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3: “I think the excitement of having the opening game at home on Thursday night against a team (Ohio) we think we’re going to beat, I think that’s going to be a big turnaround game for the program, to be honest with you,” Petrino said.

Washington State will almost certainly be better in 2015 than 2014. How much better depends on these five guys.

Destiny Vaeao: With Toni Pole graduated and Xavier Cooper off to the NFL, Vaeao takes over as the leader of WSU’s defensive line. Vaeao showed in the spring that he is one of the Cougars’ best against the run and the pass and they’ll need him to excel in both facets for the defense to take a significant step forward in 2015. 

The punter: With Jordan Dascalo’s decision to leave the team looming over the Cougars, they’re going to have to press someone very inexperienced into service at punter. The Cougars better find someone capable, or the defense is going to be defending some very short fields.

Gabe Marks: Somebody has to replace the near-1,500 receiving yards that left with Vince Mayle, and coach Mike Leach says that Marks has the talent to match Mayle’s numbers all by himself. I tend to agree. He’s got the best hands, runs some of the best routes and is the hardest to tackle after he makes a catch.

Darius Lemora: The Cougars are quietly starting to build some depth at safety. Whether or not the secondary is good, however, is going to rest largely on the fifth defensive back starter: Lemora. Lemora will have to be able to match up with some of the quickest opposing receivers over the middle of the field, while still contributing in the run game more than other secondary players to make for the linebacker that has been taken off the field.

Charleston White: He led the Pac-12 in pass breakups per game last season by a healthy margin in part because of his instincts and a little bit because of his superior speed and ability to change direction. The ridiculously long arms don’t hurt, either. White was a nice cornerback in the nine games he played for the Cougars last year. Now, in his third year in the program, they need him to be a great one.

Jacob Thorpe @SRJacobThorpe