for the lime light. However, I am not sold on the fact that Prince couldn't be a star. The Bruins are going to have to establish the running game with Johnathan Franklin if Prince is going to get into any rhythm at all. This will be the key to the game.
UCLA's defense is going to be fast and somewhat healthy. They should be decent in coverage and apply some pressure on Keenum. If their D-Line can stay injury free, the Bruins could have a shot at putting up some big numbers. I am just not confident they will be able to get the offense going at the pace it needs to be moving in order to keep up with Keenum and the Cougars at home.
Prediction.
UH 34 UCLA 17
Cal vs Fresno State
This game is going to be very telling for Cal. Fresno is always known for giving good games to big opponents. USC in 2004 will attest to that. Cal is also playing a semi home game at AT&T field while their stadium is renovated.
Maynard was named the starting quarterback headed into the fall so that means that they at least have that situation under control. Their running game is always above average so that will also take some pressure off of Maynard. However, with the loss of their star D-Lineman it is hard to imagine it will take a little time to establish some consistency on defense.
Cal 24 Fresno 21 with the Bears scoring late to win.
Oregon vs LSU
There isn't too much to say about this game that hasn't already been said by every pundit in the country. This game is really Oregon vs an SEC defensive line. Unfortunately for Duck fans that doesn't bode well for them. Both teams are dealing with distractions off of the field but LSU has more to lose by a loss than the Ducks do.
Oregon 24 LSU 33 LSU's defensive line will be too much for Oregon.
UW vs Eastern Washington
UW is the only program in the country that can have an unproven signal caller and still be considered a major contender in the Pac 12. However, the practice reports coming out of Montlake keep referencing mistakes made by their offense. Price is an athlete but I am not sure he is the kind of QB that Sark wants to develop. Remember Sark tried to turn the best running QB in the country into a pocket passer and that experiment failed. If it wasn't for Polk I don't think the Huskies would have sniffed a bowl game last year.
However, they are playing Eastern who will be over matched at most positions. This game will be interesting to see if the hype coming out of Husky camp is warranted. The Huskies have everything to lose and very little to gain from this game. Eastern will be chomping at the bit to show everyone why they were the FCS champions last year. If Eastern is close at half the game will be up in the air.
UW 31 Eastern 28 on a late field goal by the Huskies.
The Cougar preview will be up later in the day.
Recapping the Thursday Night Not so Thrillers
Well, we have finally arrived. The College Football season is upon us. After all the waiting we were graciously rewarded with some brutal blow outs and no surprises, but it still felt great watching football. Lets look at the Pac 12 games from last night.
Montana State 10, Utah 27
When the Utah Utes signed up the Montana State Bobcats I am sure they were not expecting much of a game. Especially since the Bobcats are breaking in a new offensive line. Therefore, they got exactly what the score board dictated. Or did they?
What did we learn about Utah?
Well obviously they had a great game plan and executed it to perfection. They blistered a quick 17 points on the score board and they Jordan Wynn sat for the rest of the game and that explains the scoring stall. Not exactly. On Utah's first series they went three and out. They had great field position after an interception and Wynn drove them down the final 8 yards to score. They put together a 62 yard drive on the their third possession thanks to some great running. On their fourth third possession of the quarter they got the ball on the Montana State 15 after a blocked punt. The result was a 37 yard field goal because they went 3 and out losing five yards. Not exactly blistering 17 points, but taking advantage of MSU's mistakes.
The rest of the game the Utes were only able to put together one scoring drive. (The second field goal was the result of a 70 yard kick off return) Sure a win is a win and from a Cougfan it is obvious that MSU can be a tough opponent. However, I like to think that if Utah was as young as the Cougs were last year it is very possible the result would have been identical. The Utes have a highly touted veteran QB, O-Line, WR's, ect. If this game is indicative of their Pac 12 run I have a bad feeling the Utes are going to have a long year in the Pac.
Quick Stats from the game
Utah Total Yards : 292 yards
Utah Longest Drive: 62 yards
Passing Yards: 101 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 258
ASU 48, UC Davis 14
Arizona State played like a Pac 12 team playing an inferior opponent. They came out, hit them in the mouth, hit on their sister, and then played some football.
What did we learn about ASU?
Well, you can always learn more from close games than blow outs. Therefore, we learned that ASU was able to start the season by living up to the expectations that have been set for them. They just took care of business. Or did they? ASU scored easily on their first three possessions but then came the funny farm. On a minor 4 and 2 on the the UC Davis 26 ASU attempts to pass the ball instead of just running it for the first down against an inferior line. The result was a turnover on downs. On their next possession they squandered a good drive by fumbling the football. Next offensive possession resulted in an interception. Then they finally got it together and finished the game strong.
While ASU may look good on paper, they sure played like the classically coached Dennis Erickson Sun Devils. Loads of talent, lack of discipline. It will be interesting to see how they match up against Pac 12 talent. Only against UC Davis can you afford to lose possession on downs, lose possession on a fumble, get a field goal, and then throw an interception on consecutive drives and win by 38 points.
Quick States
ASU Total Yards : 517 yards
ASULongest Drive: 81 yards
Passing Yards: 300 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 243
That's it for last night's recap. Crimson Kool Aid predictions coming up later today.
Montana State 10, Utah 27
When the Utah Utes signed up the Montana State Bobcats I am sure they were not expecting much of a game. Especially since the Bobcats are breaking in a new offensive line. Therefore, they got exactly what the score board dictated. Or did they?
What did we learn about Utah?
Well obviously they had a great game plan and executed it to perfection. They blistered a quick 17 points on the score board and they Jordan Wynn sat for the rest of the game and that explains the scoring stall. Not exactly. On Utah's first series they went three and out. They had great field position after an interception and Wynn drove them down the final 8 yards to score. They put together a 62 yard drive on the their third possession thanks to some great running. On their fourth third possession of the quarter they got the ball on the Montana State 15 after a blocked punt. The result was a 37 yard field goal because they went 3 and out losing five yards. Not exactly blistering 17 points, but taking advantage of MSU's mistakes.
The rest of the game the Utes were only able to put together one scoring drive. (The second field goal was the result of a 70 yard kick off return) Sure a win is a win and from a Cougfan it is obvious that MSU can be a tough opponent. However, I like to think that if Utah was as young as the Cougs were last year it is very possible the result would have been identical. The Utes have a highly touted veteran QB, O-Line, WR's, ect. If this game is indicative of their Pac 12 run I have a bad feeling the Utes are going to have a long year in the Pac.
Quick Stats from the game
Utah Total Yards : 292 yards
Utah Longest Drive: 62 yards
Passing Yards: 101 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 258
ASU 48, UC Davis 14
Arizona State played like a Pac 12 team playing an inferior opponent. They came out, hit them in the mouth, hit on their sister, and then played some football.
What did we learn about ASU?
Well, you can always learn more from close games than blow outs. Therefore, we learned that ASU was able to start the season by living up to the expectations that have been set for them. They just took care of business. Or did they? ASU scored easily on their first three possessions but then came the funny farm. On a minor 4 and 2 on the the UC Davis 26 ASU attempts to pass the ball instead of just running it for the first down against an inferior line. The result was a turnover on downs. On their next possession they squandered a good drive by fumbling the football. Next offensive possession resulted in an interception. Then they finally got it together and finished the game strong.
While ASU may look good on paper, they sure played like the classically coached Dennis Erickson Sun Devils. Loads of talent, lack of discipline. It will be interesting to see how they match up against Pac 12 talent. Only against UC Davis can you afford to lose possession on downs, lose possession on a fumble, get a field goal, and then throw an interception on consecutive drives and win by 38 points.
Quick States
ASU Total Yards : 517 yards
ASULongest Drive: 81 yards
Passing Yards: 300 yards
Rushing Yards: 191 yards
Total Yards Against: 243
That's it for last night's recap. Crimson Kool Aid predictions coming up later today.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Idaho State -- Keys to Success
There are plenty of areas we could point too this weekend and say it is one area the Cougs must excel in to beat Idaho State. However, that is being a little over dramatic and over simplified. For example, I could say Jeff Tuel has to have a solid performance if the Cougs want a shot. This would neglect the simple fact that Jeff Tuel has to have a solid performance in every game for the Cougs to have a shot. I could point to Wilson and Karstetter and talk of the importance of them to dominate their opposing corners but they have to do that every game. Don't forget about how key it is for the Cougs to dominate, or at least hold, the defensive line of scrimmage. Yep, another area that is important in every game so there is very little value in discussing it when the Cougs are playing an over matched Idaho State team. So what should we look to for the key to success in this game? There is only one aspect of a game that can allow a team like Idaho State to keep it close and maybe pull out a squeaker. The Cougs have to ensure their special teams are prepared for Saturday's match up.
First and foremost, the Cougar Kickoff team needs to be ready to make plays. Idaho State's Tavoy Moore has garnered preseason accolades for a reason. He is a burner that can easily take any kick to the house. Therefore, it is paramount that the Cougar Special Teams does not allow Moore to negate any WSU scores by taking a kick off to the house. If Saturday's box score shows 2 TD and 200 return yards for Moore I am going to have a bad feeling in my stomach for the rest of the season.
Second, the Cougs need to ensure they are holding the line on the field goal unit. One area of fall camp that has been swept under the rug is the inability of our FG unit to keep defenders from blocking field goals. Some of this could be due to poor snapping but in my experience if a kick is blocked it is because someone has royally screwed up. Therefore, if multiple kicks have been blocked in multiple practices it is a serious problem. In a perfect world the Cougs shouldn't have to worry about leaving points off the board against a team like Idaho State. However, given the recent history of Cougar football I am not ready to say this team is at the level they can allow that to happen.
Punt coverage will be another area of concern WSU needs to have shored up before Saturday. The reason, once again, is Tavoy Moore. The kid is just dangerous in open field. While WSU improved dramatically last season, I am not ready to say they are going to be prepared to face a punt returner like Moore. Another reason for concern is the absence of Reid Forrest. Dan Wagner is ready to step in but in Fall camp I saw more deep kicks with low hang time. Therefore, Moore is most likely going to get an opportunity to put a few moves on.
The Cougs should be able to pull this game out with some comfort. However, if we give up a couple of special teams TD's we will be in a game with an opponent we should be able to handle. Therefore, our key to success is no special team blunders!
First and foremost, the Cougar Kickoff team needs to be ready to make plays. Idaho State's Tavoy Moore has garnered preseason accolades for a reason. He is a burner that can easily take any kick to the house. Therefore, it is paramount that the Cougar Special Teams does not allow Moore to negate any WSU scores by taking a kick off to the house. If Saturday's box score shows 2 TD and 200 return yards for Moore I am going to have a bad feeling in my stomach for the rest of the season.
Second, the Cougs need to ensure they are holding the line on the field goal unit. One area of fall camp that has been swept under the rug is the inability of our FG unit to keep defenders from blocking field goals. Some of this could be due to poor snapping but in my experience if a kick is blocked it is because someone has royally screwed up. Therefore, if multiple kicks have been blocked in multiple practices it is a serious problem. In a perfect world the Cougs shouldn't have to worry about leaving points off the board against a team like Idaho State. However, given the recent history of Cougar football I am not ready to say this team is at the level they can allow that to happen.
Punt coverage will be another area of concern WSU needs to have shored up before Saturday. The reason, once again, is Tavoy Moore. The kid is just dangerous in open field. While WSU improved dramatically last season, I am not ready to say they are going to be prepared to face a punt returner like Moore. Another reason for concern is the absence of Reid Forrest. Dan Wagner is ready to step in but in Fall camp I saw more deep kicks with low hang time. Therefore, Moore is most likely going to get an opportunity to put a few moves on.
The Cougs should be able to pull this game out with some comfort. However, if we give up a couple of special teams TD's we will be in a game with an opponent we should be able to handle. Therefore, our key to success is no special team blunders!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Season Opener - Bring on the Bengals!!!!
Well, it has been too long overdue since we have been under the beautiful sunshine in Martin Stadium watching a football game in God's country. Finally, this Saturday we get to enjoy Cougar Football Saturday once again. Besides the bigger, faster, and stronger football players, Cougs fans get to enjoy the new lettering in the end zones and the new Cougar Den private gameday area under the score board. We also get to enjoy an opponent we are actually favored against. However, the mighty Bengals of Idaho State do have some players Coug Fans should be aware of. Consider this your primer of who to watch out for this Saturday.
Braedon Clayson: Clayson is a 6'6" 300lb horse of an O-Lineman who has grown into a dominant force for the Bengals. With the overall lack of size present on their O-Line he will be a man amongst boys protecting the quarterback. If the Bengals want any shot of getting any momentum against the Cougs he is going to have to own his side of the line.
Tavoy Moore: Moore is a small back at 5'6" 190lbs but his play is eerily similar to Quizz Rodgers. Tavoy plays with a chip on his shoulder and has speed to burn. In the open field he is difficult at best to bring down. If you want to get an idea of the talent the Cougs will be tasked at stopping here is a youtube clip of him. Tavoy Moore Player of the Week. It would be surprising to see him kept quiet by the best defense in the country let alone WSU.
Roderick Rumble: Rumble is a 6'2" 200lb junior WR who has emerged as the leader amongst a young receiving corps. Similar to the Cougs the Bengals are young but experienced at the WR position. Rumble is a physical receiver who has learned the tricks of playing at the collegiate level. Hopefully, Washington and Simmons are battle tested enough to shut Rumble down after practicing against Wilson and Karstetter all summer and fall.
Kevin Yost: Yost is a 6'1' 195lb QB who has some legs to go with his pocket presence. Unfortunately for Yost, his offensive line is on the smaller side and he will have to use his legs in order to avoid sacks. Yost is an accurate passer, especially on mid range throws. He is a JC transfer from Arizona and is ready to make the most of his Jr. year at Idaho State.
Jordan Monga: Monga is a 5'11" nose tackle weighing in at 275lbs. If the Bengals want to slow WSU's running game it will have to relying on his push up front. Monga plays physical and has good technique in regards to low pad level. He is the rock being flanked by a 235lb and 240lbs tackles.
AJ Storms: Storms a 6'0" 230lb was the anchor of the 2010 Bengal defense. Storms was the pride of Meridian Idaho before Darren Markle even suited up in High School He is quick, strong, and loves to put his helmet on RB's. Mitz, Galvin, and Winston will have to avoid Storms if they want to have any shot of putting together a big game.
David Harrington: Harrington is 6'2" punter with a 50 yard leg. Whatever, field position advantage the Bengals had last year was because Harrington is a boomer. It will be interesting to see how our Punt Return game plays out considering the distance Harrington can put behind the football.
The Bengals had a rough year last year but are now under the helm of the Mike Kramer era. Kramer knows a thing or two about WSU but I don't know if that will be enough to overcome the size and speed difference he will face on Saturday. The Cougs are favored by 27.5 points and on paper they should be able to deliver. However, it will be hard to tell what this game will say about the Cougs when it comes to a close on Saturday afternoon. It will be nice to be playing a team like the Idaho State Bengals instead of one of the powerhouses we have been opening with lately.
Go Cougs
Braedon Clayson: Clayson is a 6'6" 300lb horse of an O-Lineman who has grown into a dominant force for the Bengals. With the overall lack of size present on their O-Line he will be a man amongst boys protecting the quarterback. If the Bengals want any shot of getting any momentum against the Cougs he is going to have to own his side of the line.
Tavoy Moore: Moore is a small back at 5'6" 190lbs but his play is eerily similar to Quizz Rodgers. Tavoy plays with a chip on his shoulder and has speed to burn. In the open field he is difficult at best to bring down. If you want to get an idea of the talent the Cougs will be tasked at stopping here is a youtube clip of him. Tavoy Moore Player of the Week. It would be surprising to see him kept quiet by the best defense in the country let alone WSU.
Roderick Rumble: Rumble is a 6'2" 200lb junior WR who has emerged as the leader amongst a young receiving corps. Similar to the Cougs the Bengals are young but experienced at the WR position. Rumble is a physical receiver who has learned the tricks of playing at the collegiate level. Hopefully, Washington and Simmons are battle tested enough to shut Rumble down after practicing against Wilson and Karstetter all summer and fall.
Kevin Yost: Yost is a 6'1' 195lb QB who has some legs to go with his pocket presence. Unfortunately for Yost, his offensive line is on the smaller side and he will have to use his legs in order to avoid sacks. Yost is an accurate passer, especially on mid range throws. He is a JC transfer from Arizona and is ready to make the most of his Jr. year at Idaho State.
Jordan Monga: Monga is a 5'11" nose tackle weighing in at 275lbs. If the Bengals want to slow WSU's running game it will have to relying on his push up front. Monga plays physical and has good technique in regards to low pad level. He is the rock being flanked by a 235lb and 240lbs tackles.
AJ Storms: Storms a 6'0" 230lb was the anchor of the 2010 Bengal defense. Storms was the pride of Meridian Idaho before Darren Markle even suited up in High School He is quick, strong, and loves to put his helmet on RB's. Mitz, Galvin, and Winston will have to avoid Storms if they want to have any shot of putting together a big game.
David Harrington: Harrington is 6'2" punter with a 50 yard leg. Whatever, field position advantage the Bengals had last year was because Harrington is a boomer. It will be interesting to see how our Punt Return game plays out considering the distance Harrington can put behind the football.
The Bengals had a rough year last year but are now under the helm of the Mike Kramer era. Kramer knows a thing or two about WSU but I don't know if that will be enough to overcome the size and speed difference he will face on Saturday. The Cougs are favored by 27.5 points and on paper they should be able to deliver. However, it will be hard to tell what this game will say about the Cougs when it comes to a close on Saturday afternoon. It will be nice to be playing a team like the Idaho State Bengals instead of one of the powerhouses we have been opening with lately.
Go Cougs
Monday, August 29, 2011
Weekend Recap - Fan Day
As you can tell from the WSU Desktop Background Fan Day was an overall success for the Fans. It was fun having the opportunity to interact with the players and coaches. It isn't every day fans get to meet and shake hands with players on their turf. It was burner on the Martin Stadium turf though. I am guessing it was pushing 100 degrees at field level. That didn't deter the players attitudes at all. Here are some general observations after meeting the players.
Chas Sampson is a class act. You can tell he is mature and has experienced things the other players cannot understand. He was taking it all in and you could tell he was relishing his opportunity.
Brandon Rankin is amazing at going out of his way to take care of the kids. You can tell he wants to make an impression on them and it is fun to watch a 300lb man get down on their level.
Darryl Monroe seems ecstatic to be a Coug. He may have had the biggest smile out on the field. It isn't as big as Bender's but if he continues to flash it on the field a comparison could be drawn.
Dominique Williams may have the best fade on the team. While Jake Rodgers may be vying for the title with the mullet, Williams has an incredible Kid N' Play flat top. He rocks it too. If anyone has the opportunity to meet him take the time.
Marcus Mason looks bigger than I was expecting him too up close. He seems excited to have the opportunity to play and excited to be a Coug.
Joe Kaleta is quiet as usual. I joked with him about Lobster Ladie's Man quote to which he responded, "I hope my girlfriend doesn't read Cougfan."
Wade Jacobsen enjoys the opportunity to interact with fans and it shows. I was carrying around the Martin Stadium picture to get signed and he practically tackled me to sign it. He is alot of fun and looks bigger too.
David Gonzales in person appears to have had a serious physical transformation. It looks as though the weights were kind to him in the off season. He was business as usual on the field Saturday.
Jared Karstetter acted like the season pro he is at these events. Jared is a Coug that you just have to root for and hopefully makes it to the next level so he can represent Cougar Nation their too.
Jeff Tuel handles the attention nicely. I could imagine it must be overwhelming because he is probably the most recognized player on the team.
Chester Sua was with Monroe and Mizell when I got his autograph. You can tell he is still adjusting to the attention he was getting. However, he looks the part already.
Dan Wagner seems to be enjoying his new role too. I asked him we were going to see him throwing some bombs during fake punts to which he said, "I may still have a few throws up my sleeve."
Ricky Galvin is just compact. I asked him about his arm and he said he thinks it is stronger because of all the pins and plates. He is ready for his debut redux.
If anyone has any additional questions or specifics about the players just leave a comment and I will reply back. It was a great day and I would recommend you should try to make a fan day in Pullman sometime.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
WSU Desktop Background
If your computer cannot stretch the image without distortion email me crimsongoggles@jlmsolution.com and I will email you the high quality image.
Or
You should be able to grab it off the Facebook Page for Crimson Goggles.
Friday, August 26, 2011
No Podcast this week but a Quick Look at the D-Line
Most of us are old enough to have lived through the three ten win seasons, though most of this team were just starting pee wee pads at the time. However, those teams were always built around solid D-Lines. I always remember my Dad telling me about how WSU has to recruit tight ends and allow them to develop into great D-Lineman for us to be successful. Therefore, it is a process for us to become solid on the D-Line. While I wonder if my dad actually knows much about the game of football this is one area he seems to be right about.
What did the D-Line of Jeremy Williams, Tai Tupai, Josh Shavies, D.D Acholuno, Isaac Brown, and Mkisto Bruce have in common. Those five all were red shirted. The result was an extra year in the weight room to build the character and strength necessary to compete in the Pac 10. Now look at Anthony Laurenzi, Toni Pole, Brandon Rankin, Travis Long, and Coeper/Stormo and besides Rankin and Long it is built with redshirts. Of course, this years line is still younger than the 2003 line but this is the first year in a while that we are not relying on true frosh to fill the line.
In fact, if you look at the line through the Crimson Goggles it might have warped into a team strength in the off season. Anyone that watched fall practice last year knew that Toni Pole was going to develop into a Pac 12 D-Lineman quickly. However, it has been the emergence of the true Coug players which has made this unit a strength. I say the true Cougs because we have a long history of players stepping up to the plate and becoming studs that no one else thought would develop into anything. Last year it was the emergence of Anthony Laurenzi at the end of the year. This year it appears Stormo and Coeper decided they were ready to do anything to get on the field and compete. Competing is exactly what they have done and their emergence has made our Defensive Line deep.
Rankin, Sampson, and Clayton will all be seeing some time on the field this year and in Rankin's case I think it is safe to say we have a back up D-Lineman that could start on other Pac 12 teams. Sampson is a work in progress but his size and maturity could make him into a beast by years end. While Clayton gets little coverage he has done all of the little things right and will continue to push for his playing time too.
Ian Knight and Lenard Williams have also been pleasant surprises to provide depth at the defensive end position. Ian Knight may be one of our best recruits in last years class because he appears at the moment to be Travis Long's back up as a speed rushing end. Which means we will be able to rotate Long and Knight to provide a consistent push off the end all year long. Don't count Lenard Williams out of the mix either. He shows some serious flashes but is still getting use to the Pac 12 talent level. I could see him being a contender by mid season meaning we have the bodies to be physical and fast all year long.
Now let's look at David Davis, TJ Poloai, and Darryl Paulo. These three freshmen are probably in line to redshirt this season. David Davis is a bull rusher who is a little undersized at the moment. He doesn't play undersized and shows serious burst of strength when necessary. TJ Poloai looks to be the most game ready at the moment. He is only slightly undersized but has done a great job of picking up Coach Howard's techniques. Darryl Paulo, who played LB in high school, has the frame to be an absolute beast. A year in the weight program and he could have gains similar to Jake Rodgers. They make the future very bright considering next spring we will have three competitive redshirt DT's on the roster.
It is easy to say the sky is the limit for this group considering what we have lived through since 2005. I like to think of this group like the LB unit from last year. They are young but loaded with potential. This will not be as much as a learning year for this group but a year to gain valuable experience of what it takes to compete in the Pac 12. They will be competitive, make plays, and hold their own. With the talent on the roster at the moment though, we will have a solid line for years to come starting right now.
What did the D-Line of Jeremy Williams, Tai Tupai, Josh Shavies, D.D Acholuno, Isaac Brown, and Mkisto Bruce have in common. Those five all were red shirted. The result was an extra year in the weight room to build the character and strength necessary to compete in the Pac 10. Now look at Anthony Laurenzi, Toni Pole, Brandon Rankin, Travis Long, and Coeper/Stormo and besides Rankin and Long it is built with redshirts. Of course, this years line is still younger than the 2003 line but this is the first year in a while that we are not relying on true frosh to fill the line.
In fact, if you look at the line through the Crimson Goggles it might have warped into a team strength in the off season. Anyone that watched fall practice last year knew that Toni Pole was going to develop into a Pac 12 D-Lineman quickly. However, it has been the emergence of the true Coug players which has made this unit a strength. I say the true Cougs because we have a long history of players stepping up to the plate and becoming studs that no one else thought would develop into anything. Last year it was the emergence of Anthony Laurenzi at the end of the year. This year it appears Stormo and Coeper decided they were ready to do anything to get on the field and compete. Competing is exactly what they have done and their emergence has made our Defensive Line deep.
Rankin, Sampson, and Clayton will all be seeing some time on the field this year and in Rankin's case I think it is safe to say we have a back up D-Lineman that could start on other Pac 12 teams. Sampson is a work in progress but his size and maturity could make him into a beast by years end. While Clayton gets little coverage he has done all of the little things right and will continue to push for his playing time too.
Ian Knight and Lenard Williams have also been pleasant surprises to provide depth at the defensive end position. Ian Knight may be one of our best recruits in last years class because he appears at the moment to be Travis Long's back up as a speed rushing end. Which means we will be able to rotate Long and Knight to provide a consistent push off the end all year long. Don't count Lenard Williams out of the mix either. He shows some serious flashes but is still getting use to the Pac 12 talent level. I could see him being a contender by mid season meaning we have the bodies to be physical and fast all year long.
Now let's look at David Davis, TJ Poloai, and Darryl Paulo. These three freshmen are probably in line to redshirt this season. David Davis is a bull rusher who is a little undersized at the moment. He doesn't play undersized and shows serious burst of strength when necessary. TJ Poloai looks to be the most game ready at the moment. He is only slightly undersized but has done a great job of picking up Coach Howard's techniques. Darryl Paulo, who played LB in high school, has the frame to be an absolute beast. A year in the weight program and he could have gains similar to Jake Rodgers. They make the future very bright considering next spring we will have three competitive redshirt DT's on the roster.
It is easy to say the sky is the limit for this group considering what we have lived through since 2005. I like to think of this group like the LB unit from last year. They are young but loaded with potential. This will not be as much as a learning year for this group but a year to gain valuable experience of what it takes to compete in the Pac 12. They will be competitive, make plays, and hold their own. With the talent on the roster at the moment though, we will have a solid line for years to come starting right now.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Coug Scrimmage -- Special Teams may need a Short Bus
In the interest of disclosure I was only present for the first 60 minutes of the scrimmage. While it is always a pleasure to be under the lights in Martin Stadium I decided when BJ Guerra started snapping the ball to Cody Clements it was almost over. So here is the quick story.
The scrimmage started off a little flat. The opening kick off was fumbled. However, the 1 defense quickly handled the 2 offense. Bring in the punt team and the result was Ricky Galvin fumbling and quickly diving on the punt for no return.
Thank goodness the Jeff Tuel and the first team offense could give me something to get behind. They didn't disappoint either. A quick screen pass led to a solid run and before you knew it was 3rd and goal. TD Karstetter, but it was called back due to a false start. Furney nails the FG.
That was the gist of the scrimmage tonight. For every great play their was a boneheaded play. Two field goals were blocked and one punt was almost blocked. A great catch was negated by holding penalty.
Their were some very bright spots though. Jeff Tuel looked pretty solid considering it was obvious he was slightly off tonight. It is nice to have a QB that can still get the job done when they are a little off. Marquess Wilson, Karstetter, Barton, and Kristoff Williams all did well. Though I think Williams didn't appear as physical as the rest but he did redshirt last year.
Carl Winston looked like he is ready to show us what he plays like when he is healthy. He looked great during one series. First hitting the hole and fighting for yards. Then on a 3rd down putting his shoulder down and earning the critical yards necessary for a first down. The first down allowed Jeff Tuel to hit Isiah Barton for a TD strike later in the drive.
Did the Cougs solidify my gut feeling we are going to have a solid year this year. Not really but it was a scrimmage. Without getting too much into detail it was hard to tell if they were framing ISU Bengal because of the different defensive formations that were on display. Who knows but we still have two weeks to sharpen up.
Starting Defense
DE Travis Long
DT Anthony Laurenzi
DT Toni Pole
DE Adam Coeper/Skyler Stormo
LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis
LB CJ Mizell
LB Sekope Kafusi
CB Daniel Simmons
SS Tyree Toomer
FS Deonne Buccannon
CB Damonte Horton
Starting Offense
LT Wade Jacobson
LG John Fullington
C Andrew Roxas
RG BJ Guerra
RT David Gonzales
QB Jeff Tuel
RB Logwone Mitz
WR Marquess Wilson
WR Jared Karstetter
WR Isiah Barton
TE Andre Lintz
Kick Returners
Ricky Galvin, Marcus Mason, Isiah Barton
Kicker
Andrew Furney
Punter
Dan Wagner
The scrimmage started off a little flat. The opening kick off was fumbled. However, the 1 defense quickly handled the 2 offense. Bring in the punt team and the result was Ricky Galvin fumbling and quickly diving on the punt for no return.
Thank goodness the Jeff Tuel and the first team offense could give me something to get behind. They didn't disappoint either. A quick screen pass led to a solid run and before you knew it was 3rd and goal. TD Karstetter, but it was called back due to a false start. Furney nails the FG.
That was the gist of the scrimmage tonight. For every great play their was a boneheaded play. Two field goals were blocked and one punt was almost blocked. A great catch was negated by holding penalty.
Their were some very bright spots though. Jeff Tuel looked pretty solid considering it was obvious he was slightly off tonight. It is nice to have a QB that can still get the job done when they are a little off. Marquess Wilson, Karstetter, Barton, and Kristoff Williams all did well. Though I think Williams didn't appear as physical as the rest but he did redshirt last year.
Carl Winston looked like he is ready to show us what he plays like when he is healthy. He looked great during one series. First hitting the hole and fighting for yards. Then on a 3rd down putting his shoulder down and earning the critical yards necessary for a first down. The first down allowed Jeff Tuel to hit Isiah Barton for a TD strike later in the drive.
Did the Cougs solidify my gut feeling we are going to have a solid year this year. Not really but it was a scrimmage. Without getting too much into detail it was hard to tell if they were framing ISU Bengal because of the different defensive formations that were on display. Who knows but we still have two weeks to sharpen up.
Starting Defense
DE Travis Long
DT Anthony Laurenzi
DT Toni Pole
DE Adam Coeper/Skyler Stormo
LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis
LB CJ Mizell
LB Sekope Kafusi
CB Daniel Simmons
SS Tyree Toomer
FS Deonne Buccannon
CB Damonte Horton
Starting Offense
LT Wade Jacobson
LG John Fullington
C Andrew Roxas
RG BJ Guerra
RT David Gonzales
QB Jeff Tuel
RB Logwone Mitz
WR Marquess Wilson
WR Jared Karstetter
WR Isiah Barton
TE Andre Lintz
Kick Returners
Ricky Galvin, Marcus Mason, Isiah Barton
Kicker
Andrew Furney
Punter
Dan Wagner
WSU and the Magic of a Jr. Quarterback Campaign
Looking back at WSU it is easy to see why it has been dubbed as QBU at times. We have a history of some pretty talented QB's. The equation has usually resulted in the Cougs winning when they have a veteran signal caller at the helm. Outside of Alex Brink, the Cougar statistical leader, the pattern seems to explode when when the signal callers hit their junior season.
I will only explore some of our recent history but I am in no ways downplaying the accomplishments of Thompson, Rypien, Rosenbach, etc. However, I have a very fond memory of being in Section 26 when Ryan Leaf took on the ASU Sun Devils in Martin Stadium when he was a sophomore. I was watching the game with one of my good friends and anyone who was there would have thought the two of us obviously found some booze pregame. I was a frosh in Highschool but I knew Ryan Leaf was something I hadn't seen in a while. The result was Leaf leading us to an amazing season in 1998.
Fast forward to the Cougs playing Idaho when Gesser was a freshman and I saw the same type of spark. I remember sitting outside of the SAE house in 2000 debating how good the Cougs were going to be the following year. The response was that I was drunk if I thought the Cougs were going to go to a major bowl. The result was Gesser leading us to a 10 win season in his Junior Campaign and following that up with a Heisman run and the Rose Bowl in 2002.
So why do I think we have a realistic shot at another special season this year? Jeff Tuel is entering his junior campaign and bringing a WR's corps that could be one of the best to play at WSU. It isn't just Tuel's junior year that has me optimistic. I had the opportunity to watch Tuel in in his first practices as a Coug. Something about him stood out and it was obvious he was going to become a man amongst boys. Well here we are jumping into his Junior season and the stars are beginning to align once again. Hopefully, the magic of our past takes hold for Jeff Tuel and we will all witness the emergence of Cougar Football once again!
I will only explore some of our recent history but I am in no ways downplaying the accomplishments of Thompson, Rypien, Rosenbach, etc. However, I have a very fond memory of being in Section 26 when Ryan Leaf took on the ASU Sun Devils in Martin Stadium when he was a sophomore. I was watching the game with one of my good friends and anyone who was there would have thought the two of us obviously found some booze pregame. I was a frosh in Highschool but I knew Ryan Leaf was something I hadn't seen in a while. The result was Leaf leading us to an amazing season in 1998.
Fast forward to the Cougs playing Idaho when Gesser was a freshman and I saw the same type of spark. I remember sitting outside of the SAE house in 2000 debating how good the Cougs were going to be the following year. The response was that I was drunk if I thought the Cougs were going to go to a major bowl. The result was Gesser leading us to a 10 win season in his Junior Campaign and following that up with a Heisman run and the Rose Bowl in 2002.
So why do I think we have a realistic shot at another special season this year? Jeff Tuel is entering his junior campaign and bringing a WR's corps that could be one of the best to play at WSU. It isn't just Tuel's junior year that has me optimistic. I had the opportunity to watch Tuel in in his first practices as a Coug. Something about him stood out and it was obvious he was going to become a man amongst boys. Well here we are jumping into his Junior season and the stars are beginning to align once again. Hopefully, the magic of our past takes hold for Jeff Tuel and we will all witness the emergence of Cougar Football once again!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Keys to Success - Keep Their Heads into Practice and Not the Tail.
The Cougs have quietly put together quite a productive camp. However, that seemed to shift yesterday when the Cougs suffered a terrible practice after their first day of school. I can't say I blame them too much. There was more coeds catching my eye than big hits being thrown around at practice. Not the end of the world for an occasional slip up but it cannot be sustained over the long term. Therefore, with the first day behind the Cougs they can get over the tail parade and get back to season prep.
This shouldn't be too concerning considering the amount of work that has taken place with this team since the end of last season. You could look at the consistency with Tuel and his receivers to see they haven't taken much time off at all. However, the interesting story will be coming out of the D-Line. It magically transformed from a position of concern to a spot that is turning out to be quite solid. Laurenzi, Pole, Rankin, Clayton, and Sampson will make up the interior lineman and I can't remember the last time we had a 5 man rotation at DT.
Coming out of spring it looked like it Knight and Long had the defensive end position locked down. However, fall camp has changed the complexion with Stormo, Coerper, Lenard Williams, and Pu'Robinson (when healthy) all rotating in and out of the spot opposite Long. The depth is nice but it will also be an opportunity to disrupt the other teams game planning against our defense. Long and Knight could provide a speed rush nightmare. Long and Stormo could provide a bull rush with solid coverage. Fall camp started with a paper thin defensive line and now has morphed into a pretty solid unit.
This weeks Key to Success is for them to keep their minds in practice and the D-Line rotation healthy.
This shouldn't be too concerning considering the amount of work that has taken place with this team since the end of last season. You could look at the consistency with Tuel and his receivers to see they haven't taken much time off at all. However, the interesting story will be coming out of the D-Line. It magically transformed from a position of concern to a spot that is turning out to be quite solid. Laurenzi, Pole, Rankin, Clayton, and Sampson will make up the interior lineman and I can't remember the last time we had a 5 man rotation at DT.
Coming out of spring it looked like it Knight and Long had the defensive end position locked down. However, fall camp has changed the complexion with Stormo, Coerper, Lenard Williams, and Pu'Robinson (when healthy) all rotating in and out of the spot opposite Long. The depth is nice but it will also be an opportunity to disrupt the other teams game planning against our defense. Long and Knight could provide a speed rush nightmare. Long and Stormo could provide a bull rush with solid coverage. Fall camp started with a paper thin defensive line and now has morphed into a pretty solid unit.
This weeks Key to Success is for them to keep their minds in practice and the D-Line rotation healthy.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Around the Horn -- Tweaking Pac 12 Headlines
As a Pac 12 junkie I follow alot of sources trying to see how the Cougs will match up against their competition. I am always amazed to read some of the headlines coming from the other schools. Sometimes I get the distinct feeling that their writers are wearing their own set of goggles. Therefore, I will help by tweaking their stories with new headlines.
Each one of these headlines were gleamed from Ted Miller's ESPN Pac 12 blog.
Arizona
http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/college/wildcats/article_df837b60-af15-52f2-aac6-e0c57d8df9e3.html. After 2010 problems Wade Turns Corner
Retitled: 2010 was bad but hey 2011 is a new year right?
You know it is a problem when the beginning of a piece is riddled with reminders about the poor season Wade turned in in 2010. So when he intercepted Foles twice during the scrimmage is that an indication of Wade stepping up at corner or Foles taking a step back at QB?
ASU
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2011/08/22/20110822asu-defensive-tackle-corey-adams-camp.html Adams Wows in Camp
Retitled: Miracle Wade is actually healthy
Corey Wade could be a game changer for the Sun Devils this season at DT. Mainly because he will be playing without injury. Back problems and a car accident has sidelined him for his career thus far. So he looks pretty sharp playing with just a slight hamstring injury.
Colorado
http://www.buffzone.com/ci_18733507 John Embree turns to CU Buffs Freshman
Retitled: Embree didn't sign up for this
When an article states he isn't afraid to play freshmen it usually means there wasn't much there to begin with. If anyone can sympathize it is us Coug Fans.
That is it for now. We will cover more during the podcast on Friday!
Each one of these headlines were gleamed from Ted Miller's ESPN Pac 12 blog.
Arizona
http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/college/wildcats/article_df837b60-af15-52f2-aac6-e0c57d8df9e3.html. After 2010 problems Wade Turns Corner
Retitled: 2010 was bad but hey 2011 is a new year right?
You know it is a problem when the beginning of a piece is riddled with reminders about the poor season Wade turned in in 2010. So when he intercepted Foles twice during the scrimmage is that an indication of Wade stepping up at corner or Foles taking a step back at QB?
ASU
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2011/08/22/20110822asu-defensive-tackle-corey-adams-camp.html Adams Wows in Camp
Retitled: Miracle Wade is actually healthy
Corey Wade could be a game changer for the Sun Devils this season at DT. Mainly because he will be playing without injury. Back problems and a car accident has sidelined him for his career thus far. So he looks pretty sharp playing with just a slight hamstring injury.
Colorado
http://www.buffzone.com/ci_18733507 John Embree turns to CU Buffs Freshman
Retitled: Embree didn't sign up for this
When an article states he isn't afraid to play freshmen it usually means there wasn't much there to begin with. If anyone can sympathize it is us Coug Fans.
That is it for now. We will cover more during the podcast on Friday!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Weekend Recap - One Intense Lentil Festival Practice
While the season is still a couple of weeks out the Cougs continue to piece together the best fall camp I have seen since I was in college at WSU in 2002. Before we get too far into the action I feel it is important to point out a couple of welcome surprises on Sunday morning. The first was a Joe Kaleta sighting. The walk on from New York is still with the team and polite as usual. He actually has added some size to his frame too. Making him a super beast. The second welcome surprise was Alex Mitchell and Rahmel Dockery watching from the sideline.
Another area I would like to point out is how this team has morphed itself into a squad you can feel good to root for again. All of these kids have a bunch of character and fit into the Cougar mantra. They displayed this well during the Lentil Festival parade down the main street of Pullman. Ledgerwood spent a fair amount of time catering to the crowd and Rankin could be spotted as usual taking time to smile at the kids. They marched in their Crimson jersey's and with the improvement of team size it looked like most of them were wearing their pads as well.
With those notes out of the way lets dive into the football a bit. To begin with there are a few Cougs who were sidelined with minor injuries. Jake Rodgers was riding the bike but doing so with his mullet flowing in the wind. It looks like it is a small hamstring. In fact of the five guys on the sideline with injuries no one seems to be on the exercise bike for the long haul. The main scrimmage time the defense was switching between prevent and their base defense. Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis are the real deal LB corps. Ledgerwood, Markle, and Monroe are more than adequate running with second unit. Chester Sua may also be in the mix as well. He is pure raw talent at linebacker.
Our D-Line, which was a preseason concern, has magically transformed into an area that the Cougs are showing some quality depth. With the emergence of the Stormo and Coerper the Cougs have alot of depth and talent at the ends. Travis Long continues to own his spot but Ian Knight, Lenard Williams, Stormo, Coerper, and Pu Robinson (if he returns) provide quality depth off the edge. At the Tackles spot we have a solid five man rotation with Laurenzi and Pole starting and they can be swapped with Rankin, Sampson, Clayton. The freshman TJ Polalai, David Davis, and Daryl Paulo are showing alot of talent but could definitely benefit from a red shirt year. The wild card at DT will be Alex Mitchell once he is cleared.
The defense had their way with the offense for the majority of practice unless they were matched up against Jeff Tuel. Tuel is having a camp that makes you think he belongs on a different level with those around him. If he stays healthy he is going to have a monster year. They staring offense has a grasp on Sturdy's playbook and it should result in alot of scoring.
The main question I get asked is about the running game. Here is the easy answer. Mitz is showing he can handle his assignments just fine. I see him getting 20-25 carries a game with Galvin getting 15-20. They are both very explosive and talented but Mitz is built like a Pac 12 RB where Galvin could use another year of development before he is an every down back. Marcus Mason is making alot of noise but he is a distant third behind Mitz and Galvin. Another back that is showing some promise is Carl Winston. It wouldn't surprise me if he siezed and opportunity and broke out with a big game or two this year.
Another question I get asked is about Stormo at DE and if he really should be running with the 1's. The answer to that question is a bit complicated. Stormo has really began to look comfortable at DE. Travis Long is being used more as a rush end and Stormo is very good at securing his end in those situations. Stormo is also proving to be extremely good when dropping into coverage, probably due to his understanding of the TE position. He also moves very well laterally which allows him to stretch plays out to the sideline. On Sunday, he basically chased Galvin into the sideline and if you have seen Galvin's speed you understand how impressive that was. It is obvious that Long has his end locked down but Coerper, Stormo, Knight, and Williams are all very good back ups. By the end of the year it will be interesting to see who rises to the top at the end opposite long.
The final question I will address is one that was asked about Cody Clements. No he is not ready to back up Tuel yet. The back up to Tuel will most likely be Lobster because of what he does off the field. Halliday is also grasping the offense well and could unseat Lobster but only time will tell. The book on Cody Clements is he is young. Jeff Tuel was slightly sharper with his throws than Clements was when he was frosh. However, Clements does have a strong arm, quick legs, and he plays with a ton of confidence. It should be an interesting battle in two years to see who replaces Tuel between Halliday and Clements.
That is it for the recap, keep sending questions, and we will look at what they are saying around the northwest tomorrow.
Another area I would like to point out is how this team has morphed itself into a squad you can feel good to root for again. All of these kids have a bunch of character and fit into the Cougar mantra. They displayed this well during the Lentil Festival parade down the main street of Pullman. Ledgerwood spent a fair amount of time catering to the crowd and Rankin could be spotted as usual taking time to smile at the kids. They marched in their Crimson jersey's and with the improvement of team size it looked like most of them were wearing their pads as well.
With those notes out of the way lets dive into the football a bit. To begin with there are a few Cougs who were sidelined with minor injuries. Jake Rodgers was riding the bike but doing so with his mullet flowing in the wind. It looks like it is a small hamstring. In fact of the five guys on the sideline with injuries no one seems to be on the exercise bike for the long haul. The main scrimmage time the defense was switching between prevent and their base defense. Mizell, Sekope, and Hoffman-Ellis are the real deal LB corps. Ledgerwood, Markle, and Monroe are more than adequate running with second unit. Chester Sua may also be in the mix as well. He is pure raw talent at linebacker.
Our D-Line, which was a preseason concern, has magically transformed into an area that the Cougs are showing some quality depth. With the emergence of the Stormo and Coerper the Cougs have alot of depth and talent at the ends. Travis Long continues to own his spot but Ian Knight, Lenard Williams, Stormo, Coerper, and Pu Robinson (if he returns) provide quality depth off the edge. At the Tackles spot we have a solid five man rotation with Laurenzi and Pole starting and they can be swapped with Rankin, Sampson, Clayton. The freshman TJ Polalai, David Davis, and Daryl Paulo are showing alot of talent but could definitely benefit from a red shirt year. The wild card at DT will be Alex Mitchell once he is cleared.
The defense had their way with the offense for the majority of practice unless they were matched up against Jeff Tuel. Tuel is having a camp that makes you think he belongs on a different level with those around him. If he stays healthy he is going to have a monster year. They staring offense has a grasp on Sturdy's playbook and it should result in alot of scoring.
The main question I get asked is about the running game. Here is the easy answer. Mitz is showing he can handle his assignments just fine. I see him getting 20-25 carries a game with Galvin getting 15-20. They are both very explosive and talented but Mitz is built like a Pac 12 RB where Galvin could use another year of development before he is an every down back. Marcus Mason is making alot of noise but he is a distant third behind Mitz and Galvin. Another back that is showing some promise is Carl Winston. It wouldn't surprise me if he siezed and opportunity and broke out with a big game or two this year.
Another question I get asked is about Stormo at DE and if he really should be running with the 1's. The answer to that question is a bit complicated. Stormo has really began to look comfortable at DE. Travis Long is being used more as a rush end and Stormo is very good at securing his end in those situations. Stormo is also proving to be extremely good when dropping into coverage, probably due to his understanding of the TE position. He also moves very well laterally which allows him to stretch plays out to the sideline. On Sunday, he basically chased Galvin into the sideline and if you have seen Galvin's speed you understand how impressive that was. It is obvious that Long has his end locked down but Coerper, Stormo, Knight, and Williams are all very good back ups. By the end of the year it will be interesting to see who rises to the top at the end opposite long.
The final question I will address is one that was asked about Cody Clements. No he is not ready to back up Tuel yet. The back up to Tuel will most likely be Lobster because of what he does off the field. Halliday is also grasping the offense well and could unseat Lobster but only time will tell. The book on Cody Clements is he is young. Jeff Tuel was slightly sharper with his throws than Clements was when he was frosh. However, Clements does have a strong arm, quick legs, and he plays with a ton of confidence. It should be an interesting battle in two years to see who replaces Tuel between Halliday and Clements.
That is it for the recap, keep sending questions, and we will look at what they are saying around the northwest tomorrow.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Kicking off the Season of Cougar Coverage Beginning Monday
While it has been too long of an off season for Cougar Football fans it is finally time to enjoy another wonderful season of Cougar Football on the Palouse. Why do I say wonderful? Well, to start with the Cougs are a different team this year. They have put the work in during the off season and the Paul Wulff recruiting classes are beginning to blossom. While the team is still brutally young, the character that has been added to the program is taking the lead. This team is going to be special. The weekly blog schedule will be as follows.
Monday: Weekend Recaps
Tuesday: Around the Horn
Wednesday: Key to Success
Thursday: Crimson Kool Aid Predictions
Friday: Crimson Goggle Podcast
Monday: Weekend Recaps
Tuesday: Around the Horn
Wednesday: Key to Success
Thursday: Crimson Kool Aid Predictions
Friday: Crimson Goggle Podcast
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