Highs and lows

High point of the game

One of Washington State’s main offensive goals this season is to control tempo. No play epitomized this better than quarterback Gary Rogers’ 3-yard score on a fourth-quarter sneak. After failing to get into the end zone on Dwight Tardy’s third-and-goal run from the 5, the Cougars got set quickly and caught OSU trying to change defensive personnel. As three Cowboys were running from the sideline, Rogers had the ball snapped and followed Kenny Alfred into the end zone.

Low point of the game

The easy choice is Perrish Cox’s 90-yard kickoff return in the third quarter. But we’ll take the road less traveled, and journey back to the first quarter, when the Cougars were struggling to get their offense untracked. On the first play of their third possession, Brandon Gibson ran a post route, getting inside OSU’s Jacob Lacey 30 yards down the field. Rogers saw him and fired the ball, which floated a little. Still, it got to Gibson and the senior had it in his hands, only to have Lacey pull it away as they were going to the turf. Incomplete.

A pat on the back

Greg Trent said last week he really likes the Cougars’ new defensive philosophy. The senior middle linebacker makes his pre-snap reads and calls, reads his post-snap keys and then runs downhill. At the end of that hill on Saturday there was usually an OSU running back, as Trent finished with a team-high nine tackles. He also had the Cougars’ only sack.

Needs fixing

It’s obvious, isn’t it? The punting must improve, both in height and distance. The kickoff coverage has to get better. The kicking game needs to become more consistent. In other words, the special teams must take huge strides this week. Cal has made a living on returns the past few years, though it was DeSean Jackson, now in the NFL, doing most of the damage.

Three unanswered questions

• Which offense will we see? Will it be the second-quarter one that had three possessions, nine plays and gained one lonely yard of total offense? Or will it be the third-quarter version with 11 first downs, 138 yards and two long touchdown drives, the second ending in the fourth quarter?

• Can the freshmen grow up in a hurry? Until Jeshua Anderson returns and Daniel Blackledge and Michael Willis get back to 100 percent, WSU’s offense is going to need Jared Karstetter and Kevin Norrell to block, get open, execute and catch passes. All those elements were a struggle Saturday.

• How will the Cougars deal with tall receivers? Receivers the height of OSU’s Dez Bryant are pretty common in the Pac-10, with Cal alone boasting LaReylle Cunningham (6-foot-1) and Nyan Boateng (6-2). Tyrone Justin (5-11) couldn’t stop Bryant from catching three fourth-quarter jump balls and Romeo Pellum (5-10) was called for pass interference twice on the same type of play.

Vince Grippi, staff writer