Cougs 22nd in both polls.
- Thread starter Coug-Vandal
- Start date
To remove some of my bitchery... that was a pretty slick 4th quarter.
Are we really crying about being 7 & 1 and ranked #22?
If anything, this should help us in our cause to improve and land better players, better TV, and more teams to the Pac 2/7/8/12
Are we really crying about being 7 & 1 and ranked #22?
If anything, this should help us in our cause to improve and land better players, better TV, and more teams to the Pac 2/7/8/12
I’m old enough ti remember USC kneeling on our 10 yard line before half. I’ll take it.
Good or bad: 2nd 4th qtr comeback down by 2 scores this year!!! That's all I have to say about that
Yeah I was at that game in the Wolff era.
No doubt this team can be frustrating. They aren't great defensively but they are resilient and have come up with big stops at key moments. The offense sputters too often but also has come up with big plays when it needs too. Mateer's escape from an apparent sack to get a Ist down and lead to the game deciding touchdown was brilliant. I do think we should be more appreciative of what they have done even while they can be amazingly frustrating. For what its worth ESPN this morning has the Cougs in the Alamo Bowl against Kansas St.
I'm definitely down for another trip to San Antone as long as I can get a dog sitter arranged. I had good times there on the previous two trips.
I know a couple of reputable Haitians up there in Athol who would be happy to oblige.........
This is so huge and it DOESN'T matter how we got here.
The fact is we are going to be ranked in the first weekend in November.
In the 130 years of WSU football, only 14 teams have been ranked at the end of the season.
There is no reason to think we won't continue to be ranked the rest of the season and creep up a spot or two every week, and it is a lot harder to be ranked now than back in the day because we are no longer in a power conference. This is the best marketing for WSU and the PAC12 possible, and if you can't give our coaches and players a ton of credit than you are delusional.
The fact is we are going to be ranked in the first weekend in November.
In the 130 years of WSU football, only 14 teams have been ranked at the end of the season.
There is no reason to think we won't continue to be ranked the rest of the season and creep up a spot or two every week, and it is a lot harder to be ranked now than back in the day because we are no longer in a power conference. This is the best marketing for WSU and the PAC12 possible, and if you can't give our coaches and players a ton of credit than you are delusional.
Yes this team struggles with tackling, giving up yards, offensive consistency, giving up big plays, penalties, shooting itself in foot, turnovers, etc.
BUT the defense is a great don't let the other team score, or only give up a FG, and get, force turnovers, and get key stops, and get the occasional 3 down and out defense.
And it not the lack of players, recruiting, injuries, coaching.
Dickert has done a awesome job RELOADING the roster after transfer portal NIL defections, graduations, filling holes from the transfer portal from places like Oregon, Alabama, etc, and JC transfers, and FCS transfers, and HS recruits.
The recruiting classes were a mix of a couple, few 2.5 stars, some to a lot of 3 stars, a few to some 3.5 stars, 1, 2 4 stars, 1,2 preferred walk ons that have started to contribute.
The recruits have been very athletic. Players like RAAM Stevenson, Budda, Keith Brown, Jammorri Colson, Stephen Hall, Ethan Connor(Related to Jason David), Syrus Webster, David Gusta, Hutson.
And the offense recruiting has been just as good as the defense, with 3.5 star, 4 star transfer Chris Hutson from Oregon, and others.
And the struggles are only about 3% bad coaching due to the occasional bad play call, bad decision, failure to adapt, adjust as quickly, etc, because we only seem to remember the bad, and don't seem to remember the times when coaching did make good play calling, make good decisions, did adapt, adjust quickly. Is there room for improvement? YES, but even tho coaching is sometimes inconsistent at times, overall coaching is doing a semi good job, with the potential to develop, improve, get even better.
So what is the Major, main causes of WSU's struggles, this season, and why the inconsistency?
1. They are young, and lack starting experience, despite lots of playing, development time before becoming full time starters
2. It takes time to Jell, play together, develop chemistry, which they didn't have e earlier season. This is kind of like, comparable to like how David Riley, Kyle Smith had to practically replace the whole roster with a entirely new roster, which Dickert practically had to do in last 2,3 recruiting years. Kyle Smith's team struggled in nonconference preseason, before going to NCAA tournament, because it took some time to develop, jell, develop chemistry, play, learn how to win, etc. Dickert's Team is, has been the same, no different.
3. Between Some to a semi lot of TOUGH ROAD GAMES.
A. UW was pretty much a road game. B. BSU. C. FSU. D. SDSU. They are underrated especially at home, and are a semi tough road game at times. This was a road schedule that I expected, many expected, including many SO CALLED EXPERTS EXPECTED WSU to be either 2-2, 1-3 against, before the season started. 3-1 is pretty good, vs a tough road schedule, and ITS ALWAYS TOUGH, TOUGHER to WIN ON THE ROAD, so anytime you can go on the road and win, is a bonus, unless it's a PSU, Paul Wulf like team, then it's not a bonus, as its expected that should win easily.
4. TOUGH SCHEDULE.
Some may think the schedule is easy. But they are wrong. WSU has had to play the better, semi best, best of other conferences, on the road. Only exception to that is Texas Tech.
And playing Texas Tech, UW, SJSU, BSU, Fresno St, SDSU, in 6 out of first 8 games, with Ore St to come is a TOUGH SCHEDULE. Many EXPERTS had WSU at
7-5, 8-4, because of HOW TOUGH schedule was, and that if schedule wasn't so tough, WSU would be 12-0, 11-1, 10-2, 9-3, but that if WSU could make it thru the tough first 3/5 of schedule, WSU would then have easy 2/5 of schedule to go 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.
Before the season started I thought WSU would be 7-5 at worst, 8-4 at average, 9-3 at best, and projected, predicted 8-4, as did many so called Experts(I'm not a expert), So I'll take 11-1.
I think the team, players, coaching, etc, will improve, get healthy, continue to win after the bye, down the stretch, end of the season, against the remaining easy schedule, goto either Alamo Bowl, or CFP, have a high ranking, which will help WSU recruit, etc, and help the PAC 12 recruit a 8th football team like a Memphis, get the best media deal possible, etc.
While it's Fair to point out where this team has struggled, one needs to accurately point out Both the mitigating reasons, and other reasons for the struggles, and point out the good as well, both in a constructive way.
BUT the defense is a great don't let the other team score, or only give up a FG, and get, force turnovers, and get key stops, and get the occasional 3 down and out defense.
And it not the lack of players, recruiting, injuries, coaching.
Dickert has done a awesome job RELOADING the roster after transfer portal NIL defections, graduations, filling holes from the transfer portal from places like Oregon, Alabama, etc, and JC transfers, and FCS transfers, and HS recruits.
The recruiting classes were a mix of a couple, few 2.5 stars, some to a lot of 3 stars, a few to some 3.5 stars, 1, 2 4 stars, 1,2 preferred walk ons that have started to contribute.
The recruits have been very athletic. Players like RAAM Stevenson, Budda, Keith Brown, Jammorri Colson, Stephen Hall, Ethan Connor(Related to Jason David), Syrus Webster, David Gusta, Hutson.
And the offense recruiting has been just as good as the defense, with 3.5 star, 4 star transfer Chris Hutson from Oregon, and others.
And the struggles are only about 3% bad coaching due to the occasional bad play call, bad decision, failure to adapt, adjust as quickly, etc, because we only seem to remember the bad, and don't seem to remember the times when coaching did make good play calling, make good decisions, did adapt, adjust quickly. Is there room for improvement? YES, but even tho coaching is sometimes inconsistent at times, overall coaching is doing a semi good job, with the potential to develop, improve, get even better.
So what is the Major, main causes of WSU's struggles, this season, and why the inconsistency?
1. They are young, and lack starting experience, despite lots of playing, development time before becoming full time starters
2. It takes time to Jell, play together, develop chemistry, which they didn't have e earlier season. This is kind of like, comparable to like how David Riley, Kyle Smith had to practically replace the whole roster with a entirely new roster, which Dickert practically had to do in last 2,3 recruiting years. Kyle Smith's team struggled in nonconference preseason, before going to NCAA tournament, because it took some time to develop, jell, develop chemistry, play, learn how to win, etc. Dickert's Team is, has been the same, no different.
3. Between Some to a semi lot of TOUGH ROAD GAMES.
A. UW was pretty much a road game. B. BSU. C. FSU. D. SDSU. They are underrated especially at home, and are a semi tough road game at times. This was a road schedule that I expected, many expected, including many SO CALLED EXPERTS EXPECTED WSU to be either 2-2, 1-3 against, before the season started. 3-1 is pretty good, vs a tough road schedule, and ITS ALWAYS TOUGH, TOUGHER to WIN ON THE ROAD, so anytime you can go on the road and win, is a bonus, unless it's a PSU, Paul Wulf like team, then it's not a bonus, as its expected that should win easily.
4. TOUGH SCHEDULE.
Some may think the schedule is easy. But they are wrong. WSU has had to play the better, semi best, best of other conferences, on the road. Only exception to that is Texas Tech.
And playing Texas Tech, UW, SJSU, BSU, Fresno St, SDSU, in 6 out of first 8 games, with Ore St to come is a TOUGH SCHEDULE. Many EXPERTS had WSU at
7-5, 8-4, because of HOW TOUGH schedule was, and that if schedule wasn't so tough, WSU would be 12-0, 11-1, 10-2, 9-3, but that if WSU could make it thru the tough first 3/5 of schedule, WSU would then have easy 2/5 of schedule to go 11-1, 10-2, 9-3.
Before the season started I thought WSU would be 7-5 at worst, 8-4 at average, 9-3 at best, and projected, predicted 8-4, as did many so called Experts(I'm not a expert), So I'll take 11-1.
I think the team, players, coaching, etc, will improve, get healthy, continue to win after the bye, down the stretch, end of the season, against the remaining easy schedule, goto either Alamo Bowl, or CFP, have a high ranking, which will help WSU recruit, etc, and help the PAC 12 recruit a 8th football team like a Memphis, get the best media deal possible, etc.
While it's Fair to point out where this team has struggled, one needs to accurately point out Both the mitigating reasons, and other reasons for the struggles, and point out the good as well, both in a constructive way.
Mike,
You're okay?!!!
We haven't seen you post for, I don't know...a couple of months? I reached out to see if you're okay, and I think you changed your number? I'll shoot you an email.
9 times in 90 years, Washington State University has won 9 games or more.
Nine wins, Nine times in ninety years.
Source: (you need a source? really?) Sports-reference.com
While technically accurate, our 9+ wins actually happened in the past 35 years. The 55 years of futility before that are a different conversation in my opinion. Our 9+ win seasons were as seen below (AP ranking in parentheses)
1988: 9-3 (#16)
1992: 9-3 (#15)
1997: 10-2 (#9)
2001: 10-2 (#10)
2002: 10-3 (#10)
2003: 10-3 (#9)
2015: 9-4 (NR)
2017: 9-4 (NR)
2018: 11-2 (#10)
Our schedule is soft enough this year that we may not be able to get to the Top 10 even if we finish 12-1 but it would be nice if we did. What many people don't grasp is how many teams have almost never had a Top 10 finish. If we can get there this year, that would be our sixth Top 10 finish since 1997. With the fact that we were in the dark ages for four years with Wulff....that's not terrible.
Even if our team isn't amazing this year, it's good for us to be visible every week in the Top 25 to finish the season.
“ if you can't give our coaches and players a ton of credit than you are delusional.”
I’d go further. You are an asshole and a shitty fan.
Didn't you really mean to say: "then you are Biggs!".
That's all I have to say about that
Its ok to be wrong, and you are.
It does matter how they got there. And there is reason to think they won't continue to be ranked and creep up a spot or two every single week. The Cougs are stumbling their way to W's despite seemingly not being competent at football fundamentals and being just talented enough to pull off a couple of big plays vs lesser opposition.
Maybe Arbuckle is a mad genius and purposely rolls out a completely different offensive gameplan every week to keep the opponent on its heels - anything is possible.
Finally, how dare you challenge anyone's loyalty if they don't drink the same kool aid you do. I root for a W the same as anyone else every week. I want my Cougs to be a beacon of awesomeness to Pullman. But I've seen enough seasons of football to know that what we are seeing is not sustainable. I'd love to be proven wrong.
Biggs has proven it's perfectly fine to question his loyalty. He's earned it.
FWIW, at some point, you are who your record says you are. We are 7-1 with wins over a pair of Power 5 schools and a road loss to the #15 team in the country. If we win out, that's better than the formula that Boise State, Houston, Memphis, and Tulane used to get into NY6 bowl games in the past 10 years or so.
KSU fans are grouchy about how their team struggled to beat KU this past weekend. I still remember the Auburn fan bitching about the game against us in 2013.
We've had plenty of years
cough: 2023 :cough where our team was clearly better than the record indicated but that didn't change the fact that based on our actual record (5-7), we were just not that good of a team and not worthy of a bowl game. We can play woulda, coulda, shoulda all we want....last year sucked. It's okay for you to be suspicious of the team....but it's different when someone is choosing to be an irrational dickhead about it (i.e. Biggs). You can be as annoyed as you want with the way that we've gotten to 7-1 but if we win out and make it to 12-1, I guarantee that WSU will tout this as one of the greatest seasons in school history and they won't be wrong. All we can do is play the teams in front of us and as long as we win...the style points don't really matter in the long run.Anyone who roots against their own team to fulfill their own complex is in their own category.
I'm going to try to lighten up and enjoy the ride.FWIW, at some point, you are who your record says you are. We are 7-1 with wins over a pair of Power 5 schools and a road loss to the #15 team in the country. If we win out, that's better than the formula that Boise State, Houston, Memphis, and Tulane used to get into NY6 bowl games in the past 10 years or so.
KSU fans are grouchy about how their team struggled to beat KU this past weekend. I still remember the Auburn fan bitching about the game against us in 2013.
We've had plenty of years
I guess I am a pretty daring dude!
I certainly don't question anyone's "loyalty". If you are reading and posting on this board, you are clearly in the top 2% of loyal fans. My point is that for a team like WSU to win in 2024 in college football is much more difficult than ever before. We are dealing with NIL, the transfer portal and we are no longer in a major conference. Those are challenges that didn't exist even 2 years ago. So comparing this team to any team in the past really isn't fair, but even in that imaginary world, we are still outcompeting 90% of previous Cougar teams.
Clearly anything can happen, but with regards to being "sustainable", where do you see the next loss?
I guess we should just continue to dismiss the only stat the matters and really drill down on the lack of perfection on every play by every player.
I’d assume most folks here have watched sports for many years and seen some pretty bizarre things. I’ve seen us blow a 40 point second half lead. I’ve seen 16 seeds beat 1 seeds in the NCAA tourney. Douglas beat Tyson, the Miracle on Ice, App State/Michigan, OSU/USC, on and on. This is sports and why it’s fun. You take the W when you can get it, any way you can get it, and coaches find coachable moments and coach. You are what your record says you are and this is a good team and coaching staff right now. Of course there’s room for improvement, there always is.
Latest posts
-
-
Seattle Times ~ As money floods college sports, WSU’s Cougar Collective trying to keep up..- Latest: BleedCrimsonandGray
-
-
