Years of planning, near-misses have gone into
ESPN College GameDay’s visit to Washington State
Fri., Oct. 19, 2018, 5 a.m.
By Theo Lawson S-R of Spokane
PULLMAN – At the end of each season, Chris
Fallica – if you know college football, you know him as “The Bear” – takes a
few weeks to unwind. Since 1996, he’s been on the road with ESPN’s award-winning
College GameDay show, which means Fallica has spent 15 to 18 weeks each of the
last 22 seasons hopping from site to site as GameDay seeks out the country’s
most intriguing storylines and juiciest matchups.
Fallica says he’s been fortunate to spend more
than two decades as the show’s research producer and official historian – he
spends some time on-air these days, too. But it’s an exhausting gig, and by the
end of the five-month slog every year, “The Bear” needs time to hibernate.
Then he returns to the grid.
“The grid” is a running list of college football
games compiled by Fallica, who begins scoping out potential GameDay
destinations for the next football season not long after the previous season
has culminated.
It’s a rough draft – things shift throughout the
college season and edits are made to the document on a weekly basis. This year,
for example, Fallica found a potentially tantalizing matchup on Nov. 10 between
Florida State and Notre Dame when he took his early glimpse. It would’ve coincided
with the 25th anniversary of the TV program’s first-ever road show, too.
“Would be shocked if we didn’t wind up here,”
Fallica said. “Well, we’re not going to wind up there, because Florida State is
terrible.”
And there’s another step that’s long been a
staple of Fallica’s process. Every year, he pulls up Washington State’s
schedule, removes his pen cap and marks any home Cougar games that could be
appealing for the traveling road show. No other school gets this treatment.
“We always include on that list, for as long as
we can remember, the best opportunities for us to get Washington State,” said
Drew Gallagher, a coordinating producer for ESPN College GameDay. “What are
their big home games? Because it’s always on our mind to try to get there.”
“(Fallica) has been pushing for taking the show
to the flag, as he likes to say, as much as anyone,” added Gallagher. “So if
there’s anyone who’s excited to go to Pullman, it’s him.”
Fallica, Gallagher and an estimated 100 crew
members will be on-site this week for GameDay’s first-ever show on the WSU
campus – a voyage that Cougars coach Mike Leach called “long overdue” and one
that ESPN has been eager to make since Tom Pounds flew his Ol’ Crimson flag
behind the GameDay set in Austin, Texas, exactly 15 years ago.
That piece of fabric has miraculously appeared
in the backdrop of every show since 2003 – 216 in a row at this point – and
it’ll have some company, tons of it actually, this Saturday when the show
debuts on the Pullman campus from 6 to 9 a.m.
“Continually, they were there every week
supporting and proudly waving that flag,” Fallica said.” And I think we’re all
excited to be there, and I think we’re more excited because it’s not just like
a novelty, it’s a bad week, let’s just go to Washington State, let’s give them
their due, go to the flag. They earned it. It’s legitimately a good game. There
were four games with ranked opponents this week, and it’s one of them. It’s a
toss-up-type game.”
The show has flirted with a visit to Pullman
before. There was a close call in 2015, when GameDay found itself in a pickle,
selecting between No. 8 Stanford at WSU and No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 21 Temple.
Visits to “Group of Five” schools are few and far between for the show, and it
had a rare opportunity to set up in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
GameDay chose Philly. Crew members still
consider it one of the more memorable episodes to date.
“I think the game just sort of felt like it had
a little bit more,” Gallagher said. “Sometimes it’s a feel thing, and I can’t
describe it any other way more than that.”
The process of choosing a site isn’t quite as
scientific and detail-oriented as the average fan might imagine. Typically on
Saturday, there’s a group text between ESPN brass, producers and members of the
on-air talent team – they all weigh in on the conversation – as they’re
traveling from different parts of the country.
“Watching the games play out, seeing what feels
right at the end of Saturday night, and then you just sort of make a decision
based on what’s the best story, what’s the best scene going to be on Saturday
morning,” Gallagher said. “Where do we want to be? It’s not where do we want to
be right now, what’s going to feel right next Saturday? And usually the
decision kind of is obvious.”
For this Washington State alum, it’s a long road
to GameDay
It was almost midnight on Saturday in Virginia
when the text message flashed across Travis Crawford’s screen. It was concise –
just seven words – and an order from longtime friend Jeffrey Mohn: “Get your stuff and get to Pullman.”
WSU has always been on the shortlist. Fallica
said he scoped out a potential Pullman trip for the 100th anniversary of the
Ol’ Crimson flag, and then for the 150th.
“The Stanford game a couple years ago came oh,
so close to getting there for that,” he said.
College GameDay probably would’ve made the
journey one year earlier had a Pac-12 game between No. 5 USC and No. 16
Washington State fallen on a Saturday. But the scheduling gods didn’t work in
WSU’s favor, and Trojans-Cougars earned a Friday evening ESPN slot.
“Even though Washington State’s not a team
that’s been ranked in the preseason very often, just because of the flag and
that story, and the association Wazzu has with our show, I’ll go through and
say, ‘Oh no, we would’ve been there, but the USC game is on a Friday night. Son
of a gun, that’s not going to work for us.’ ” Fallica said. “This year I went,
what are their home games, and Oregon looks like they could be pretty good, and
I had that game pretty high on that list.”
A tweet from Fallica on Saturday night was
perhaps the first thing that got WSU fans buzzing about a potential visit from
GameDay: “So it appears the airport code for Spokane is GEG…” he typed.
Videos of the GameDay convoy’s arrival began to
circulate Wednesday morning as the bright-orange bus made its grand entrance
into Pullman. Fallica can’t remember a reception of that magnitude in his 22
years with the show, and expects WSU to set attendance records Saturday
morning.
The city of Pullman issued an emergency on
Tuesday in anticipation of the mass crowds that are expected to show up.
“I would expect this one to be at the top, or if
not, right near the top,” Fallica said. “The first time we went to Fargo was an
absolutely incredible scene, where just the main street we shut down, and our
set was in the middle of Main Street. You could see people just as long as you
could look. The first time we went to James Madison was great as well in that
setting.”
But, Fallica adds: “We’ve never had emergency
proclamations to share mass transit.”
As much as WSU and Pullman may be anticipating
Saturday’s show, ESPN producers seem to share an equal amount of enthusiasm.
“I’m leaving the office right now, and it’s like
Christmas Eve, because tomorrow morning I get to get on a plane and go to
Spokane and drive to Pullman, and I cannot wait,” Gallagher said Wednesday. “I
can’t wait to see what’s waiting there.”
::::::
From Associated Press
Long before the sun rises over the rolling hills
of the Palouse, the fans in crimson and gray will make their pilgrimage.
They'll come stumbling out of RVs parked the night before in nearby lots.
They'll walk through campus past the Bryan Clock Tower or make the hike up
College Hill.
They'll don jerseys bearing the names Leaf,
Thompson, Bledsoe, Gleason. They'll display the number "3" in memory
of quarterback Tyler Hilinski. They'll carry signs disparaging Dawgs to the
West and Ducks to the South. They'll celebrate the "Popcorn Guy" and
the "Fireball Chugger."
And flags. Oh, will there ever be flags.
Crimson. White. Gray. Black. All with the unmistakable Cougars logo. And the
most famous of those flags -- Ol' Crimson -- will be front and center.
ESPN's "College GameDay" is coming to
Pullman on Saturday ahead of No. 25 Washington State's Pac-12 showdown with No.
12 Oregon (4:30 p.m. TV on Fox), and it could be unlike any setting ever for
college football's version of Woodstock.
"We're going to try and set some records
this weekend," Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said.
After 15 years of the Washington State flag
being a backdrop fixture for every "College GameDay" broadcast --
from Tempe to Tallahassee, Boise to Blacksburg -- Ol' Crimson will finally come
home when the broadcast goes live in the early morning hours from the
intersection of Cougar Way and Ferdinand's Lane in the shadow of Martin
Stadium.
That's 34 states, 72 cities leading to this
moment.
"When we go to a place that we've never
been to, it's guaranteed to be electric," said Lee Fitting, ESPN's vice
president of production. "Starting the show in the dark is cool. I just
picture a dark fall morning, there could be some mist or fog and thousands of
flags sort of dimly lit. It's going to be a really cool on-air moment."
The show's trip to Pullman is the realization of
a dream for many: For the founders of Ol' Crimson who created a movement that
made sure the flag was flying at every broadcast since October 2003 and for
Washington State fans who have made getting the show to the campus a collective
mission.
"Even though I was the first one to start
it and keep it going, I'm still amazed that something I thought of 15 years
ago, did 15 years ago, would have this kind of effect," said Tom Pounds,
who started the tradition of flying the flag in 2003. "It still amazes
me."
What began as an attempt to draw attention to
the school and lure the show to Pullman carries far deeper meaning for
Washington State students, alums and fans. Ol' Crimson flying in the background
of each of the past 216 "GameDay" broadcasts is a public representation
of the bond created by being a Coug.
It's not easily explained.
Washington State is defined by its remoteness.
Dealing with isolation at the school some 290 miles east of Seattle is part of
the curriculum. Pullman is not a destination location, yet it becomes the
foundation for a relationship between the students, the campus and the
community that spans generations and creates inseparable bonds.
"There's something in the DNA of a Coug.
... There is a bond like none other, I would argue, and I gauge it on walking
through the airport, wearing the Coug logo and how many 'Go Cougs' I get,"
Chun said. "I tell people there are less than a dozen schools around the
country where you verbally hear that."
The early days of Ol' Crimson came during some
of the worst years in Washington State's football history. Between 2004 and
2014, the Cougars never won more than six games. Between 2008 and 2012,
Washington State's combined record was 12-49. Now they've become relevant
again, going to four bowl games in five years under Mike Leach. This week, the
Cougars returned to the AP Top 25.
"It was kind of funny because they were so
bad for so long it was like, 'What the hell is the Wazzu flag doing
here?'" Fitting said. "We showed it as a bit of a spoof and had some
fun with it. Then it was, this is turning into a thing. Over time, as I like to
describe it, the flag signifies college football. Its tradition. Its pageantry
and its passion. And that's what makes college football great. And that's what
makes the flag behind 'GameDay' great. Because people are passionate about it.
They're making an effort to fly it. We recognize it."
Fitting said there were a few times the show
came close to a Pullman trip. The closest was Halloween 2015 when the Cougars
were hosting Stanford in a game key to the Pac-12 North race. The show ended up
going to Notre Dame at Temple that week in Philadelphia, in part because the
broadcast came from in front of Independence Hall.
"We would have gone to Pullman if we didn't
get the desired location in Philadelphia. And mid-afternoon on Monday, the
mayor's office called and said you're good to go with your location,"
Fitting recalled. "And Wazzu was left out and I got absolutely lambasted
on social media."
There are no more campaigns for the Cougs to
take on. When the "College GameDay" equipment arrived in Pullman on
Wednesday, it was greeted by a police escort and thousands of fans.
And while Ol' Crimson is coming home this
Saturday, it'll be back out on its college football road trip next week.
"ESPN is still going to expect us to be
there next week for (show) 218," Pounds said. "That's all there is to
it."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
No matter the mascot head he’s wearing, ESPN’s
Lee Corso is always smiling
By Dave
Boling for the Spokesman-Review. He’s a former columnist for the S-R and the
Tacoma News Tribune.
Fri., Oct. 19, 2018, 9:53 a.m.
There’s a lot going on inside that giant mascot
head.
Maybe it’s a cougar head, or maybe a duck or a
buckeye – whatever’s the cranial representation of the mascot of the college
football team that Lee Corso believes will win the showcase game of the week.
ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast, a cultural
phenomenon in part because of Corso’s showmanship, makes its first visit to
Pullman for the Oregon at Washington State clash on Saturday.
As he has for decades, to the delight or dismay
of the boisterous home fans, Corso caps off the panel prognostications by
slipping inside the mascot head of the team he picks to win.
I guarantee you this: Inside that absurd
headgear, Lee Corso is grinning like crazy, astonished that at age 83 he still
can be a part of college football and entertain others who love the game just
as he does.
“Life is goo-ooo-ood,” he always likes to remind
people. “I’m doing something I love to do.”
The quotes in this story came from a 2016
interview I did with Corso when the GameDay crew was on its way to Seattle for
a University of Washington game. Corso’s personal dynamism in his 80s seemed
hardly diminished from when I met him almost 50 years ago, when he recruited me
to play football at the University of Louisville, where he’d just been named
head coach.
The facilities were awful, fan support
nonexistent, and the 33-year-old Corso had been hired as head coach for the
laughable sum of $12,500 a year. Why would an athlete with options decide to
play there? It’s hard to explain, but Corso had a way of convincing people that
great things could be accomplished – and he knew the secret to it.
He expressed his existential credo with a sign
on his office desk: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
From the start, Corso was indefatigable, trying
to make the team something it had never been at that school. He rode an
elephant in a parade trying to sell season tickets (he claimed it sold four – a
triumph). He scheduled our spring scrimmage one year on a field inside the
Kentucky State Penitentiary – surely college football’s most extreme outreach
for a captive audience.
Before one Thanksgiving Day game, he brought
into the locker room a live, white turkey, with a red “L” painted on its side,
and had the captains take it out to midfield for the coin toss. It was
something for fans to talk about, something to make them consider coming to
games.
Even when the team struggled, Corso’s press
conferences were always nationally ranked.
Truthfully, other people’s enthusiasm can be
exhausting. College sports has had its share of colorful coaches who end up
having shallow substance beneath the veneer. So, players were suspicious at
times.
But Corso’s approach worked: We ended up
nationally ranked, our facilities improved, and our travel and schedule were
upgraded. The strength of his will was contagious, and it made a huge
difference.
In an era when Bear Bryant and Woody Hayes were
the coaching paradigms, wielding imperial powers with cranky countenances,
Corso wanted the game to be fun. It was almost apostasy. But it worked, and
players appreciated a loose leash.
Corso suffered a stroke in 2009, and said he
needs to be careful about how much rest he gets during his withering schedule
of road trips every week. He expressed deep gratitude to ESPN for being patient
during his recovery.
But his mind is still sharp. When I called him
in 2016, he recalled his great friendship with legendary UW coach Don James. He
reminded me of our game against James’ Kent State team in 1972, when one of
their defensive backs was a guy named Nick Saban.
“We beat ’em 34-0 if I recall,” Corso said,
getting the score exactly right, and we both laughed at the delicious memory of
a lopsided win more than four decades earlier.
More astonishing to me was the first thing he
asked me: Did I have any lingering effects of an injury I sustained my senior
season? He remembered the exact circumstances of the injury. And then he
remembered the time I won the team’s annual hamburger eating contest. (For the
curious: 19 in 30 minutes).
“I haven’t heard from you, Dave, but I think
about you often,” he said.
No lie, that choked me up. I was no
all-American, just one of many hundreds he had coached. But his personal recall
meant more to me than I could have imagined. Our conversation went from shared nostalgia
to something much deeper, something that revealed a great deal about the bond
between a good coach and the players whose lives he or she can influence.
I told him that I was certain his lessons had
made me a better person. He answered that it was the best thing that a coach
could hear. I think we were both puddling up a little by then.
So I’m happy to tell you this: The charismatic
Corso viewers see every weekend is exactly the one I knew when we were both
much younger men. Always smiling, always joyful, even now – even if he’s
talking from inside the head of a duck.
::::::::::::::::::::::
Cougs fans get ready for Gameday in Pullman
UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 18, 2018, 9:15 p.m.
By Jim Allen S-R of Spokane
PULLMAN – For many Cougar fans, it’s all about
the journey.
This one was special.
Del Winterfeld’s massive trailer – towed by a
crimson-and-gray truck all the way from Enumclaw, Washington – was first in
line across from the parking lot on Stadium Way.
Five others were lined up behind him on a sunny
Thursday afternoon, about 100 yards from Martin Stadium, their owners standing
in the RV lot and waiting for their spots to open.
That would take longer than usual, due to the
workers tending to the gargantuan ESPN GameDay production set not 40 yards
away.
It should have been 50 yards, but Winterfeld and
his friends sidestepped the yellow caution tape and marveled at the spectacle.
Not at the massive stage, but at the journey –
for the WSU football program and all who follow it.
The previous 216 GameDays were marked only by a
Cougar flag waving in the background while Lee Corso donned the head of someone
else’s mascot.
Not anymore.
Well, Corso could pull out a duck’s head early
Saturday morning, but would he dare? By then, the tiny lot promises to overflow
with thousands of Cougars from all compass points.
Physically and emotionally, few have come
farther than Ken Benveniste of Sammamish.
“We came close a couple of times, but didn’t win
the game we needed to,” said Benveniste, class of ’87 and a season ticket
holder for more than 20 years.Then came one of the best bye weeks in WSU
history, as Washington lost in overtime at Oregon “and it all fell together,”
Benveniste said.
The first ESPN trucks arrived the day before,
making Thursday the calm between storms.
Fittingly, it was a picture-perfect fall
afternoon, and plenty were snapped in front of the GameDay set. Tim and Barbara
Olson of Pullman were clicking away from a respectful distance.
“It’s crazy and incredible,” Olson said. “This
small town has waited a long time for this … everyone I talk to, they’re not
talking about anything else.”
Even the youngest fans appreciated the moment
and the history.
Nate Savolainen and Shane Grimm, both WSU
freshmen from Clarkston, finished the school day with a stroll past the GameDay
set.
Ahead lies the promise of a Saturday like no
other.
“We’re pretty jacked,” Savolainen said. “It’s
the first game day and my first year, so we’re just living it all out.”
If that means waking up at 5 a.m. to join the
Saturday morning mosh pit, Savolainen wasn’t saying. They are 18 years old,
after all.
Others won’t have a choice. The RV lot will be
rocking by 5 a.m. well before sunrise, though one ESPN worker promised to
“light up the sky” for the event.
Meanwhile, the line of RVs stretched longer than
usual on Thursday. At the back were old friends Keith Grossman of Ellensburg
and Dane Williams of Gig Harbor.
Like those at the front, they were enjoying the
journey.
“We’ve definitely gone through the lulls to
appreciate the highs,” Williams said. “This is the pinnacle, if you ask me.”
For Carmen Green of Spokane and her husband,
Kevin, it was even more.
“When we found out about GameDay, I got kind of
teary,” Green said. “We have such a beautiful campus and a great school.”
::::::::::::::::::
Two minute drill: Keys to victory for Washington
State against Oregon
Fri., Oct. 19, 2018, 12:19 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokesman-Rebiew
Don’t take your eyes off…
Oregon’s junior wide receiver, Dillon Mitchell,
thrives in press coverage situations and these last three weeks, any situation
really. Mitchell’s hands weren’t so reliable in Oregon’s first three games,
when he caught just six balls for 98 yards against lower-tier opponents Bowling
Green, Portland State and San Jose State. But he more than doubled his season
catch total and yards total in the next game alone with 14 receptions for 239
yards against No. 7 Stanford. Then it was seven for 105 against No. 24 Cal and
most recently eight for 199 against No. 7 Washington. Seeing the No. 25 in
front of Washington State’s name could be what fuels a third consecutive
100-yard outing for the 6-2 Mitchell.
When Oregon has the ball…
The Ducks still run traditional spread schemes,
and still try to operate with tempo, but they’ve gone away from the blur
offense that Chip Kelly used when he modernized the college game nearly a
decade ago. An offensive line guru, Mario Cristobal, is at the helm of the
Eugene program now and even with a Heisman-caliber quarterback under center,
the Ducks have only thrown it 178 times this season, while logging 278 run
plays. Cristobal’s intentions were on display, front and center, when the Ducks
beat the Huskies in overtime last Saturday. Oregon’s last offensive act in that
game? A 6-yard inside zone run from CJ Verdell, who sprinted through a big gap
created by the Duck blockers to punch in the winning touchdown.
When WSU has the ball…
Inside zone might as well be foreign language to
Mike Leach and the Cougars. They’ll stay on-brand Saturday against an Oregon
team that ranks third-to-last in the Pac-12, allowing 239 passing yards per
game. Gardner Minshew comes off one of his most efficient games of the season,
throwing 30-for-40 for 430 yards and five touchdowns against Oregon State, and
he continues to put lots of faith in his outside receivers. Easop Winston, Tay
Martin and Dezmon Patmon have caught 45 passes for 697 yards and eight
touchdowns in the last three games. If those three continue to get open, and
Minshew stays interception free, the Cougars could be in line for another
high-scoring game.
Did you know?
WSU may not be running the ball much this
season, and may rank 127th nationally in total carries (127), but the Cougars
have shown they’re dedicated to getting the ball into the end zone via the
ground. In 13 games last season, they rushed for just eight touchdowns. WSU has
already surpassed that number in six games this season and the Cougars enter
Saturday’s game with 12 rushing scores under their belt. Junior James Williams
has become a more consistent finisher in the red zone, with five rushing
touchdowns, and freshman Max Borghi employs a physical running style that’s
built for goal line scenarios.
…….
Vince Grippi of Spokane S-R says:
• It hit me as funny this morning. Just about
every story I read concerning Pullman and the Cougars today was about ESPN and
its pregame show in town. Every story I read from Portland or Eugene concerned
the game itself.
Now that’s to be expected. The Ducks are on the
road in a crucial Pac-12 North game and their fans want to know what’s going to
happen.
The Cougars, on the other hand, are at home,
hosting not only Oregon but also the television show they’ve been courting for
more years than Bluto Blutarsky was at Faber. So the focus is there.
But there is going to be a game some 7 ½ hours
after the pregame show ends. It’s also important to Washington State’s chances
to win the North. Maybe it’s time to start thinking a bit about that.
….
From WSU Sports Info
WSU Men’s Basketball to Hold Open Practice Oct.
20
The general public can catch the team in action
prior to the football team’s game against Oregon.
PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University
men’s basketball will hold a practice open to the public, Saturday, Oct. 20 at
12:30 p.m., between College GameDay and WSU’s football game against Oregon, in
the basketball practice gym, P.E. Building (PEB) 146.
This season’s men’s basketball poster will be
available to those in attendance and members of the men’s basketball team will
be available to sign autographs following the conclusion of practice.
Washington State men’s basketball returns three
starters from the 2017-18 squad, seniors Robert Franks Jr., Viont’e Daniels,
and Carter Skaggs. Franks received Pac-12 Most Improved Player as well as being
named to All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention. Franks also broke WSU’s single-game
3-point record and tied the Pac-12 mark with 10 3-pointers against California,
Jan. 13. Daniels ranks third on WSU’s all-time list for 3-point field goal
percentage and 21st for 3-pointers with 101. Skaggs averaged 8.2 points per
game, fourth-best on the team. Skaggs also ranked third on the team and ninth
in the Pac-12 with 2.2 3-pointers made in Pac-12 games only.
Fans will get a glimpse of WSU’s seven
newcomers, two freshman and five junior college transfers.
The Cougars will hold an exhibition game against
Walla Walla, Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at Beasley Coliseum. The season
officially begins for WSU, Sunday, Nov. 11, as it hosts Nicholls State at 4
p.m. at Beasley Coliseum.
Season and single-game tickets, as well as mini
plans are on sale for the 2018-19 men’s basketball season. For the complete
schedule, pricing and more ticket options, please visit www.wsucougars.com or
call 1-800-Go-Cougs. Please contact the athletic ticket office at
athletictickets@wsu.edu with any questions.
……………………..
Cougars brace for big day
Founder of flag-waving tradition 'riding high'
with GameDay finally coming to Pullman
By DALE GRUMMERT of the Lewiston Tribune Oct 19,
2018
PULLMAN - Tom Pounds, the founding father of the
Ol' Crimson project at the heart of the bedlam in Pullman this week, is a
former aerospace engineer who stands 6-foot-7 and tips the scale at about 240.
He's not accustomed to being catcalled.
But this was 10 years ago, a low-water mark for
Washington State football. Here he was in Lubbock, Texas, proudly toting a huge
Cougar flag, dubbed Ol' Crimson, amid a sea of Texas Tech fans behind the stage
set of a broadcast of ESPN College GameDay.
Looking back, Pounds, 60, who graduated from WSU
in electrical engineering, has several reasons to linger over that memory of
Nov. 1, 2008. He had no way of knowing that the Red Raiders' celebrated coach,
Mike Leach, would wend his way to Washington State four years later, lending
incalculable aid to the mission Pounds and others had launched five years
earlier.
He did know that the mission - defined by many
as a campaign to lure GameDay to Pullman - looked pretty bleak at the time.
That same day, Pounds' beloved Cougars would bow 58-0 at Stanford, their eighth
loss in nine games that season. And he knew from the verbal salvos he was
receiving that Texas Tech supporters didn't think much of Pounds and his flag.
He disarmed them with a message from the heart.
"Hey, this is to show school spirit,"
he said. "And our team needs this more than ever."
For the rest of the broadcast, he waved Ol'
Crimson in peace. The Texas Tech faithful shifted their ire to the No. 1 Texas
Longhorns, who would lose 39-33 to the Red Raiders that evening. For Leach,
too, memories of that day linger.
A decade later, Pounds and Leach can both take
some credit for the euphoria that's taken hold in Cougar country this week as
GameDay, the incomparably popular pregame TV show that airs live from a
different college-football game site each week, makes its first-ever visit to
Pullman.
The three-hour program begins at 6 a.m. Saturday
as a prelude to a Pac-12 game (4:30 p.m., FOX) at Martin Stadium between the
No. 25 Cougars and No. 12 Oregon. Both teams are 5-1 overall, 2-1 in league,
and can become bowl-eligible with a win. For the Cougars, it would mean their
fourth straight bowl appearance.
During GameDay broadcasts, fans typically gather
en masse behind the stage set, many of them visible to the camera. They cheer
endlessly while watching large monitors of the broadcast. They bear signs with
pungent messages. Like Pounds and his countless cohorts from Cougar Nation,
they hoist school flags.
Because the show's visit to Pullman has been so
richly anticipated and so long in coming, it's difficult to predict the size of
Saturday morning's throng. Some are expecting tens of thousands. The Pullman
City Council has approved an emergency declaration in order to expand public
transport services.
"I think GameDay is probably one of the
biggest things to ever happen to this town," said Richard Larson, a WSU
student who, with a group of friends, was watching ESPN this week at the campus
pub known as The Coug. "When GameDay was announced, tears honestly formed
in my eyes. I know a couple of friends who agreed with that."
In describing the context on campus, he alluded
to the suicide in January of WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski, whom players and
other students are still mourning.
"Having GameDay here, being ranked, just
the whole team going through the Tyler Hilinski thing - this is a big
statement, not even for the team but the city. It's huge."
Pounds agrees. It was 15 years ago, during
another crest in WSU football fortunes, that he first hatched the notion of
insinuating a large WSU flag, bearing the distinctive white logo of a Cougar
head, into the backdrop of a GameDay broadcast. He drove 700 miles from his
then-home of Albuquerque, N.M., to Austin, Texas, to pull off this ploy prior
to a game between Texas and Kansas State on Oct. 4, 2003.
Other Cougar fans noticed. A couple of weeks
later, someone else did the same thing at Madison, Wis. Then it happened at
Bowling Green, Ohio. Eventually it became clear that a Wazzu tradition had been
born, and when Pounds raises Ol' Crimson for the cameras on Stadium Way in
Pullman on Saturday, it will mark the flag's 217th consecutive appearance on
GameDay.
Pounds has always pointed to school spirit as
his sole motivation for the flag idea. But within weeks of his initial foray
into the GameDay camera shot, other WSU fans had formed the Ol' Crimson Booster
Club, a nonprofit organization designed to keep the flag waving on a weekly
basis, for the express purpose of come-hithering GameDay to Pullman.
The campaign enlists a rotating cast of flag
bearers who, when their task is done, dispatch Ol' Crimson to the next GameDay
site by post. Besides the official appointees, many others show up with Wazzu
flags and sign a "signature flag." All told, they easily number in the
thousands, not counting numerous others who don't sign the flag. For a game at
Boise State eight years ago, when Wazzu was still in the midst of an
imponderable football slump, 45 Cougar flag-carriers showed up.
On several occasions, most memorably a matchup
against Stanford three years ago, these fans' overtures to ESPN came close to
succeeding. But they'd always get aced out in the end.
Not this time. GameDay chose Wazzu-Oregon over,
among other games, a duel of undefeated teams, North Carolina State and
Clemson. GameDay commentator Kirk Herbstreit announced the ESPN decision in a
brief video clip Saturday night, and thousands of people lined Pullman streets
Wednesday to greet a caravan of GameDay equipment trucks.
"To me, yes, it was an absolute no-brainer,"
GameDay coordinating producer Drew Gallagher said by phone this week.
"It's been so long overdue to get there. We never wanted to go there just
because, OK, it's the flag - it's a cute story. We wanted it to be there
because they earned it, and it's relevant - it's a relevant game. Finally the
stars aligned and we were able to get it done.
"That being said, we love the story. The
Ol' Crimson folks, the guys who organized week after week, have become part of
the show - we communicate with them on a regular basis. That's what I'm so
excited about with this show. They've been coming to us for 216 straight shows.
Finally we get a chance to come to them."
Pounds, who now teaches science in a small town
in New Mexico, was one of the first to hear the news.
"I got maybe three seconds' advance notice
from one of the producers that I know," he said by phone Wednesday.
"All he did was text me, 'Tom, you need to go over to Twitter now.' So I
did. I think tears came to my eyes.
"But since then, it's been keeping me
awake. I've had to stay awake to catch up on some grading here at school. I've
been on an adrenaline and endorphin high, and I don't know if that's good for
my health - I've been doing it for several days now. But I'm still riding high,
because I just watched the live video feed from the convoys coming into
Pullman."
He has been the appointed bearer of Ol' Crimson
for 11 GameDay broadcasts over the years, and he describes the typical hoopla
of the scene with scientific precision. Still, he's not sure what to expect
this time. Of the 70 schools that have played host to the program, none has
striven with such ardor to make it happen.
One thing seems certain. No one's going to
hassle Tom Pounds.
::::::::::
Never fear — there will be beer
Emergency supplies on tap for WSU GameDay crowd
By WILLIAM L. SPENCE , Lewiston Trib
Oct 19, 2018 U
PULLMAN — What was already expected to be a
jam-packed weekend on the Palouse could reach perfect storm proportions
Saturday with the addition of ESPN’s College GameDay production.
The announcement that the popular pre-game show
would make its first-ever stop in Pullman immediately sparked a social media
frenzy, prompting predictions of massive crowds and traffic emergencies.
What the reality will be, though, is anyone’s
guess.
“I’ve heard anything from 75,000 to 100,000
(people),” said Pullman Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marie Dymkoski.
“But this is totally new to us; we really don’t know what it will look like.”
Even without GameDay, this was going to be a
busy weekend for the entire Palouse, Lewis-Clark Valley region, she said. The
25th-ranked Washington State University Cougars take on the 12th-ranked Oregon
Ducks on Saturday afternoon — and it’s Homecoming week for the University of
Idaho, so hotels throughout the region have been booked for weeks.
“I believe we were close to sold out even before
the ESPN announcement,” Dymkoski said. “It was going to be a capacity game,
especially with Oregon; those fans travel very well.”
Adding College GameDay to the mix likely pushes
the region into uncharted territory, she said. One thing is certain, though —
there will be beer.
“We sent an extra 2,200 cases, just as an
emergency backup,” said Mac Wright, Pullman-Spokane regional sales manager for
distributor Odom Corporation
“We’re planning on this being our biggest
weekend ever,” Wright said. “We moved extra inventory to our (Spokane)
warehouse, and we have two trucks available (for deliveries to Pullman). We
don’t want there to be any interruptions. We’re all hands on deck.”
Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson was, somewhat
sarcastically, relieved to hear there will be adequate supplies of liquid
refreshment available for visitors.
“That was the one thing that was keeping me
awake at night,” he said.
Johnson has heard the same crowd estimates
Dymkoski cited, but finds them a bit unrealistic. He thinks GameDay might
attract another 10,000 people or so, on top of the 34,000-plus who would
normally fill up Martin Stadium.
“We’re being told we should expect two waves (of
people),” he said. In addition to the regular wave of fans for the football
game, “there’s a separate crowd that will come just for ESPN GameDay. There are
apparently roadies who travel long distances to try and get on the show. All we
know for sure is that we’ve staffed up as much as we can.”
City crews spent some time this week cleaning up
Main Street and making sure there are directional signs at major intersections,
Johnson said. Together with volunteers from the chamber and some WSU
fraternities, they also replaced any worn WSU flags along Main Street and Grand
Avenue, to make sure the town looks its best.
“We know there will be people in Pullman this
weekend for the first time in their lives,” he said. “When they see what a
beautiful community it is, this is great advertising.”
Michelle Peters, president of the Visit Lewis
Clark Valley tourism organization, said having ESPN here could yield long-term
benefits for the entire region.
“People look to see where Pullman’s at, then
they see that Hells Canyon is 30 miles away, they see there are wineries, they
decide to stay an extra day,” she said. “I’m hoping (ESPN) does some additional
filming while they’re here to really showcase the area.”
Peters said she’s never seen the kind of frenzy
generated by the GameDay announcement. Social media began lighting up on
Sunday, a day after the show said it was coming to Pullman, and hasn’t stopped
since.
“I would give multiple limbs to be at GameDay in
Pullman this weekend,” tweeted @jamblinman. “It’s gonna be like Woodstock and
Oktoberfest had a baby, and that baby had a baby with the Super Bowl.”
A Twitter user called “Zags Chick” said she
feels “like I’m not doing my job as a mom — or a Coug — if I don’t drive to
Pullman Friday, party all night with my kid, head to College GameDay after no
sleep and then nap before watching the game.”
Another tweet noted “the fact we’re being asked
to spread the word that ‘burning couches/furniture will be a $500 fine’ says a
lot about how this weekend is going to go.”
Chris Sorensen took a different perspective. He
posted a photo of Elson Floyd, the beloved late president of WSU, and gave him
some credit for Saturday’s event.
“He green-lighted the hiring of @Coach_Leach
when other schools shied away,” Sorensen tweeted. “He paved the path to a
medical school. He was a Coug. This #gamedaypullman is a gift from him …
harvesting the fruit of the seed he planted.”
Officials won’t know until after the fact
whether GameDay results in a riot or a party. Even its potential economic
impact is unclear.
“I think it topped off the hotels that normally
wouldn’t fill,” said James Dvorak, director of rooms for the Red Lion Hotel in
Lewiston.
Laurie Wilson, the hotel’s director of sales and
catering, said the Red Lion was pretty much booked a month ago. Besides the
Cougar-Ducks game and UI’s Homecoming, the hotel is accommodating the Southern
Utah Thunderbirds, who play the Vandals in Moscow on Saturday.
“When you add GameDay, it’s going to be a big
weekend in the whole region,” she said. “If the estimate of 100,000 is
accurate, it’s going to be amazing.”
Johnson, who in addition to being mayor is the
announcer for Cougar football games, highlighted one thing that won’t be
affected at all by the ESPN program.
Local restaurants “are already preparing a roast
duck special,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of duck cooked in Pullman
this weekend.”
……
Tickets for the WSU-Oregon game have long sold
out. However, people can come to Beasley Coliseum for no charge, where the game
will be shown on the big screen. The facility opens at 3:30 p.m.; no
concessions will be available, but the food pavilion at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
opens at 1:30 p.m. Food services in the CUB open at 6:30 a.m. Pullman Transit
will begin running shuttle buses from the park-and-ride location at Terre View
and Highway 270 at 5 a.m. Other park-and-ride locations are also available; for
more information, visit
https://transportation.wsu.edu/football-parking.
::::::::
My take: Cougar crowd's energy could very much
decide WSU vs UO
By Matt Moore, Cougfan.com 10/19/2018
I WAS DISCUSSING the much-anticipated Washington
State-Oregon game with a friend the other day, and he inquired as to how loud
Martin Stadium can get -- as in, whether Martin and its modest 32,952
inhabitants could actually deliver any real home-field advantage to the Cougs.
For a long moment I stared off in silence.
Memories started flooding back to me and like an old salty sea captain telling
tales of hurricanes and giant squid, I told him of the time I saw Martin
Stadium become a monster.
There is a beast that lurks within college
football itself. A disembodied creature that roams from campus to campus,
rearing its head when the conditions are right. They see it often in Baton
Rouge. It is a regular visitor to The Swamp.
It is a monster with the voice of a thousand
lions and it feeds on the nerves of opposing teams. It can turn a chip shot
field goal into a game of Russian Roulette. It can turn a 300-pound lineman
into a jittery jello mold. The Beast carries palpable electrical current with
it, and impending sensation that a bomb is about to go off.
The Beast is a college football stadium, at peak
intensity.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING more than simply
decibels. More than mere crowd noise. Plenty of stadiums are loud. This is a
witch's brew of sound waves, setting, and circumstance. It is people filled to
the breaking point with intensity and anticipation. The stakes are high. The
rewards are glorious. The fans have had all day to marinade in expectations,
alcohol, and greasy food.
They are loud, they are ravenous, and the effect
is compounding itself. They are hungry for something on a primal level and you can
almost smell it in their air. An enemy is in their house, but they are no
intruder. They have been invited in, and with very inhospitable intentions.
The Beast has regular feeding grounds but
occasionally it will wander to places where people say it does not travel. A
former Husky player once told me the most ferocious stadium he ever played in
was the Minnesota Metrodome in 1977, although to this day he still has no idea
why.
Related: Do Coug fans want Lee Corso donning
Butch's head?
I saw it once in Columbus, Ohio. I've seen it in
Century Link Field. I had heard tales of the deafening 1982 Apple Cup in
Pullman and in 1997 I saw it myself for the first time in Pullman.
I am not a man prone to exaggeration. You can
look it up on YouTube and judge for yourself, but I was there and I know what I
saw. Arizona was in town and the Cougs were on a winning streak. The game went
into overtime and Arizona quarterback Ortege Jenkins was under center on fourth
down with the play clock nearing zero. Jenkins stood up, turned around, and
begged the referee for help. In a move I don't think I have seen before or
since, the ref stopped the game and asked Martin Stadium to calm down.
Little old Martin Stadium had become The Beast
of College Football.
I have seen The Beast in here several times
since then. It came after Carson Palmer in 2002. It came after Marcus Mariota
in 2014. There is no doubt in my mind, the beast is drawing near Pullman once
again.
The Cougars are 15-1 in their last 16 home
games. Martin Stadium, plain and simple, is a tough place for opponents. But if
The Beast comes out, I think it's an IMPOSSIBLE place for opponents. If the
Cougars are 16-1 in their last 17 home games come late Saturday night, we'll
know Cougar Nation showed up not just loud but primed for the hunt.
Cougars vs. Ducks at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. TV on
FoxSports. GameDay airs from 6-9 a.m.
About the author: Matt Moore a WSU, graduate
Ephrata City Councilmember and columnist for Cougfan.com almost from the very
beginning in 1998.
:::::::::::::::::::::::
WSU vs. Oregon preview: Can WSU stop UO QB Justin
Herbert?
That and more in this Q&A with “Addicted To
Quack”
By Jeff Nusser and RB Stewart Coug Center Oct
19, 2018,
As we continue to multitask around here, geeking
out about College GameDay coming to Pullman while simultaneously preparing you
for (thus far) the biggest game of the year — between the No. 25 Washington
State Cougars and No. 12 Oregon Ducks — we reached out to our friends at
Addicted To Quack for a little Q&A session. Thanks to RB Stewart for the knowledge!
(Also, you can read my responses to his
questions here.)
CougCenter: Mario Cristobal, Oregon’s third
coach in three seasons, seems to have finally righted the ship in Eugene. Much
is being made of the physical brand he’s instilling, which is a departure from
what Oregon has become known for. You can’t argue with the results, though ...
is the third time the charm here?
As we’ve seen over & over in all sports at
all levels, coaching turnover is not a recipe for success. One bad hire will
bring the Vortex of Suck into view over the horizon, two bad ones will get you
circling it, and the third – welcome to the depths of irrelevancy for a decade
or more. And bad hires often beget bad hires, certainly in Oregon’s case last
December we wound up promoting a relatively obscure guy in Cristobal who was on
no one’s radar beforehand.
But maybe we lucked out? Despite a disjointed
loss to Boise State in the Vegas Bowl, in the offseason Cristobal said all the
right things, preserved our best assistant coaches & staff and started
recruiting at a level we literally have never seen before at UO. So we opened
the season with cautious optimism.
Now after a win over our - and I use the
inclusive “our” there - most hated rival, and one horrible fumble (either of
them, take your pick) away from being undefeated, people are starting to drink
the Kool Aid. It really does look like we’re establishing a new & effective
identity after being adrift for a few years. Some of the question marks – like
how effective new OC Arroyo would be – are getting answered positively.
We’ll see. There are still some tough games
left, possibly this Saturday most of all. And history is full of coaches who
had good first-year campaigns and then never quite replicated that success. So
far so good though.
Justin Herbert absolutely terrifies me. Explain
to the other readers who might not be familiar with him why this is so.
He’s got all the physical tools – strong arm,
6’6” tall, faster on his feet than you think – and is smart, decisive, etc. He
excels at using just enough mobility to evade trouble and then arm strength to
deliver a high degree-of-difficulty pass that’s usually accurate enough to beat
even good coverage. That’s what’s scariest about him, the ability to make you
pay sometimes even when you’ve done everything right.
Herbert’s got some areas for improvement though.
He’s sometimes overconfident in his arm, making dangerous throws in to
coverage. Along those lines his passes sometimes lack touch, although that
seems to be improving. Pressure can rattle him more than it should considering
his mobility (again, improving).
Overall he’s one of the most NFL-ready QBs we’ve
had, although his college accomplishments probably won’t match guys like Marcus
Mariota or Darron Thomas. It’s also fun to root for a hometown kid who grew up
a Ducks fan just a few miles from Autzen Stadium.
Dillon Mitchell has more than 2.5 times as many
targets as any other receiver on the team. Is that more a reflection of his
talent or of deficiencies elsewhere? And is slowing the passing attack as
simple as slowing Mitchell?
We’re super thankful Mitchell has emerged as a
go-to WR, because yeah, we’re thin there. Some talented young players, but
mostly potential at this point. RS freshman Jaylon Redd is one guy who might be
a factor. He’s been plagued by early-season drops (often on beautiful throws)
but has made some great sure-handed plays lately.
Overall though yes, we’d struggle to replace
Dillon Mitchell’s production if he were neutralized or couldn’t play.
Who else on the offense should scare us?
Rather than single out a player, I’ll have to go
with an overall idea. Cristobal & Arroyo have started using a combo of the
Pistol formation and a powerful OL to hammer away at defenses. These are
primarily runs between the tackles with the Pistol enabling the RB to pick up a
full head of steam before contact, and while they don’t have much breakaway
potential, thus far they’ve been reliable at picking up 4-5 yards a pop. It
gives us a ball-control element that we’ve lacked in like, forever.
FWIW our best LT (true freshman Penei Sewell)
was knocked out for the season vs the Fuskies, which has caused some shuffling
along the OL. Remains to be seen if we take a step back there.
One thing to watch for – we’ve tried very few
outside sweep or stretch runs up to this point. Almost every time we present
one it’s a fake and we wind up running inside. You have to wonder if there’s a
diminishing returns factor here, as opposing DCs learn to stop respecting the
Ducks’ outside run potential. Or will they become a bigger part of the playbook
if/when an opponent consistently starts stopping us between the tackles?
The Ducks have had a pretty rough go of it
defensively. I was under the impression that Jim Leavitt was a magician. What’s
holding Oregon back on that side of the ball?
Funny you say that, because I think most Ducks
fans are extremely pleased with the defense’s trajectory. Relative to the
historically bad shitshow that was the Ducks defense during the Helfrich years,
we are like the ‘85 Chicago Bears now. It’s a long-term rebuilding project but
we’re trending upwards.
The most glaring weakness is probably our DBs.
Our cornerbacks are short-ish and inconsistent and we’ve especially struggled
against tall WRs and TEs. The Stanford game being most illustrative of this,
but UW had success with their TEs and 6’4” Ty Jones also. I’d guess Minshew
will take note and look for bigger targets like Dezmon Patmon.
On the flipside Oregon’s been able to generate a
pretty solid pass rush, which can cover up the deficiencies in coverage. For
example, our rush last week forced the Fuskies to keep extra TEs and/or RBs in
to block, limiting the number of potential receivers going downfield. Not sure
this will be much of a factor vs Leach’s Air Raid though.
Who’s the defender most likely to make me swear
loudly at nobody in particular?
Sophomore DL Jordon Scott (6’1” & 330lbs).
You might not swear at him directly by name because as a DT he doesn’t always
pick up the stats, but he’s central to disrupting plays so that others can make
the tackle. We love him.
When Oregon wins, it will happen like this:
A shootout (I know that’s conventional wisdom,
but hard to envision anything else with these teams) in which the Ducks are
able to play ball-control offense in just enough key spots to seize the
advantage.
I’m super excited for this one - two evenly
matched teams with very distinct styles and coaching philosophies, even in
battle united in our hate for a common foe. My better half is a Coug fan too,
so depending how things go it might get a little tense in our living room.
:::::::::
Coug QB Minshew says he won't shy away from
GameDay stage
By Jackson Gardner Oct 16, 9:50 PM
Cougfan.com
PULLMAN — Mike Leach said his team will be
focused on the game against Oregon on Saturday, not College GameDay's visit.
But quarterback Gardner Minshew said after practice Tuesday he doesn’t feel
quite the same way. He said he can use the positive energy and the excitement
from the show to take his performance to the next level.
“I think you kind of have to embrace it,"
Minshew said. "It’s a big atmosphere and a lot of guys will shy away, but
I think you embrace it and you can use it. The bigger the stakes, I feel like
the better you’ll play sometimes.”
Minshew said he was "in the middle of
carving a mustache into a pumpkin" when he heard GameDay would be coming
to Pullman and it excited the team. He said his pumpkin design was the best out
of his housemates but he said he won't post a picture because he doesn't use
social media during the season.
:::::::::::::
WSU FOOTBALL
Washington State football chat transcript -
10/17
Wed., Oct. 17, 2018, 9:34 a.m.
By Theo Lawson, Spokane S-R
Oct 17, 9:58 AM
Harvey__Road: Let’s try this again since it
worked so well last time: Hi Theo. Since you’re out on the Palouse, can you
please send out a search team for Jamire Calvin? Last seen a few weeks ago. Is
it time for a milk carton?
Oct 17, 10:06 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): Your guess on the number of
people at Gameday this weekend?
Oct 17, 10:07 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): After watching Oregon last
week run the ball the Coug D line is my biggest concern for this game. What is
yours?
Oct 17, 10:08 AM
srchat (Admin): Sorry all for the delay, we’ll
get going now and I’ll extend the chat another 10 minutes.
Oct 17, 10:10 AM
srchat (Admin): We’ll go to Mr. Harvey first.
I’ve noticed Gardner Minshew favors the outside guys over the inside guys in
most instances. Not sure why that is, but certainly does seem like Calvin could
use some more touches. If this works again, though, Mike Leach might have to
put you on the staff.
Oct 17, 10:11 AM
srchat (Admin): Larry … to be honest, I don’t
have the slightest clue. I’d put the over/under at 20,000 maybe. Your thoughts?
Oct 17, 10:13 AM
srchat (Admin): Think the biggest concern has to
be Justin Herbert. He’ll be the best QB the Cougars see this season unless they
somehow hook up with Tua Tagovailoa in the postseason and can make every throw
on the field.
Oct 17, 10:13 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): Guys like Jalen Thompson and
Darien Molten look to have regressed this year, do you think that has something
to do with the lack of pressure our D line generates on the QB?
Oct 17, 10:17 AM
srchat (Admin): It’s true the D-line is
generating less pressure this year. Cougars have registered just 12 QB hurries
through six games and had 40 last season. I’m not sure if Molton has regressed,
necessarily, but definitely not as much playmaking from Thompson.
Oct 17, 10:17 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): He didn’t throw much
against UW. Was that because of UW secondary?
Oct 17, 10:18 AM
srchat (Admin): I think that’s probably part of
it. He has had some shaky games as far as the completion percentage goes and
the Ducks have a few good options in the backfield. I’d think they’d probably
want to throw a bit more against the Cougs, though.
Oct 17, 10:18 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): Is there anyway that after
the game on Saturday Oregon can take Ernesto Kent back with them?
Oct 17, 10:18 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): will you be covering the
gameday set and or talking to the hosts this week?
Oct 17, 10:19 AM
srchat (Admin): Indeed. At least two S-R
reporters and one photographer will be on scene Saturday morning . There’s
supposed to be a media availability with the GameDay hosts on Friday as well,
but don’t have a time on that yet.
Oct 17, 10:20 AM
Go Cougs (Guest): Has WSU coaching staff taken
any different steps to keep players from getting too hyped up with all this
attention?
Oct 17, 10:21 AM
srchat (Admin): It seems as though they’re
trying to treat this as a normal week, though I’m sure there’s been some
discussion behind closed doors.
Oct 17, 10:21 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): What is everyone guess on
guest picker? And who knew that Dolph went to WSU studying chemical
engineering?
Oct 17, 10:23 AM
srchat (Admin): My guess is it’ll be one of
these three: Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf, Klay Thompson. Larry Weir, who I record
the Press Box podcast with every week, had an interesting idea this morning.
Russell Wilson.
Oct 17, 10:23 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): Can you name the players that
you think have the best chance to crack and NFL roster
Oct 17, 10:24 AM
srchat (Admin): Are we talking current seniors
who’d be going pro next season or players in general?
Oct 17, 10:24 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): This seems like a perfect
weekend to bring is some really good defensive lineman (nose tackles) recruits,
have you heard of any football recruits visiting this weekend?
Oct 17, 10:25 AM
srchat (Admin): I’m sure there will be some
recruits in town, but I don’t have a list. Recruiting the nose tackle position
seems like a good idea. Seven more games until Lamonte McDougle is eligible…
Oct 17, 10:25 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): Players in general
Oct 17, 10:27 AM
srchat (Admin): In that case, Andre Dillard,
Abraham Lucas, Tay Martin, Dezmon Patmon, Gardner Minshew.
Oct 17, 10:27 AM
srchat (Admin): Provided he gets healthy - and
stays healthy - Nnamdi Oguayo also has a shot.
Oct 17, 10:27 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): So he would be eligible to
play in a bowl game?
Oct 17, 10:28 AM
srchat (Admin): Sorry, eight games. The start of
the 2019 season.
Oct 17, 10:28 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): I would add Winston to that
list and maybe T harris if he keeps improving
Oct 17, 10:28 AM
srchat (Admin): Both are supremely talented, but
NFL scouts will say they’re undersized. Remember, Gabe Marks didn’t even get a
shot…
Oct 17, 10:29 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): Nmandi practicing ?..
Oct 17, 10:30 AM
srchat (Admin): What I’d tell you is, I think
there’s a much better chance of Oguayo playing this year than I did two weeks
ago.
Oct 17, 10:31 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): Any word on Dallas Hobbs,
looks like a young promising defensive tackle with size, he played a little
early on but havent seen him recently?
Oct 17, 10:32 AM
srchat (Admin): He’s been used sparingly, but
hasn’t found a way to crack the rotation yet. Would expect him to next year
with a few D-linemen leaving.
Oct 17, 10:32 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): Winston has size for
NFL..5‘10 or 5‘11, listed, Marks did not have T Harris speed, there are many
wr’s his size in NFL..with gabe is was speed
Oct 17, 10:34 AM
srchat (Admin): One thing scouts will like about
Winston is his hand size. And I suppose there have been a few shorter Leach WRs
in the NFL. Harris doesn’t lack explosiveness and he still has most of his
career in front of him. We’ll see.
Oct 17, 10:34 AM
Guest7960 (Guest): Maybe you can’t answer this,
what is the story with the reporter that Mike Leach refuses to take questions
from?
Oct 17, 10:34 AM
srchat (Admin): You’re correct, I can’t really
speak to that.
Oct 17, 10:35 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): Do you see Cammon Cooper
starting next year or will Tinsley/Gordon take the wheel
Oct 17, 10:35 AM
srchat (Admin): It’s way too early on to tell
and I haven’t seen Cooper play in Thursday Night Football scrimmages, so I’m
not sure how much he’s progressed since camp. You’d hope enough that he can at
least challenge those other two.
Oct 17, 10:36 AM
srchat (Admin): And perhaps Gunner Cruz can come
in and compete for the job, too.
Oct 17, 10:36 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): Wish they would give Keith a
few more reps, such a big freshman year, he deserves it,are they worried about
his fumbling or taking on the blitzes ?
Oct 17, 10:37 AM
srchat (Admin): I thought they’d go to him a bit
more, as well, seeing as how they used three RBs at times last year. Just seems
like he wouldn’t have a defined role and he’s just not at the same level as the
other two.
Oct 17, 10:37 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): Haven’t seen much of Dillan
Sherman the last couple of games (which is a good thing) also Rodgers who
played a lot of linebacker for us last year hasnt been playing much, why?
Oct 17, 10:40 AM
srchat (Admin): Sherman’s been hurt. Rogers is
still listed ahead of Fa’vae Fa’vae on the depth chart, but seems like they’ve
been going to Fa’vae more as of late.
Oct 17, 10:40 AM
Harvey__Road: HMU on Twitter if you want to know
why Leach won’t address that particular reporter in his pressers
Oct 17, 10:41 AM
srchat (Admin): There you go. I’m aware of
what’s going on, but just isn’t my place to say.
Oct 17, 10:41 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): What about Borghi, he looks
Christian Mccaffrey-esque, think he could ever make it pro? Why do you think he
chose to play in Air-Raid?
Oct 17, 10:42 AM
srchat (Admin): Yep, think Borghi will have an
opportunity at some point, perhaps even before his senior season. His
relationship with Jim Mastro is what brought him here. Chose to stay because he
liked the community/football program. Also, I imagine the chance to play early
had a role.
Oct 17, 10:43 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): I still think Max needs
more touches!!!
Oct 17, 10:44 AM
srchat (Admin): But hard to take touches away
from James Williams, who has eight TDs already…
Oct 17, 10:46 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): I think Clacey brings a lot
to this game, does so much with what he has, never see Kingston play, is Jesus
out of the rotation ?.. seems to me that big joe may have whiffed on a lot of d
line recruits which is now showing up…
Oct 17, 10:49 AM
srchat (Admin): Is Clacey our new nickname for
Tracy Claeys? If so, I sort of like it. Jesus is still getting some time out
there, but much less than he was early on. And no, Fernandez hasn’t played this
season. Perhaps, but I think they brought in some talent with this last class.
Oct 17, 10:50 AM
Harvey__Road: Any RB who wants to play at the
next level needs to learn to BLOCK and the Air Raid will go a long way to
showing the NFL that capability
Oct 17, 10:50 AM
srchat (Admin): Agreed. I think Borghi can become
an exceptional blocker.
Oct 17, 10:50 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): Williams is so elusive and
such a great pass catching back, but Borghi seems like a real power runner,
when Borghi is starter after Williams departure do you think Leach would
consider putting more emphasis on the run game? I think if Borghi feel under
utilized he could transfer out.
Oct 17, 10:53 AM
srchat (Admin): They definitely have their own
skill sets and I think both are valuable, given the situation. I don’t see
Leach doing that, no, but I could see him getting more touches via the passing
game. Don’t see him as someone who’d transfer, to be honest, but you never
know.
Oct 17, 10:53 AM
Sammy Silk (Guest): For me in order for Wazzu to
take the next step they need better interior defensive lineman and more
talented corner backs, would you agree? They seem to be pretty solid everywhere
else.
Oct 17, 10:56 AM
srchat (Admin): I’d agree on the D-lineman part.
I think the corners might be a bit better than most folks think. There have
been some pointless penalties, but Cougars still do rank No. 1 in the Pac-12 in
pass defense.
Oct 17, 10:56 AM
Guest6048 (Guest): Jim Moore, Go to Guy, huge
Coug fan says he will be with Dave Wyman and his husky sidekick in Pullman on
Friday doing their show, should be fun !..someone needs to buy danny o neil
some cougar gear and treat him with respect !
Oct 17, 10:56 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest): If I remember correctly
Leach doesn’t have a very good record with an extra week to prepare. I know he
doesn’t really scheme (do your job) but do you think the players kind of get
out of game rhythm with the bye week?
Oct 17, 10:58 AM
srchat (Admin): Leach is 1-5 coming out of the
bye week. But … that one win did come at home two years ago against Oregon.
Then 1-3 in bowl games. And the record in season openers is slowly getting
better. I’d say it depends on the group. Leach thinks the team has good energy
right now, but you never really how the bye affected them until the game
happens.
Oct 17, 10:58 AM
Guest9305 (Guest): Do you think they could
improve WR core? lots of speed and good hands but Patmon seems to be the only
big body guy, Think a big target could help? will Leach ever add a TE?
Oct 17, 11:05 AM
srchat (Admin): I think this is as good of a
receiving corps as they’ve had under Leach. Brandon Gray has some pretty good
size, so he might replace Patmon there. And no, I don’t see Leach ever adding a
tight end.
Oct 17, 11:11 AM
srchat (Admin): That’s it for this week, hope
you all can get out to the Palouse Saturday.
#
