Cougs run free at night
PULLMAN – It was a tired group of Washington State football players that took the practice field Thursday morning, and head coach Bill Doba knew it.
“I just felt like they were a little leg weary,” he said. “We’re playing a lot of new kids (and) they didn’t have the summer conditioning program that the rest of them had. So I just wanted to keep their legs as fresh as we can.”
Doba cut the first of two practices for the day in half and limited the players to helmets instead of full pads. The hitting would have to wait until the night practice.
Which it did. With a vengeance.
“Good intensity,” Doba said after the second session. “We still made a few mistakes, obviously, but a good practice. It ended up turning into a little scrimmage, but they were having fun so I just left them go.”
The Cougars’ night practice – Thursday was the fourth of five scheduled two-a-days – included the aforementioned spirited end-of-session scrimmage that featured:
“ An athletic interception of an Alex Brink pass by safety Xavier Hicks. Hicks was able to reach back and knock the ball into the air while falling to the turf, cradle it between his legs, then grab it before it could hit the ground.
“ A tussle between safety Christian Bass and running back Kevin McCall that seemed to fire up both units.
“ An open-field run by Michael Bumpus on a quick pass that fired up the offense. Bumpus caught a short Brink toss, then cut between defenders three times before safety Alfonso Jackson was able to get enough of his jersey for the whistle to blow. The same play during a regular-season game might be replayed 32 times on SportsCenter.
“ More players sitting out, with running back Chris Ivory missing both practices with a sore right hip and defensive captain Husain Abdullah skipping the night session with a tweaked left shoulder.
“ Junior college transfer Kendrick Dunn playing more at weak side linebacker with the first unit, basically splitting time with Alex Hamill.
“ And another pass deflection by tackle-turned-defensive end Ropati Pitoitua.
Notes
How hot was it during Wednesday’s scrimmage? According to WSU trainer Bill Drake, his temperature and humidity gauge registered 105 degrees with 10 percent humidity at arm level, but jumped to 125 degrees when put to the Martian Stadium turf. … With the Spokane Indians having a rare night off, Bob Robertson attended the late practice. Robertson will return for his 41st year as the Cougars’ radio voice. Jim Walden will once again join him in the booth as the analyst, with Bud Nameck in the sideline reporter role. … The basketball coaching staff is in the process of moving into new quarters in Smith Gym. The suite is bigger than the old one in Bohler and includes a separate office for each assistant coach.