With the addition of GG (my pick to be the starter this year) and the unbelievable depth we have at WR and on the O-Line, I think we are poised to break records (again) this year. Jamir Thomas is slated to play RB for us and I believe that with him and Borghi in the backfield, we may have the best tandem in the Pac12. We only lose 3 starters on Offense (granted all of them will be playing at the next level) but ever since the 2015 season, this is the first time I have ever felt that our team just continues to reload year after year instead of rebuilding. Leach is definitely a mastermind and although he pissed off a lot of people last year with rumors of him leaving for Tennessee, I am glad he never left. I think Coug football has its best yet to come and I believe that we will see that this year. Feeling very optimistic about an actual playoff appearance next season.
2019 Coug Offense
- Thread starter CougInSpain
- Start date
RB depth is a concern. Borghi made it through the whole season without missing time, but that's unusual for a true freshman getting lots of PT. I wouldn't count on it happening again. A JC or grad transfer that can give us 100 touches for the season is the last piece we need for 2019.
I agree... Definitely a weak spot for us here but assuming they remain healthy, I don't really see any sort of a drop off in production.
Is everyone of the opinion that Gubrud is pretty much a lock as our starter next season?
Is it 90% chance...75% chance...etc? Thoughts?
Is it unusual? Look at a couple of the leading rushers in the conference this past season. Miles Gaskin started and played the entire season when he was a true freshman. Jemar Jefferson played this entire season as a true freshman at OSU. None of them are as big and physically imposing as Jamir Thomas is right now.
From my seat a couple thousand miles from campus, I'd say that it's around 75% chance. I don't think Leach would have brought him in if he didn't think it was Gubrud's to lose, but Leach is still going to give the other guys on the roster a fair shot at the brass ring. As excited as I am about Cooper, he looked like a true freshman the last time I saw him in the spring game. It's going to be interesting to see what he looks like with a year under his belt. Still, if Leach brought Gubrud in, he did it for a reason. I'd say it's his job to lose.
I definitely wouldn't turn down the right juco guy. Jamir Thomas may end up getting to back up Borghi. I was looking at our roster and wondered if Billy Pospisil III could be up to switching roles. He's 5'10" and 190 lbs, which is about the same as Borghi. Two white dudes at running back at the same time though? What are we, Duke basketball?
Fortunately, who ever starts at QB will have to earn it, and there will be competition. That is a good thing across the board, and how ever it ends up will be good for the team.
I'm actually more curious to see how the D situation unfolds. Going to be lots of people trying to earn a starting spot, and from what I can see, we may be better next year than we were this year.
And it is so nice to have proven special teams folks coming back...
I'm actually more curious to see how the D situation unfolds. Going to be lots of people trying to earn a starting spot, and from what I can see, we may be better next year than we were this year.
And it is so nice to have proven special teams folks coming back...
Jamir Thomas, being a “big and physically imposing” back, MIGHT also take more punishment over the course of a season than some others? Sometimes that kind of back chooses to take on a tackler, rather than avoid them.
Yeah, there were times Borghi seemed to do that without ill effect. But, a big, physical back just might have even more tendency to do that, and take quite a few more hits himself, though?
I’m not saying, one way or the other. Just pointing out a possible difference, depending on the types of running backs.
It seems like every true freshman counted one to see significant PT has ended up injured- Marks and Cracraft being the ones that come to mind.
If nothing else, some depth at the position would be good. Harrington was around in 2018 to take some snaps, decrease the wear and tear, and step in if Williams or Borghi was injured.
I'd say 75%.
If not for Gubrud coming in, Tinsley would probably earn the starting spot. I think Tinsley would do fairly well for us, but I think Gubrud is definitely an upgrade. If Gubrud gets comfortable with Leach's playbook, he is capable of winning 2-4 more games this year than if Tinsley started.
Gubrud's mobility is what really gets me excited. I expect Borghi to pick up where Williams left off in the RB receiving department, 60-80 catches sounds about right. I would love to see a lot of roll outs with Gubrud.
I would like to see Cooper being ready, but I'm not so sure yet. He blew up his senior year in HS, the rest weren't anything special. Cruz put up monster numbers every year in HS (somewhat excluding his Frosh year). FYI, Cruz is 6'5 230 as a true freshman, he's already physically ready for college ball.
2020 is going to be interesting with Cooper v Cruz.
Marks played in every game as a true freshman. Thomas isn't coming here to be the starter, he is coming here to be the backup, just like Borghi last year.
I’m liking what we have and think whoever wins the QB battle will have a five year, but I think it’s premature to say a true freshman and a second year sophomore are the best RB tandem in the conference. Oregon is loaded at RB.
I like the pro
He was big and physically imposing in HS. He won’t be as a true freshman in the PAC 12. Just about every week a back of his size gets carries against you in this conference.
He looks like a great get and will likely get some key touches with the lack of depth at RB but I can’t say our backfield at this point the best in the conference.
I may have overstated the best RB tandem/duo part of my initial post, but after watching Thomas' highlight video, how could you not want this guy to play RB at the next level? I think he was vastly underrated at that position and he has a chance to prove it to all the doubters out there. I will enjoy watching him do it too.
Seeing so many 3 man fronts helps. Its one less big body on the line. Also, dropping 8 into coverage prob takes the big LBs off the field too.
A 20 carry game would be a huge rushing attack for WSU. Divide those by 3. QB and 2 backs. Youre just not going to wear down the tread on anyones tires that way.
He is an ugly 3 yards between the tackles RB. He is exactly what WSU needs to open the offense wide up.
Just read where Cole Dubots will switch from LB to RB this spring. He was s RB in high school. Watched him play special teams against Arizona. He has gotten bigger and has big legs and butt. On kickoffs he was the first guy and fastest getting down the field. This will be fun to watch.
The official site shows him running a 10.54 as a junior. Is the time you list from his senior year? If that's accurate, that's faster than the 10.49 Rodrick Fisher ran to win the 100 meter state title as a senior.
Where did you read that? I suggested the move the other day in a post. I had no idea how influential I am ...
Are you going to just pick any freshman and say they are prone to be injured? Same can be said if we cherry picked injures to sophomores, juniors and seniors.
No. I’m going to give real life examples of freshmen getting injured and repeat that relying on freshmen to carry the load is a bad idea.
Care to explain why taking a JC or transfer running back is bad?
Ask Coach Leach, not me. You seem to understand the team more than he does. It is a good idea to have depth at all positions. I guess that Leach believes there is enough depth.
This. Our RB's probably run further during a game than anybody else's, given the number of pass patterns they run. And they catch a fair number of passes, and get tackled. But most of our RB collisions are open field, not between the tackles. Our inside WR's actually sometimes take a bigger beating than our RB's, given the nature of the shallow over the middle catches that are our offense's bread and butter. The two freshman noted with injuries earlier in this string (Marks and Bartolone) were both inside WR's. I suspect that Borghi will make it through the season better than a lot of people think.
I don't think CML wastes his or our time if he isn't the odds on favorite to start. This based solely on the "you wanna lead the nation..." pitch he gave to GM last year, I can't imagine he opens with "you wanna have a chance to lead the nation..." this year.
But what do I know.
you meant to say that he has at least a 33, 34, or 35% chance to start at least 7,8, or 9 of the games.
I understand. I just wanted to hear what the WazzuWatch
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Assuming the big frosh gets on the field, thats a nice Thunder and Lightning pair with Borgi. Also assuming GG starts, he can run too. 8 runs for each, a few catches out of the backfield for the backs, thats a nice attack on the line of scrimmage. That should open up downfield for the receivers.
TC2 sent me a text the other day.... “How many games do we win next year?” My response, “all of them.”
Defense will be as good or better. Offense could actually take another step. The glory days of WSU football are right now. I want a Rose Bowl.
Where did you read that? I suggested the move the other day in a post. I had no idea how influential I am ...
brand X
Dubots healthy and at 220 running the ball....is worth taking a look at. Fisher running indoor proves he's a track guy and Cole's not going to beat that.
I think there's a fair chance that our defense is better next year. The offense is scarily thin at RB but otherwise looks ready for another solid year. And just as importantly, Stanford and UW don't appear to be coming into this next year as good as they recently have been. We have Oregon's number and may continue to, though Autzen is usually tougher. Cal might be the biggest hurdle next season in our division. I like this team's chances of winning the division going in far better than I did last year's team, and 2018 was a banner year.
If the offense takes a step it takes pressure off the defense cause they can give up more points and still win. It puts pressure on the other teams offense cause they know going in theyve gotta score 7 or 8 touchdowns to win.
There is a significant difference in the level of physical development at the D1 level vs HS. Not just talking about weightlifting, but other methods of proactively avoiding injuries that 99% of these kids aren’t doing in HS. So the idea that a freshman is more likely to get injured...at a physical position, is not that far fetched.
This.
From what I've seen, it takes 2 years for the typical HS senior to mature, grow, do enough strength & conditioning, etc., to be mostly physically developed. Not saying that there is not more to do after that; there is; but a D1 true frosh is about like a 1 year old thoroughbred; too young to race. A 2 year old will often be on the track, but is more susceptible to injury. A 3 year old is getting to the point to where they can run hard regularly, and that is what I think equates to most 3rd year players. Give them a RS and for the next year most kids are pretty fully developed. There is more to do, especially with an O lineman, but most "skill position" kids should be pretty much ready for steady duty in year 2.
There are so many true freshman that play and play a lot now. There was a time when all true freshman redshirted. That is not the case any more. Sure, not all true freshman are made the same. But, there are many who are physically ready from day one. Thomas, at 6'1" and 215 now (and will likely be in the 220's by fall) appears to be one of them.
