Washington State Cougars 1-10 Overall (0-8 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Oregon State 42 – Washington State 10

Next Week’s Opponent: @Washington

“We felt we were in the game. We had the ball for long periods of time. One play here or there and it would have been a whole different game.” – QB Kevin Lopina

Lopina may sound like a hopeless optimist, but actually, I tend to agree with the above statement (to a point). While the box score from Saturday’s loss to Oregon State looks all too familiar, WSU showed some promising signs of life. At one point late in the third quarter the score was 21-10 OSU, and that was especially impressive considering the Beavers scored on their first three possessions of the game. The Cougs put fourth a commendable effort, and Wazzu fans can only hope that the team is ready to take the next step this Saturday.

There are two players that I think deserve special recognition for their efforts in this game and throughout the season (not counting C Kenny Alfred).

WR Jared Karstetter – Karstetter had another excellent day against OSU (6 catches 72 yards) and the sophomore has now caught 34 passes for 507 yards (14.9 YPC) and 6 TDs in 2009. If you are looking for positives to build on as this program moves forward, look no further than #84. Karstetter is already a reliable target, but its safe to assume the 6-4 receiver is going to be even better in the next two seasons.

P Reid Forrest – A strong argument could be made that Forrest is the Cougars’ MVP, as he trails only Vanderbilit’s Brett Upson for most punts in the country (Forrest has 79, Upson has 81). Forrest ranks 3rd in the Pac-10 with a 43.56 per punt average, and he has done a commendable job under difficult circumstances. He punted eight more times against OSU, with a 38-yard average.

As bad as 2009 has been, a win in Seattle would infuse Paul Wulff’s program with much-needed momentum. Sure the Cougs beat U-Dub last year only to suffer through another terrible season, but winning the Apple Cup for a second straight season would still be massive. It was troubling to see that only 16,167 people attended the OSU game at Martin Stadium, so Wazzu needs something to spark the fan base for next season. You can bet a win over the Dawgs would do just that.

Washington State Cougars 1-9 Overall (0-7 Conference)

This Week’s Score: UCLA 43 – Washington State 7

Next Week’s Opponent: Oregon State

Let’s start with the bright side. Washington State has a very exciting one-two punch in Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto. Thompson is one of the best guards in the Pac-10 and Casto is an explosive forward… oh right… I suppose we should talk about football.

Look, at this point we all know the season only has meaning for one reason – the Apple Cup. Sure beating the Huskies looked impossible earlier this season, but now who cares that U-Dub defeated USC? That result is not nearly as impressive anymore, and even with Jake Locker the Dawgs are a vulnerable squad.

It’s difficult to sugarcoat the UCLA game. It was a terrible performance even by this Cougar team’s standards. The players had a bad game, and the coaches did too. It was all very disheartening, and I honestly don’t know how Paul Wulff can motivate his team anymore. A portion of the fan base (I wont speculate how large) is ready to sack Wulff now, and I really can’t blame them.

The fact that Wazzu has recently become synonymous with the phrase “worst BCS team in America” is absolutely unacceptable. WSU is capable of consistent success, but the program is just so far behind in every area right now. I still blame Bill Doba more than Wulff, but I’m not sure how much longer that logic will hold up.

Nothing went right for the Cougs against UCLA. If there is one play that seems to summarize the day, it was that inconceivable 68-yard TD scamper by QB Kevin Prince. With all due respect to Prince and his mobility, that play was unforgivable from a WSU perspective. Coming into the season, I thought a QB like Marshall Lobbestael would make huge strides but those thoughts are non-existent now, especially after his latest performance (2/6 6 yards 3 INTs).

Next, the Cougars will be blown out by Oregon State, and then comes the second annual bottom feeder bowl with the Huskies.

Washington State Cougars 1-8 Overall (0-7 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Arizona 48 – Washington State 7

Next Week’s Opponent: UCLA

Even moral victories seem to be eluding the Cougars these days.

It is hard to muster up much hope for the future when the talent discrepancy is so abundantly clear. After a disastrous 16 minutes and 32 seconds of football that saw the Cougars down 31-0, the Wildcats put the playbook away and just ran the ball. They only threw it five times in the remaining 43 minutes and 28 seconds.

And run, run, run they did. With their backups, no less. The Wildcats racked up 294 yards on the ground on 54 carries, and completely dominated time of possession 41:19 to 18:41. There really wasn’t anything they didn’t dominate. Especially special teams, in which the Cougars gave up both a kick return and a punt return for touchdowns.

There just wasn’t any offense to be had when the Cougars did have the ball. Jeff Tuel went an underwhelming 5/10 for 23 yards while getting mercilessly hurried and sacked with the offensive line defenseless against Arizona’s attack. Tuel’s six sacks led to two lost fumbles as well.

Paul Wulff started Marshall Lobbestael in the second half (likely to spare his young quarterback his life), who fared a bit better going 7/11 for 103 yards, highlighted by a 64-yard touchdown reception by Jered Karstetter midway through the 4th quarter. That was the only highlight of the game for the Cougars, which came with the game already well out of reach at 48-0.

What is there left to say? I feel bad for Paul Wulff; convincing potential recruits to play here after this season is going to be a pretty monumental task.

Washington State Cougars 1-7 Overall (0-6 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Notre Dame 40 – Washington State 14

Next Week’s Opponent: @Arizona

Well, that went about the way most of us expected it to. The Cougars were physically beat down by Notre Dame’s overpowering line play, and while the laundry list of WSU injuries played a role, it is pretty clear that these two teams are not in the same stratosphere talent-wise. On numerous occasions, I saw the Irish o-line blow the WSU front seven right off the ball. The same could not be said for the Cougars o-line, as it looked helpless against the ND rush.

The game was essentially over by halftime, especially after Golden Tate’s incredible Hail Mary grab with no time left in the first half (TD put the Irish up 30-7). For the game, Notre Dame out gained Wazzu 592 to 206 in total offense, and ND QB Jimmy Clausen completed 81% of his passes (22-27 passes for 268 yards and two TDs).

It’s very hard to find positives in games like these, but I did like what I saw from RB Dwight Tardy and WR Jared Karstetter. Tardy managed to run for 72 yards on only eight carries (9.0 YPC) and I thought he hit the hole very quickly. While Karstetter only made two catches on the day, both were for TDs. I understand that Paul Wulff likes to use Karstetter primarily in the red zone, because of his frame and leaping ability, but I would like to see the sophomore more involved in the offense this season and in the future.

It is easy to see why the WSU coaches are so excited about QB Jeff Tuel, even on a day where he struggled a little bit statistically (12-23 104 yards 2 TDs, 2 INTs). I have no doubt that the freshman is going to be a great player in the coming years, but he must keep his head up during these difficult times.

Next, Washington State travels to the Old Pueblo to take on a nationally ranked Arizona team that is on a roll right now. Paul Wulff’s squad will not pull the upset, but this game provides young Cougars like Tuel with another excellent opportunity to gain invaluable experience.

Washington State Cougars (1-6) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2)
Saturday, October 31, 4:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Notre Dame -27.5

Sam’s Take (36 – 14):

Washington State heads to Texas this week for a non-conference meeting with Notre Dame. I’m sure both athletic departments anticipated an exciting, competitive game at the Alamodome when this one was scheduled (a few years ago), but in reality, I expect an uneventful and lopsided Irish win.

This current Cougar squad simply isn’t built to win a neutral site game against a talented team like Notre Dame. My best advice for Paul Wulff and his coaching staff is to stay in evaluation mode this week. Forget the score, and just watch for continued development at each position on the team. QB Jeff Tuel has shown the kind of development that should encourage the entire Wazzu fan base. I believe Tuel has a chance to be a special player in the coming years, and he displayed his exceptional passing skills in Berkeley last week (354 yards passing, two TDs).

Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, and the rest of the Notre Dame offense should be able to move the ball at will, but the Irish defense has not been all that impressive this season. A pair of safeties lead the team in tackles, and the D is ranked 117th nationally against the pass. If Tuel has a little bit of time to throw, he may be able to match his output from last week.

In the end, I expect Notre Dame to win comfortably behind the arm of Clausen, as Cougar fans try to quickly forget the Alamo.

Prediction: Notre Dame 42 – Washington State 17

Washington State Player to Keep an Eye On: WR Johnny Forzani - Forzani looks like a legitimate big play receiver, and if the last two games are any indication, he may cause problems for the vulnerable Irish secondary.

Notre Dame Player to Keep an Eye On: TE Kyle Rudolph - Rudolph is a big target with very good hands, and although his production has tailed off a bit lately this could be his bounce-back game.

Dave’s Take (39 – 11):

Since crushing Nevada in week one, Notre Dame has played to the level of their opponent every week. Every one of their games has been decided by a seven point margin or less, with four of the six games being decided by four points or less. Will the trend continue this week?

To put it lightly, I’d be awfully surprised. Arizona State turned the ball over six times IN Washington State and still won by double digits. Even if Notre Dame fails to get up for this game, they just have far too much talent on both sides of the ball for this one to be close.

In two weeks, Washington State will host UCLA in a game that they could feasibly win if all goes well. But for this week (as well as next week against Arizona), the Cougars will just have to strap in for a rough ride.

Prediction: Notre Dame 48 – Washington State 14

Washington State Cougars 1-6 Overall (0-5 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Cal 49 – Washington State 17

Next Week’s Opponent: @Notre Dame (Alamo Dome)

Truthfully, there is a new criterion for evaluating Washington State football. It’s no longer based on winning or losing, but rather on the intricacies of how the Cougars compete in all three phases of the game. With that in mind, I was actually encouraged quite a bit by what I saw from the Wazzu offense this week, while simultaneously being horrified by the state of the injury-ridden defense.

Let’s start with the good. Cougar fans, you officially have a right to get excited about QB Jeff Tuel and what he may mean for the future of this program. I don’t care if Cal’s D mailed it in Saturday or not, Tuel was excellent. The promising freshman accounted for 354 yards passing and two touchdowns on 28/42 passing, and he connected with eight different receivers. Tuel’s calm demeanor and strong pocket presence are especially remarkable to me considering his experience level, and it makes you wonder what he will look like in a few years.

Wideouts Johnny Forzani and Gino Simone are helping to establish some consistency in the passing game, and Tuel clearly has confidence in both. For the second game in a row, Forzani busted loose on a long TD catch and run (68 yards vs. Cal, 99 yards vs. ASU), and his playmaking ability has to excite Paul Wulff and the rest of the coaching staff. The running game wasn’t utilized much, but I like RB Carl Winston (8 carries 51 yards) and believe he could develop into a solid feature back down the road.

While the offense should be happy with its 440 yards of offense, the defense took a big step back after generating six turnovers against ASU. I knew the D would struggle without LB Louis Bland (arguably the unit’s best player) among others. But Cal moved the ball so effortlessly that it makes you wonder how many points Jeff Tedford’s team could have put up if they really wanted to. WSU just isn’t equipped to handle most of the offenses in the Pac-10, let alone an opposition that features world-class sprinters in the backfield.

The Cougs will now travel to San Antonio for a non-conference meeting with Notre Dame. I don’t doubt that this game meant something to both athletic departments when it was scheduled (which was God knows when), but is this really the right time for a neutral site meeting between the programs? For Coug fans making the trip, I would focus on enjoying the continued development of Tuel and the River Walk, because Jimmy Clausen and the Irish will likely be able to choose their score.

Washington State Cougars (1-5) vs. Cal Bears (4-2)
Saturday, October 24, 1:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Cal -35.5

Sam’s Take (31 – 14):

This one could get ugly early, as Cal is starting to find its stride and the already struggling Cougars continue to be decimated by injuries (particularly on defense). Washington State simply doesn’t have the personnel on either side of the ball to compete against the Bears and I fear this game may turn out much like last year’s (a 66-3 drubbing in Pullman).

Jeff Tedford’s squad should be able to fine-tune some things this week, and I expect to see QB Kevin Riley play well for the second straight game, as he is coming off a solid performance against UCLA. WSU has the nation’s second worst pass defense while also ranking 108th nationally in rush defense, so the most interesting part of this game may end up being how Tedford decides to divvy up the scoring among his players (maybe get Best back into the Doak Walker discussion?). Defensively, I don’t expect Cal to have much trouble stopping a Wazzu offense that lacks explosion, consistency, depth, and confidence (am I missing anything?).

Paul Wulff’s squad actually performed respectably against ASU, but the Cougs were still a long way from winning. WSU fans must continue to be patient during a difficult time, and the rallying cry for the Cal game should be about competing and improving. The whole team is banged up, so reserve players need to be ready to step up.

I expect Cal to pour it on early, and then we should get a look at QB Brock Mansion later in the game.

Prediction: Cal 52 – Washington State 14

Washington State Player to Keep an Eye On: RB Carl Winston - I like Winston’s skill set but the running lanes just haven’t been there for him. Hopefully, he gets a few holes this week.

Cal Player to Keep an Eye On: TE Anthony Miller - Miller is a solid receiving tight end but he disappears at times. He should be able to take advantage of this week’s opponent.

Dave’s Take (35 – 10):

Last week, the Cal Bears came out of their bye week with an impressive effort in blowing out the Bruins at the Rose Bowl. Have the Bears recovered from the woes of their back-to-back losses to USC and Oregon, or was the Bruins beat-down just the result of a UCLA meltdown?

Unfortunately, we won’t get any answers this week. It doesn’t matter whether the 3-0 dominant version of the Bears or the 0-2, outscored 72-6 version shows up; both are more than capable of handling the Cougars.

While it is important for the Bears that Kevin Riley has another nice day, the most important player in this game in my opinion is Jahvid Best. Best was completely contained against Oregon and USC, and if you take away the huge 93-yard touchdown run and the 51-yard touchdown catch, he was largely contained against UCLA too with just nine yards on his other 18 touches. For Cal to have a big second half, they are going to need Best to get back to top form; and what better team to regain the confidence against than Washington State?

For the Cougars, the objective here is to try to play mistake free football. This game is the first of a three game road trip against three extremely high powered offenses (Cal, Notre Dame, and Arizona), and even if everything goes the Cougars way, it’s hard to see them keeping up in any of these games. The more time the offense can spend on the field without coughing the ball up, the better. Gaining valuable experience and learning good habits regardless of the score could go a long way in the rebuilding process.

Prediction: Cal 56 – Washington State 13

Washington State Cougars 1-5 Overall (0-4 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Arizona State 27 – Washington State 14

Next Week’s Opponent: BYE

If you’d have told me before the game started that the Cougars would force six turnovers and complete their longest play from scrimmage of all time with a 99-yard touchdown pass, I’d have assumed it was a pretty special day in Pullman.

But it wasn’t. Take away that one big play, and the Cougars mustered up only 82 yards of total offense, thanks in large part to an incredible negative 54 yards rushing including 12 sacks.

It’s easy to take away positives from this game. Jeff Tuel connecting with Johnny Forzani (who had slipped behind everyone and showed off his speed) from the one-yard line was an exciting moment; Louis Bland, Xavier Hicks Jr., and Andy Mattingly all snagging picks was great as well. But the silver-lining doesn’t really lessen the blow of how hopeless the offense looked all game, and yet another loss in the record books.

It’s just a miserable situation in Washington State; there’s really no way to put a positive spin on it. The season looked bleak enough to begin with, and losing Jeshua Anderson and James Montgomery has made it even worse. If not for the improbable comeback against SMU, the Cougars would be in grave danger of suffering a winless season; but is a one-win season with an 0-9 conference record a whole lot better?

All eyes are on Paul Wulff now. Patience was obviously the plan, but it’s easier said than done; especially with the success Coach Sarkisian is having in Washington. Does he keep his job after the season ends?

In a season of heartache and pain, any bit of silver lining helps. Here’s a bit for Cougs fans; you won’t lose this Saturday. Sure, you aren’t playing… but at least it’s not a loss.

Arizona State Sun Devils (2-2) vs. Washington State Cougars (1-4)
Saturday, October 10, 2:00 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Arizona State -21.0

Sam’s Take (25 – 12):

Saturday’s game in Pullman could end up deciding the ninth place team in the Pac-10 when the season is all said and done. Washington State continues to play some of the worst football of any BCS team in the country, and ASU’s offense has been so anemic that the Sun Devil fan base is on the verge of full revolt if QB Danny Sullivan isn’t replaced soon (whether that is fair or not is up for debate).

The difference between these two teams, and it’s a big one, is on the defensive side of the ball. Despite the Sun Devils dreadful situation on offense, the explosive defense ranks 3rd nationally, while WSU checks in at 119th.

Paul Wulff may give freshman QB Jeff Tuel the start, but regardless of who lines up under center, the ASU front seven will likely wreak havoc all game. The Devils D-line has taken a lot of heat for its inability to sack the quarterback, and this may be the game that jump-starts DE Dexter Davis and Co.

The Cougar defense is more than capable of holding its own against a lackluster ASU offense that has been plagued by injury (especially on the o-line) and inconsistent play. But, I have a feeling that Sullivan, and possibly a couple of the other ASU QBs, will do enough damage to secure a comfortable road win on the Palouse.

Prediction: Arizona State 38 – Washington State 13

Arizona State Player to Keep an Eye On: QBs Brock Osweiler and Samson Szakacsy- Dennis Erickson hinted that both Osweiler and Szakacsy could see action on Saturday, which is music to the ears of many Sun Devil fans.

Washington State Player to Keep an Eye On: LB Louis Bland- WSU will need to bring pressure from everywhere to rattle the ASU offense, and Bland will be a critical part of the blitz packages.

Dave’s Take (29 – 8):

It’s been two straight disappointing games for the Sun Devils, who still haven’t proven they can compete against top-level teams. Most of the question marks come on the offensive side of the ball; on defense, especially in the front seven, Arizona State looks very strong.

Washington State has scored only 6 points in each of their last two games, and against one of the conference’s premiere defenses, I’m not expecting them to do a whole lot more in this one. The Cougars just don’t have the team speed or strength on the offensive line (with the exception of Kenny Alfred) to compete against a defense of this caliber. The most important thing for Jeff Tuel to work on is getting into good habits early and not turning the ball over.

What will decide whether this game is a blowout or not is the play of the Sun Devils’ offense. Facing one of the nation’s worst defenses, it stands to reason that the offense should do just fine. I think the most important thing the Devils can do in this one is try new things on offense; running a vanilla offense should work just fine on the Cougars, but it won’t help make the team any better moving forward.

Brock Osweiler and/or Samson Szakacsy should get some playing time, and regardless of who is under center, the offense needs to branch out and try some new things. There aren’t any easy ones left on ASU’s  schedule, and if they are going to right this ship, it has to be now.

Prediction: Arizona State 38 – Washington State 10

Washington State Cougars 1-4 Overall (0-3 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Oregon 52 – Washington State 6

Next Week’s Opponent: Arizona State

Wazzu fans may not be happy with the blowout loss in Eugene, especially considering the great effort in the Coliseum. But let’s be honest about three things: 1) The Cougs still have a long way to go in all three phases of the game, and there just isn’t enough speed right now. 2) The team has been ravaged by injuries all season, making it nearly impossible to create any chemistry. 3) They ran into a buzz saw Saturday night, as the Ducks appear to be clicking on all cylinders.

The best thing Paul Wulff’s team can do is move on, because Oregon was a bad match up for this WSU team, especially in a hostile environment like Autzen.

In a way, I think it is good that QB Jeff Tuel exited the game early, as his presence would not have changed the outcome, and a poor performance could have hurt his confidence. Tuel’s hip-pointer injury is not serious, and with the two toughest games already out of the way (and maybe three if you count Stanford), the promising freshman will have a better chance to be successful for the rest of the ’09 season.

Losing RB James Montgomery and WR Jeshua Anderson has really hurt lately, as there just isn’t any explosion in the offense. Receivers like Simone, Blackledge and Karstetter must continue to improve, because the passing game was downright embarrassing against the Ducks (leading receiver only had 12 yards). I like what I saw from freshman RB Carl Winston (7 car. 56 yards) and I can only hope that he may provide an offensive spark for Wazzu.

Defensively, I see a few positives (though you wouldn’t know it by watching the Oregon game). The linebackers are pretty solid (especially Hoffman-Ellis), and the defensive tackles are playing well. Unfortunately, the unit simply isn’t fast enough to hold up against athletically gifted teams, and Wulff must change that in the next few recruiting classes.

Next up for the Cougs is a home date with Arizona State. The Sun Devils are nothing special on offense, so this may be a golden opportunity for WSU to steal one as long as Tuel can stay in control and the receivers and running backs can be halfway decent. Paul Wulff’s team must find a way to keep fighting through all of the adversity. Sure, the blowouts are becoming painfully hard to deal with (along with the injuries), but progress will only be made if the team continues to persevere.