Cougars’ out-of-the-blue hire might turn out to be golden
A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you had the opportunity to attend college, you probably learned more than statistics and physics and political science. You probably also learned life lessons, as our parents used to call them. Do you remember one phrase or key axiom you were taught that still stays with you today? I do. Read on.
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• Funny, it didn't come from a professor in a Shakespeare class or from the baseball coach as I was sweating through up-downs. Nope, the one I'm thinking about came from an assistant athletic director who used to run our Athletes in Action bible study. The term shared by Rod Sherman, the former USC and NFL wide receiver? "Perception is reality." The idea is simple. What people perceive to be true is true – to them. I thought about that again yesterday afternoon when I heard about Washington State's newest football staff member, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Most Cougar fans I know had the perception WSU was going to hire someone with a pedigree to fill the spot made vacant when coach Mike Leach fired Mike Breske after last season. That perception was fueled by many things, including some comments athletic director Bill Moos made as the search dragged on and on. So when Leach reached out to an unknown, a guy who has never been a defensive coordinator before, those members of the Cougar faithful that were expecting a big name were crushed. Basically, this wasn't the reality they had signed up for. OK, I get that. A name, any name, that carried a history and a pedigree would allow the fans to have hope. The guy didn't have to be great – with the amount of money WSU pays, already great is hard to find – but just had to have a past that included something special, say a year in which the defense he coordinated was seventh in the nation in takeaways. That would be enough to build upon. Grinch, the guy with a perfect name for a d-coordinator, doesn't have that. Mainly because he's never been given the opportunity. Leach is giving him that chance. Is he the next Kirby Smart or Pat Narduzzi? Who knows? Or is he the next revolving door coordinator whose reputation will be tarnished in Pullman? Also, who knows? That's my point. We don't know. But we are quick to jump to conclusions because, well, that's what fans do. And Grinch's hire didn't fit expectations. So he can't be any good, right? Well, why not? Look, Leach has hired just about every type of defensive coordinator possible in his career. He's hired football lifers, like Greg McMackin, one of Dennis Erickson's proteges. He's hired FCS success stories, like the aforementioned Breske. He's hired former head coaches, like Lyle Setencich, who had stints at Boise State and Cal Poly. And he's hired unknown guys, like Ruffin McNeill. Yet it was McNeill, who was on Leach's staff at Texas Tech, who had the most success. But I'm sure McNeill wasn't the best known guy when he took the job. A long-time position coach, McNeill had been a defensive coordinator for just three years at Appalachian State in the mid-1990s. His last year, 1996, the Mountaineers were 7-4, an awful record for them, and McNeill and App State parted ways. Eventually, he ended up on Leach's staff, coached linebackers and held the title of assistant head coach – though he wasn't the defensive coordinator. When Setencich resigned in the 2007 season after the Red Raiders had been gashed by Oklahoma State, Leach put McNeill in the position. And Texas Tech won 26 of its next 35 games. The point being McMackin and Setencich were known quantities. McNeill, now East Carolina's successful head coach, not so much. But, given the chance, he may have been the best of the lot. The reality is, no one knows what type of coordinator Grinch will be. He may be exceptional. He may be average. He may be less-than-average. But to condemn the hire just because it didn't fit expectations, that doesn't make sense.
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• WSU: What a busy day poor Jacob Thorpe had yesterday. He had his regularly scheduled live chat, then all heck broke loose. The Grinch news broke and he covered that with a blog post and then another. He ran down some video of the new coach and passed it along. And he put together a story for the paper. But that's not all. It's basketball season and he had to cover the announcement Bennie Seltzer was headed to the Pac-12's Hall of Honor. And, because today is Thursday, he had to have his preview of the weekend ready and a feature on Josh Hawkinson. And, oh yeah, he has his morning post. ... The Cougars host Oregon and Oregon State this weekend, so John Blanchette took the time to profile Ernie Kent and Wayne Tinkle (pictured), old coaches in new places. ... Kent is well known in Eugene, that's for sure. ... Tinkle's OSU team hasn't been all that successful on the road – yet. ... Former USC coach Bob Boyd died yesterday. ... Marcus Mariota, the best quarterback in Oregon history, is headed to the NFL, though there is little chance he'll end up in Philadelphia.
• Gonzaga: The Zags are on the road this weekend, with a tough one scheduled for tonight. Jim Meehan has the preview.
• EWU: The Eagles are also on the road, starting tonight in Portland. Jim Allen has the preview. ... Jim also took a look at next year's FCS football powers, which should include EWU once again.
• Idaho: The Vandals, Eastern's travel partner, start in Sacramento tonight. Sean Kramer has the preview.
• Chiefs: Both Portland and Tri-City lost last night.
• Preps: Thursday is Prep Page day, so Greg Lee has his column and a feature on the GSL's best female basketball player, Otiona Gildon. ... We also can pass along a roundup and Bill Pierce's history lesson for the week.
• Shock: Nothing from Spokane, but rival Portland seems to be putting together a decent roster.
• Seahawks: The main story line this week is how different the Packers and the Hawks are from the teams that took the field in the season opener. One of Seattle's strengths is being able to find players in odd places and being successful with them. ... The Packers are still worried about Aaron Rogers' health. The Hawks, besides the big injuries, seem healthy enough. ... Wednesday is the day players speak with Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin taking the podium. So did Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell. ... Speaking of Sherman (pictured), he should get more work this week than he did in the first meeting. ... Wilson says he doesn't pay attention to the blather during the season. And he's happy he played a bunch of sports growing up. ... Both Bay Area NFL teams hired head coaches, with one being a huge surprise.
• Mariners: The M's bolstered their pitching staff with the acquisition of left-hander Mike Kickham from the Cubs. ... Here is the latest 40-man roster.
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• I'm feeling a bit better. Thanks for asking. Until later ...
