Special teams give Cougars a boost

WSU was unable to get into Idaho’s side of the field during its first two drives, and seemed tentative early in the game. On first down during the team’s third drive, Luke Falk was chased out of the pocket but managed to fire off a deep pass as he fell toward the sideline. Falk’s pass sailed over the defense and was caught for a 50-yard gain by Kyle Sweet. Two plays later, running back James Williams scored to put the Cougars on the board.

The Cougars came out tight, scoring just one touchdown in the first quarter-and-a-half, but the loosest player on the team broke them out of their funk with 7:35 left in the first half. Robert Barber blocked a field goal kick that would have cut WSU’s lead to 7-6, and Marcellus Pippins, the team’s class clown, returned it for a score. The Cougars outscored the Vandals 42-3 from that point on.

Sweet scored on a touchdown pass with 8:52 left in the game, but it’s what happened next that was historic. Dylan Hanser forced a fumble when he hit Idaho return man Reuben Mwhela on the ensuing kickoff, and Gerard Wicks scooped up the ball and scored. It was the first time the Cougars scored two special teams touchdowns in the same game since a 1973 game, also against the Vandals.