PULLMAN – It started like any other practice.

The players were called together and WSU head football coach Bill Doba told them what he thought of Saturday night’s scrimmage. He clapped and off they went to their respective positions to stretch.

The cameramen took their positions, the platforms rising with the familiar warning beeps. The stretching concluded, the helmets went on and …

Doba told everyone to stop. He called up the nicked or bruised players in street clothes. He praised his team’s effort thus far in camp. He mentioned again the play in the scrimmage. And he gave them the day off.

The screaming began. And, as if there was a rush to get out before Doba could change his mind, there was a stampede for the exits from the practice field.

“They’ve had a good camp and we’ve got 25 guys banged up,” Doba said. “We’re going to give them today off and tomorrow, so they should be rested for Tuesday.”

Today is the first day of class, so the Cougars will take the field again Tuesday at 4 p.m.