COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN -- The school is expected to release its first official depth chart of the season today. First, let's take our best guess at what it will look like.

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QUARTERBACK

10 Jeff Tuel (Sr.) / 12 Connor Halliday (RS-So.) / 4 David Gilbertson (RS-Jr.)

Comments: This should be pretty obvious by now. Tuel continues to take the majority of the reps with the No. 1 offense, and there isn't any question he's going to be the guy on Thursday. Halliday, obviously, is the No. 2 option, and Gilbertson has pretty consistently shown that he's the third guy.

RUNNING BACK

34 Teondray Caldwell (Fr.) OR 23 Leon Brooks OR 3 Carl Winston / 35 Marcus Mason OR 29 Theron West

Comments: A bit less definitive here. It's a safe bet, I'd think, that the Cougars will use at least three backs against BYU. It wouldn't be a shock if they used more. Caldwell and Brooks seem to have separated themselves a bit, but Winston still sees some time with the No. 1 offense, too.

Z-RECEIVER (outside)

84 Gabe Marks (Fr.) / 88 Isiah Myers (So.)

Comments: Marks looks like the starter here, though Mike Leach has said the top eight are going to play. So Myers will get his share of snaps.

Y-RECEIVER (inside)

87 Andrei Lintz (RS-Sr.) / 19 Brett Bartolone (Fr.)

Comments: Bartolone can play the H-receiver, too, but Leach mentioned him here the other night. Bottom line: Lintz is the clear-cut starter, and Bartolone will also find his way onto the field at either of the slot positions.

H-RECEIVER (inside)

5 Rickey Galvin (RS-So.) / 82 Bobby Ratliff (RS-So.) OR 1 Gino Simone (Sr.)

Comments: Galvin looks to have this spot locked up, and Ratliff and Simone should each see some time at either of the slot positions, similar to Bartolone.

X-RECEIVER (outside)

86 Marquess Wilson (Jr.) / 80 Dominique Williams (RS-Fr.)

Comments: Leach also mentioned Bennett Bontemps with this group the other night, though it remains to be seen whether he'll play outside or inside.

OFFENSIVE LINE

LT 77 John Fullington (Jr.) / 63 Gunnar Eklund (RS-Fr.)

LG 55 Wade Jacobson (RS-Sr.) / 66 Matt Goetz (RS-Jr.)

C 60 Elliott Bosch (RS-Jr.) / 50 Taylor Meighen (Sr.)

RG 69 Jake Rodgers (RS-So.) / 70 Zach Brevick (RS-Jr)

RT 71 Dan Spitz (RS-Sr.) / 63 Gunnar Eklund (RS-Fr.)

Comments: It's a little tricky to project the backups here simply because there isn't much left at tackle behind Fullington and Spitz (though Rodgers can play there, too). But those first five appear to be pretty solid, with the exception being the possibility that Goetz could win back his job at left guard.

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DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE

DL 71 Matthew Bock (RS-Jr.) OR 96 Xavier Cooper (RS.-Fr)

NT 95 Ioane Gauta (Jr.) OR 98 Toni Pole (RS-So.)

DL 94 Steven Hoffart (RS-Sr.) OR 98 Toni Pole (RS-So.)

Comments: This might be the most difficult group to try to predict. Bock, Gauta and Hoffart have spent the majority of camp working together with the No. 1 unit, though it's not known if Cooper will be available. And Pole has been working his way back the past couple days, and is versatile enough to play nose tackle or one of the edge spots. Adam Coerper is another guy who should see the field in a versatile capacity. Destiny Vaeao factors in here too, you'd think, as well as Lenard Williams.

LINEBACKER

SAM 21 Eric Oertel (Jr.) / 42 Cyrus Coen (So.)

MIKE 13 Darryl Monroe (RS-Fr.) / 37 Jared Byers (RS-Jr.)

WIL 45 Chester Su'a (So.) / 51 Justin Sagote (Jr.)

BUCK 89 Travis Long (Sr.) / 83 Logan Mayes (So.)

Comments: The starters here have been pretty much the same since spring. Sagote seemed to be challenging Su'a for his spot early in camp, though it appears Su'a has solidified things there. Expect Jeremiah Allison to see the field some, too. Corey Laufasa and Tana Pritchard could also factor in, and Kache Palacio looks like the third BUCK at this point.

CORNERBACK

CB 6 Damante Horton (Jr.) / 27 Tracy Clark (RS-So.) / 39 Ray Ford (Fr.)

CB 2 Nolan Washington (RS-Jr.) / 24 Daniel Simmons (RS-Sr.) / 12 Brandon Golden (RS-So.)

Comments: Horton and Washington look like solid starters. Ford hasn't practiced as much as the others, but his speed could get him on the field this season.

SAFETY

FS 30 Taylor Taliulu (Fr.) / 15 Tyree Toomer (RS-Sr.) OR 4 Anthony Carpenter (RS-Jr.) OR 22 Casey Locker (RS-Jr.)

SS 20 Deone Bucannon (Jr.) / 4 Anthony Carpenter (RS-Jr.) OR 22 Casey Locker (RS-Jr.)

Comments: Taliulu appears to have snagged the starting spot here. Hard to say how much Carpenter and Locker will get on the field and in what capacity. Toomer should still play some.

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SPECIALISTS

KO 46 Michael Bowlin (RS-Jr.) / 49 Andrew Furney (Jr.)

PK 49 Andrew Furney (Jr.) / 46 Michael Bowlin (RS-Jr.)

P 46 Michael Bowlin (RS-Jr.)

H 4 David Gilbertson (RS-Jr.) / 1 Gino Simone (Sr.)

LS 65 Alex Den Bleyker (So.) / 47 Ryan Saparto (RS-So.)

PR 23 Leon Brooks (RS-Jr.) / 5 Rickey Galvin (RS-So.)

KR 34 Teondray Caldwell

Comments: No surprises here. Furney will still kick field goals and extra points. Bowlin handles kickoffs and punts. There could be some changes at the returner positions. Theron West might make a run at one of those spots.

Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com. Twitter: @ChristianCaple

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