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Practices on Wednesday can be a little up and down. The players have an idea of what’s expected of them scheme-wise but it’s still being repeated over and over. The repetition, which everyone knows is necessary to make it second-nature for Saturday, can nonetheless be mentally tiring. Thus there are the inevitable flat times in practice. They showed up some today. But what made Paul Wulff the happiest was how his guys didn’t let them last. They battled through them and came out the other side. Read on for more.
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• After Saturday’s game, it was obvious the defeat was built on a number of things, but none more important than the special-team breakdowns. So practice this week has emphasized shoring that up, with a little more attention paid, a few more tempers raised. But let’s think back a year. Against Oklahoma State, the Cougars had the same problem. A couple blown assignments led to big Cowboy returns that helped them win. The next week against Cal and throughout the rest of the season? Well, the special teams played well. So has WSU shored that up this week? “We sure hope so,” Wulff said Wednesday. “We’re trying to get that better and better.” Special teams success oftentimes are a product of depth. You’re your nonstarters are pretty good, so are your specialty groups. You can overcome that, of course, by playing starters, as the Cougars did last season. But then you risk injury. So WSU is trying to be successful without using too many No. 1 guys. “With our depth on special teams, we’re still working through it,” Wulff said.
• Depth is becoming a concern at some positions thanks to a few little nicks and bruises. Take defensive back. The Cougars hope Jay Matthews will be able to play this week (he had offseason surgery and no decision has been made) but cornerback Aire Justin did not practice due to a right leg injury he suffered Tuesday. How long he will be out is not known. … Linebacker Louis Bland did not practice again, resting his ailing knee, and is questionable for Saturday. … Backup safety Eric Block will not play, having yet to be cleared from his concussion and shoulder stinger. … Defensive tackle Dan Spitz was out today due to the flu. … Without a lot of backups out, the starters may have to play a little longer. “Those guys are going to have to step up and play well,” Wulff said. “They are going to be challenged.” … Receiver Daniel Blackledge was back at practice today, easing the Kevin Norrell loss. Johnny Forzani was also going full speed as was Jeshua Anderson. “It’s nice to have Jeshua back at a fuller tempo,” Wulff said, “and Forzani at a fuller tempo. From that end, that’s good.”
• WSU usually ends practice with a 2-minute drill. The No. 1 offense did a good job moving down the field to set up a medium-range field goal attempt. Nico Grasu nailed it. The No. 2 offense didn’t move the ball as well, barely scratching out a first down before calling Grasu for a 52-yard attempt. He tucked it well inside the right upright a third of the way up, causing Wulff to end practice on that high note. Grasu accepted the back slaps of his teammates.
• There were some questions about television coverage this Saturday. As far as I know, if you get SWX – KHQ-6’s sports and weather channel – on your Eastern Washington cable or satellite system, you’ll be able to watch. Also, KNDU in the Tri-Cities and KNDO in Yakima will have it. The West Side coverage is a little more spotty, so I would suggest you call to see if you’re getting it.
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• That’s it for tonight. One more day of practice in Pullman before WSU gets on the buses Friday and heads across the mountains. We’ll be back in the morning with our usual post. Until then …
Steve Bergum covers EWU football and men's basketball, college baseball, and writes weekly golf column during the summer.
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Vince Grippi covers WSU sports and invites readers to share their thoughts on the sports news of the day.
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Greg Lee covers high school sports throughout Inland Northwest.
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Jim Meehan covers Gonzaga basketball, Whitworth football, Spokane Shock football, college volleyball and prep softball.
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Dave Trimmer covers a variety of high school, college and professional sports and is the primary writer on the weekly Then & Now series.
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extermin8r on September 09 at 6:24 p.m.
god i wish bland was probable for saturday… i hope he makes i through the season he is a freaking playmaker
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kaddy on September 09 at 6:58 p.m.
Here's an idea…go see the game in person. It's a load of fun, in a great venue. I'll be there with the wife and all 3 kids in tow, so no excuses! You can actually buy $2 tickets, too.
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extermin8r on September 09 at 7:52 p.m.
kaddy, where can you get the $2 tickets? I'm already going with 12 people but it would be great to get the word out on those cheap tickets.
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gocougs01 on September 09 at 8:30 p.m.
try ticketmaster
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DeerLakeRon on September 09 at 8:54 p.m.
no depth at defensive back against a team that loves to throw. we better have the pass rush down to a science. Talk on the Seattle game. Is a great thing and needs to keep going. It has become a present day tradition. what a great recruiting tool. what a great chance for west siders that wont make the weekly trip. I myself have never missed one. A chance to watch our favorite team in proffesional venue. Maybe just maybe the right oponent would sell the place out. Tell me the players don't love playing one game a year there and I may change my tune. Sterk has come through on some good choices for the Coug fans. Don't miss out on this one. You done good with keeping the Apple cup where it belonged.
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RobE on September 09 at 9:47 p.m.
DeerLake, I'd love to think what you wrote could be a reality. I've heard for years, west side Cougs saying they'd go to more games, but Pullman is difficult to get to. So we have a game once a year in Seattle, and we can only sell 45,000 seats. So is downtown hard to get to as well? I'm truly stunned that with bringing one game a year to the heart of the largest concentration of Coug alums, we can't sell that game out every year.
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85coug on September 09 at 10:09 p.m.
From a Portland Coug, I would rather drive 5 1/2 hours to Pullman, enjoy the college game day experience and watch a Pac-10 match up than drive 3 hours to Seattle and watch the Cougs play Scrappy Doo. I have done the Seattle thing 4 times and it will take a more enticing match up to trade off for the Pullman experience. Did I just say Pullman was more enticing?
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coreyb on September 10 at 7:31 a.m.
I agree with 85coug. The Seattle game cuts an hour off of my drive to a game as apposed to Pullman, but I would much rather go to Pullman. The whole atmosphere is better and it is the whole game day experience rather than just the game. In Seattle they don't let you tailgate and everyone leaves right after the game. In Pullman, it is a good 2-3 nights of hanging with Cougs. I think the Seattle game could be a good thing, but it needs to bring in the big apponents that won't come to Pullman, allowing us to have home and “home” games with those teams. Playing a home and home with WAC teams in Seattle is not a good idea and should be cancelled if that is all we are going to do. Quality of opponent is the biggest reason that the Qwest game doesn't sell out. Bring in some big teams and the casual Seattle fans will show up.
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TommyCoug on September 10 at 9:41 a.m.
Oklahoma State was a “quality” opponent last year from a “quality” conference, the Big 12. I believe they finished ranked in 2008 and are ranked now in 2009. We didn't sell it out either. Nevada, the first game in Seattle, got the most Cougar fans in the stands, if I remember correctly,…and it didn't sell out!
Seattle is important, but Seattle Coug fans seem to have too much else to do than to support “one” game a year. I don't believe it will ever be any different.
Many East Side Coug fans and students drive to the Seattle game…just too bad that Seattle won't and doesn't come out bigger!!
Yes, and I know that the Huskies have a game with Idaho in town this weekend also. I believe the same happened in 2007 when the Huskies played Boise State in Husky Stadium…
Seattle game never sells out under any circumstances…Why Seattle Cougs and fans? There are no good excuses!!
GO COUGS!!
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kaddy on September 10 at 10:40 a.m.
If you go to wsucougars.com, and click on tickets, there are $2, $24, $37, and $50, I believe. There might be $12 seats, too. I bought 12 in the $24 section. 300 level, but 40-yard line.
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