The first game is getting closer
COUGARS
Can you remember back to, say, when you were eight? And that week before Christmas? Remember how the time seemed to pass by so slowly? Every day seemed like a week, every hour like a day. Christmas would never come. Well, this week is nothing like that. Sure, the college football season opens this week, but waiting for another kickoff is nothing like waiting for Santa Claus. Just forget I brought it up. Read on.
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• Washington State: The story line this week is not only the season opener, but also the connections between Idaho State and Washington State. That's the thrust of John Blanchette's column today, as he talks with the Bengals new coach, Mike Kramer. ... It's also the thrust of freelancer Howie Stalwick's WSU notebook in the News Tribune. ... We'll look at the connections later in the week, not so much on a personal level, but with an emphasis on how it affects the football aspect. Today, we had our Pac-12 notebook. We also had a couple posts yesterday, one summarizing Paul Wulff's press conferences (with video) and another on practice. ... How the Bengals are looking at the game. ... Next week, UNLV comes to town, part of a tough schedule for the Rebels (they open Thursday night at Wisconsin). ... Here's a basketball story for you, an interview with Seattle native Reggie Moore in the Seattle Times.
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• Around the Pac-12: Tucson's Greg Hansen welcomes Utah and Colorado to the conference. ... Asking a quarterback to look at the Pac-12's quarterbacks seemed like a good idea. ... Washington: The Huskies want an improvement in their special teams. ... They also believe QB Keith Price is special. ... Oregon State: The new motto in Corvallis: "Discipline, When It's Convenient." If Chip Kelly had made this decision, he would be raked over the coals. ... Oregon: The Ducks have a big game Saturday vs. LSU. But is the spectacle bigger than the game? ... The new offensive line will shoulder a big burden. ... California: The Bears have attracted a group of players from a long way away. ... A senior receiver believes its time to step up. ... Stanford: The position battles have all been worked out. ... Colorado: New coach Jon Embree gives the Buffs a new identity. ... Utah: Coach Kyle Whittingham isn't new, just his approach – and the conference – is. ... But the old nemesis is the same. ... USC: Like the old Beach Boys song, blond-haired Matt Barkley was true to his school. ... UCLA: Kevin Prince is the starter, though Richard Breuhart will play. ... Arizona State: The Brock Osweiler era begins in Tempe with high hopes ... Arizona: Another Pac-12 team has a rebuilt offensive line.
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• That's it for this morning. We'll be back after practice this evening. Until then ...
