Washington State football chat transcript - 9/26

Sep 26, 10:03 AM srchat (Admin): Hey everyone, welcome to live chat No. 5. I’ll start taking questions now. Sep 26, 10:03 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Hello! Sep 26, 10:03 AM srchat (Admin): Morning! Sep 26, 10:04 AM srchat (Admin): Because I didn’t get to this question last week, we’ll start here… Sep 26, 10:04 AM srchat (Admin): Guest9309 (guest): Hi Theo…Appreciate your reporting of Coug FB, a few questions for you :How is Caleb Perry looking ?, does he have the ability to perform in Leaches offense, Crowder appears to need some weight, do you think Moore will see the field this year ?…top 3-5 fastest Cougs…?..I am thinking Harris, Calvin, Max, Renard, Fisher ? Sep 26, 10:09 AM srchat (Admin): Hard to make any kind of assessment about Perry. He’s the fourth running back and therefore we don’t see much of him/haven’t seen much in camp either. Perhaps he establishes a role in the rotation once Harrington graduates. I don’t think we see Moore this year, but would be interesting with the new redshirt rule if he came back for the final four games. He still has a redshirt available. And I’d probably agree with you on the top-5 fastest players. Possibly Drue Jackson, too. Sep 26, 10:10 AM Guest2602 (Guest): What is going on with Nnamdi? Expected him to make a leap this year, but he’s just been a rotation piece. Is the injury holding him back? Sep 26, 10:11 AM srchat (Admin): I’m a little surprised he hasn’t cracked the starting rotation. I think Logan Tago’s played well enough, but I would sort of expect Oguayo to reassume that spot eventually. Then again, coaches aren’t always concerned with who’s “starting.” With all the rotating they do, he’s guaranteed to get plenty of reps still. Sep 26, 10:11 AM GoCougs (Guest): What’s the NCAA definition of targeting? Sep 26, 10:15 AM srchat (Admin): Here’s a pretty comprehensive explanation of the rule: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/9/7/12829482/targeting-penalty-rulebook-ncaa-football Sep 26, 10:15 AM srchat (Admin): (Yes, I think Porter Gustin should’ve been ejected for targeting.) Sep 26, 10:15 AM Guest6885 (Guest): How has Thursday Night Football been? Cooper look good? Any others making a name for themselves? Sep 26, 10:18 AM srchat (Admin): Truthfully, I’ve been slipping on asking about TNF lately . Tracy Claeys is generally the only assistant coach available after those practices, but I’ll try to get a better sense of which defensive guys have performed well during those scrimmaged. Sep 26, 10:18 AM srchat (Admin): scrimmages* Sep 26, 10:18 AM Guest109 (Guest): Did coach leach get the side snap by Kyle sweet in big gulp figured out? As long as Kyle squares his shoulders to other goal one he then can turn his shoulders and pitch/snap in play. In usc we were flagged for Kyle standing sideways Sep 26, 10:19 AM srchat (Admin): I’ll get Leach’s thoughts on it today. Odd it was penalized Friday seeing as how they’d gone to it in two other games — with two different officiating crews. Sep 26, 10:19 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Why don’t they use Borghi more? He looks explosive when he touches the ball. Sep 26, 10:20 AM srchat (Admin): He has, but you can’t argue with James Williams’ seven touchdowns. It’s an ideal situation regardless which one you go to. Sep 26, 10:22 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Minshew had more rushing attempts than Borghi. Sep 26, 10:22 AM srchat (Admin): Fair. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the ball in his hands more and think most fans would agree with that sentiment. Sep 26, 10:25 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Utah biggest strength (other than defense as a whole)? Sep 26, 10:27 AM srchat (Admin): The specialists. Senior punter Mitch Wishnowsky is a former Ray Guy winner and the kicker, Matt Gay, won the Lou Groza last year. Utah always seems to be superb at those two spots. Sep 26, 10:27 AM Jon Yerkes: Thinking about changing from my real name to a new handle..Disconcerting_Signals…thoughts? Sep 26, 10:29 AM srchat (Admin): If you’re willing to risk a 5-yard penalty! Sep 26, 10:29 AM Ray Lancaster: Hi Theo…thanks for you hard work. Is there one reporter Leach won’t respond to? what did he do? Sep 26, 10:30 AM srchat (Admin): Yeah, I’ve been asked this numerous times now. Reason I’ve avoided it is because it isn’t really my place to comment. But I do understand the question… Sep 26, 10:30 AM Guest109 (Guest): Okay thanks Theo! Would have for them to think they can do big gulp formation because of that. It is legal to side snap it just like they have been doing as long as before Kyle snaps it he squares his shoulders up. Do you see Tay Martin being ina normal rotation Saturday in terms of coming out every 2 plays for a new we. Right now he is playing every down. I noticed in Utah depth chart they put Calvin Jackson jr in the X. Sep 26, 10:34 AM srchat (Admin): I think it’ll still be 80 percent Tay, 20 percent Calvin Jackson/Rodrick Fisher, or something close to that. I’d like to see more of Jackson. He can be a really explosive player at times. Sep 26, 10:34 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Haven’t seen anything…..prediction for uni combo for homecoming? Sep 26, 10:35 AM srchat (Admin): I wonder if they’ll finally break out the anthracite tops. Crimson helmets, anthracite jerseys, crimson pants is my pick. Anyone else want to take a stab? Sep 26, 10:38 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Utah all white. WSU all crimson. Sep 26, 10:39 AM Jon Yerkes: All antracite Sep 26, 10:40 AM wsuWR: It sucks we have a terrible Nike Deal. Like 3.1 million or something while UCLA and Cal and everyone making 13 mil Sep 26, 10:40 AM srchat (Admin): Not to mention UW’s $120 mil deal with Adidas… Sep 26, 10:40 AM Jon Yerkes: Cougs opened as a slight favorite at home and quickly moved to an underdog…surpised? Sep 26, 10:41 AM srchat (Admin): Wouldn’t have been shocked to see them open as an underdog, but am curious to know why the line moved. Either way, I’m expecting a pretty tight game. Sep 26, 10:42 AM Ray Lancaster: Anthracite tops and crimson helmets and pants worked great v. Stanford. Seemed like secondary got exposed. Any changes in store? Sep 26, 10:44 AM srchat (Admin): I wouldn’t think so. Tyler Huntley isn’t the passer JT Daniels is and Utah doesn’t have the receivers USC has. The secondary was strong up until Friday’s game and the Utes just don’t pose the same threat. Sep 26, 10:44 AM wsuWR: Oh don’t remind me Theo! I forgot UW just got a great deal. I like out Nike stuff but we are signed through like 2022 on a horrible deal. Is there anyway those things can change? Or are we locked in through 2022/2023 no matter what? Would be great to renegotiate a deal. Sep 26, 10:45 AM srchat (Admin): I’m not 100 percent sure how these things work, but I wonder if it’s something Pat Chun has examined as, like you mention, other schools continue to strike massive deals. Sep 26, 10:49 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): What was up with all the slipping by the Cougs in the USC game? Did they change out cleats or anything? Sep 26, 10:52 AM srchat (Admin): No, nothing like that. Leach suggested they just had trouble adjusting to that type of grass. I took a stroll on it pregame. Felt like walking on a golf course. Sep 26, 10:57 AM wsuWR: seems like a lot of the guys on the team are high character people. Do you get that sense or feel when interviewing them? Sep 26, 10:58 AM srchat (Admin): Would agree there. Haven’t had a bad interview yet and came away especially impressed with Easop Winston after chatting with him post practice yesterday. Sep 26, 10:59 AM Uncle Larry (Guest): Who has surprised you in the Pac 12 and why? Sep 26, 11:02 AM srchat (Admin): I’m surprised UCLA is 0-3 and scoring less than 20 ppg. Chip Kelly has been able to manufacture offense wherever he’s been. I wonder when the Bruins will turn the corner. Sep 26, 11:03 AM Guest1754 (Guest): This week when Leach was asked about what makes Martin Stadium so tough to play in, why did he go to great lengths about the Students, and say nothing about the “fans”? Sep 26, 11:04 AM srchat (Admin): That’s his typical line. I don’t think he’s necessarily unimpressed with the rest of the fans, but you definitely want the student body on your side. Sep 26, 11:04 AM srchat (Admin): That’ll do it for this week. Thanks for joining. Let’s do it again in seven days.