Cougars Had Cal’s Number Extra Week Of Preparation Leads To Blowout For 10th-Ranked WSU

Washington State didn’t build a 50-point lead on California by accident, coach Mike Price emphasized Sunday.

WSU maximized distinct advantages in personnel by taking advantage of several Cal tendencies, allowing the Cougars to coast to a 63-37 victory that vaulted them to their highest national ranking since 1958.

“We had two weeks to prepare and, man, did we use those two weeks wisely,” said Price, whose team moved up three spots to No. 10 in both college football polls. “If this staff has two weeks to prepare for any team, that team is in trouble because we know what we’re doing.”

Some of Cal’s tendencies were easy to recognize, like the slow-motion delivery of punter Nick Harris, which allowed WSU’s Nian Taylor to break through and make a second-quarter block. The Cougars scored on the next play, stretching their lead to 28-6.

Other patterns were less discernable, like the tendency of Cal’s defensive linemen to give away their intentions based on which hand was touching the turf before the ball was snapped.

Another tendency involved Cal strong safety Marquis Smith, who was predictably out of position on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Leaf to Chris Jackson. According to Price, Leaf suggested the play during a film session last week.

Leaf’s words at the time: “We fake a dive in the red zone, their strong safety steps up and all we need to do is just throw a slant behind him.”

Price couldn’t wait to try it.

“I think it helps when the coach isn’t an ego-maniac so that he’s not going to listen,” he said. “Kids are playing the game. They know what’s going on.”

WSU was also prepared for Cal’s safety blitzes. During film sessions, the Cougars noticed that the Cal safeties often gave away their intention to blitz by moving just before the snap.

Sure enough, when Cal blitzed both safeties in the first quarter, WSU was ready. Leaf handed off to tailback Michael Black, who ran untouched for a 24-yard touchdown.

“I just can’t tell you what a great job our assistant coaches have done preparing this football team,” Price said.

But all was not cheery in Camp Cougar on Sunday.

Price was irritated because WSU’s next opponent, Arizona, failed to get its game film to the Cougars on time.

It’s the second straight year that Arizona’s film has been late in arriving. Because of the delay, Price didn’t expect to receive the film until 10 o’clock Sunday night.

“Every other team in the league gets it here by at least 4 o’clock Sunday,” Price said. “It’s their screw-up, not ours, and that’s very frustrating because that just puts us a full day behind in the preparation.”

Price said the repeated delays are the fault of the Arizona video coordinators and not a reflection of any tension between Price and the Wildcats’ coaching staff. “I don’t have a bad relationship with Dick Tomey,” he said.

On another topic, Price defended his decision to remove his starters from the game, allowing Cal to score 31 of the game’s final 38 points.

“I know it’s frustrating when those things happen,” Price said, “but believe me, we are healthy.

“If we wanted Michael Black to have gotten 200 yards, he could have stayed in that game and gotten 225 yards and sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter and not played for two weeks.

“We could have kept Ryan Leaf in there and he could have thrown for seven touchdowns and broken the record and twisted his knee and be out for the year.

“We’re healthy and we won.”

WSU injury update

Defensive tackle Gary Holmes was held out of the starting lineup against Cal because he had missed several practices with a sore back. The idea was for Holmes to play 20 to 25 plays, but the junior didn’t play at all.

“With Gary’s back, he has to play early in the game or it just tightens up on him,” Price said.

The rest of the defensive line picked up the slack. Each starter made one sack, and Cal managed less than 3 yards per rushing attempt.

Holmes, who had off-season back surgery, was coming off a career-best performance against Oregon. He is expected to play against Arizona.

Special-teams ace Brad Philley is expected to play against Arizona despite having suffered a slight concussion in the Cal game.

, DataTimes