FRIDAY = WSU sports upcoming competition includes
two events on campus in Pullman starting 7 o’clock in the evening on Friday,
Nov. 2. Both take near Cougar Way. On Lower Soccer Field, it’s the Soccer Cougs
versus the UW. In Bohler Gym, the Volleyball Cougars play Arizona.
SATURDAY = The next day, Saturday, Nov. 3, with a
7:45 in the evening kickoff in Martin Stadium, WSU Football plays Cal.
SUNDAY = On Sunday, Nov. 4, beginning at noon, in
Bohler Gym, it’s WSU Volleyball against Arizona State.
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AD
Chun says WSU athletics firing on all cylinders right now
By JACKSON GARDNER Cougfan.com 10/30/2018
PULLMAN -- What a time it is to be a Cougar. WSU
football is leading the way but they certainly aren’t the only team on the
Palouse enjoying great success. Derek Deis on the "Cougs in 60" radio
show this week visited with athletic director Patrick Chun and others to
highlight all the recent athletic accomplishments. Indeed, take a look at what
Cougar athletes have accomplished in the last five days:
--No. 10 WSU secures an instant classic 41-38 football
win against Stanford.
--WSU men’s basketball alum Klay Thompson sets NBA
single-game 3-pointer record with 14 made and 52 total points against the
Chicago Bulls.
--Cougar Soccer lights up the scoreboard with 4-2
win against Cal and walks away with 1-1 draw against No. 1 ranked Stanford.
--No. 18 Volleyball WSU sweeps Utah and Colorado,
only losing one set in both matches advancing their winning-streak to four
matches.
--Women’s basketball dismantles Warner Pacific
106-41 in an exhibition game.
“It seems that everyone associated with WSU is on
fire right now,” Chun said to Deis via phone call.
For all the success WSU is having on any given
playing surface, the newly ranked No. 10 Cougar football is leading the way for
the university. They are fresh off a win against Stanford and will play in
front of a sold-out crowd in Martin Stadium this Saturday when Cal comes to
town (7:45 pm, ESPN). Oddsmakers have WSU as a 10 1/2 point favorite to move to
8-1 on the year.
Chun, who was on the sideline in Stanford Stadium,
said the confidence radiating off the team when it was time for the final drive
was a powerful sign of how dialed in the Cougars are. There was still 85
seconds left with three timeouts for the Cougar offense to get in scoring
position and Chun said it felt like there was no doubt from the players that they
would walk away with the game-winning points.
THE VOICE of the Cougars, Matt Chazanow, also joined
Deis to talk about the win against Stanford and also to preview Cougar men’s
hoops, who get the season started with an exhibition game against New Hope
Christian College this Sunday.
Chazanow was mightily impressed with the way WR
Dezmon Patmon has elevated his game, putting on a career performance on The
Farm. The junior receiver hauled in a team-high 10 receptions for 127 yards.
“Patmon was the best receiver out there (against
Stanford), with all due respect to J.J. Arcega-Whiteside,” Chazanow said.
Looking forward to Cal, Chazanow labeled the Bears a
"wild card team." It's 2-3
record in Pac-12 play doesn’t necessarily reflect how sneaky good they are,
Chazanow said, who added Cal is a team that makes the Pac-12 conference one of
the deepest in the nation.
WITH MEN'S HOOPS coming up fast, Chazanow gave fans
of Cougar hoops something to get excited about: remember the name Jaz Kunc,
Chazanow proclaimed. The 6-7 freshman small forward has looked sharp in
workuots this offseason and gives the Cougars a viable scoring threat as well
as another lengthy defender.
The Cougars got the Slovenian-born prospect from
across the country at Impact Academy in Florida and Chazanow indicated he could
possibly be the gem of the 2018 recruiting class.
On the women’s basketball front, first-year head
coach Kamie Ethridge joined Deis fresh off a 60-point win in the Cougs'
exhibition game. Ethridge previewed some of the talent the Cougars will boast
when the season kicks off.
Chanelle, Celena and Cherilyn Molina hail from
Kailua Kona, Hawaii and all have their own unique styles. Cherilyn, the
youngest of the Molina’s, got the nod as the starting point guard and didn’t
disappoint. She sunk home her first four 3-point attempts in a Cougar uniform
as well as leading the team in assists (6) and steals (4).
Ethridge is fortunate to have one of the Pac-12’s
most prolific scorers in the Bulgarian forward Bobi Hristova. As usual,
Hristova led the way for Cougar scorers, dropping 26 points in just 24 minutes
while shooting a staggering 76 percent from the field.
Make no mistake about it, Cougar athletics are
firing on all cylinders here in the fall of 2018. Whether it be Chun, Chazanow
or Ethridge, their message circles back to the same place: it is a great time
to be a Coug.
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Volleyball Cougs returns to Bohler to face #21
Arizona, Arizona State. WSU looks to continue the win streak this weekend
against Pac-12 foes
From WSU Sports Info
NO. 18 WASHINGTON STATE (17-5, 8-4 PAC-12)
vs. NO. 21 ARIZONA (17-7, 6-6 PAC-12) | Fri., Nov. 2 |
7:00 p.m. PT
vs. ARIZONA STATE (13-11, 4-8 PAC-12) | Sun., Nov. 4 |
12:00 p.m. PT
> Watch (vs. No. 21 Arizona) | WSU Live Stream
> Watch (vs. Arizona State) | Pac-12 Networks
> Live Statistics | WSUCougars.com
>> Washington State enters the week after
defeating both Utah, and Colorado on the road, the first time in program
history to do so on the Pac-12 mountain trip. The victory over the Utes on the
road was also a first in WSU history as well.
>> The Cougars saw a consecutive Pac-12
Offensive Player of the Week selected as Penny Tusa followed teammate Jocelyn
Urias in earning the top offensive honor from the conference. Tusa provided
back-to-back double-doubles and a career-high 19 kills against Colorado.
Cougars Up to No. 18 in AVCA Coaches Poll
Washington State continues to improve its' standing
in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, moving up one spot to number 18 in the nation
in the week ten rankings. Fellow Pac-12 members that earned top 25 spots as
well include; No. 2 Stanford (12 first place votes), No. 15 USC, No. 16 Oregon,
No. 21 Arizona, No. 22 UCLA, Washington (RV), Utah (RV), and Colorado (RV).
WSU Jumps to No. 10 overall in NCAA RPI Rankings
Washington State is currently comes in at number 10
overall in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, with a 17-5 record, along with being
8-4 in the Pac-12 overall heading into early November this coming weekend. The
Cougs currently have a home record of 7-0 as they prepare to defend Bohler Gym
against the number 21 ranked Wildcats of Arizona, and the Sun Devils of Arizona
State The Cougs also have an overall record of 7-3 when facing nationally
ranked opponents.
Tusa Named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week
WSU’s Penny Tusa was named the Pac-12 Offensive
Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 22-Oct. 28 as announced by the Pac-12
Conference office Monday. During the previous week, she was crucial in the
offensive attack for the Cougars as Washington State defeated both Utah, and
Colorado on the road in back-to-back matches for the first time in program
history. This was also the first program victory on the road at Utah as well
with the Cougars sweeping the Utes in Salt Lake City. Tusa notched 15 total
kills against Utah Wednesday evening last week, and recorded an impressive
hitting percentage of .483 by the final point in this contest. She went on to
add 14 digs, one service ace, two assists, and one block assist in the 3-0 road
win. Tusa continued to find success in the following match at Colorado,
providing a career-high 19 kills in the matchup, and tallied two service aces.
Penny posted her second consecutive double-double with 13 digs in the contest,
added two assists, and totaled 21.0 points overall in the four-set victory over
the Buffs as well.
::::::::::::::::
WSU Soccer regular season closes Friday NIGHT IN
PULLMAN vs. UW with Boeing Apple Cup Series MATCH
Oct 31, 2018 from WSU Sports Info
WSU looks to finish strong against UW with the
postseason nearing.
WASHINGTON STATE (11-5-1, 4-5-1 Pac-12)
vs Washington (8-9-1, 3-7-0 Pac-12) | Fri., Nov. 2 |
7 p.m.
BOEING APPLE CUP SERIES
The Cougs and UW Huskies meet for the 28th time in
program history with WSU holding the 13-7-7 all-time lead in the series.
Additionally, WSU enters the matchup with a 14-match unbeaten streak. In the
last three meetings the Cougars are 2-0-1. Last season the two sides met in
frigid temperatures in Seattle with the game ending in a 0-0, double-overtime,
draw. Friday night's game is shaping up to have similar conditions with the
weather forecast calling for rain and possible thunderstorms with gusts of wind
as high as 40 mph.
> Washington State won its 11th game of the year
against Cal while drawing with #1 Stanford Sunday.
> The Cougars picked up their first point
all-time in nine attempts against a #1 ranked team last week with the draw
against Stanford.
> In the Boeing Apple Cup Series, the Cougs have
dominated the last decade and a half against Washington posting a 14-match
unbeaten streak.
> Morgan Weaver (Offensive) and Rachel Thompson
(Goalkeeper) took home Pac-12 POW honors. The awards were the second of the
season for the duo.
> Cougs RPI sits at 35 in NCAA RPI.
> Maddy Haro set the WSU's single-season record
for assists with 12. She is 3rd nationally in total assists and 1st in assists
per game (0.75)
> Morgan Weaver posted her career-best ninth goal
of the year last week. She is No. 5 all-time in career goals scored with 24
goals. She is tied for sixth in the Pac-12 in scoring with 8 goals.
> 11 different Cougars have scored the team's 33
goals on the year with seven different game-winning scorers.
> WSU is 5th in the Pac-12 in scoring (1.94 gpg)
entering the game.
> Defensively, WSU is 9th in the Pac-12 in goals
against average at 1.22.
> WSU has dealt with a rash of bumps, bruises,
and injuries, playing the Stanford match without four starters including Ella
Dederick, Elyse Bennett, Aaqila McLyn, and Maegan O'Neill.
WEAVER, THOMPSON EARN TOP PAC-12 WEEKLY HONORS
On the backs of big time goals and clutch saves,
juniors Morgan Weaver and Rachel Thompson earned their second Pac-12 weekly
player of the week awards as announced by the conference office Tuesday
afternoon. Weaver was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week while
Thompson took home the distinction of the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week, both
for the second time this season.
Weaver scored two goals and two assists including
the game-tying goal against Stanford.
Thompson posted a career-best nine saves against the
Cardinal.
::::::::::::::::
Washington
State always saw potential in Dezmon Patmon. Now the junior receiver is
starting to see it in himself
By Theo Lawson, S-R
of Spokane 10/30/2018
PULLMAN – Anybody with two functioning eyes can take one look at
Dezmon Patmon and instantly recognize what his top trait as a wide receiver is.
For Washington State, the challenge has been getting Patmon to
recognize it, too.
The junior “Z” receiver is finally starting to come into his own
and posted career-high numbers Saturday
in a 41-38 win over No. 24 Stanford that gave the
Cougars their fourth consecutive victory in Pac-12 play and vaulted them
to No. 10
in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
Patmon’s 10 receptions were a career best, smashing his prior
high of six, and the San Diego native finished with 127 receiving yards,
beating his record of 112, set three games earlier against Utah.
“He has been impressive lately and I think he continues to
improve and I think that sometimes what he does physically – because he does
have a unique strength to him – I don’t think it surprises anyone but him,” WSU
coach Mike Leach said. “I think everybody looks and says, ‘Yeah, well of
course,’ and then the only guy surprised is Dez.”
Patmon’s become a more well-rounded player his third season with
the Cougars. Like every receiver who’s come through Pullman in the last five
years, he’s benefited from catching thousands of practice balls in Leach’s Air
Raid offense – from a couple of high-caliber passers, too, such as Luke Falk
and Gardner Minshew.
The weight-training/conditioning cycles that Jason Loscalzo and
Tyson Brown have put him through have also given Patmon more horsepower. He’s
stronger and quicker than he was three years ago, despite making a 13-pound
jump on the weight scale, from 207 as a freshman to 220 as a junior.
Those things all factor into Patmon’s development, but none is
the primary reason Patmon’s numbers have taken such a major spike in 2018.
It was a matter of finally realizing he was 6-foot-4 – or that
everybody else wasn’t.
“Truthfully, I think he’s always enjoyed football and wanted to
be good at it,” Leach said. “Sometimes it’s hard, but the difficulty of it is
part of the reward, and I think as he realizes that he’s gotten better and
better. I think now he enjoys being a pretty physical guy.”
And the Cougars are ecstatic about it.
As a sophomore, Patmon shared reps at the “Z” outside receiver
position with Isaiah Johnson-Mack, who left the team for personal reasons prior
to the 2017 Holiday Bowl. Patmon played well in certain spots, finishing the
year with 35 catches for 379 yards.
The junior graduated from San Diego’s Patrick Henry High School
– the same school Leach’s wife Sharon attended – and has already eclipsed those
numbers through eight games in 2018. Patmon’s performance at Stanford boosted
his catches total to 41 and his receiving yards to 578. He’s caught three
touchdowns – one each against USC, Utah and Oregon.
“He did some things in the game the other day that I’ve never
seen him do and almost by complete accident,” outside
receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. said. “And he is big and he’s
learning that playing big is a benefit for him. He’s getting better every day
and he’s a fun guy to coach and he played well and he catches the ball well and
he’s a good player.”
Patmon’s breakout season wasn’t so predictable, though.
Leach rotates two players at each of the four receiving
positions and Johnson-Mack’s departure meant Patmon was probably a shoo-in for
one of the two “Z” jobs. But the other “Z,” Easop Winston, performed at a high level
during fall camp and Patmon wasn’t as consistent, so the coaching staff made
some adjustments.
“It was funny because he had an OK camp. But it was just OK,”
Leach said. “And I actually took him off some plays because I thought other
people were performing better. You know, you want to be the guy we put in on
this play, you better be the best at it. And so I actually replaced him on
some, and so then he was having an OK camp and then the first week of course he
starts elevating and gets to where he plays more physical and plays faster and
things like that.
“For his benefit, honestly he’d have more receptions and been in
on more stuff if camp was better because then you improve your skills and
develop.”
His development came eventually, though, and it’s been a boon
for the nation’s top passing attack. Leach categorizes his current “Z” receiver
tandem as the best he’s had in Pullman. Productive as Patmon may be, Winston
has been equally reliable, with 35 catches for 463 yards and six touchdowns.
From the “Z” spot, the Cougars have 76 catches, 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns
this season.
“(Patmon) and Easop rotate every series, so it’s kind of just
the luck of the ball on who gets a lot of balls coming to them and he happened
to get a lot more coming to him than Easop did in that (Stanford) game,”
Spurrier Jr. said.
“But he’s played well and he’s gotten open. I don’t necessarily
think he did anything terribly unique to get open, but yes, he runs well and he
cuts sharp and he attacks the ball. So he’s fun to watch.”
::::::::::::::::::::::::
Football Pac-12
Power Rankings: Topsy-turvy Saturday made mess of weekly power rankings
UPDATED:
Tue., Oct. 30, 2018, 5:44 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson of Spokane S-R
A chaotic
Saturday for the Pac-12 started with Arizona State defeating USC in the
Coliseum and culminated with Arizona springing an upset of Oregon in Tucson.
Sandwiched in between were a few more stunners: Oregon State topped Colorado
for its first road win since the second-to-last year of the Obama presidency
and Cal squeezed out a win over Washington, giving the Huskies their worst loss
of the Chris Petersen era.
As for the
power rankings? Choosing Nos. 1 and 2 was as simple as it’s been and sorting
through 3-12 was as challenging as it’s been. We present to you the weekly
rankings – or something resembling them.
1.
Washington State (7-1, 3-1; last week: No. 1) – Depending on how accurate these
power rankings are, the Cougars have already passed their toughest exams of the
season – with the exception of the Apple Cup. The next three games: vs. No. 6
(power rankings) Cal, at No. 10 Colorado, vs. No. 9 Arizona.
2. Utah
(6-2, 4-2; last week: No. 4) – Zack Moss is heating up at an ideal time for the
Pac-12’s South current front-runner. The junior tailback, coming off of a
211-yard rushing game versus UCLA, has piled up 681 yards and seven touchdowns
in his last seven games.
3.
Stanford (5-3, 3-2; last week: No. 6) – Despite losing some more ground in the
Pac-12 North, the Cardinal have a big opportunity this weekend against the
reeling Huskies. If Stanford wins that, and the Cougars somehow drop two, the
Cardinal are back in charge of the North. Plenty of “ifs,” but salvaging nine
wins would still be impressive for this Stanford team.
4.
Washington (6-3, 4-2; last week: No. 2) – We know it’ll be a Jake starting for
Washington against Stanford – and it’ll be a Jake finishing the game, too.
Perhaps not the same Jake, though. The starter, Browning, could be on a short
leash and the backup, Haener, could see his first real action at Husky Stadium
if things get messy for the UW offense again.
5. Oregon
(5-3, 2-3; last week: No. 3) – A few weeks ago the question was, how high can
these Ducks fly? Now it’s a matter of, how far they plummet? Following an
upset, overtime win over UW two weeks ago, Oregon rides a two-game losing
streak into the Chip Kelly reunion game. The Ducks have been outscored 40-8 in
the first half of their last two losses.
6. Cal
(5-3, 2-3; last week: No. 10) – The Golden Bears’ defense has been just as good
as anyone in the conference these last two weeks. But their win steak probably
comes to an end Saturday in Pullman if they can’t score more than 21 points on
the Cougars.
7. USC
(4-4, 3-3; last week: No. 5) – Clay Helton fired offensive line coach Neil
Callaway and stripped his offensive coordinator, Tee Martin, of play-calling
duties. If USC can’t get on track this weekend against Oregon State, the
Trojans’ head coach could be the next victim of staff changes.
8. Arizona
State (4-4, 2-3; last week: No. 8) – With four games to play, and UCLA and
Arizona still on the schedule, the Sun Devils are still in the hunt for a
postseason bid. Eno Benjamin, who’s been just as phenomenal as Utah’s Moss, put
on another fantastic rushing display, carrying the ball 29 times for 185 yards
and two touchdowns against USC.
9. Arizona
(4-5, 3-3; last week: No. 11) – It truly was quite the weekend for running
backs in the Pac-12 South. Besting both Benjamin and Moss, the Wildcats’ JJ
Taylor went 212 yards on 30 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 44-15 rout
of Oregon. Pressure’s on for Arizona, which has three games to win two if it
plans on playing football in December.
10.
Colorado (5-3, 2-3; last week: No. 7) – The Buffaloes’ slide continues. After
winning five in a row to start the year, Colorado has now dropped three
consecutive games. The Buffs surrendered 31 second-half points to Oregon State
in a 41-34 loss that gave the Beavers their first road win in four years.
11. UCLA
(2-6, 2-3; last week: No. 1) – Not to spoil my pick for Saturday’s UCLA-Oregon
game in Eugene, but it’s hard to see the Bruins winning again this season with
this schedule: at Oregon, at ASU, vs. Stanford, vs. USC. For the obvious
reasons, the game at Autzen Stadium should still be plenty entertaining.
12. Oregon
State (2-6, 1-4; last week: No. 11) – Likewise, it’s tough to see the Beavers
winning again, given they finish up the regular season vs. USC, at Stanford, at
UW and vs. Oregon. But Saturday’s come-from-behind win in Boulder was if
nothing else a good start, and the Beavers have plenty of youngsters who
understand what it takes to A) Win a Pac-12 game and B) Do it on the road.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cougar
Notes: Patmon raising his game during midseason surge
Wide
receiver living up to potential many saw in him
By Dale
Grummert, Lewiston Trib 10/31/2018
After a
Washington State football scrimmage in April 2017, all-time Pac-12 receptions
leader Gabe Marks was talking to reporters about the Cougars' talented young
receivers when one of them happened to walk past.
"Look
at him," Marks said of Dezmon Patmon. "He looks like an NFL
player."
Eighteen
months later, Patmon is maybe getting the message.
The
6-foot-4 junior has been the Cougars' most productive receiver the past two
heady weeks, catching a combined 16 passes for 208 yards and a key touchdown.
In a 41-38 win at Stanford last week, he fueled two second-half touchdown
drives by snagging three balls on each.
"I
don't think it surprises anybody but him," WSU coach Mike Leach said this
week, referring specifically to Patmon's physical strength. "I think
everybody looks (at him) and says, 'Well, yeah, of course.' And the only guy
surprised is Dez."
Washington
State, which has won four straight games, was ranked No. 8 in the first College
Football Playoff ratings of the season Tuesday. That's two spots higher than
the Cougars' No. 10 spot in the Associated Press poll.
They'll
probably need to win all four of their remaining regular-season games, plus the
Pac-12 championship contest, to have any chance of making the four-team
national playoffs. One thing that may work against them in the selection
process is their relatively soft nonleague schedule.
The Cougs
(7-1, 4-1) try to sustain their momentum Saturday (7:45 p.m., ESPN) in a Pac-12
game at Pullman against underdog California (5-3, 2-3).
Patmon
made 35 receptions last season but is still trying to take full advantage of
his rangy 220-pound frame and to meet Leach's standards for consistency.
"He
had an OK camp, but just OK," the coach said of preseason workouts.
"I actually took him off some plays because I thought other people were
performing better. ... Then the first week (of the season), of course, he
starts elevating. He gets to where he plays more physical, plays faster and
things like that.
"Honestly,
he'd have more receptions and been on some more stuff if camp was better, because
then you improve your skills and develop. But he has been playing impressively
lately, and I think he continues to improve."
Patmon
alternates with Easop Winston Jr. at the Cougars' Z (far right) position, which
was manned with distinction by Marks until he completed his career in 2016.
Patmon ranks third on the team with 41 catches this season, and Winston is
fourth with 35. Leach said they form the best 1-2 punch at Z in the coach's
seven seasons at Wazzu.
TALL ORDER
- No one was stunned last week to see WSU cornerbacks facing some height
challenges against Stanford's excellent 6-3, 225-pound receiver, JJ
Arcega-Whiteside. For the second straight game, the Cougars were missing 6-2
Sean Harper Jr. to an undisclosed injury, and their two other primary corners
are 5-10 Darrien Molton and 5-9 Marcus Strong.
For a
while, though, the challenge was thornier than expected. During the first three
quarters, Molton and Strong were penalized twice each for pass interference,
all against Arcega-Whiteside.
But Strong
in particular showed some resilience with two pass breakups in the fourth
period, one against Arcega-Whiteside in the end zone and another versus 6-5
tight end Kaden Smith on the Cardinal's final fruitless drive.
Stanford
quarterback K.J. Costello finished with 323 passing yards and four TD throws,
but Leach wasn't especially critical of the Cougars' coverage.
"I
thought we were pretty good," he said. "I thought we were in position
a lot. We had a couple of busts that I thought were fairly large. I would say
our coverage was somewhat similar to the rest of the team. I thought we played
really hard.
"They
(the Cardinal) are a tough group to cover because they're so large, and they
keep running that little play, throwing it low, and then go into the fetal
position over the ball and happily notch their 5 yards or whatever. And so
something positive was happening to them on first downs all the time."
As for the
P.I. calls: "Without getting myself in trouble, I thought that some of the
plays we had better technique than showed," he said.
FIELD-STORMING
FINE - The Pac-12 has slapped Washington State with a $25,000 fine because fans
stormed the field after the Cougars' home win over Oregon on Oct. 20, the
Spokesman-Review reported.
The school
had drawn an identical fine after fans rushed the field following a win over
USC last season.
The Pac-12
passed a rule prohibiting field-storming in 2016, though the conference has
been known to waive the fine if fans wait at least 60 seconds after the game's
conclusion. That was the case for the Cougars last year after a win over Boise
State.
::::::::::::
WSU
FOOTBALL next opponent
First
look: Cal at (10) Washington State
UPDATED:
Mon., Oct. 29, 2018, 9:46 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson of Spokane’s Spokesman-Review
Three things
to know
1. The
Cougars are still hanging on to one of the country’s longest home winning
streaks and could win their 12th consecutive game at Martin Stadium by beating
Cal on Saturday. USC, Penn State, Wisconsin and Stanford all had longer win
streaks coming into the season, but each have lost at home this season, meaning
the Cougars’ 11-game streak is now the fourth-longest in the country. Alabama
(24), Clemson (12) and Washington (12) all have longer streaks.
2. By
escaping Stanford with a 41-38 win on Saturday, the Cougars defeated the
Cardinal for the third straight time, meaning they’ve now beat three Pac-12
North rivals at least three times in a row. WSU has three consecutive wins
against Stanford, four against Oregon and five against Oregon State. The
Cougars have notched consecutive victories against multiple teams in the Pac-12
South, too, beating Utah four times in a row and both UCLA and Arizona State
twice.
3.
Saturday’s game is a homecoming of sorts for Cal redshirt freshman Ben Moos, the
youngest son of Bill Moos, WSU’s athletic director from 2010-17. Moos joined
Cal last season as a tight end, but the Golden Bears have him on the other side
of the ball now and are utilizing Moos as an outside linebacker. The Pullman
High graduate has made one tackle in four games this season.
-- What is
it? No. 10 Washington State (7-1, 4-1) returns home to the Palouse to take on
California (5-3, 2-3) in a Pac-12 North matchup.
--Where is
it? Martin Stadium in Pullman.
--When is
it? Kickoff is 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018
--Where
can I watch it? ESPN will carry the live broadcast.
--Who is
favored? The Cougars were favored by 10 1/2 points as of Monday morning.
--How did
they fare last week? Both teams won games in the Bay Area. Cal toppled No. 15 Washington
12-10 in Berkeley, while then-No. 14 Washington State edged No. 24 Stanford
41-38 on The Farm.
Why Cal
will win: The defense hasn’t been consistent for Cal the whole season, but the
last two weeks would indicate the Golden Bears are just starting to find their
groove on that side of the ball. In wins over Oregon State and No. 15
Washington, Cal conceded just two touchdowns and 17 points. The Golden Bears
didn’t give up more than 250 offensive yards to either team, allowing the
Beavers to pile up 241 and the Huskies 250. Tim DeRuyter’s defense is
especially strong against the pass, ranking first in the Pac-12 and eighth
nationally, allowing 165 yards per game through the air. Cal also leads the
conference with 12 interceptions. WSU’s Air Raid offense had little success the
last time the teams met and weather forecasts are calling for rain showers
Saturday night, along with 12 mile-per-hour wind gusts.
Why WSU
will win: If you don’t include Cal’s 49-7 win over Oregon State – the
conference’s worst defense by a mile – the Golden Bears are scoring just 15
points per game against Pac-12 opposition. So even if Gardner Minshew and the
passing game are affected by conditions, or Cal’s defense, the Cougars could
hit half of their per-game scoring average – right now a conference-leading 40
ppg – and still escape with a victory. The Golden Bears are adept at
intercepting the opponent, but they also throw plenty of their own. Chase
Garbers and Brandon McIlwain, who’ve shared quarterbacking duties, are up to 11
interceptions and 11 touchdowns this season. Neither could get Cal’s offense
into the end zone against UW and the Golden Bears had to rely on a pick-six and
two field goals to get their 12 points.
What
happened last time? WSU held the nation’s No. 8 ranking and a 6-0 record when
it traveled to Berkeley last season on Friday the (Oct.) 13th. The Cougars had
an early kickoff return for a touchdown wiped out on a holding call and never
got into the end zone in a 37-3 upset loss. It was a harrowing performance for
Luke Falk and the WSU offense, which turned the ball over seven times. Falk
completed 28 of 43 passes for 286 yards and was intercepted a career-high five
times. Cal quarterback Ross Bowers threw one touchdown pass and rushed for
another, producing one of the highlight moments of the Golden Bears’ season
when he front-flipped over WSU’s Justus Rogers in the fourth quarter to make it
27-3.
:::::::::::::::::::::::
FOOTBALL
Know Your
Opponent: Previewing the Washington State Cougars offense
The task for
the Cal defense doesn’t get any easier.
By Andy
Johnston California Golden Bears blog 10/31/2018
Coming
into the 2018 season, the expectations for the Washington State Cougars were
somewhat conservative. Mike Leach lost defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to
Ohio State in the offseason and the Cougars star quarterback, Luke Falk, took
his talents to the NFL. After a stunning and dominating upset of the Cougars
last year, some Cal fans—including myself—had this year’s Washington State–Cal
match-up as a winnable game for the Bears despite being on the road in early
November.
Now with
Washington State in the middle of a four-game winning streak, that confidence
has all but disappeared. The Cougars have beaten the 2018 murderer’s row of the
Pac-12 (Utah Utes, Oregon Ducks, Stanford Cardinal) and hosted their first ever
College Game Day in their eventual win against Oregon. Their offense ranks as
the eighth best unit in Offensive S&P+ and quarterback Gardner Minshew
looks better than Luke Falk.
In a
Saturday night primetime match-up that will feature one of the nation’s best
defenses and secondaries pitted against the nation’s best passing offense, the
Cal coaching staff will have to find another way to slow down an elite-level
offense. Strength on strength match-ups are always fun to watch and this game
shouldn’t disappoint for two teams trying to cement themselves as contenders in
the Pac-12 for years to come.
The
Washington State Offense
What
exactly makes Mike Leach’s offense so successful? If you remember when Leach
was hired at Washington State, there were many questions about how well he
would be able to implement his system into a conference that featured
elite-level defensive talent. It took a few years to come fully to fruition,
but Leach has been wildly successful in bringing his Air Raid offense to the
west coast and transforming Washington State football.
A
supremely simplified description of an Air Raid offense is that it simplifies
the decision-making for a quarterback and relies on the signal caller to
identify whether or not the defense is in man or zone coverage. The receivers
essentially have two options in the Air Raid offense. When the defense shows
man, the receivers will proceed through their routes as planned. When the
defense shows zone, the receivers will shorten their intended route to drop
into the soft part of the zone. In these scenarios, Minshew progresses through
each one of his reads and focuses on finding the open receiver.
Washington
State and most Air Raid offenses will also rely heavily on wide receiver
screens to help them push the ball downfield and simulate a rushing attack.
This is why under Sonny Dykes you saw such a recruiting emphasis on smaller,
faster players like Melquise Stovall. Yet Leach’s offense can still run the ball
effectively out of the backfield and that is a big testament to Leach’s prowess
as a coach. Not only does the Cal defense have to worry about a screen or
vertical attack on each play, but they also have to key in on the running game
as the Cougars can chew you up on the ground with running back James Williams.
If you’d like to take a deeper look at Leach’s Air Raid offense, I highly
recommend this PFF article.
Finally,
what most Pac-12 fans will know about Washington State is that their pre-snap formations
have a tendency to be....fairly interesting.
The
Washington State staff has increasingly utilized pre-snap shifts to give their
team an extra yard of space to get eight- or nine-yard gains. This will be a
particularly fascinating match-up to watch as both of our linebackers will be
primarily responsible for shifting the defense when the Washington State
offense undoubtedly starts their movement.
Match-up
to watch: Dezmon Patmon vs Camryn Bynum
By all
accounts, the player to watch on the Washington State offense is Gardner
Minshew. He leads the country in passing and is a mobile threat on the ground
with ten touchdowns on the season. Yet the match-up to watch Saturday night is
how Cam Bynum squares up against Washington State receiver Dezmon Patmon.
Patmon leads the team in receiving with 578 yards and has excelled in Pac-12
play. His three biggest games of the season have come against arguably the best
Pac-12 opponents to date in Oregon, Stanford, and Utah.
Cam Bynum
virtually eliminated Aaron Fuller last week against Washington and each
Washington State receiver has had a game where they have completely
disappeared; for Patmon, that was Oregon State. However, when one receiver
seemingly gets bottled up, another breaks loose for a personal best and you can
understand the immense pressure the Cal defense will be under all night. This
offense can beat you several ways, through several different players, both
through the air and on the ground.
What to
Expect on Saturday
The Cal
defense is more than capable of keeping the Bears in any game left on the
schedule this season. The Washington game was a perfect example of just how
dominant the Bears defense can be when the team executes and the offense
doesn’t put them in less than ideal field position. The Bears also have the
benefit of having dominated this style of offense last year at Memorial Stadium
when knocking the Cougars out of contention for a top-five ranking.
There are,
however, several concerns for the Cal defense as well. This match-up will be
way louder and perhaps even way colder than any other game they have had this
year. The Bears have struggled against more mobile quarterbacks and even last
week, Jake Browning was able to get a couple of third-down conversions early in
the game by the way of his legs. The Cal linebackers have to respect Minshew as
a runner while not allowing him to pick apart the Cal defense through the air.
All this
being said, if there is any defense in the country that is built to slow down
this Washington State team, it is most likely the 2018 California Golden Bears.
::::::::::::
Washington State football chat transcript - 10/31/2018
Moderated
by Theo Lawson, Spokane S-R sports writer
Oct 31,
10:01 AM
srchat
(Admin): Happy Halloween, folks. Thanks for joining me and let’s get going
here.
Oct 31,
10:01 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): Boo!
Oct 31,
10:02 AM
srchat
(Admin): -bie Williams…
Oct 31,
10:02 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): How do you think the Cougs match up with Cal this year?
Oct 31,
10:05 AM
srchat
(Admin): Cal’s pass defense ranks as the best in the Pac-12 right now, and
they’re tied with Oregon for most interceptions. Then the Cougars have always
had trouble with Beau Baldwin offenses. So … not great, according to those two
things. But I still believe WSU is far superior talent wise.
Oct 31,
10:05 AM
CougarCottage
(Guest): Let’s get it out of the way ealy… Sean Harper?
Oct 31,
10:06 AM
srchat
(Admin): I don’t have an update on him and presume I won’t until I arrive to
the game on Saturday. Sorry…
Oct 31,
10:06 AM
Guest536
(Guest): Will Beau Baldwin have WSU’s number again? That guy is a genius. If
Leach ever leaves, hire him!
Oct 31,
10:10 AM
srchat
(Admin): Third time’s the charm, right? The Cougs would like to think so…
Oct 31,
10:10 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): I think I am seeing a lot less tunnel and bubble screens this year
(thankfully!). Why is that?
Oct 31,
10:14 AM
srchat
(Admin): Those bubble screens to Tay Martin just haven’t been very effective.
Not sure if it’s a result of poor blocking or teams are scoping it a little
better than they have in the past.
Oct 31,
10:14 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): It was good to see Oguayo last week, is there any chance Sean Harper
plays this week?
Oct 31,
10:15 AM
srchat
(Admin): Yes, Oguayo is a great depth piece for the D-line and could still see
him back in the fold as a starter if he can stay healthy. I don’t know much
about Harper. We’re kept in the dark when it comes to injuries and practices
are closed off to the media.
Oct 31,
10:15 AM
Guest235
(Guest): How do you view WSU’s CFP ranking? Too hot? Too cold? Or a Goldy
Locks-esque just right?
Oct 31,
10:17 AM
srchat (Admin):
It’s maybe a bit higher than what I expected. But somewhere around the 10-12
range seemed about right, given they were 10 in the AP and 11 in the Coaches’
poll. I was surprised to see them higher than Ohio St.
Oct 31,
10:17 AM
Guest5543
(Guest): A lot of new wrinkles in the offense vs Stanford in terms of motions
and formations for Leach. You think he is having fun being able to add new
things to his offense?
Oct 31,
10:19 AM
srchat
(Admin): Yes, and I think Minshew gives him the flexibility to do that. I also
like the addition of those two-back sets. This backfield is special and you can
tell they’re trying to take advantage of it.
Oct 31,
10:19 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): I noticed that George Hicks played some against Stanford, do you see
him getting more playing time being that our corners aren’t very good?
Oct 31,
10:20 AM
srchat
(Admin): With Harper Jr. out of the picture, it isn’t too surprising. He’s the
fourth-best corner on the team and they need to rotate Molton/Strong out when
they can. It’s good experience for him given that Molton and Harper are gone
next year.
Oct 31,
10:20 AM
MrCougFan
(Guest): Do you know how Minshew feels about his choice to come to WSU at this
point? What its like here vs at ECU? I know he is humble and has stated he is
enjoying himself, but he has got to be over the moon with being a passing
leader, on track to break Goffs single season Pac 12 record, being catapulted
into NFL Draft conversations with his performance. He went from being a player
wanting to transition into coaching, to a player who wanted 1 more year of
ball, to a player who has a shot at the next level
Oct 31,
10:22 AM
srchat
(Admin): I think it’s been a perfect marriage for both parties. Minshew needed
WSU and WSU needed Minshew. Yogi Roth of the Pac-12 Networks told me last week
it’s one of the best college football stories of the last 5-7 years,
considering what Minshew’s been through and what WSU’s been through. He’s certainly
soaking it in.
Oct 31,
10:23 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): Why didn’t they double Whiteside in the first half like they did in
the second half?
Oct 31,
10:25 AM
srchat
(Admin): They generally feel good about one-on-one matchups with their corners,
but clearly it wasn’t working against Arcega-Whiteside. In my estimation, he’s
the best receiver they’ve seen all year.
Oct 31,
10:25 AM
Guest7789
(Guest): Leach had said this is his most coachable team he has had. What do you
attribute that to? Minshew-Pelluer leadership, different dynamics from the new
coaches or maybe just being in the same system for so long.
Oct 31,
10:29 AM
srchat
(Admin): The senior leadership is the main factor, I’d guess. I don’t see too
many egos on this team, either, and feels like Leach isn’t grilling players
like he has in years past. I.e. we haven’t gotten the JC softball speech yet.
Oct 31,
10:29 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): Do you think we are going to start to see more Freshman play these
last 4 games due to the new red-shirt rule?
Oct 31,
10:29 AM
CougarCottage
(Guest): Is J Williams thinking of leaving early? Anyone thinking of leaving
early?
Oct 31,
10:31 AM
srchat
(Admin): Sammy - I do think so. Halid Djibril made a cameo in the Stanford
game, so I’d imagine they’ll try to get him his four games. I believe Tyrese
Ross still has two games left, so I think we’ll see more of him as well.
Oct 31,
10:35 AM
srchat
(Admin): CougarCottage - Would be surprised if it wasn’t in the back of his
head, but my gut tells me he’ll stick around another year. NFL scouts know who
Jalen Thompson, but I don’t think he’s been stellar as a junior so I’d imagine
he comes back, too. I wonder if Dezmon Patmon would have an opportunity, as
well, given his measurables and production this season.
Oct 31,
10:35 AM
Guest7789
(Guest): Your interview with the coaches are fun to listen to. Coach Phelps
seems like the the most personable one. Kind of a person one would like to have
dinner with. Your thoughts on him.
Oct 31,
10:37 AM
srchat
(Admin): I’d definitely accept a dinner invite to the Phelps household. You hit
the nail on the head. Very personable and kind-hearted. Always insightful when
I chat with him, too. I’ve heard he has quite the basketball shoe collection,
too. Perhaps a story idea for down the road…
Oct 31,
10:38 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): As far as “most coachable team” Leach said he only has to correct
things once with this team which allows him to teach new things.
Oct 31,
10:38 AM
srchat
(Admin): Indeed. Leach dove into this topic during Monday’s news conference.
Oct 31,
10:38 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): Do you think Tracy Claeys come back next year?
Oct 31,
10:42 AM
srchat
(Admin): Right now, yes. I’m not sure he’d leave for another defensive
coordinator position and seems like he enjoys the freedom Leach has given him
at WSU.
Oct 31,
10:43 AM
srchat
(Admin): To add to that, I think he’d explore the market for other head
coaching opportunities, but imagine he’s still a year or two away from pursing
that again.
Oct 31,
10:43 AM
GoCougs
(Guest): Cal isn’t averaging a ton of points per game but what are the biggest
offensive threats our defense will need to watch for?
Oct 31,
10:46 AM
srchat
(Admin): Patrick Laird, the running back, is probably their top skill player
and the Cougars didn’t see him last year in Berkeley. They have an extremely
mobile QB in Brandon McIlwain, too.
Oct 31,
10:46 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): Is there much “Bear raid” left with Wilcox as the head coach now?
Oct 31,
10:50 AM
srchat
(Admin): The “Bear Raid” is as good as gone. Beau Baldwin’s offenses have
always been pretty balanced and play to their strengths. Throwing the ball
definitely isn’t a strength of this Cal team.
Oct 31,
10:51 AM
Sammy-Schroeder
(Guest): Who will start for Cal, Garbers or Mcllwain, or will we see both?
Oct 31,
10:53 AM
srchat
(Admin): It seems like Garbers has been the guy the last few games, but they do
some different stuff with McIlwain, so I imagine he’ll come into the game
occasionally.
Oct 31,
10:53 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): Best Halloween candy?
Oct 31,
10:55 AM
srchat
(Admin): 1. Butterfingers. 2. Butterfingers. 3. Butterfingers. Those fat
Tootsie Rolls are pretty good, too.
Oct 31,
10:56 AM
srchat
(Admin): Anyone else have input on the Halloween candy question?
Oct 31,
10:57 AM
ScaryUncleLarry
(Guest): 1,000 Grand is always overlooked.
Oct 31,
10:59 AM
srchat
(Admin): We’ll end on that sweet note (Ha ha). Thanks to those who joined this
week and if you haven’t already, head over
http://www.spokesman.com/sports/team/wsu-football/
for all your WSU-Cal game-week coverage.
#
