Theo Lawson

No longer are the Washington State Cougars losing to vastly inferior football programs. It seems they’ve passed that ailment over to the Nevada Wolf Pack.

The Cougars will face variations of the spread offense throughout the year, but Mike Leach’s system is a breed of its own, with a handful of stylistic twists WSU probably won’t see all season. Nevada is the closest match.

Theo Lawson’s keys for a possible Washington State victory over Nevada on Saturday at Martin Stadium.

The year was 2000 and Matt Mumme had decided to tag along with his father, Hal, for an American Football Coaches Association convention in Florida. The two were strolling through a conference room when someone at a nearby table spoke up to get Hal’s attention. And Matt remembers this vividly. He and his father stopped in their tracks as Howard Schnellenberger belted out: “Hey Hal, you know you’re ruining football, don’t you?”

Washington State outside receivers coach talks about the play of Tavares Martin Jr. and Isaiah Johnson-Mack against Oregon State.

Colin Kaepernick is still out of work and that’s a hard pill for many fans to swallow – including two Washington State assistants who remain close to the ex-San Francisco 49er.

If you took a few minutes to browse through last week’s picks, you probably noticed a large, bold headline at the top of the screen before anything else. It’s meant to catch your eye, the headline, and chances are it did. Or maybe you glazed right over it. Let’s hope that was the case.

A full transcript from this morning's live chat with the Spokesman-Review's Washington State beat writer, Theo Lawson.

Washington State right tackle Cole Madison talks about the offensive line play since Mike Leach called out the group in a press conference eight days ago.

Washington State safety Robert Taylor talks about his hometown Oakland Raiders and this weekend’s test against Nevada.

Cougars quarterback Luke Falk talks about his game against Oregon State and previews Nevada.

Washington State coach Mike Leach previews Nevada and talks about Tuesday’s practice.

PULLMAN – In Saturday’s 52-23 rout of Oregon State, Washington State fans saw the Air Raid offense in peak shape. Quarterbacks Luke Falk and Tyler Hilinski threw the ball 58 times for 431 yards and six touchdowns, completing 72 percent of their attempts without tossing an interception. If nothing else, it was a good day of cardio for the visiting defensive backs.

Through three weeks of play, seven teams still have unblemished conference records and the school that carries the best Pac-12 mark into Week 4 is ... San Diego State?

Washington State men’s basketball will appear on national television in each of its first two Pac-12 games and then seven more times throughout conference play,

Ryan Hilinski, the younger brother of current Washington State backup Tyler Hilinski, announced Monday afternoon he’d received a scholarship offer from the Cougars.

Wes Welker and Danny Amendola are both slotbacks who played under Mike Leach before moving on to successful NFL careers with the New England Patriots. River Cracraft hopes to be the next.

PULLMAN – Former Washington State football player Kaleb Fossum may not get the Pullman Homecoming he’d planned on. Fossum, a former walk-on wide receiver/returner for the Cougars, transferred to Nevada this offseason when the Wolf Pack gave him the opportunity to earn a scholarship. Naturally, Fossum penciled in Saturday’s game at Martin Stadium against his old team, but due to a dislocated knee, there’s a chance he won’t travel to the Palouse or line up against the Cougars.

A Washington State football player was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

What is it? Nevada (0-3, 0-0) comes to Pullman to play No. 18 Washington State (3-0, 0-0) in the Cougars’ final nonconference game of the season. Where is it? Martin Stadium in Pullman.

PULLMAN – Washington State middle linebacker Peyton Pelluer won’t play another snap this season after fracturing his foot during the first half of the Cougars’ game against Oregon State, the Lewiston Tribune first reported. Pelluer’s father Scott told the Tribune his son would undergo surgery within two weeks before facing five to six months of rehabilitation. Scott Pelluer also confirmed the season-ending injury to The Seattle Times.

Time to empty out the notebook. Anything you may have missed from an emphatic Cougar win Saturday afternoon at Martin Stadium. Starting with the most essential, Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton was discharged from Pullman Regional Hospital Saturday evening and was able to return home. Luton was stretchered off the field after taking a violent hit from Cougars safety Jalen Thompson in the fourth quarter. Luton’s dad reported on Facebook that his son had suffered what probably is a “thoracic spine fracture,” though the Beavers have yet to provide an official injury report. Luton also posted on Twitter Saturday night, “Thank you to everyone for all the kind messages and support. I’ll be back! #GoBeavs”

PULLMAN – If there was ever an offense in the history of civilization that didn’t go through a lull at some point or another, Mike Leach would like to be the first to know about it. He can say with absolute certainty that there isn’t, but before just handing this win over to the Washington State coach, maybe consider a few of history’s greatest offenses.

Washington State is unbeaten through three games for the first time since 2005 and