Cougars, Wildcats not in a rush

TUCSON, Ariz. – The average time of a game this year in Division I-A college football through the first four weeks of the season was 3 hours, 21 minutes.

That mark might go by tonight during halftime of Washington State’s game with the University of Arizona.

“They might throw 80 passes, we could throw 45 and we’ll be done on Monday,” WSU coach Bill Doba joked earlier this week.

Doba may have been kidding, but he also injected a strain of truth.

The Wildcats are averaging more than 50 passes a game – quarterback Willie Tuitama threw a school-record 61 last week in the loss to Cal – and less than 24 runs. Of the Cats’ 93 rushing attempts this season, 33 came in their lone win, 45-24 over Northern Arizona, an FCS team.

“They run eight, 10, maybe 11 patterns over and over and over again,” Doba said of the Arizona passing attack. “They spread the field from side to side and they always have relief in the center of the field. It’s a very effective offense.”

Remember, those UA play calls didn’t come against the Cougars, ninth in the Pac-10 in pass defense.

“They play hard and make your earn it,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said of the Cougars’ defense. “But teams are just good enough, efficient enough, in this conference to move the football.”

Stoops wasn’t doing much moving Friday, as he spent several hours hospitalized at University Medical Center in Tucson to receive treatment for kidney stones. He’s expected on the sidelines today.

Although Tuitama leads the conference in passing yardage, attempts and completions, WSU quarterback Alex Brink is right behind in those three categories while leading in touchdowns and holding third in pass efficiency.

With all the passing yardage (2,403) represented on the field, it should come as no surprise that four of the top five receivers in the Pac-10 will be on the field.

Arizona’s Mike Thomas (7.75 receptions, 86.5 yards per game) and Terrell Turner (5.75, 60) and the Cougars’ Michael Bumpus (6.25, 76) and Brandon Gibson (5.75, a conference-leading 90 yards a game) dominate the conference statistics.

There may be no conference statistic kept on the length of games, but if there were, there’s a good chance it would be challenged tonight.