Cougars put emphasis on line’s faults
PULLMAN — Washington State’s offensive line brought back more returning starters than any other position on the field for the 2004 season. Yet still, inexperience has been a problem.
Washington State’s line has struggled in the season’s first two games, allowing 13 quarterback sacks while paving the way for 46 rushing yards — although that number increases to 130 when you remove the sacks.
Regardless, it been said on more than one occasion this week in Pullman that the Cougars need to do better up front if the offense is to pull out of its early-season swoon.
“Hopefully this is going to be a game where we can redeem ourselves a little bit,” said left tackle Calvin Armstrong, who has had to deal with some ankle problems this fall. “We didn’t play really well last week, obviously. We gave up a few sacks and didn’t run the ball, like we have all season. We’re not quite clicking right now, but we’re working hard during practice this week, and hopefully we can get in that groove.”
Offensive line coach George Yarno has thrown open the starting job at both guard spots this week, giving backups Bobby Byrd and Riley Fitt-Chappell a chance to unseat current starters Patrick Afif and Norvell Holmes.
Regardless of the personnel, Yarno said his players’ lack of playing time at the guard spots has been a problem.
“They want to (do better). It’s a matter of experience,” he said. “When you see something the first time, it catches you. And when you see something the second time, you handle it. And we’ve seen a lot of complicated stuff the first two weeks.”
Both Armstrong and Yarno agree that the Cougars appear to be handling their own scheme and the opponents’ game plans fairly well. The problems, they said, are coming at the point of attack.
“We’re going to the right people, we’re just not real effective once we get to the person we’re supposed to block. So we need to work on our technique,” Armstrong said. “Run blocking is the biggest concern for us because if we start to run the ball better, they won’t be able to blitz us. They won’t be able to do a lot of the things they’ve been able to do against us.”
Head coach Bill Doba listed the offensive line as a preseason concern, and the lack of a running game has him shaking his head as well. With a young quarterback in sophomore Josh Swogger, Doba would like to get more support from the ground before having to air it out.
“I don’t know whether it’s bringing a tight end back in motion or something to get a lead blocker,” Doba said. “I think in order to run the ball as a one-back offense you need to get some push in the offensive line, and we’re not getting it. We just need to practice harder and more, and we’ll do it again this week.”
Notes
Sophomore offensive lineman Josh Duin returned to the practice field this week, three weeks after having surgery to repair a knee injury. Duin is still participating in only limited contact situations. … Perhaps it’s an omen, perhaps not. But the WSU band squared off against the Idaho band in a game of flag football and the Cougars came out on top, 91-7. For the record, the line on the game — the real one, that is — has WSU a 24-point favorite.