Cougars relieved, excited

PULLMAN – Paul Wulff celebrated his first Apple Cup victory as Washington State’s coach by having a dinner with recruits, hosting a few friends over at the house and getting to bed early.

Wild times.

Of course, the discussion focused on the double overtime win, but the most popular topic of comment was Wulff’s celebratory, well, let’s call it a leap, for lack of a better term.

“I listened to a lot of people give me a bunch of guff on my lack of vertical jump,” Wulff said Sunday. “Non stop. I’m still getting calls. I didn’t think it was that bad in the moment.”

The low-key evening followed a really-key win for Wulff and his Cougars. A win that not only earned the team a locker-room visit from Gov. Chris Gregoire, but much more, Wulff said.

“There’s a level of relief and excitement,” he said, describing the feeling around the football program, “because all the things we’ve been working for and trying to establish, there was a reward for that, for the hard work these players have put in.

“The reward for winning the game, a close game and exciting game, winning your rival game.”

It also laid a foundation.

“You watch all the freshmen in this game have the major impact,” Wulff said. “For the future of Cougar football, I think that’s very promising.”

The play of freshmen such as Louis Bland (seven tackles, three for loss), Tyree Toomer (seven tackles, one for loss), Jared Karstetter (two catches, including a key 48-yarder in the final minute) and Kevin Norrell (three catches along with handling the kick returns) may have been illuminating and promising, but the play of the seniors was even more satisfying for Wulff.

“For the seniors to play as hard as they did,” Wulff said, “the Greg Trents, the Matt Mullennixs and I could go on and on, doing everything in their power to come away victorious, I think that’s a heck of a statement.

“To try to finish off their last season, though it’s not been a good one, to leave something for those younger players.”

The Cougars came out the game reasonably healthy. Because the players had the day off Sunday, Wulff wasn’t sure of Jeshua Anderson’s status after suffering a chest contusion. The one injury that is worrisome is Tony Thompson’s. The junior tight end suffered another concussion, his second in three weeks. He will not be available this week. And Wulff is worried about his future. “I would say there is always a concern whenever you’re dealing with multiple concussions,” he said. “Yes, I’m concerned about that.”

Notes

Devin Giles played often and well, Wulff said, and he had an explanation. “We work with these guys and try to explain how you have to do everything right on and off the field and be accountable,” the coach said. “The last two weeks he’s gotten more and more improvement on it, on everything we ask him to do off the field. It’s kind of ironic how it all of sudden starts showing up on the field.” … There will be no television broadcast of this Saturday’s game other than a local Hawaii station. The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:05 PST. The Cougars go in 2-10 (1-8 in Pac-10 play) while Hawaii, a BCS-bowl participant last year, is 6-5, 5-3 in the WAC after defeating Idaho 49-17 Saturday night. … Wulff guaranteed J.T. Levenseller will play against Hawaii. … Though it isn’t why WSU is playing Hawaii, Wulff said he wants to recruit the islands, home to some Cougar greats like quarterback Jason Gesser and basketball star Derrick Low. “There is a niche for kids from Hawaii that Pullman, Wash., would fit,” he said. … The last word on the Apple Cup, from cornerback Romeo Pellum: “This is the greatest feeling I’ve had so far playing college football. Playing football period. Best feeling ever, swear to God.”