Defense hems in Cougars

PULLMAN – To get to 3-7 this season, the Cougars have made more than their share of untimely mistakes.

Once this weekend’s Apple Cup is through, Washington State University will have to go into recovery mode, and one doesn’t need to look at things closely to know that the first order of business will have to be on defense.

WSU has – in Pacific-10 Conference games and overall – given up more points than any other team in the conference. Despite scoring more than 30 points a game against conference opponents, the Cougars have nothing to show for it.

“We’re not playing to the standard that we expect or want,” said WSU defensive coordinator Robb Akey. “That has to get better and we’re going to make it be better. All you can deal with is what you’ve got and I think that’s the case.”

But how did the Cougars fall so far, so fast? Less than two years ago, the same defensive staff put together a game plan to beat Texas in the Holiday Bowl that was hailed almost universally as a brilliant display of coaching.

Since then, WSU has given up touchdowns in the air and on the ground, early and often. Much of the onus for the decline, both coaches and players agree, is the change in personnel. The defenses that took WSU to three consecutive bowl games featured an Outland Trophy winner, numerous NFL defensive backs, sack machines at defensive end and veterans who had logged significant playing time.

“It’s not the schemes,” said WSU linebackers coach Leon Burtnett. “If schemes were the answer, everybody would play great defense. It all boils back down to people. And that’s what it’s about.”

But even if the defenders on the field aren’t as gifted as those who came before them, the Cougars will certainly need better play in the future if they want to be a winner once again. Given the recruiting limitations inherent to Pullman, it may be impossible to assemble such a talented group on a consistent basis.

Further, it will be impossible to play a senior-laden group year in and year out.

“To get back up to that level it’s really just going to take some time,” said Cougars senior defensive end Adam Braidwood, who has started for the last two seasons. “These young kids are going to grow. I think next year there’s going to be a really solid group of guys.”

In fairness, the Cougars aren’t the only struggling Pac-10 defense. No team in the conference ranks in the top 25 nationally in pass, total or scoring defense. In Pac-10 play, every team has allowed at least 18.5 points a game, and all but USC are giving up at least 25.

“It seems like the great skill players in this conference are on offense,” Burtnett said.

“I really believe you could pick an all-conference defensive team in this conference and it would be a very average defense.

“It would not be nearly as good as the defense we had in the Holiday Bowl.”

Still, if the rest of the conference has been bad on defense, the Cougars – allowing almost 39 a game – are worse.

WSU’s attacking 4-3 scheme relies heavily on the individual. Shutdown corners make blitzes less risky. Savvy, speedy blitzers help those defensive backs lock down.

The possibility remains that without the speed and talent of previous years, the current scheme may not work against ever-changing offenses.

Cougars coaches and players insist that’s not the case. But they also don’t deny that changes are a must.

“We’re going to go to our base and that’s what everything’s going to start from,” Akey said.

“Because we’ve given up more numbers and are not happy with the way we play defense, are we going to (dump) it? No. We’re going to get good at doing it. And then we’re going to try to enhance it.”

Notes

FSN Northwest is replaying the 1992 Apple Cup, fondly remembered by Cougars fans as the Snow Bowl, at 7:30 tonight. Washington State won the game 42-23. The win vaulted the Cougars to the Copper Bowl, where they defeated Utah 31-28. … Wide receiver Brandon Gibson practiced again and head coach Bill Doba sounded a note of optimism that he’d play Saturday. … Middle linebacker Will Derting took the practice session off, in part because it was moved indoors onto AstroTurf instead of on the more forgiving outdoor surface. He should play on a limited basis. … The Cougars have their scout teams wearing purple jerseys in practice this week, the first time all year they’ve had them wearing opposition colors.