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WSU begins prep for Montana State

Posted by Vince Grippi

Sept. 6, 2010 9:49 p.m. • 7 comments

COUGARS

Washington State’s practice schedule has them going under the lights on Monday night, wearing their shells. That means no hard pads, just soft shoulder pads, helmets, jerseys and shorts. We have a couple notes, so read on.

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• Not a lot of action as this is the first night putting in the game plan for this Saturday’s game and working out the physical kinks from last Saturday’s game. Coach Paul Wulff was adamant once again about the problems that manifested themselves on Saturday were not as hard to fix as they’ve been the past two years, and they will get fixed. He also said future Cougar schedules probably wouldn’t have openers with the caliber of teams the past five years have had – Auburn, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Stanford and Oklahoma State again. He and AD Bill Moos have talked about games in which its possible to work out the kinks, make mistakes and still have the opportunity to win. … A couple of position battles have cropped up, with Andrew Roxas’ play last week giving him a lot of snaps at left guard with the ones. Wade Jacobson had more with the twos, though he was still listed as the starter in this week’s two-deep. Tyson Pencer was back going full speed, playing left tackle with the twos. If Pencer continues to improve, it wouldn’t surprise me to see David Gonzales playing some right tackle now and again. … Jared Karstetter did not practice but is expected to play this week. Gino Simone was back at practice and should play against Montana State. Kristoff Williams’ turf toe is doing much better and he may debut against SMU. … Jared Byers, brace and crutches, was as practice, as was LeAndre Daniels, wearing the steel halo. He walked off the field with Aaron Dunn, who has his right arm in a cast. I called them Marvel’s new superheroes, the Cement Kid and Metal Boy, which made Daniels laugh. Dunn said he saw Rickey Galvin in the hospital and their casts were mirror images. … Finally, here’s our first look at Montana State.

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• That’s all for now. We’ll be back in the morning. Until then …

Seven comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Jobu on September 07 at 1:24 a.m.
Good thing Wulff is working out cupcakes for the future coach to start the season. That could be the only good thing he does for this school. Because his football product is a joke and his reasonings are just as bad. Nothing against you Grippi, you do a great job, but Wulff just needs to realize that these problems aren’t quick fixes. When you lose 65-17, you have a lot more problems than “not that hard of problems to fix” as he says.

Looking at the schedule, it’s going to be a long season. And if these teams are anything like the past, when we lose to SMU and get rolled by USC they will mail it in for the rest of the season.
rufus on September 07 at 6:05 a.m.
By the end of this season - due to no brakes until the end of Nov - we will walking thru “the coug ” looking for players due to player loses due to injury.
Ted on September 07 at 7:47 a.m.
Glad to see that everyone has such positive thoughts today. Hope you don’t hurt yourself hopping on and off the band wagon. Paul Wulff has to have two years (including this one) to right the ship. Not easy being a Coug but they need our support more than ever now.
RC72 on September 07 at 8:21 a.m.
I aggree with rufus. Grippi’ with WRs dropping like flyes. Will Wulff pull the speedy Bomber into the mix? Does he have a plan B? Injures do and will happen in football. I know he redshirted Bomber and what about Ratcliff? Can he still pull him at this point? Keeping them on the sideline wont help Wulff case. Cougs need to win “NOW”

I enjoy your writtings. Keep them coming.
Jobu on September 07 at 10:35 a.m.
Trust, me if Wulff goes 1-11 this year he will not be back next year. The guy said dramatic improvement. If sufferring your worst lost in school history is considered dramatic improvement and Moos brings him back then we should cancel football all together.

Sorry that “I’m not peppy,” but the last 2 years and 1 game has gottent me a little grumpy. I try to stay positive, but after I see beating after beating and being owned in the first quarter every game. 176-6 outscored. And the continue reasoning from Wulff, it gets old. The guy talks a big game, but hasn’t produce one result. Is it to much to ask to just be competetive? Being down 24-10 going into the 4th or something? I don’t and for 600K a year, that should be the minimum expectation of him. I don’t have much faith in this staff.
HannahO on September 07 at 10:36 a.m.
It appears from what I’ve read and seen that WSU is playing with the depth of a FCS school (63 scholarships) instead of a BSC level team. Has this traditionally been a problem? I don’t seem to remember it being discussed during the Price years and surely Doba wasn’t there long enough for the program to deteriorate to a level where the team is traveling with 8-12 true freshmen. It seems like one of the true measures of the strength of a program is the ability to redshirt its freshmen and this is a luxury WSU and PW have not had. I’d be interested in hearing thoughts on this.
IBleedCrimson on September 07 at 11:10 p.m.
I definitely agree with Ted. This is a program that had three consecutive 10-win seasons in the last decade. Jeez, a few seasons ago Stanford was 1-11 and last year they almost had a Heisman winner. Wulff will rebuild this program. He needs more than a couple years to rebuild what Doba destroyed. Price was on the right track, and I believe Wulff is too. He’s had to work with the terrible remnants of Doba’s recruiting classes, a limited amount of scholarships, and the worst injury record in the NCAA. I know it hurts, but give him some more time. I swear you’ll take back everything you’re saying in a few years…