COUGARS

The crowd is sparse at Martin Stadium and with no TV, not many of you are seeing this. But we have some thoughts. Read on.
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• With the score 17-0 at the half, you would probably think the WSU offense has been non-productive. You would be partly right. The funny thing is, the Cougars have moved the ball at times, gaining 192 yards in the first half with Marshall Lobbestael at the controls on every down. But moving the ball within the 20s is one thing. Getting it into the end zone is another. And at that, the Cougars failed until their final possession of the half. Give an assist to the defense for sticking SMU deep in its territory. And then Jared Karstetter made the catch of the season so far. With 1:20 left, he ran a go route down the right sideline against 5-foot-10 Sterling Moore. The 6-4 Karstetter went up for Lobbestael's lob, tipped it to himself with his outside arm (right) and made a 33-yard catch to the SMU 20. That set up Lobbestael's 3-yard scoring pass to Daniel Blackledge with 30 seconds left. ... The Cougars have only 38 yards rushing with part of that attributable to the loss of left guard B.J. Guerra on the fourth play with a MCL sprain. That means both starting guards (Zack Williams is out with a high ankle sprain) are not playing.

• After a shaky start, which saw a big strike for the first score, a field goal after a turnover and a 93-yard scoring drive, the WSU defense looked a little better. Still, it has given up 247 yards, including 208 through the air. Much of that is because, no matter what scheme WSU uses, the Cougars can't get pressure on Bo Levi Mitchell, the Mustangs' quarterback. That will have to change if they want to have a shot in the second half.

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• That's it for now. We'll be back later. Until then …

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