Difficult preparation

PULLMAN – If there is one advantage Washington State’s new-look football team has heading into Saturday’s opener with Oklahoma State, it’s the lack of exposure.

Not just the gap between the two head coaches – Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy became a star last year with his “I’m a man, I’m 40,” tirade while WSU’s Paul Wulff can hardly be found on YouTube – but the teams as well.

“We don’t have any idea what they’re going to do,” Gundy said during Monday’s Big 12 coaches’ conference call.

That’s because first-year WSU coach Wulff brought a new offense from Eastern Washington. And a new defense. Add in a new starting quarterback and the Cowboys have been scrambling to find video and develop a scouting report on the Cougars.

In the past few weeks, according to Oklahoma newspapers, the OSU coaches have watched tape of EWU for the offense, and WSU for player tendencies. But Gundy’s still not sure what to expect from the Cougars come Saturday at Seattle’s Qwest Field.

“The only thing we can do is try to make sure that we’re prepared to play,” Gundy said, “and we can execute our offense and our defense.”

That’s enough for Wulff.

After all, the Cowboys return seven offensive and six defensive starters off a team that was 7-6 last season, including a 49-33 win over Indiana in the Insight Bowl.

“They are an experienced team,” Wulff said Sunday after exercising his advantage, watching video of the Cowboys. “They have (seven) starters back on offense, and a quarterback back who is a very good football player, who’s a dual threat.

“They can run it, but the thing that’s scary is they can throw it well. The combination, obviously, whenever offensively you have the ability to do (both), it’s always dangerous.”

That bowl win marked the sixth time last season the Cowboys scored 40 points or more, utilizing a no-huddle spread offense run for the last 11 games by then-sophomore Zac Robinson.

Robinson not only passed for 2,824 yards and 23 touchdowns, he ran for another 847 operating a majority of the time out of the shotgun.

“He’s a guy who can run,” said WSU senior linebacker Cory Evans, who is going to have to try to wrap up the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Robinson with his right hand in a cast. “We’re basically facing another Jake Locker or Dennis Dixon. We just have to keep him contained and keep him in a cup. And tackle.”

The Cougars didn’t have much luck tackling Dixon and the rest of Oregon’s rushers (the Ducks had 213 rushing yards in a 53-7 win) or UW’s Locker (he finished with 110 yards in WSU’s 42-35 Apple Cup win) last season.

To add muscle to quickness, the Cowboys return four starters from an offensive line that not only opened holes that resulted in 3,161 rushing yards, but yielded just 11 sacks. Of course, Robinson’s quick feet had something to do with both of those numbers.

WSU cornerback Romeo Pellum, a sophomore who will be making his first collegiate start, doesn’t have to worry too much about Robinson’s feet. It’s his right arm Pellum must focus on. And making connections with his receivers, like sophomore Dez Bryant, who caught 43 passes last year.

“He’s a real good receiver,” Pellum said of Bryant.

Bryant, at 6-2, will present a height challenge for the 5-10 Pellum and WSU’s other corner, 5-9 Alfonso Jackson.

“He’s not real physical, but he gets up for the ball real good,” Pellum said. “He runs a real good fade route, real good. The best I’ve seen.”

Only on video, of course. But at least the Cougars have that over Oklahoma State. Until Saturday afternoon, when it all starts for real.