Lopina, Rogers shine

PULLMAN – Kevin Lopina is no stranger to learning new offensive schemes. The Washington State football team’s offense is the quarterback’s third style in as many years of college, he said.

So when the Cougars showcased their latest progress Friday in their second-to-last scrimmage of the spring, Lopina was raring to go. He ran the No. 2 offense and occasionally wowed the few dozen spectators in windy Martin Stadium.

Completing 8 of 12 passes, Lopina tallied 107 yards and a touchdown to receiver Benny Ward. That was after Lopina rushed seven yards for a touchdown.

Expected starter Gary Rogers had 129 yards on 11-of-17 passing and one touchdown with the Cougars’ No. 1 offense.

“(Rogers is) with the ones, I’m with the twos. I accept that,” said Lopina, a redshirt junior. “But I’m working hard, and hopefully maybe one day I’ll get with the ones.”

Rogers’ touchdown came on a seven-play drive from 25 yards out, when he threw 10 yards to Brandon Gibson in the end zone.

Then Lopina and company took the field and drove their 25 yards in two swift plays – an 18-yard pass to Michael Willis and Lopina’s quick rush into the end zone.

Lopina, who previously played at Kansas State, then a year under former WSU coach Bill Doba, said the no-huddle, spread offense of first-year WSU coach Paul Wulff suits him well, because he’s a quarterback who likes to run.

“Hopefully (the coaches) catch a glimpse of it, maybe they give me a shot,” Lopina said of his performance. “But if not, you know, I’m just going to keep working hard. It’s not going to change anything.”

Wulff took some notice.

“Both our veteran quarterbacks played better in this scrimmage than they have in previous scrimmages,” he said. “So that was encouraging.”

Wulff was busy watching his team as a whole.

In last week’s scrimmage, the defense dominated the offense – four sacks, two interceptions and two touchdowns. Things were more balanced this time. The offense registered three touchdowns, and the defense had three sacks and no interceptions.

“I’m actually really proud of how the guys performed today, because this was really our fourth tough practice in five days,” Wulff said. “To look at it that way, I thought they came out and we got a lot of work done.”

Defensive tackle Matt Eichelberger had two interceptions, and Andy Mattingly, who switched from linebacker to the D-line this spring, had the other. Xavier Hicks Jr., playing cornerback, nearly had an interception, but the ball slipped out of his hands.

That was on a pass from Rogers, who on the next play – a fourth-and-7 situation – rocketed a 30-yard pass to receiver Daniel Blackledge for a big first down.

Blackledge gained 70 yards on four catches. Gibson rounded out his performance with 37 yards on four grabs. Running back Christopher Ivory had 34 yards on one catch, but just six yards rushing.