Cougars seek winning attitude to turn tide

PULLMAN – The Cougars may not be on pace to win as many games as last season, but they’ve had chances to win in many more.

In all five of Washington State’s losses this season the Cougars (2-5, 1-3 Pac-12) have been within a touchdown of their opponent at some point in the fourth quarter. In losses to California and Oregon, controversial officiating decisions have played a role.

In other losses, the Cougars simply fell short on potentially game-deciding drives. But no matter the opponent, for the first time in years the Cougars have consistently been in the position to have games decided in the fourth quarter..

WSU hasn’t lost any game by 20 points or more. Last season the Cougars lost four, including three consecutive blowouts in October.

“It’s just the process of the program,” said running backs coach Jim Mastro. “I know right now everybody’s sitting, thinking we could be unbeaten right now, and we’re so competitive, but in this conference you can win them all and you can lose them all. This program’s come a long way.”

The Cougars have held on for a fourth-quarter win, too, against Utah, coming back from a 21-0 deficit to win 28-27 on the road against a team that is now ranked in the top 20.

Even in that game, the Cougars were helped when Utah’s best receiver, Dres Anderson, dropped a wide open pass that could have gone for a touchdown to give the Utes the lead late.

But Utah had chances after that play and the Cougars made plays to put them away, including a fourth-down pass breakup by Charleston White to seal the win.

“Right now we’re a play here, a play there from making them and we’ve got to get to the other side of that,” linebackers coach Ken Wilson said.

The Cougars only have two losses of more than seven points. One was on the road against Stanford, which beat WSU 55-17 in Seattle last season, and the other was on the road at Nevada.

Those two losses were the only games in which the Cougars offense failed to score at least 28 points.

“I think we’re playing better,” head coach Mike Leach said. “I think we’ve got a little more talented guys (than previous years). We’ve just got to get older and learn from playing and I think we have and we need to speed that up as much as we can.”

Leach has spoken before about needing to build a winning culture at a school that has gone a decade without a winning season.

“It’s frustrating when you know you should have five, six, seven wins and you don’t,” Mastro said. “But these kids are working hard and things are going to turn for us.”