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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

D-line a question mark

PULLMAN — At least eight Cougars are likely to see time on the defensive line in 2004. Together, they have one career start.

Over the last four years, Washington State leads the nation in sacks, featuring fearsome pass rushers at defensive end and NFL-caliber talent inside.

But this year’s unit, with so few minutes spent on the field, understands why it is considered one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Cougars’ season.

“I think it’s real fair,” junior defensive end Adam Braidwood said. “There are no handouts in football. Just because I’ve been here for a couple of years and Mkristo (Bruce) has been here for a couple of years, none of us have been tested for a whole game and started for a whole season. I think everybody has a right to be skeptical, because we have to prove ourselves.”

Bruce and Braidwood will be counted on to replace last year’s star ends, D.D. Acholonu and Isaac Brown. And just because the personnel is different doesn’t mean the Cougars will change their attacking style on defense.

“We want to put that quarterback under duress,” defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Robb Akey said. “I think Mkristo Bruce and Adam Braidwood are very capable of creating that pass rush. Now it’s not going to be the wide, wide sprint off the edge type guys like Ike and D.D. did, but a very physical and still athletic rush.”

Akey did say he didn’t see the four-man rush he had hoped for during Sunday’s scrimmage, leaving cornerbacks isolated in coverage for too long on occasion. Even still, the questions about Braidwood and Bruce on the edges may pale in comparison to the concerns about the team’s defensive tackles.

Senior Steve Cook had one of the starting spots nailed down at the end of spring practice, but the Cougars will be depending on two freshmen, Aaron Johnson and Ropati Pitoitua, to fill in the rotation.

After nine days of camp, both have been impressive. But it’s Pitoitua who seems to have claimed the second starting job on the inside.

The grayshirt freshman — he was able to compete in spring practice last season but still has freshman eligibility — hasn’t finished bulking up at 6-foot-8 and 269 pounds, but his athletic ability and willingness to learn have impressed coaches and teammates.

Pitoitua said he recognized that no matter how well he plays in training camp, it pales in comparison to the game experience he’ll get this season. The same, for that matter, can be said for all of his teammates on the line.

“We didn’t know who was going to be in there and it’s tough to game plan from the coaches’ standpoint,” Braidwood said. “That was all we talked about all summer. We got together twice a week as a D-line and all we said was that we’re all young and we all have to prove ourselves, even our backups.”

Injury updates

Cook returned to practice as expected after an MRI Monday showed no damage. Cook had been suffering symptoms of a stinger. But Johnson, his backup, missed practice Tuesday and is expected to miss another 3 to 5 days because of an abdominal strain. Another backup defensive lineman, Reyshawn Bobo, will also miss 3 to 5 days because of an injured hip flexor.

Middle linebacker Will Derting, out with a dislocated left wrist, spent Tuesday icing the injury with the hope that doctors might be able to cast it Tuesday night. In his absence, outside linebacker Scott Davis has moved to the middle, elevating Steve Dildine to a starting spot on the outside, with Pat Bennett remaining on the other side.

Safety Hamza Abdullah had successful surgery to repair ligament damage in his thumb on Monday. Abdullah will have the stitches removed in about 10 days and remains questionable for the season opener on Sept. 3.

Two players returned to action sooner than expected: running back Chris Bruhn, who was in full pads a week earlier than originally thought after a quad contusion, and left tackle Calvin Armstrong, who was able to do some running but was not in pads after spraining his ankle Saturday.