From WSU Sports Info
Date: Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 11:02 PM
Subject: No. 22 Washington State Earns First Pac-12 Win of the Season
Subject: No. 22 Washington State Earns First Pac-12 Win of the Season
VOLLEYBALL Cougars down No. 25 Utah in five set thriller
PULLMAN, Wash.-- The No. 22 ranked Washington State (10-3, 1-2 Pac-12) Cougars earned their first Pac-12 victory of the season, defeating the No. 25 ranked Utah Utes in five sets, inside Bohler Gym.
Set scores for the match were: 25-9, 25-22, 17-25, 17-25, and 18-16 in favor of the Cougars.
Set number one featured a dominate performance from the Cougs, as an 11-0 run over Utah fueled the home squad out to an early 1-0 set advantage. Leading the way in the opening set was Jocelyn Urias with six total kills, and an attack percentage of .800 overall. Claire Martin, and Ella Lajos each turned in two block assists to anchor the defensive front for Washington State as well.
Round number two between these ranked Pac-12 opponents saw WSU out in front early once again, creating multiple 3-0 runs to hold down a lead over the Utes throughout the majority of this set. Multiple kills from McKenna Woodford and Lajos guided the offensive attack over Utah, outhitting the visitors .231 to .184 by the sets end. The set was capped off with an Olivia Coale ace to see the Cougs win it 25-22 over the Utes.
Utah staged a comeback in this match in set number three, as the Utes jumped out to an 8-2 lead to begin play. Despite great offensive efforts from both Taylor Mims and Urias, Utah just found an answer to the WSU attack, generating small runs throughout this set. This set also intensified the contest as each coach went on to challenge plays in set three, but the Utes ultimately claimed it over the Cougars, 25-17.
The fourth set of this Pac-12 match featured a tightly contested battle between the Utes and the Cougs, until a 3-0 run, followed by a 4-0 run from Utah, saw the visitors with a 15-8 lead. WSU fought back, as kills from Urias, and Lajos slowly cut into the deficit, but Utah was able to hang on and record back-to-back points to end the set at 25-17.
Intensity only grew as this match headed into a fifth and final set, these two ranked adversaries trading points throughout the early stages of the set. Each squad built small 2-0 and 3-0 runs to gain a slim advantage over the other, until Utah saw match point after a kill at 14-13. After the Utes committed a service error, the visitors gained back the 16-15 advantage following yet another kill. The Cougars were determined to come out of this one with a win, and recorded three straight points off kills from Mims, and Lajos to take the match at 3-2 overall.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Washington State totaled five overall service aces in this contest, compared to that of Utah only recording one, as the service game played a definite role in this match.
Washington State totaled five overall service aces in this contest, compared to that of Utah only recording one, as the service game played a definite role in this match.
NOTES…
• Junior Ashley Brown totaled a match-high 50 assists, along with adding 17 digs for her fifth straight double-double.
• Jocelyn Urias added 11 kills with a .579 attack percentage on the night, and added five blocks as well.
• Senior Taylor Mims led the offense with a match-high 18 kills, and added three block assists to her stat-line.
• Alexis Dirige anchored the defensive side with 25 overall digs, the third straight match with 20 or more digs for the junior.
• Ella Lajos, and McKenna Woodford each tallied 11 kills a piece in this match as well.
• Junior Ashley Brown totaled a match-high 50 assists, along with adding 17 digs for her fifth straight double-double.
• Jocelyn Urias added 11 kills with a .579 attack percentage on the night, and added five blocks as well.
• Senior Taylor Mims led the offense with a match-high 18 kills, and added three block assists to her stat-line.
• Alexis Dirige anchored the defensive side with 25 overall digs, the third straight match with 20 or more digs for the junior.
• Ella Lajos, and McKenna Woodford each tallied 11 kills a piece in this match as well.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State will be back in Bohler Gym, Sunday, September 30, as the Cougars will take on No. 23 ranked Colorado, with first serve scheduled for noon.
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Tackling the concussion issue in youth sports
Area football coaches have adjusted their tackling teachings to reduce head injuries; some concerned about football's future
By Garrett Cabeza, Moscow Pullman Daily News staff writer Sep 29, 2018
Despite new medical information surfacing about the dangers of football - especially negative effects on the brain - Palouse coaches say participation in perhaps America's most popular sport is still steady.
Washington State will be back in Bohler Gym, Sunday, September 30, as the Cougars will take on No. 23 ranked Colorado, with first serve scheduled for noon.
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Tackling the concussion issue in youth sports
Area football coaches have adjusted their tackling teachings to reduce head injuries; some concerned about football's future
By Garrett Cabeza, Moscow Pullman Daily News staff writer Sep 29, 2018
Despite new medical information surfacing about the dangers of football - especially negative effects on the brain - Palouse coaches say participation in perhaps America's most popular sport is still steady.
Doug Ryan, Pullman Youth Football Association coach and president, said player participation numbers in the PYFA have remained steady during his seven years, and he does not expect numbers to drop because of increased awareness of brain injuries resulting from the sport. He said parents know coaches are doing their best to correctly teach the fundamentals of football.
"We don't ask kids to go do something that's not safe," Ryan said. "We try to keep it as safe as possible and I think the community has seen that."
On the other hand, Andy Kiblen, who coaches a Moscow Thrashers fifth/sixth-grade team, said Thrasher numbers have been a bit of a rollercoaster. Overall numbers are down from past years, but coaches are trying to attract more players to the program.
He said he believes the risk of head injuries is a major part of the decline.
Coaches with both organizations undergo concussion training to learn the symptoms and the steps to take if a player appears to have one. If a coach suspects a player sustained a concussion, the player is immediately removed from the practice or game and does not return until he is cleared by a doctor.
Jordan Hess, whose sixth-grade son, Kaden, plays for the Thrashers, said he did not allow his son to play football until he learned the players were using top-of-the-line helmets and guardian caps, or extra padding on the exterior of the helmets.
"They're ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing this technology," Hess said of the caps.
Hess said he is still worried about the safety of his son, who sat on the sidelines during Thursday's practice because of a sprained ankle. He still believes the benefits of the game, such as camaraderie and teamwork, outweigh the physical risks.
He said the Thrasher coaches are proactive when it comes to safety and care for their players, which is also why he is comfortable with his son playing.
Sonny Naranjo, whose fourth-grade son, Antonio, plays on a third/fourth-grade Thrashers team, also expressed full confidence in his son's coaches. He said the coaches focus on teaching correct tackling techniques, and if a player does not tackle the right way, coaches will work to correct the player's mistake.
Naranjo said he is not too concerned about his son sustaining a head injury because of the great coaches and the quality equipment. He said football is a risk just like any other activity or sport.
Michael Kiblen, Andy Kiblen's son and an eighth-grade quarterback and safety, said he suffered his second-ever concussion this week. The latest was considered mild but last year's concussion, which also came on the gridiron, kept him out five or six weeks.
He said the head injuries have not made him re-think playing the game he loves, since the injuries do not arise often.
At the high school level, Moscow High School Head Coach Phil Helbling, who is in his seventh season leading the Bears, said one of the biggest focuses in the last couple years is taking the head out of tackling and using shoulders instead.
Helbling said he teaches his players to tackle from the shoulder pads down.
He used to teach his players to put their head across the ball carrier's chest but now he instructs them to put their head behind the ball carrier, essentially taking the defender's head out of danger.
"We're trying to make the game as safe as possible," Helbling said.
He said he has also limited contact in practices to reduce head injuries and to keep players fresher for game days.
Helbling said MHS has always struggled to a degree with player participation and he is worried about declining numbers in the future.
He said some students have told him they will not play because of parents' concerns or because the student had sustained multiple concussions.
Helbling said concussions are handled with extreme care. If a symptom is present, an athletic trainer will remove the player from the game.
"If a kid gets a concussion Friday night, the chances of him playing next Friday night are slim to none," Helbling said.
David Cofer, who is in his 12th season on the Pullman High School football staff and second as a head coach, said his staff has also changed the way they teach tackling and has adjusted their practice structure. Cofer said his team has no more than two full-contact practices a week, and the contact periods are limited.
Cofer said many concussions are a result of repeated collisions, not necessarily one huge hit.
"We really try to initiate contact with our shoulder primarily, and by doing this, we've actually seen a huge reduction in the amount of concussions we've had over the last five years," Cofer said.
Cofer said his players do not have full-contact practices until about two and a half weeks into practice, which is a stark contrast to when he first started coaching.
Cofer said the number of players in his program has stayed pretty consistent over the last five to eight years, but they are down from 20 years ago.
Declining numbers is something that crosses his mind, but he said the positive steps taken to make the game safer is also something he considers.
"I think right now, the game is safer than it's ever been," Cofer said.
Kelly Isakson, a physical therapist and one of the owners of Moscow Mountain Sport and Physical Therapy, said she offers area athletes free ImPACT and VOMS, or vestibular/ocular-motor screening tests. Isakson said a baseline ImPACT test involves a series of questions that require memory and reasoning from the athlete and determines how an athlete's brain is functioning. If the player sustains a concussion, he or she can take the test again and then compare the data to when the athlete was not concussed. The test is one tool physicians can use to determine when an athlete can return to the field or court.
While Isakson said she has offered the ImPACT test the last half a dozen years, she started offering the VOMS test a couple years ago. She said the standardized test determines how an athlete's eyes and balance are functioning and it is helpful in determining what part of the brain is injured, how the athlete is recovering and what rehabilitation methods should be taken.
Benjamin Stellmon, a registered nurse in Gritman Medical Center's Emergency Department and clinical coordinator for the department, said concussion treatment has not changed much in the past decade. He said typically a computed tomography scan is performed to determine if there is brain bleeding. If the concussion is mild, the patient will stay in the hospital for a couple hours to be monitored before being sent home with possible medications for pain and vomiting. If visible damage is done to the brain, sometimes patients will stay overnight or be sent to see neurologist.
He estimated 30 to 40 percent of concussion patients seen at Gritman are injured playing football.
Depending on the severity of the concussion, Stellmon said football players typically need to wait at least a week before returning to contact activities, and they need to be cleared by a medical professional before resuming contact.
Sometimes football players are encouraged to sit out the remainder of the season, or if more than three concussions are sustained, Stellmon said doctors often suggest quitting football altogether. Stellmon said every concussion sustained increases the risk for long-term neurological problems.
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Cougs hope recent trends continue vs. Utes
WSU has won last three meetings against Utah heading into today's clash
By Dale Grummert, Lewiston Trib
In recent years, Washington State has played some of its best football against teams that, whatever their offensive merits or demerits, tend to rely on staunch, old-school defense to carry the day.
Teams like Utah.
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Cougs hope recent trends continue vs. Utes
WSU has won last three meetings against Utah heading into today's clash
By Dale Grummert, Lewiston Trib
In recent years, Washington State has played some of its best football against teams that, whatever their offensive merits or demerits, tend to rely on staunch, old-school defense to carry the day.
Teams like Utah.
So the Cougars will take a certain amount of confidence into their Homecoming game against the Utes today (3 p.m., Pac-12 Networks) at Martin Stadium.
Yet it's still early in the season, and nobody's certain that trends of recent years are still valid. Unexpectedly, Utah (2-1, 0-1) is favored by a small margin against a Cougar team (3-1, 0-1) aiming for its 10th straight home win.
"We've played Utah a lot - I forget how many times," WSU coach Mike Leach said. "All of our Utah games, other than the first time we played them, have been battles. It's kind of gone our way, but I think this one will be a battle too."
He's remembering accurately. His first, hapless Wazzu team in 2012 lost 49-6 at Utah, but the Cougs won the next three games in the series, most recently 33-25 last season at Salt Lake City. Both defenses sparkled and the Cougars forced seven turnovers.
As usual against this Pac-12 opponent, a key for the Wazzu offense will be making its opponent pay for its aggression - something new quarterback Gardner Minshew has excelled at. All in all, the Cougars would probably rather face defenses that blitz heavily than ones that craftily play it safe. Their offensive line is playing well and they like the chances of their deep fleet of receivers to prosper against man-to-man coverage.
"All the games (between these teams) are kind of similar," Leach said. "They're physical and they're trying to massacre the quarterback. If we put it in play, sometimes we get a little bit (of yardage) because, as you get it off, sometimes they're manned up."
For the Utah defense, "Part of the challenge will be trying to keep our guys fresh," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said, "and a lot of that will be getting out of drives, because extended drives wear you out."
These teams have almost identical scores in a couple of RPI rankings, and starkly contrasting places in the national statistics. The Utes are first in the FBS in total defense, pass defense and scoring defense, while the Cougars are second in passing offense and Minshew is No. 1 in individual total offense.
The Utes probably want a low-scoring game. To them, however, saying as much might seem like raising a white flag. When Whittingham was asked to gauge the importance of time of possession in this game, he replied, "It is important, but it is more important that we just score points. You just have to score points. You aren't going to beat Washington State 21-17. That is not going to happen. They are prolific on offense and you have to be able to stick with them."
So he wants more efficiency from his offense, whose receivers have dropped 15 passes in three games. Running back Zach Moss is averaging 6.3 yards per carry, while quarterback Tyler Huntley is completing 60 percent and could hurt the Cougars with his mobility. But the Utes have mustered only 24 points in their last two games.
"The primary issue is the pass offense," Whittingham said, "and we are trying to get that jump-started."
The Utes, at any rate, are freshened by a bye week, while the Cougars are coming off a dramatic 39-36 loss to USC at Los Angeles in a Friday night game last week.
Utah will be missing standout defensive lineman Leki Fotu in the first half because of a targeting penalty in its most recent game, a 21-7 home loss to Washington.
"The guy behind him is probably almost as good," Leach noted, and in any case the Utes are studded with talented defenders like linebacker Chase Hansen and All-America candidate cornerback Julian Blackmon.
"They're persistent, they're strong," WSU offensive guard Josh Watson said. "It's going to be a challenge. Can't wait to get after it. My boys are ready. We're ready."
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WSU football
Utah, Kyle Whittingham present major challenge to Washington State on homecoming
UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 28, 2018, 9:02 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane S-R
PAC-12 FOOTBALL
At Martin Stadium, Pullman
➤ Saturday, Sept. 29: Utah Utes at Washington State Cougars, 3 p.m. PDT TV: Pac-12 Networks
PULLMAN – While the rest of the country spent the week buzzing about Porter Gustin’s hit heard round the world, Washington State players and coaches probably did not spend too much time rewatching or mulling the most disputed play from last Friday’s game against USC.
And if they did, it was by their own accord.
While officials decided Gustin’s helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Gardner Minshew was not targeting – and Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, even more controversially, backed that verdict up earlier this week – there’s plenty of data available to the Cougars to suggest their 39-36 loss did not come down to a single judgment call.
Had WSU (3-1, 0-1) been a hair better in any of the game’s three phases, the Cougars probably would have emerged with the victory in Los Angeles and taken an unbeaten record into Saturday’s homecoming affair (3 p.m., Pac-12 Networks) against Utah (2-1, 0-1).
For example, WSU defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys indicated his secondary “didn’t play off the ball very well.” The Cougars also committed more than their fair share of penalties.
“We make one or two of those plays, we win the ball game,” Claeys said.
So no time to stew about officiating decisions.
Utah is widely considered to be one of a few betting favorites to claim the Pac-12 South. If the Cougars can manufacture a win – more significantly, if their passing offense can stump the Utes’ savvy secondary – the rest of the year sets up nicely.
Those “ifs” loom pretty large, though.
WSU head coach Mike Leach said Thursday on his weekly radio show the 2018 Utes don’t look too different than the 2017 Utes, or for that matter any of the Utah teams Kyle Whittingham has presided over during his nearly decade-and-a-half tenure in Salt Lake City. That’s a good thing for the Utes and a bad thing for the Cougars.
Whittingham, 113-57 at Utah, has had only two losing seasons and he has an immaculate record in the postseason. The Utes have gone 11-1 in bowl games under Whittingham’s watch.
“They’re always good, everybody always asks for all these differences,” Leach said. “There aren’t any differences. They’re always good. They’re always real physical, they always try to hit you as hard as they can. They want to send a message, they want to make sure they tattoo you in a way that you know it was them on an individual basis. They hit you and their secondary’s been together for a while, too.”
The secondary is comprised of seniors Marquise Blair and Corrion Ballard, junior Julian Blackmon and sophomore Jaylen Johnson. The quartet has combined to make 43 career starts, which is about as many passing completions as the Utes have allowed through three games this season. They’ve conceded 37, which is why the Cougars consider this their toughest exam yet. Utah’s 93 passing yards allowed per game leads the FBS and the Utes have given up just one passing touchdown through 12 quarters.
“Those are two really important things, being really talented and having played a lot,” WSU inside receivers coach Dave Nichol said earlier this week. “Their scheme, they don’t give you many easy catches and I respect that. They’re going to make you kind of earn every yard.”
But the Cougars probably don’t need a record-shattering day throwing the ball to beat the Utes. They just need to outscore Utah’s offense, which has only managed to score 24 points in two games against FBS opposition. WSU hasn’t scored fewer than 31 in a single game.
The Cougars ought to exploit the Utes while they can, because under Whittingham, it’s unlikely they’ll be vulnerable for long.
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Saturday, September 29, 2018
FOOTBALL
Have the Utes fixed their wobbly offense? Answers are due Saturday at Washington State
Utah’s defense also faces a big test from the Cougars' passing offense.
By Kurt Kragthorpe , Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's defensive backs want to be remembered as the best secondary in school history. Intercepting a pass or two would help make their case, and they will have all kinds of opportunities Saturday.
That's just one way of looking at the challenge awaiting the Utes, as they meet Washington State at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
The matchup comes with multiple dimensions and is a checkpoint in Utah’s season, as September ends. The fundamental question is who’s dealing with more pressure: Utah’s defensive players, facing the Cougars' prolific passing scheme? Or the offensive players, who have stewed for two weeks after scoring seven points in a loss to Washington?
The Utes believe they can win the Pac-12 South title. To do so, they’ll have to beat somebody from the North at some point. Beyond seeking their first conference win of the season, the Utes have plenty to prove in Pullman. The defense would like to validate its No. 1 national ranking. The offense wants to do something, anything, to justify its existence.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham framed this game by basically giving the offense a minimum standard and forgiving the defense in advance, saying, “You're not going to beat Washington State 21-17; that's not going to happen.”
So there's a sliding scale in play Saturday. How well will Utah's defense have to play, considering no one knows what to expect from the offense?
The Ute defensive backs long ago “circled this game,” cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah said. “I like that, because I never tell my boys to back down or be scared of anything or anybody.”
Knowing the Cougars will complete a bunch of passes, Shah cited a theme of the week: “Manage the damage.”
Ute cornerback Julian Blackmon would like to cause his own problems, in the process. Utah's only interceptions through three games have come from linebacker Chase Hansen and lineman Pita Tonga. The lack of pickoffs by the defensive backs is “for sure, something that's on our mind,” Blackmon said. “We're patient, we're just waiting, because we know those guys will give us those chances.”
Utah’s three opponents have totaled 37 completions in 79 attempts. The Cougars will approach those numbers in a game Blackmon considers “every DB’s dream.”
Utah's offense has bordered on nightmarish lately. The last time Ute offensive coordinator Troy Taylor visited Martin Stadium, his scheme was unstoppable. His first game with Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference in 2016 hardly could have gone better, as the Eagles passed for 474 yards in a 45-42 victory. Two factors are working against Taylor: He won't have Cooper Kupp, now an NFL star who posted 206 receiving yards that day, and the Cougar defense won't be all messed up.
Viewed as a liability as his college career unfolded, Ute linebacker Cody Barton is getting the ending right
Utes need more production, Kyle Whittingham says, because ‘You’re not going to beat Washington State 21-17.’
Armand Shyne’s role is among the offense’s questions, as the Utes prepare for Washington State
Is a philosophical shift coming? Utes’ offensive line ‘can dominate games,’ Kyle Whittingham says.
The Spokesman-Review’s look back, in advance of a rematch this month, included a former Cougar’s recollection that half of his defensive teammates were wearing the wrong wristbands in the first half. They responded differently to the signals from the sideline, occasionally leaving Kupp wide open.
The Utes could use that kind of help, right about now. The offense has produced 17 points in two games, resulting in the staff's bye-week self-evaluation that running backs coach Kiel McDonald labeled “an absolute grind.”
McDonald, who worked with Taylor at EWU, said, “We have a great defense, and we just need to match what they're doing for us.”
The offensive buzzword is “simplified;” the Utes will use fewer personnel groups and, logically, give Zack Moss more carries. “Focus on what you do well, and then we'll have a chance to implement some different things,” McDonald said, as the staff emphasizes “things the whole offense can execute well.”
That’s not to say the Utes can thrive expect to thrive merely with Moss. After the first drive vs. USC last week, WSU’s defense allowed only 33 net rushing yards.
UTAH AT WASHINGTON STATE
At Martin Stadium, Pullman, Wash.
Kickoff • 4 p.m. MDT.
TV • Pac-12 Networks.
Radio • ESPN 700.
Records • Utah 2-1 (0-1 Pac-12); WSU 3-1 (0-1 Pac-12).
Series history • WSU leads, 8-7.
Last meeting • WSU 33, Utah 25 (2017).
About the Utes • DT Leki Fotu will miss the first half after being ejected for targeting against Washington. Hauati Pututau and Pita Tonga are listed as the starting tackles. … The last time Utah visited WSU, in a 49-37 loss in 2013, the defense faced 62 pass attempts without recording a sack or an interception. … Next Saturday’s kickoff time at Stanford will be announced Sunday; it’s possible this will be Utah’s only afternoon game until mid-November.
About the Cougars • They lost 39-36 at USC last week, while holding the Trojans to 113 net rushing yards. … Coach Mike Leach, who graduated from BYU but didn’t play college football, is 41-39 in his seventh season at WSU. … Having played one Power Five opponent, the Cougars rank No. 7 nationally in total defense, allowing 265.8 yards.
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WSU football
Utah, Kyle Whittingham present major challenge to Washington State on homecoming
UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 28, 2018, 9:02 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane S-R
PAC-12 FOOTBALL
At Martin Stadium, Pullman
➤ Saturday, Sept. 29: Utah Utes at Washington State Cougars, 3 p.m. PDT TV: Pac-12 Networks
PULLMAN – While the rest of the country spent the week buzzing about Porter Gustin’s hit heard round the world, Washington State players and coaches probably did not spend too much time rewatching or mulling the most disputed play from last Friday’s game against USC.
And if they did, it was by their own accord.
While officials decided Gustin’s helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Gardner Minshew was not targeting – and Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, even more controversially, backed that verdict up earlier this week – there’s plenty of data available to the Cougars to suggest their 39-36 loss did not come down to a single judgment call.
Had WSU (3-1, 0-1) been a hair better in any of the game’s three phases, the Cougars probably would have emerged with the victory in Los Angeles and taken an unbeaten record into Saturday’s homecoming affair (3 p.m., Pac-12 Networks) against Utah (2-1, 0-1).
For example, WSU defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys indicated his secondary “didn’t play off the ball very well.” The Cougars also committed more than their fair share of penalties.
“We make one or two of those plays, we win the ball game,” Claeys said.
So no time to stew about officiating decisions.
Utah is widely considered to be one of a few betting favorites to claim the Pac-12 South. If the Cougars can manufacture a win – more significantly, if their passing offense can stump the Utes’ savvy secondary – the rest of the year sets up nicely.
Those “ifs” loom pretty large, though.
WSU head coach Mike Leach said Thursday on his weekly radio show the 2018 Utes don’t look too different than the 2017 Utes, or for that matter any of the Utah teams Kyle Whittingham has presided over during his nearly decade-and-a-half tenure in Salt Lake City. That’s a good thing for the Utes and a bad thing for the Cougars.
Whittingham, 113-57 at Utah, has had only two losing seasons and he has an immaculate record in the postseason. The Utes have gone 11-1 in bowl games under Whittingham’s watch.
“They’re always good, everybody always asks for all these differences,” Leach said. “There aren’t any differences. They’re always good. They’re always real physical, they always try to hit you as hard as they can. They want to send a message, they want to make sure they tattoo you in a way that you know it was them on an individual basis. They hit you and their secondary’s been together for a while, too.”
The secondary is comprised of seniors Marquise Blair and Corrion Ballard, junior Julian Blackmon and sophomore Jaylen Johnson. The quartet has combined to make 43 career starts, which is about as many passing completions as the Utes have allowed through three games this season. They’ve conceded 37, which is why the Cougars consider this their toughest exam yet. Utah’s 93 passing yards allowed per game leads the FBS and the Utes have given up just one passing touchdown through 12 quarters.
“Those are two really important things, being really talented and having played a lot,” WSU inside receivers coach Dave Nichol said earlier this week. “Their scheme, they don’t give you many easy catches and I respect that. They’re going to make you kind of earn every yard.”
But the Cougars probably don’t need a record-shattering day throwing the ball to beat the Utes. They just need to outscore Utah’s offense, which has only managed to score 24 points in two games against FBS opposition. WSU hasn’t scored fewer than 31 in a single game.
The Cougars ought to exploit the Utes while they can, because under Whittingham, it’s unlikely they’ll be vulnerable for long.
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Saturday, September 29, 2018
FOOTBALL
Have the Utes fixed their wobbly offense? Answers are due Saturday at Washington State
Utah’s defense also faces a big test from the Cougars' passing offense.
By Kurt Kragthorpe , Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's defensive backs want to be remembered as the best secondary in school history. Intercepting a pass or two would help make their case, and they will have all kinds of opportunities Saturday.
That's just one way of looking at the challenge awaiting the Utes, as they meet Washington State at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
The matchup comes with multiple dimensions and is a checkpoint in Utah’s season, as September ends. The fundamental question is who’s dealing with more pressure: Utah’s defensive players, facing the Cougars' prolific passing scheme? Or the offensive players, who have stewed for two weeks after scoring seven points in a loss to Washington?
The Utes believe they can win the Pac-12 South title. To do so, they’ll have to beat somebody from the North at some point. Beyond seeking their first conference win of the season, the Utes have plenty to prove in Pullman. The defense would like to validate its No. 1 national ranking. The offense wants to do something, anything, to justify its existence.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham framed this game by basically giving the offense a minimum standard and forgiving the defense in advance, saying, “You're not going to beat Washington State 21-17; that's not going to happen.”
So there's a sliding scale in play Saturday. How well will Utah's defense have to play, considering no one knows what to expect from the offense?
The Ute defensive backs long ago “circled this game,” cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah said. “I like that, because I never tell my boys to back down or be scared of anything or anybody.”
Knowing the Cougars will complete a bunch of passes, Shah cited a theme of the week: “Manage the damage.”
Ute cornerback Julian Blackmon would like to cause his own problems, in the process. Utah's only interceptions through three games have come from linebacker Chase Hansen and lineman Pita Tonga. The lack of pickoffs by the defensive backs is “for sure, something that's on our mind,” Blackmon said. “We're patient, we're just waiting, because we know those guys will give us those chances.”
Utah’s three opponents have totaled 37 completions in 79 attempts. The Cougars will approach those numbers in a game Blackmon considers “every DB’s dream.”
Utah's offense has bordered on nightmarish lately. The last time Ute offensive coordinator Troy Taylor visited Martin Stadium, his scheme was unstoppable. His first game with Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference in 2016 hardly could have gone better, as the Eagles passed for 474 yards in a 45-42 victory. Two factors are working against Taylor: He won't have Cooper Kupp, now an NFL star who posted 206 receiving yards that day, and the Cougar defense won't be all messed up.
Viewed as a liability as his college career unfolded, Ute linebacker Cody Barton is getting the ending right
Utes need more production, Kyle Whittingham says, because ‘You’re not going to beat Washington State 21-17.’
Armand Shyne’s role is among the offense’s questions, as the Utes prepare for Washington State
Is a philosophical shift coming? Utes’ offensive line ‘can dominate games,’ Kyle Whittingham says.
The Spokesman-Review’s look back, in advance of a rematch this month, included a former Cougar’s recollection that half of his defensive teammates were wearing the wrong wristbands in the first half. They responded differently to the signals from the sideline, occasionally leaving Kupp wide open.
The Utes could use that kind of help, right about now. The offense has produced 17 points in two games, resulting in the staff's bye-week self-evaluation that running backs coach Kiel McDonald labeled “an absolute grind.”
McDonald, who worked with Taylor at EWU, said, “We have a great defense, and we just need to match what they're doing for us.”
The offensive buzzword is “simplified;” the Utes will use fewer personnel groups and, logically, give Zack Moss more carries. “Focus on what you do well, and then we'll have a chance to implement some different things,” McDonald said, as the staff emphasizes “things the whole offense can execute well.”
That’s not to say the Utes can thrive expect to thrive merely with Moss. After the first drive vs. USC last week, WSU’s defense allowed only 33 net rushing yards.
UTAH AT WASHINGTON STATE
At Martin Stadium, Pullman, Wash.
Kickoff • 4 p.m. MDT.
TV • Pac-12 Networks.
Radio • ESPN 700.
Records • Utah 2-1 (0-1 Pac-12); WSU 3-1 (0-1 Pac-12).
Series history • WSU leads, 8-7.
Last meeting • WSU 33, Utah 25 (2017).
About the Utes • DT Leki Fotu will miss the first half after being ejected for targeting against Washington. Hauati Pututau and Pita Tonga are listed as the starting tackles. … The last time Utah visited WSU, in a 49-37 loss in 2013, the defense faced 62 pass attempts without recording a sack or an interception. … Next Saturday’s kickoff time at Stanford will be announced Sunday; it’s possible this will be Utah’s only afternoon game until mid-November.
About the Cougars • They lost 39-36 at USC last week, while holding the Trojans to 113 net rushing yards. … Coach Mike Leach, who graduated from BYU but didn’t play college football, is 41-39 in his seventh season at WSU. … Having played one Power Five opponent, the Cougars rank No. 7 nationally in total defense, allowing 265.8 yards.
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