Cougars continue to see red
PULLMAN – After losing 21-3 to California on Saturday, Washington State head coach Bill Doba suggested a trip back to the drawing board might be necessary after his team had floundered in the red zone in consecutive weeks.
The Cougars gave players the day off on Sunday, meaning they weren’t on hand until Tuesday’s practice and pre-practice meetings.
But the coaches? Well, that was a different story.
“We spent a lot of time Sunday night and Monday night just reworking, just looking at things without trying to make wholesale changes,” Doba said. “It is frustrating.”
WSU had been practicing its red-zone offense in previous weeks, but it was obvious that the team was spending an unusual amount of time in goal-line situations on Tuesday – the one day of practice when the Cougars are almost always in full pads.
As a result, the first-string offense was able to spend a significant amount of time in full-contact drills with the scout-team defense, all in the hopes that it’ll be able to score a touchdown from inside the 20 – something it’s failed to do in seven trips over the last two weeks and managed to do only twice in five attempts the week before that.
“We had a great day of practice. The kids’ attitude is awesome,” said offensive line coach George Yarno. “We’ve got to try and find out who our best players are and the best formations to put them in. Getting an extra offensive lineman or two on the field helps, then that’s what we’re going to do. We’re looking at some things to see what we can do to run the ball downhill.”
While the Cougar coaches work on possible changes to the team’s red-zone offense, the players have been, for the most part, consistent in saying that they have the necessary tools to get the job done.
Doba mentioned the possibility that the Cougars’ problem could be more mental than physical, and quarterback Alex Brink seemed to agree.
“We’re moving the football,” Brink said. “We know we can move; we know we can score. We have the weapons to do it. We just need to keep plugging away, keep pushing, and the dam is going to break. We’ve got the guys. The plays are there. We just need to start making those plays.”
At 4-3, the Cougars’ season and its bowl hopes could be determined in the next two or three weeks.
Notes
Tight ends coach Greg Peterson will be absent again for practices this week after his father passed away on Friday. Peterson flew home to be with his family last week as well, returning for the Cal game. Doba said Peterson was expected back Thursday night. … Wide receiver Jason Hill, who said Monday that his injured shoulder is still sore, practiced in a no-contact jersey as expected on Tuesday. … Defensive end Mike Graise isn’t expected to play because of a hamstring injury, meaning true freshman Kevin Kooyman – who played about 20 snaps last week – could again see significant time this week. … Brink was noticeably tight-lipped again Tuesday when asked about the quarterback switch from the last game, when Gary Rogers played the first two series of the second half. Asked if he thought quarterbacks coach Timm Rosenbach was trying to send a message, Brink said “I have no idea. I haven’t really talked to him about it.” Rogers’ separated shoulder is likely to keep him out of this week’s game.