Highs and lows
High point of the game
For once, there are too many of these to choose just one (as opposed to the next category, which has dominated all season). Was it Logwone Mitz’s 57-yard, third-quarter scoring run? Or the Xavier Hicks third-down stop with a minute left before Washington’s punt? Was it the Kevin Lopina-to-Jared Karstetter 48-yard reception that set up the tying field goal? Or was it the tying field goal itself? The fourth-and-1 call by Paul Wulff in the first overtime? How about Andy Mattingly’s pass deflection in the second overtime? Or, Nico Grasu’s game-winning field goal? You decide.
Low point of the game
This one is a lot easier this week. It was Lopina’s second-quarter interception by Mesphin Forrester. Replays showed Forrester’s right knee bounced off the ground as he fell on top of Jeshua Anderson – causing a chest contusion and costing Anderson the rest of the game – but the replay official refused to overrule the call that gave UW 19 yards of field position and led to a field goal. The whole sequence had a here-we-go-again feel to it.
A pat on the back
This one’s going to Cougar coach Paul Wulff and his postgame victory, well, you can’t really call it a dance. Let’s call it a celebration. The 41-year old former offensive lineman tried to jump. He really did. But even with the adrenaline of a 16-13 double overtime Apple Cup victory coursing through his body, he reached Colton phone book vertical at best. Still, Wulff showed how important the win was to the Cougars and his football program. A little emotion by a head coach can be a good thing.
Needs fixing
This idea of playing after the Apple Cup. Even if the game is in Hawaii. It’s not going to be on TV over here, so only Cougar fans who can afford to take their Husky-topping glow to the Islands will be able to see it. Besides, after talking with a dozen players Saturday, it’s obvious there is no way they could take a greater feeling into the offseason. Not even a two-game winning streak could be more motivating than the memories of Saturday’s last-play win.
Three unanswered questions
• Are the Cougars now a 3-3-5 defensive team? Well, yes. For now. The lack of depth up front has forced WSU to adjust. But Wulff said Sunday he still intends to return to a scheme featuring four down linemen next season – if recruiting goes well. With the emergence of Louis Bland and Myron Beck this season and the opportunity to return Andy Mattingly to an upright spot, the change may not be permanent, but it’s a weapon the Cougar defensive coaches have in their back pocket.
• Which of the Apple Cup heroes will top their feats later? Much of the noise Saturday came from freshmen and sophomores. Of those, it looks like Bland, a true freshman, has a chance to become a big-play maker on the defensive side. Over on offense, tackle Micah Hannam, a redshirt sophomore, has gotten better and better. He may, however, find his true greatness as a guard. For players like Karstetter and Mitz, the importance of their plays alone Saturday should earn them spots in Cougar lore.
• How much did the win mean? Wulff talked Sunday of the relief the victory brought. He also mentioned excitement, thanks to the reward the players earned with hard work. But the key word he used was validation. The win, and they way the Cougars won, allows them to enter the offseason with the knowledge the program’s plan carries with it the promise of success. It will be hard-earned, but there is a pot of gold to be found when the sun shines again.
Vince Grippi, staff writer