Wreck Tech.

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I love this. Perfect way to view this game and state of the program.

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Article on Brand X. 35,000 total tickets sold. They estimate we will only get $2 million rather than the original $4M projection (I never believed that anyway). Still wonder if the ticket money will be split down the middle or if each "side " gets their ticket tevenues. If not, WSU will really take it in the shorts. Article implies that it will be 50/50.

Still, unless sales really pick up, and they could, I bet $2M is highballing. You have more "cheap" seats sold than high priced ones (I think anyway), and game expenses have to come off the top.

edit - Oh and I don't respond well to Jack Thompson, etc. telling us to "get off the frickin' sidelines". I'm sure others don't like being told what to do either.

Usually someone else posts this thread. But I haven’t found one yet so I guess I’ll start it:

Wazzu 42
Red Raiders 38

Dickert had the team READY. 🌵​

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Analysis: With sharp rushing attack in win over Texas Tech, John Mateer and WSU might be transforming before our eyes​

Sept. 8, 2024 Updated Sun., Sept. 8, 2024 at 3:07 a.m.

PULLMAN — Before the onslaught began, before Washington State started dismantling Texas Tech in a three-score blowout on Saturday night, Jake Dickert recognized the defense his offense would be facing.

By Greg Woods gregw@spokesman.com (509) 459-5587

For Dickert and WSU fans watching, it probably registered as familiar for all the wrong reasons. The Red Raiders came out in a drop-eight and rush-three defense, the same look that flustered last year’s Cougars, the same scheme that cratered their season. WSU’s opponents acknowledged the blueprint and applied it over and over and over, until the Cougs had dropped six straight and beating them was about as simple as following a recipe in a cookbook.

“I don’t think you can drop eight on us anymore,” WSU quarterback John Mateer said. “We’re just too versatile.”

Mateer and the Cougs drove that point home in spades in this 37-16 win, the program’s third straight over a nonconference power-conference opponent. Washington State totaled 301 rushing yards, including 197 from Mateer alone, the most ever by a WSU QB. It was just the sixth time since 2000 that the Cougs had churned out more than 300 rushing yards in a single game.

In that way, this WSU win looked nothing like any of last year’s victories, unlike any of the Air Raid performances this program is known for. Mateer completed 9 of 19 passes for 115 yards, one interception and one touchdown, which went to senior receiver Kyle Williams on a deflected catch. It’s the fewest pass completions in a WSU win since a 2003 victory over UCLA.

In short: The Cougs were better on the ground than they were through the air. How often does that happen around here?

It was easy to notice. True freshman Wayshawn Parker broke free for a 43-yard touchdown rush, part of his 69-yard outing. Power back Djouvensky Schlenbaker surged in for a pair of scores on his way to 27 yards on the ground. Then there was Mateer, rumbling for big chunks just about whenever he felt like it.

At the heart of the effort was the Cougs’ offensive line, which had a big hand in the rushing struggles that defined last year’s season. By now, we know what went wrong: They couldn’t run-block well enough to sustain a credible rushing attack, which prompted defenses to back off the line of scrimmage and drop into coverage, snowballing into an issue the team didn’t have the horses to solve.

Is that changing with this group? This WSU season is young. After the game, Dickert played it safe, saying it’s only a step in the right direction. But take a look around at these Cougs. Do they look the same?

Their quarterback is a guy who would rather lower his shoulder than slide. Their running back has a gear of speed few can match. Their offensive line has two new faces, left guard Rod Tialavea and center Devin Kylany, with help on the way when right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe returns from injury. They have a stable of running backs they trust, too, which can ease the pressure on Parker.

It may be too early in the season to draw any giant conclusions, to declare this WSU team tough enough to kick the bad habits of teams in recent memory. The Cougs will always air it out. That is woven into the fabric of this program, in the halls of the football complex, where the memories of the WSU Hall of Famers who built this program — the late Mike Leach, quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf — live on the walls.

That’s why, for WSU, it isn’t about suddenly turning into an offense that will run all over the place. It’s about turning into an offense that can — and galloping to 300 rushing yards against a Big 12 team isn’t a bad start.

“I thought we did a good job kinda staying ahead of it,” Dickert said of the drop-eight look. “And then you saw the runs start to rip. Wayshawn had a big one. John obviously had a couple big ones, scrambling around, doing a bunch of different things. We’ll see the film. There’ll be some critique there. We can get better, and we left some out there. But really proud of those guys.”

“I’ve been a Coug fan for awhile,” Kylany said. “I can’t remember the last time we’ve had almost triple rushing yards than we did passing yards.”

The part that shouldn’t go understated is that Mateer has the attention of this WSU team, which has unlocked this version of the Cougs’ offense. During fall camp, when Mateer was battling Bryant transfer Zevi Eckhaus for the starting role, coaches paid close attention to which guy was the more natural leader, which quarterback commanded teammates with more ease, more natural gravity.

In that sense, it’s becoming clear the answer was always Mateer. WSU’s offensive line, Kylany says, operates by a saying: Sacrifice the body, glorify the soul, all in the name of points.

“On the O-line,” Kylany said, “we like to say, sacrifice the body, glorify the soul, all in the name of John Mateer.”

Mateer is the leader Washington State needs, not only for this offense, but for this transitional time in program history. It’s a key reason Dickert selected him for the starting job. He knows the profile the Cougs’ starting quarterback has when he takes the job, all the media attention and spotlight that comes with it, and Mateer was right for the gig.

Two games into his tenure as WSU’s starter, Mateer is making Dickert look like a genius. But it’s not because he’s throwing for a zillion yards or making acrobatic throws. It’s because he’s fostering energy among his teammates, prompting them to give a level of effort that is transforming the idea of what a Washington State offense can look like.

“We’re with him every day, so we get to see how special he is, not just physically but just like with his work ethic and his consistency,” Kylany said. “When you have a leader like that, it takes big pride to want to protect him, and I’m really mad about the 20-yard sack.”

That may have been the only blight on the WSU offensive line’s resume, the way on one occasion that unit freed up Texas Tech rushers to get to Mateer and force him back off the goal line, far enough to bring him back under 200 yards rushing. Mateer was humble enough to accept responsibility, but he was running for his life for a reason.

Those are the kinds of sequences that remind us to pump the brakes a tad, to not get too carried away. WSU looked incredible on the ground, but this was a win over a Texas Tech team one week removed from going toe-to-toe with FCS Abilene Christian, which racked up more than 500 yards passing. That week, the Cougs beat an FCS program picked to finish 10th in its conference.

That’s the thing about good teams, though. They handle business. They do what they’re supposed to. The interesting part about this WSU team is that idea — what they’re supposed to do — might look different than it ever has.

“You stop dropping eight, and we’ll start throwing it around,” Mateer said. “I’m very confident in this offense.”

LFG!!!

Am I getting screwed in oregon?

Scott Barnes also told Nik Daschel in sit down interview, that PAC 2 is looking to rebuild the PAC to PAC 8 with BEST possible colleges, and best possible G5's from best G5 conferences, sources(like BSU, Fresno St, SDSU, UNLV, Memphis, Tulane, etc(He isn't, can't, shouldn't say something like "We are going to Poach BSU, SDSU, Fresno St, UNLV, Memphis, Tulane". But he pretty much said that, or hinted at that by saying BEST POSSIBLE COLLEGES, AND G5'S POSSIBLE, FROM BEST G5 CONFERENCES, SOURCES, as the best colleges, G5's from the best G5 conferences, sources, Would be BSU, Fresno, SDSU, UNLV, Memphis, Tulane, UTSA, Airforce, Utah St, CSU, North Texas, Liberty(MAAC(12-0), NDSU(Regularly been the FCS national champion last 50 years, BEST FCS team, should not be FCS, should be a G5 in FBS, upsets teams like Michigan types, Like a Apalachian St).

Sweet and super excited! 🌵 🌵 🌵 🌵​

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Arizona Cougs Football Rooter Bus to San Diego​

Date: 10/26/2024 to 10/27/2024 Time: 9:00 AM to 5:00 AM

Details​

Cougar Football is headed to San Diego on Saturday, October 26! Don't worry about making the drive up to the game because we have you covered. Enjoy a round-trip bus ride to Snapdragon Stadium with fellow Arizona Cougs to cheer on our team.
We have three pick-up locations: Wicked Rain in Gilbert, Cactus Taproom in Peoria, and Target in Yuma. Please refer to the itinerary below for pickup times. We recommend arriving at your chosen pickup location at least 15 minutes prior to the designated time.
The bus will arrive right outside Snapdragon Stadium around 3:45 p.m. so Cougs can enjoy The PreGame which will take place at SDSU Mission Valley River Park from 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. You can choose between a bundled ticket which includes entry into The PreGame or just bus fare. The bus will depart about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game and return to Wicked Rain, Cactus Taproom, and Target.
Food and beverages are allowed on the bus and there is a bathroom on board. There are also power outlets, but no Wi-Fi, so plan accordingly.
The deadline to register is Thursday, September 26 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific or when seats fill up. Register at the crimson button above today! You will indicate your preferred pickup/drop-off location during registration.
Don’t forget to wear your Cougar gear. We’ll see you there!

Cost​

Bus fare:
$95 for WSUAA members
$100 for non-members
Bus fare INCLUDING The PreGame:
$155 for WSUAA members
$165 for non-members
Both options include round-trip transportation to the game.
Football game tickets are NOT included.

Schedule​

Saturday, October 26
8:45 a.m. - Have your entire party ready at Wicked Rain
1817 E Baseline Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85233
9:00 a.m. - Bus arrives and picks up passengers at Wicked Rain
9:45 a.m. - Have your entire party ready at Cactus Taproom
20429 N Lake Pleasant Rd #104, Peoria, AZ 85382
10:00 a.m. - Bus arrives and picks up passengers at Cactus Taproom
12:45 p.m. - Have your entire party ready in the Target parking lot
1450 S Yuma Palms Pkwy, Yuma, AZ 85365
3:40 p.m. - All passengers are dropped off at The PreGame located in the SDSU Mission Valley River Park outside Snapdragon Stadium
SDSU Mission Valley Campus, San Diego, CA 92108
3:40 p.m.-6:30 p.m. - Enjoy The PreGame
7:30 p.m. - Kickoff at Snapdragon Stadium
2101 Stadium Wy, San Diego, CA 92108
Around 10:00 p.m. (or about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game) - Bus picks up all passengers at Snapdragon Stadium
Sunday, October 27
Around 1:00 a.m. - Passenger drop-off at the Target parking lot
Around 4:00 a.m. - Passenger drop-off at Cactus Taproom
Around 5:00 a.m. - Passenger drop-off at Wicked Rain

They put CML in their HOF, yet weren't they the school that got him blackballed from coaching, supported CJK5H allegations and basically threw him under the bus the backed up over him?

Yes, I realize it was boosters and CJK5H mostly, but the school sure as hell didn't come to his defense.

Am I remembering this correctly?

F-it, I'll link it below. Couple of takeaways:

• Article does mention Scott Barnes and Nick Daschel's conversation, but it isn't really anything new
• The comments slay me. Do these people follow anything Coug? X99163 (Pullman's zip code).
  "I haven't read where OSU/WSU actually ended up financially with the demise of the P12. Will the windfall pay off the football debt and buy the basketball practice facilities?"
  I mean really? Do you read at all?
• The main author/site Admin: "The MWC could've worked to make the relationship a lot more collaborative, synced and other corporate buzz words. It seems like they've been relatively adversarial from the jump because both WSU and OSU have said their goal is to rebuild the conference which leads me to
  2. They're being adversarial because they want to force WSU and OSU into what they want, which is a merger of some kind.
  
  It would appear, at least for now assuming a scheduling agreement with the Big 12/ACC or even AAC comes together, they've substantially over played their hand."
  
  
  Uh no the MWC hasn't been adversarial, they have a perfect right to be annoyed by our standoffishness and misplaced snobbiness, and not they haven't overplayed their hand. How could they do that when the Pac-2 doesn't even have a hand to play?
  
  And I thought this site was full of all the uninformed and delusional posters.
• 
  
• https://www.cougcenter.com/2024/9/2/24234631/pac-12-acc-big-12-mwc-wsu-cougars-osu-beavers
  
  
  

Realignment rumor mill has ‘some value’ for WSU and Oregon State, commissioner says​

Jon WilnerAug. 12, 2024 at 1:33 pm

Not a week goes by, it seems, without Washington State and Oregon State being the subject of realignment rumors. It could be as simple as a message board riff or a tweet on X. Maybe it’s an anonymous quote published by the mainstream media.

A few have morsels of credibility, while some are pure nonsense. But all are welcomed by Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould, who’s working closely with the Cougars and Beavers as they plot a course forward.

“Part of that is not bad,” Gould told ‘Canzano and Wilner: The Podcast’ last week during a wide-ranging interview.

“All that buzz on social media and all that interest and the rumor mill and all of that, there certainly is some value in it from the perspective of, that means we have communities who care about what we’re doing …

“We want passionate fans across college sports that care about what we’re doing. From that perspective, it’s good.”

The Cougars and Beavers have until the summer of 2026 to find a permanent conference home and two fairly straightforward options available. They can rebuild the Pac-12 with schools from the Mountain West (and perhaps other Group of Five leagues), or they can join the Mountain West.

The roads back into the power conferences are vastly more complicated and far less certain. And occasionally, Gould said, the reports about behind-the-scenes machinations — either real or imagined — create messes that she must clean up.

“The rumors are challenging when they aren’t accurate and when there’s misinformation out there,” she said. “At times, it becomes difficult to manage relationships, expectations, anxieties and all these other things when there’s misinformation. It’s part of the world we’re living in now.

“The good news is I have really strong communication with (WSU and OSU), and they are kept well-briefed on what’s going on and what’s not going on.”

For the moment, Gould explained, she is “spending a lot of time” finalizing the 2025 football schedules for the Cougars and Beavers.

The scheduling arrangement with the Mountain West this season includes an option for next year if both sides agree, Gould said.

But earlier this month, the Hotline reported that WSU and OSU are in discussions with multiple conferences — in both the Power Four and the Group of Five — about strategic partnerships that could take effect as early as 2025.

Those discussions, an industry source said, aren’t specific to membership opportunities for WSU and OSU, although that option “definitely” has not been dismissed.

Instead, the conversations include possible scheduling alliances or “creative ways to work together” that could provide “a stepping stone to the future,” the source added. “It’s all at a very broad level.”

Gould declined to discuss specific options for the Cougars and Beavers. But eventual membership in the ACC, despite the geography — and despite speculation on X — might be more likely than an invitation to the Big 12.

If Clemson and Florida State win their lawsuits against the ACC and are free to join other leagues, North Carolina could follow them out the door.

At that point, the depleted conference might seek to fortify its membership. WSU and OSU would offer quality football brands, create additional Pacific Time Zone kickoff windows and ease the bicoastal travel for Cal and Stanford, the only ACC schools west of the Rockies.

For now, the Cougars and Beavers are watching the situation play out.

“Moving forward, regardless of what that scenario is — and there are a lot of different iterations or scenarios out there — we’ll continue to overturn every stone we know of, and try to create some stones we don’t know of, to figure out what scenarios are possible,” Gould said.

“I don’t think there is a foregone conclusion about what is best, because we’re still evaluating what is possible.”

Jon Wilner

Looking solid at the half. Getting tons of time to throw.

I read our game vs. Portland State wasn't on in the SE (Florida). Overall, the numbers seem respectable in comparison to the comps. I think as the season goes, the "late window games" (namely if we are ranked) will get good TV draws.


"In the debut of “Pac-2” football on CW, Idaho State-Oregon State averaged 381,000, preceded by Portland State-Washington State at 223,000."

In terms of other "comps"....
"Over on FS1, North Dakota-Iowa State drew 315,000, Wyoming-Arizona State 253,000, UNLV-Houston 172,000 and UConn-Maryland 133,000."

"Over on BTN, regional action topped the Saturday slate with 594,000 viewers, followed by 425,000 for Idaho-Oregon and 306,000 for Weber State-Washington. FS1 drew 253,000 for Wyoming-Arizona State."

I know Texas Tech scored a bunch and gave up a bunch to Abilene Christian last Saturday. The ACU quarterback threw for 500 yards so that would seem to be a good sign for our offense which moved the ball at will against Portland St. On the other hand Texas Tech put on its own offensive display and our D didn't look real convincing against PSU. I liked the way Mateer looked downfield and got a lot big plays. We also showed some signs of a running game. Hopefully the D can get some pressure on the Texas Tech QB. Perhaps somebody with a more technical understanding of defense than I have can explain to me why our defensive ends constantly crash down on any play action. If they insist on doing that we should at least have a linebacker or corner back ready to close that side off. The number of times the PSU QB made a simple play action fake to one side and then easily got outside on the other side was rather disconcerting. It seems to me we have been vulnerable to this for years.

Kinda thinking they will drop a little bit in the polls? Smacked around by BC at home. ranked 10th and now 0-2. But hey, everyone wants them to jump leagues. Maybe the MW Conference will take them.

Anyone know anything about CW sports? Their website said to just download the app on my Samsung TV, but I did that…and there’s not even a listing for sports.

I kid

Kinda.

Go Cougs

Alibene Christian, (ACU), 52-51 OT in Lubbock.

Hanging with the ducks late in the 3rd. Closer than I thought it would be.
Strong program in Moscow these days.

Looked improved, running straight ahead instead of laterally. The backs looked capable as well

This kid plays for Robert Morris. Unbelievable athleticism

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WSU Cougars drop 70 points in blowout season-opening win over Portland State | The Seattle Times​

Greg Woods
Aug. 31, 2024 at 4:04 pm
By
The Spokesman-Review
PULLMAN — Sometime on Saturday night, a Washington State player might fire up their Xbox and start a game of College Football 25. They’ll play as the Cougars. They’ll open up the playbook and toy with an overmatched opponent.

Even then, they might have trouble replicating what happened in the real game on Saturday afternoon, the way WSU opened its season with a 70-30 thrashing of FCS Portland State.

“Game one, we accomplished the mission of what we wanted to do,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said. “I just told the team that we went 1-0. We didn’t have a score expectation, and we got the job done.”

That’s how easily the Cougars took care of business, which is exactly how they needed to handle this game against the Vikings, projected to be one of the Big Sky’s worst teams this season. They needed to build confidence for quarterback John Mateer in his first start. They needed to establish an effective rushing attack, and they needed their defense to create turnovers.

WSU (1-0) went 3-for-3 in those departments. Mateer completed 11 of 17 passes for 352 yards and 5 touchdowns, plus two carries for 55 yards and a score. True freshman running back Wayshawn Parker carried eight times for 96 yards and two total touchdowns, and fellow running back Leo Pulalasi added eight carries for 54 yards. Late in the second quarter, cornerback Steve Hall returned an interception some 102 yards for an interception, helping the Cougs cruise into halftime with a 49-17 cushion.

FCS opponent or not, there may be no overstating the importance of the Cougs’ success on the ground, where they totaled 224 yards in this win. Far and away, it was their biggest weakness last season, big enough to lead to six straight losses and a missed bowl game. If they want to capitalize on this unique season, capitalize on playing eight Mountain West opponents, they have to be better running the ball.

“When you can run the ball, it’s going to open up lanes for the (run-pass-option) game,” Dickert said. “We didn’t even get much to the play-action pass game today, but I thought John did a really good job of settling in.”

In the program’s first time scoring 70 points since 1997, WSU got touchdowns up and down the roster, from a diving catch by Oregon transfer Kris Hutson to a pair of long receptions from senior wideout Kyle Williams. It all looked pretty easy for the Cougs, which was always to be expected, but that’s the thing about good teams: They take care of business.

It might be too early to get a real read on this Washington State team, not after a beatdown of an FCS foe, but the Cougars don’t have time to ease into this season. Next week, they’ll host the Big 12’s Texas Tech, and a week after that, they’ll head west to take on rival Washington in the first nonconference Apple Cup at Lumen Field. It profiles as the Cougs’ toughest stretch of schedule this fall.

That’s why it was important for WSU to dispatch Portland State quickly and efficiently. The Cougs succeeded on both of those fronts.

“I thought the offensive guys did a tremendous job,” Dickert said. “Everyone ate today. I mean, you saw skill sets across the board that we’ve been talking about. It’s been great to finally see it really applied to the field. I thought our run after the catch today was phenomenal, and we’re gonna need that as we continue to go throughout this season.”

The Cougars should really be encouraged by what they saw from Mateer, a two-year backup making his first start in Saturday’s game. His team looked a little shaky to start, going three-and-out on its first series. Mateer completed just one of his first six passes. Wide receiver Josh Meredith dropped one of those first few throws.

From there, all Mateer did was torch the Vikings’ defense, the kind of showing he can draw on for confidence when the games get a lot tougher. Pick your favorite play: His 30-yard touchdown pass to Hutson? His laser to Tre Shackelford for a score? Maybe his dime of a deep ball to Williams, who finished off a 58-yard touchdown strike?

You can’t really go wrong, which says a lot about how efficient Mateer was in this one. He didn’t just show off his cannon of an arm, a key reason he won the starting role this season. He also did well to trust his playmakers, from Hutson to Shackelford to true freshman running back Wayshawn Parker, another trend that might make or break these next several games.

Mateer did make some sterling individual plays — he shook a couple tackles en route to a 40-yard touchdown rush, and he couldn’t have placed that touchdown pass to Williams in much of a better spot — but he also let his teammates do their thing. It was clear he wasn’t pressing. He simplified things. Let it happen naturally.

Perhaps most telling: After starting just 1-for-6 through the air, he finished the game completing 10 of 11 passes, which covered 336 yards.

“I think it’s our style of offense — to get the ball out on time and on rhythm,” Dickert said. “And when you do that, you allow these guys space to go out there and make plays. We did feel coming into the game that we could (run) the football after we caught it. It’s good to see that get applied.”

“Coming up in the week, I was like, nah, I’m good, I’m good,” Mateer said of his nerves. “I was confident going into the week. These coaches prepare me really well, and the players around me helped me succeed. So no, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be, and I’ve been here for a while, and I think I’m mature enough to understand I’m good enough to play this level.”

For WSU, if there’s any concern about the way this one unfolded, it came on defense. For one, the Vikings racked up 30 points, the most they’ve scored against an FBS opponent since 2021 in a loss to Hawaii. They also burned the Cougs for 235 yards through the air and 215 more on the ground, churning out 4.5 yards per rush.

A couple caveats there: WSU’s starting defenders weren’t playing the snap counts they will the rest of the season. That’s the nature of blowouts like these. It was also really hot during this one, over 90 degrees for much of the game, and the Cougs likely won’t play in those kinds of conditions again this season. Maybe they still shouldn’t be allowing an FCS opponent to score that much — Portland State QB Dante Chachere completed touchdown passes of 40 and 11 yards — but in any case, this wasn’t a normal outing from WSU’s defense.

One thing is for sure, though: Washington State will need to be far better on defense in these next two games. Not every game is like a video game.

“We gotta get better from this tape,” Dickert said. “There’s some communication issues, there’s tackling issues. Here’s what I know about that squad: They’re gonna come back to practice with their hair on fire and ready to go. We’ll see where we’re at next week.”