I expect this game to look alot like Cal...
- Thread starter ttowncoug
- Start date
UW is under what I consider the P12 scoring metric for success, which is 30ppg. They stand at 28.
We are scoring 40 ppg, our highest average in a long, long time (if not ever.)
Our turnovers and turnover margin are practically the same, as our our overall defensive stats.
On paper, this should be the Cougars game going away. Will the refs intervene or can the Cougs shake the ghosts of AC past and complete the dream season?
We are scoring 40 ppg, our highest average in a long, long time (if not ever.)
Our turnovers and turnover margin are practically the same, as our our overall defensive stats.
On paper, this should be the Cougars game going away. Will the refs intervene or can the Cougs shake the ghosts of AC past and complete the dream season?
Offenses needs to stay in rhythm and pressing for 4 quarters. We haven't really done that yet this year. Even in the Arizona blowout we put up a 0 in the 3rd quarter.
Defense will have it's hands full with Gaskin, Fuller (especially when Molton draws him), and probably whoever they have at TE.
I'm all for a blowout but for whatever reason Browning has looked at his best against us. He's hearing the Browning hate and Minshew love as much as anyone and wants to prove he's better. He's not but I still think that's a bit of a story line. Hopefully he tries to do too much.
Getting out to an early lead and making them press is what we have needed and haven't been able to do in forever. I expect a win but a close game.
Defense will have it's hands full with Gaskin, Fuller (especially when Molton draws him), and probably whoever they have at TE.
I'm all for a blowout but for whatever reason Browning has looked at his best against us. He's hearing the Browning hate and Minshew love as much as anyone and wants to prove he's better. He's not but I still think that's a bit of a story line. Hopefully he tries to do too much.
Getting out to an early lead and making them press is what we have needed and haven't been able to do in forever. I expect a win but a close game.
Also....on D we aren't playing 5-8 yards off like Grinch liked to do....much more press coverage. Exact same thing that Browning faced vs. Cal and ASU.
That makes sense, but you look at every offensive metric, UW played by far their best game of the last 3 seasons in the AC. Browning and Gaskin always look they both should be in NY for the Heisman ceremony in that game and their only worry is how they will split the votes.
It is sports oddity and you sometimes wonder if they will ever confirm their performance in the AC in other games. I have asked it before , what really is Pete's signature wins outside of the AC ? There really are not many if any.
This game, as in years past, is a big match up problem for the Cougs on defense. Two tight end offenses are a speed defenses' kryptonite, traditionally. The o-line is balanced, and it creates 4 bigs against 4 much smaller defender matchups, going left or right, even when you have 8 in the box. It puts great pressure on the defense to shed blocks, which is not a strength of ours. That is why they have blown the doors off our defense the last three years, early. They have rushed for 325+ yards each of the last two years.
The big difference between this year and the last three, is own offense vs their defense. Our offense is better, and unlike in the past, they are getting no pressure off a 3 man rush. Their DBs may still be very good, but without pressure, there will be more time to find openings, then add Minshews' feet and the fact we don't have "sand clock" receivers anymore. So we should be able to move the ball much better this year.
This won't be Cal revisited. The Huskies are actually a little better in total offense than the team, last year, that put 40 on us. If we beat them it we'll because we can win a scoring battle this year -- 42-35
Last edited:
I really don't want to get too deep into this, but my occam's razor brain refuses to believe that a defense that did what our did to EVERY OTHER TEAM but then gets absolutely stymied by UW is no less than the victim of some serious hometown cooking for the mutts. I get that they are bigger and stronger, but Herc was literally erased from existence in last years AC - that had never, ever happened before in that season.
So UW has some special juice that they drink to embarrass the Cougs that no one else has access to?
No, they play dirty - holding our WRs, holding on the OL, etc and make the refs swallow their whistles.
That being said, they aren't the only team that employs that strategy, whether it be in football, basketball, soccer, whatever. Its on Leach and Co to figure out how to overcome it.
Let’s also acknowledge that UW has had great teams over the past 5 years, and they often ran into a WSU offense in disarray (backup QBs, injuries at WR). They beat us because they could score at will and we couldn’t. They’ve jumped us in the first half almost every game of late.
UW is a *good* team this year. Not elite, but as good or better than Oregon, Stanford, and Cal. WSU isn’t vastly superior to those teams, but we proved that we’re better than all of them. UW lost to 2 of them, and hung on to beat Stanford at home. Doesn’t mean we’ll win, but we deserve to be favored.
UW is a *good* team this year. Not elite, but as good or better than Oregon, Stanford, and Cal. WSU isn’t vastly superior to those teams, but we proved that we’re better than all of them. UW lost to 2 of them, and hung on to beat Stanford at home. Doesn’t mean we’ll win, but we deserve to be favored.
Yes there has to be something more in "play" then they are big and physical.
I get the previous poster's points. But there is no way UW has had a bigger more physical O-line than Stanford has had since 2016. Speed D has been effective against them, but not UW ?
It just seems to be a terrible matchup for the Cougs. Two tight ends. Speed all over, really solid DB’s. Physical LB’s.
The really good teams the Cougs continue to beat also are somewhat one dimensional.
How many times have we said if we can shut down a dual threat QB we got a shot or their one complete stud WR or RB. Or they have a great D but no O.
The truth is the dogs have all of this.
But this year so do the Cougs.
I expect us to win this game based on our improved WR and special QB play
And please stop with the “refs are gonna hose us” crap. I don’t want either team to have an excuse when the final whistle blows
Whoa. When I said something else in play that did not necessarily mean "refs". There must also be a different mentality and blocking schemes. I rewatched some of Gaskin's runs from last year and they simply had great blocking schemes that took advantage of Hercules and others over aggression. They really just took themselves out of plays and then the UW line sealed them off. Clareys will see this.
Last edited:
No doubt they hold like crazy on D and always have. Our receivers are gonna have to fight through it on Friday. They won’t call it on every play. As for our D last year they got worn down because our offense did squat. If that happens again this year the same could be expected but that would be shocking. Cal needed an onslaught of shitty calls
But he had been banged up a lot of the season. He’s a weapon now, and so is Ahmed. UW doesn’t have nearly the speed and skill at WR as they’ve had in years past.
UW's defense is similar to Cal's but not quite as good IMO and I think the recent stats bear that out. Their offense is somewhat similar to Arizona in that they both have a good running back and a mobile QB but I think Tate is the better runner and playmaker.
Streaks are sometimes hard to break but the this year's WSU team has a great mindset about how to play their game. If both teams play their best I think WSU comes out top.
Streaks are sometimes hard to break but the this year's WSU team has a great mindset about how to play their game. If both teams play their best I think WSU comes out top.
I don't think so. Gaskin is an every down back that will go down as the number one back in uw history. When Gaskin missed games earlier this season, Ahmed didn't do much. He is however, a good change of pace back.
It isn't about being physical per se, its about match ups, that also impose a major size advantage. Stanford plays a west coast offense primarily. When they use two TEs, it is primarily in short yardage situations and their pass play options out of it are quite limited. You are invited to put 9, 10 into the box. That is very different to what the UW does. Two TEs is their primary set and they run their entire offense out of it. You overload the box, they will pass on you. You go box light, they will run it on you. The primary objective of a speed defense is to create a numbers mismatch, which is very hard to do when 8 in the box is only an even box count, effectively, the center being part of the 4 man primary blocking front both left or right.
What a speed defense must do to be effective against a two TE offense? Disguise and know the offense's tendencies. Plus, good old fashioned defeating blocks is a huge help. Having your offense give you a lead also really helps because it make the opposing offense more predictable.
