COUGARS

FROM STANFORD -- Here's a transcript of what Mike Leach had to say after WSU's 24-17 loss at Stanford tonight.

"We played well, we played hard, we played a complete game, Stanford played more mature than we did. Their maturity was ahead of us and they won the game. we outplayed them in the most important aspects of the game but they had that sense – they’d go for the kill, that expectation that we as a team need to get. We need to keep growing up but I thought we improved."

(On Jeff Tuel) "I thought he played well. I thought he played tough, I thought he kept drives going. I thought he did a good job overcoming adversity. We didn’t protect him very well at first. Most of our pressures came in spurts. We had something like, you can add them all up, something like seven sacks the first quarter and then there was three or four the last drive where we had to go down the field and make something happen. Middle of the game we did a better job of it. That’s the thing. More mature teams avoid those little lulls there. We’ve got to keep improving, keep getting better. I thought we played really hard. I thought we played well. We’ve just got to be a tougher, more mature team. They’ve got a bunch of seniors out there and it showed."

(On why Dominique Williams started) "Played better than Marquess in practice. Good, thought it was good. Early in the game better than Marquess."

(That's all?) "Dominique played better than him. Dominique played better early in the game than he did too. If Marquess wants to play the whole time he’s going to have to quit being hot and cold."

(On the running game) "Nobody’s run the ball real effectively against these guys. Maybe Notre Dame. Nobody ran very effectively against them. There was a mismatch there, their front and ours. Just to pacify the masses it’s a little foolish for us to keep bashing our head against the wall just because somebody thinks it’s a good idea. I think it’s a good idea if they bash their head against the wall but that doesn’t mean it’s very productive for them."

(On the receivers) "I thought they played pretty well. I thought the receivers played well, quarterback played well. I thought a lot of the game I thought our line played well. I didn’t think they played well much the first quarter. I thought defensively we played well. We had a chance at some turnovers we didn’t get, gave up a big play. As far as the effort it was really a good effort game so I’m really proud of our kids for a great effort."

(Blown coverage by the safety on the 70-yard TD?) "Yeah, totally. They could have punted that ball to that kid."

(On Mike Bowlin) "He didn’t play well. He didn’t play well so we benched him."

(On punting) "It’s a little bit like receivers, ball flies through air, catch. Well catch, punt. I don’t know. You catch the ball, punt it. Concepcion came in, punted really well. Right now, if we were playing here in 10 minutes, Concepcion’s the starting punter."

(WIll Isiah Myers practicec this week?) "Don’t have a crystal ball. We’ll see."

(So he's still on the team?) "Oh, yeah."

"We’re very happy with Isiah Myers."

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