Mullennix season-ending injury depletes Cougars D-line further

PULLMAN – Defensive end Matt Mullennix’s knee injury, which apparently will sideline the junior for the season, has left Washington State University scrambling for answers only a week away from the season opener at Auburn.

“The next guy’s got to step up to the plate,” defensive coordinator Robb Akey said.

For the time being, that next guy is Lance Broadus, a junior in his second season at WSU. Even while Broadus takes the job, however, the Cougars still have to begin planning for other contingencies, as they have just three defensive ends left with any experience at the position.

Behind Mkristo Bruce and Broadus, sophomore Mike Graise and true freshman Kevin Kooyman are the only ends WSU wants to play this season. As Akey points out, neither Broadus nor Graise fit the mold of Mullennix, who at 257 pounds had better run-stopping potential.

That might mean a return to some of the tactics used when Isaac Brown and D.D. Acholonu were patrolling the ends for WSU back in 2003.

“Instead of having four to play that spot, we have three that are experienced,” Akey said. “And two are the lighter type. So we’ll have to play some things with them kind of like with Isaac and D.D.”

Broadus, listed at 219 pounds, said he’s now about 225. Primarily a speed rusher, the junior said he’ll do his best to fill one of the more glamorous positions in WSU’s attacking 4-3 defense.

“I already have the speed, so I’m working on my strength so I can be ready for the run,” said Broadus, who is coming back from off-season groin surgery. “I didn’t want the position through him getting hurt. It just kind of happened.”

Mullennix’s injury was, in fact, about as freakish as they come. Akey said Mullennix had gone too far upfield on a pass rush in Tuesday’s practice, and tore the ACL in his left knee while spinning back to the middle.

It was his first practice back after breaking a hand the week before. Mullennix has already had reconstructive surgery on the right knee after tearing that ACL in 2004.

“When he spun, it just went,” Akey said. “There was no contact. There wasn’t even a cleat stuck in the floor. It was … I guess it was supposed to. I don’t know.”

Akey also mentioned the possibility of adding some different packages without Mullennix on the field, suggesting WSU’s top defensive end, Bruce, may have to switch sides from time to time in order to compensate.

More than likely, the Cougars will have to play the season at defensive end from game to game – maybe even from down to down – in order to map out a plan that works best.

“Different games are going to be different,” Akey said. “The Auburn game, obviously they’re going to be more run-oriented. Some of the folks that we play in our conference are going to be ore throw-oriented. So that fits the lighter guys.”

Notes

Safety DeWayne Patterson has been declared academically ineligible for the season, a development that comes as little surprise after Patterson struggled to remain eligible for much of his first year at WSU. As early as the spring, he had been sliding down the depth chart after starting games early last season. … True freshman Micah Hannam will probably make the trip to Auburn as insurance because backup tackle Scott Friberg is out at least 2-4 weeks with an MCL sprain. … Another offensive lineman expected to make the trip, Justin Luafalemana, is expected to return to practice Tuesday after surgery on his right thumb earlier this week.