WSU-EWU notebook: Gabe Marks says team needs to find own identity

While fans are surely frustrated that the Cougars lost their second consecutive opener to a Big Sky opponent – and fifth consecutive opener overall – many will doubtlessly take solace knowing so many players return from the group that finished with a 9-4 record in 2015 despite the initial loss to Portland State.

But that group’s bounce back was a fantastic feat – and there is no guarantee the 2016 team can replicate it.

“I hope that we can do that. We, and all of you, have got to remember that we are not that team from last year,” Gabe Marks said. “We’ve got to find our own identity and we need to play better football.”

Quarterback Luke Falk did express some optimism after the game that, if nothing else, last year’s turnaround showed that a team may not be defined by it’s worse game, even should that game come at the start of the season. A deflating loss is a test of the team’s ability to focus on one game at a time and have short memories, as coach Mike Leach exhorts the Cougars to do every day.

“I would just say, ‘Don’t panic,’ ” said Falk, when asked to address let-down fans. “We’ve been in this situation before and we can learn from it and grow as a team, or we can let this one get to us and we can focus on it all season and let it be a low point for us. But the guys we have in this locker room, I think we’ll learn from it and move on and focus on Boise State in our next game.”

Luani sits out

Strong safety Shalom Luani did not suit up for WSU and was not visible on the sidelines in street clothes, costing the Cougars perhaps their best defensive back in a game that saw plenty of deep downfield passes.

Luani has not practiced since his Aug. 24 arrest for assault outside a Pullman Domino’s Pizza, but coaches say he is still a member of the team in good standing.

The free safety started all 13 games for the Cougars in 2015, earning All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors after intercepting four passes and tying for third on the team with 90 tackles.

Robert Taylor, a junior college transfer, started at safety in Luani’s stead, but the Cougars will have to go to their third option next week against Boise State, at least initially. That’s becaues Taylor was flagged for targeting after a helmet-to-helmet collision with EWU’s Shaq Hill, who still made a 36-yard pass despite the contact.

Targeting penalties come with an immediate ejection. Because Taylor was flagged in the second half, he must also sit out the first half of WSU’s second game, against the Broncos. Hunter Dale filled in at free safety after Taylor’s ejection, and appears likely to start next week.

O-line comes through for Eagles

Eastern Washington’s offensive line – perhaps the most scrutinized unit on the team this year – got off to a pretty decent start.

The young Eagles linemen blocked for an offense that rolled up 606 yards – 17th most in school history. The previous record was 518 – in another landmark win, the 49-46 defeat of Oregon State in 2013.

“Based on offensive numbers and what people saw, I thought they answered a lot of questions,” EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said.

“It’s especially tough on an offensive line on the road when it’s tougher to hear and you have to go with silent counts. They did their work humbly and they were hungry.”

With the departure of all five starters and the top two backups from last year, the O-line started over this season.

“They respected the crew that was here last year, but they want to start something and grow together as an offense line. They are going to have to continue to grow because there are going to be plenty of mistakes to correct,” Baldwin said.