WSU prepares for Idaho State
COUGARS
What type of team is Idaho State? Well, no one really knows. It's easy to look at last year's record (1-10 and winless in the Big Sky) and figure the Bengals are just this side of hapless. Last year they were. But that was before Mike Kramer took over in Pocatello. Read on for more.
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• Washington State: Yes, the Bengals will not have the most athletic team on the field Saturday, that's a given. But if anyone can get them to believe they can come to Pullman and win, it's Kramer. I've known a lot of coaches in my life and few are as enthusiastic and energetic as Mike Kramer. And few are as loved as unconditionally by his former players – at least the ones I've met. Kramer and his staff, which includes quite a few guys with WSU and Inland Northwest connections, will have Idaho State ready to play, and to play above its talent level on Saturday. We had our first look at the Bengals in today's paper. ... The Cougars looked last night as if they are excited to get going as well, with the practice report we put up an attempt to catch their enthusiasm. ... Freelancer Howie Stalwick had this feature on Travis Long in the News Tribune along with this summary of the Cougars. ... A WSU season preview. ... The Cougars' quarterback commit is still getting a lot of interest.
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• Around the Pac-12: Ted Miller has a quick look at this week's games on ESPN.com, along with a summary of the conference's most important contests. ... He also has a list of the players that just missed the cut for his top 25, and two Cougars are listed. ... The coaching hot seat should basically be considered a wide couch in the Pac-12. ... Washington: The Huskies are opening with an FCS school as well, though their opponent is a bit better than Idaho State. Being the defending FCS champions and ranked No. 1 makes it easy to not overlook Eastern. ... Jerry Brewer likes UW's new quarterback. ... Oregon State: So which Pac-12 team was hit hardest by injuries in the preseason? The Beavers should get a few votes. ... Oregon: The Ducks have a big game Saturday vs. LSU. So big, in fact, that quarterback Darron Thomas calls it bigger than the title game last year. ... California: The coaching hot seat/couch? Jeff Tedford seems to be on it. ... Stanford: A tight end, injured in the first game last year, is hoping to make a mark this season. ... Colorado: The Buffs might land a Texas quarterback. ... Utah: Defensive back Keith McGill quietly had a great camp. ... A former quarterback shines at wide receiver. ... USC: The Trojans' defense needs to tighten up this season. ... UCLA: Bekins must love this guy. ... Arizona State: Defensive back Deveron Carr has had a tough road to get back on the field. ... Arizona: The Wildcats' group of starters features an eclectic mix.
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• That's all for this morning. We'll try to get back after Paul Wulff's local news conference today with a summary. Until then ...
