Fill-ins answered challenge
There was one given when the Washington State football season began. If injuries struck, the Cougars were in trouble.
For four games, WSU stayed healthy. Then a week ago at Arizona the bell struck twelve, and the injury bug bit a defense that had been more welcoming than Disneyland.
A roller-coaster ride awaited when high-scoring Arizona State invaded Martin Stadium, right?
Wrong. The Cougars came up with their best defensive game of the season, holding the Sun Devils more than 150 yard below their total offense average and more than two touchdowns under their scoring average.
How did it happen? Two main reasons. The Cougars have more depth than most thought and matchups are a key part of college football.
The depth showed in the play of linebacker Andy Mattingly and safety Xavier Hicks.
Mattingly stole the spotlight with four sacks, second-best in Cougars history. He had five tackles for loss, leading the defense to 14 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Mattingly accounted for 31 of ASU’s 70 yards in losses, fifth-best ever for WSU. The sophomore from Mead High finished with a career-high 13 tackles.
Hicks’ performance wasn’t as flashy, but he led the Cougars with 17 tackles, also a career high. Plus, he came off the edge and blocked an extra point, which could have proved decisive if a last-second field goal had been a couple of yards to the right. It was the Cougars’ first blocked kick since 2003.
And their play was noticed.
“The way those guys on the defense played gave us a lot of confidence,” quarterback Alex Brink said. “They stepped up to the challenge. We didn’t match that early on.”
Part of WSU’s offensive problems came through the second reason noted above. The matchup with the Arizona State defense was a tough one for the Cougars.
The Sun Devils have a group of big, strong, fast defensive backs who play physically and gave the Cougar receivers trouble, especially early in the game.
Conversely, the ASU offense, similar to the Cougars of course with the Dennis Erickson roots of both, fit the template for an aggressive WSU game plan.
Asked if WSU was going to stay with a blitzing, attacking defense, coach Bill Doba wouldn’t commit to it.
“It kind of depends on who you are playing,” he said Saturday night. “If they have a quarterback who runs around like crazy, runs the option, I don’t want to lock up those corners on somebody when they are going to have some time. Carpenter’s a guy who kind of stays in the pocket.”
The unspoken part of that statement is Dennis Dixon doesn’t stay in the pocket. The Oregon quarterback leads the Pac-10 in total offense not only because of his passing – he’s the conference leader in pass efficiency – but because he’s rushed for 301 yards, second-best among the league’s quarterbacks (UW’s Jake Locker has 411 yards).
“Next week you get a different type of offense,” secondary coach Leon Burtnett said. “I mean you’re playing the option. That’s a whole new ballgame.”
And a whole new matchup.
Notes
Speaking of injuries, Charles Dillon suffered a shoulder injury early in the game and did not play in the second half. … Brandon Gibson hurt his heel but was able to play, albeit with a limp, to the end. He was in a boot on Sunday and his status for the Oregon game is undetermined. … WSU’s nine interceptions is its most in a season since 2003. … Reid Forrest and the WSU punt team seemed to be living on the edge on every punt, but the rugby-style formation resulted in six punts for a 42.2 average (a 36-yard net average) and one first down with a roughing the kicker penalty. … Michael Bumpus’ 15-yard third-quarter punt return was not only his longest of the season, it was longer than his season total up to that point. … ASU freshman kicker Thomas Weber has yet to miss a college field goal attempt. His game winner made him 11 for 11 this season.