Monday morning WSU links
COUGARS
The first day of the 2010 fall camp had a different feel than the last couple of Washington State openers, and I'm not sure it was just the upgraded surroundings that provided the boost. Yes, the new turf played a part in giving the Cougars a spring in their step. But the experience gained in the last two tough seasons had a role as well. For more on that and the rest of the Pac-10, read on.
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• Washington State: As I said in this morning's story, WSU is trying to put the past couple year's in the sideview mirror. But there is one area those years have strengthened: the experience among the young players. It starts with Jeff Tuel, who got six games under his belt as a freshman, but it doesn't end there. Just about every guy running with the first string defense has played extensively at this level, with the lone exception Brandon Rankin, who may be the most physically talented player on the field. The offense is the same way. There is a flip side to all that experience, of course, when almost all you have experienced is losing, and losing by big margins. But these guys know what that's like and they know what it takes to stanch the bleeding. The next four weeks we'll start to see if they can cauterize the wounds. ... On to the links. ... We had more on yesterday's workout in our blog post from last night. ... Cougfan was at Rogers Field and had this report and this photo gallery featuring the work of former WSU sports information director Rod Commons. ... There's a new play caller in Stillwater and he has quite a resume.
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• Around the Pac-10: With USC in flux, ESPN.com's Ted Miller look at a conference up for grabs. ... Washington: The Huskies open practice today ranked No. 25 in one man's personal poll. ... Oregon State: It's an exciting time in Corvallis, and a nervous one as well. But that's a good thing. ... Oregon: Even the Pac-10 favorites have questions as they open practice. ... ... Cal and Stanford: The Cardinal are relying on Luck, but the capital letter should give you a hint that's not exactly as it seems. ... USC: There is no team in the Pac-10 with better quarterback depth than the Trojans. ... UCLA: The Bruins will take their shot with a new offensive scheme, at least part of the time. ... Arizona State: Like WSU, the Sun Devils built experience over the past two years. ... Arizona: Does a better body automatically translate into a better player? A more confident one, that's for sure.
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• That's it for this morning. We'll be back after practice with a summary of the day's events and our story. Until then ...
