NCAA football

PULLMAN – Washington State didn’t have anyone selected in this year’s NFL Draft, the first time that’s happened in five years, but the Cougars are still placing players in the pros.

PULLMAN – For the majority of Washington State’s spring practice slate, the Cougars’ defensive unit commanded many of the headlines. Their defensive line surged into the backfield for sacks. Their secondary picked off a bevy of passes. And their linebackers showed a little more depth than expected, underscoring the theme of their first 14 practices.

As Eastern Washington’s spring football practices enter their final week, the offensive coaches have yet to make a final call about who will be the team’s No. 1 quarterback heading into preseason practices in August.

If that's not possible, the Pac-12 should stand down. Better to stay at eight than to add a school that undercuts the collective's competitive bar and media value.

PULLMAN – These days, Isaiah Hung is all about taking care of his body. As he completes his second slate of spring practices at Washington State, where he’s made a big splash at the linebacker position over these last four weeks, he’s grown fond of using the hot and cold tubs after practice.

College Football Playoff executives did what they do to a Heisman Trophy-winner level over two days of meetings this week outside of Dallas. They punted.

PULLMAN – The ball fluttered through the air like a leaf petal, changing direction by the millisecond, tipped at the line of scrimmage by one Washington State defender and headed in the direction of another.

Approximately 30 minutes into the news conference Monday to formally introduce Jon Haarlow as Washington State’s 16th athletic director, the money quote arrived – and its author was not Jon Haarlow.

PULLMAN – Before he started his day on Feb. 21 , Jon Haarlow had to head to the bookstore. He was in search of a crimson jersey, the kind that would fit in seamlessly at Washington State’s Beasley Coliseum, where the Cougars were set to host conference power Saint Mary’s later that evening .

PULLMAN – Throughout Washington State football’s spring practices with two-hand touch tackling, running back Maxwell Woods will receive a handoff, take off upfield, encounter a defender, make his move and dash past.

The Pac-12’s postseason lineup began to take shape Friday with information published by the bowl season’s governing body, albeit with one lingering question:

MOSCOW, Idaho – The Palouse, at least on the eastern side, is the domain of University of Idaho starting quarterback Joshua Wood, who threw for 1,898 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran for another 589 yards and seven TDs as a redshirt sophomore last season.

Matching the Pac-12 legacy schools would cut down non-conference travel (and costs) and help maintain the regional competitions that are critical for the overall welfare of college sports. But from a practical standpoint, there are obstacles – particularly in football, where non-conference scheduling is vastly more complicated than the basketball version.

PULLMAN – When he talks, at least in front of a collection of cameras, Paul Hutson III likes to keep his eyes down. At that angle, his dreadlocks hang in front of his face, partially obscuring his face. He talks a bit quietly.

PULLMAN – A beaming grin washes over the face of Leo Pulalasi, one of the Washington State running backs who chose to return to the team. It’s the end of the Cougars’ seventh spring practice, which unfolded last week, and he’s asked if anything about this spring slate, the coaching or the structure or anything else, has taken him by surprise.

Sophomore safety Rylon Dillard-Allen and the rest of his Washington teammates spent their seventh spring practice at the VMAC, around 15 miles southeast of their normal practice facilities on Montlake.

Pac-12 executives are gathering this week at Oregon State for three days of meetings that will address a barrage of topics but are not expected to produce significant news.

PULLMAN – Stop by any of Washington State’s spring practices lately, check out the Cougars’ first-team offensive line unit and you might get confused.

A judge sentenced Moore to 18 months' probation following his no-contest plea last month on two misdemeanor charges. Judge J. Cedric Simpson said Moore's offense did not warrant jail time but delivered stern words to Moore from the bench.