Overhyped Cougs?

[COUGinNCW]

Most years the Cougs are picked to finish in the bottom end of the conference, some years this is prophetic and some not, particularly lately. I think the lack of respect has been a great motivator.

Now the Cougs are getting a lot of preseason love, appearing in many preseason top 25s including #10 in the CBS Sports Poll. They've beaten Stanford 3 times in a row and Oregon and Utah 4x straight! They are going to be the hunted rather than the hunter. I know this is a better place to be than to be a team that will hopefully overachieve but it will be interesting to see how they handle this. Are they still doing the extra reps in the weight room, arriving early to run routes etc. or do they feel "they got this" like schools like Oregon, USC and UCLA have been doing.

I trust Leach but we are in new territory. I hope the most interesting coach in the world will be able to make them "stay hungry my friend".

 

[kougkurt]

#CVE

 

[dgibbons]

Most years the Cougs are picked to finish in the bottom end of the conference, some years this is prophetic and some not, particularly lately. I think the lack of respect has been a great motivator.

Now the Cougs are getting a lot of preseason love, appearing in many preseason top 25s including #10 in the CBS Sports Poll. They've beaten Stanford 3 times in a row and Oregon and Utah 4x straight! They are going to be the hunted rather than the hunter. I know this is a better place to be than to be a team that will hopefully overachieve but it will be interesting to see how they handle this. Are they still doing the extra reps in the weight room, arriving early to run routes etc. or do they feel "they got this" like schools like Oregon, USC and UCLA have been doing.

I trust Leach but we are in new territory. I hope the most interesting coach in the world will be able to make them "stay hungry my friend".

There was hype in 2017. Falk was a dark horse Heisman candidate, etc.

 

[GrayOnGray]

The tragedy they felt in the off-season last year was obviously ap team builder, combined with excellent leadership. I think they are still feeling those bonds of brotherhood,and still hungry for more.

 

[BiggsCoug]

The trophy ceremony at the Alamo Bowl was awesome. I would like to think the kids want to do that again and will make sure the work is done to have a repeat trophy ceremony appearance.

 

[702coug]

If there one thing Leach seems to be very sensitive to and hyper aware of is shiftlessness and undeserved arrogance. Also players not working at their maximum potential. He seems to call that out and address it immediately. One of his best traits IMHO.

 

[Coug95man2]

For the first several years, the comparisons to TT were rampant. I believe they were misplaced in time. WSU was much worse off than TT was at CML's takeover. But I believe now is an appropriate time for such analogies.

First off, he has the best winning average in TT modern history. Right now, at WSU, he's tied with Sherrills one year record of .545 back in 1977. After that it's the 1950-51 seasons that are better than CML right now. Make no mistake, we are in the midst of our golden era.

His first 2 seasons were lowly 7 wins at TT. After his 2nd year, he never won less than 8 games. That is where we are at from 2015 to now.

I believe this is our future. 7 wins should be our disappointment, year in and year out.

I don't believe it's hype now. It's numbers.

To get more specific to the QB position, yeah he picks the best option but I think our knowledge base is truly our strength. He is picking up grads for a reason... depth... but the knowledge base is there for all of them. He isn't picking a QB that is heads and shoulders above others... He's picking the QB that has the little things, the intangibles, the leadership, that puts that QB over the others. I'm very comfortable with CML's QB development. Plug and play, folks. Plug and play.

 

[425cougfan]

Interesting line of thought, but personally, I don't think the team will be overconfident or work less hard than they have been in the past. They want to win the conference and, despite appearances, to beat UW (especially for Washington kids) and to beat the crap out of the California schools and Oregon (for most of the rest of the roster). I also believe Leach recruits kids who are hungry and then fosters an atmosphere of competition and improvement, punishing entitlement, more than most coaches. You're always going to have some kids who get a little bit lazy ... I remember being astounded at some quotes over recent years, on bad or mediocre teams under both Wulff and Leach, in which players claimed they were overconfident heading into the game. That said, I think we have much, much less of that than other schools.

I do, however, think the team can be just as good as last year, if not better, and have merely good but not near-Heisman level QB play, have a few balls bounce the wrong way, and easily be 8-4 or even 7-5, especially with the schedule being pretty challenging. The team is going to get everyone's best shot -- especially from Oregon and Stanford -- in each game.

 

[Loyal Coug]

For the first several years, the comparisons to TT were rampant. I believe they were misplaced in time. WSU was much worse off than TT was at CML's takeover. But I believe now is an appropriate time for such analogies.

First off, he has the best winning average in TT modern history. Right now, at WSU, he's tied with Sherrills one year record of .545 back in 1977. After that it's the 1950-51 seasons that are better than CML right now. Make no mistake, we are in the midst of our golden era.

Hate to correct you, but Jackie Sherrill went 3-8, in 1976. You are thinking of Warren Powers who went 6-5 in 1977, then left for Missouri.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Most years the Cougs are picked to finish in the bottom end of the conference, some years this is prophetic and some not, particularly lately. I think the lack of respect has been a great motivator.

Now the Cougs are getting a lot of preseason love, appearing in many preseason top 25s including #10 in the CBS Sports Poll. They've beaten Stanford 3 times in a row and Oregon and Utah 4x straight! They are going to be the hunted rather than the hunter. I know this is a better place to be than to be a team that will hopefully overachieve but it will be interesting to see how they handle this. Are they still doing the extra reps in the weight room, arriving early to run routes etc. or do they feel "they got this" like schools like Oregon, USC and UCLA have been doing.

I trust Leach but we are in new territory. I hope the most interesting coach in the world will be able to make them "stay hungry my friend".

Coug, at this point I think a lot of the story is about numbers. Not depth for the sake of depth, but depth for the sake of choices. If somebody gets overconfident or has a tendency to not perform well in practice, they can be replaced more easily now than was the case several years ago. And that is not an idle threat...there is legitimate competition for PT.

All other things being equal, that ought to help keep focus where it needs to be.

 

[BiggsCoug]

If there one thing Leach seems to be very sensitive to and hyper aware of is shiftlessness and undeserved arrogance. Also players not working at their maximum potential. He seems to call that out and address it immediately. One of his best traits IMHO.

Last year was last year. The guys that left aren't running out of the tunnel to come to the rescue if needed. Time to pad up and make a name for your team on your own merits.

 

[mikalalas]

NCW, others:

I understand the concern about overconfidence. But its NOT hype, that would make them overconfident, it is LEGIT expectations, not hype.

1. Plug and Play, system, Air Raid, Leach, good recruiting, evaluation, development, etc.

2. The player talent, skill

3. QUALITY, even the back ups could be starters, if they didnt have even better starting in front of them, DEPTH.

4. #6 WR Corp in nation, Best since 97 Fab Five, and even deeper(6,7,8 deep, instead of 5 deep of Fab 5)

5. Borghi, Notre Dame Transfer RB

6. OL

7. Gage, 2 time Walter Payton Award finalist, was either nominated, or runner up, in the running, etc, for National FCS player of year, at least once. About 10,000 yards passing, led EWU deep into playoffs, beat WSU,etc.

8. Down Pac 12.

Those are LEGIT reasons for LEGIT HIGH EXPECTATIONS, high rankings. So its NOT hype.

Now I understand how that could make WSU overconfident, etc.

There are reasons why that either not a concern, or less of a concern.

1. Leach probably wont allow that to happen.

2. The players will probably still be hungry for winning the Pac 12 north, Pac 12, Beating UW.

3. Competition for playing time

Also why is it that Alabama doesnt underachieve? One would think Alabama's players would get complacent, etc.

Saban wont let that happen.

Also everybody always gives Alabama their best shot, and Alabama still wins.

The thing is that by the numbers, etc, Alabama is usually better.

Well this year, Assuming, and IF Gage is, what he should be, and if, baring LOTS of injuries, LOTS of extreme bad bounces, etc,

WSU should be to the Pac 12, etc, this year, like what Alabama is.

Like Alabama, WSU also:

1. Has the better, best team ON PAPER in Pac 12, by the numbers, math, facts, etc.

2. WSU is UP, compared to a DOWN Pac 12.

3. WSU like Alabama, can, should win despite getting the other teams BEST SHOT.

4. Leach like Saban wont allow complacency.

WSU will win AT LEAST 7,8,9 games

And should win 9,10, 11 games

And could win 11, 12, 13 games

And thats REALISTIC, LEGIT, non hype, assuming baring lots of injuries, Gage pans out.

So tho I understand your concern, there is probably no reason to be concerned.

If this was the Poor Ole Little Ole WSU of the past, concerns would be valid.

But this is not Poor Ole Little Ole WSU anymore.

Things have changed.

So no need to be concerned.

 

[CougPatrol]

This is based on empirical evidence, but Leach has to be one of the best coaches in the Nation with regard to handling his teams (not the fans) expectations; positive or negative. If they come out sputtering against NMSU or Northern CO, he'll let them know about it. If they blow the doors off of them, he'll deflate their egos.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

NCW, others:

I understand the concern about overconfidence. But its NOT hype, that would make them overconfident, it is LEGIT expectations, not hype.

1. Plug and Play, system, Air Raid, Leach, good recruiting, evaluation, development, etc.

2. The player talent, skill

3. QUALITY, even the back ups could be starters, if they didnt have even better starting in front of them, DEPTH.

4. #6 WR Corp in nation, Best since 97 Fab Five, and even deeper(6,7,8 deep, instead of 5 deep of Fab 5)

5. Borghi, Notre Dame Transfer RB

6. OL

7. Gage, 2 time Walter Payton Award finalist, was either nominated, or runner up, in the running, etc, for National FCS player of year, at least once. About 10,000 yards passing, led EWU deep into playoffs, beat WSU,etc.

8. Down Pac 12.

Those are LEGIT reasons for LEGIT HIGH EXPECTATIONS, high rankings. So its NOT hype.

Now I understand how that could make WSU overconfident, etc.

There are reasons why that either not a concern, or less of a concern.

1. Leach probably wont allow that to happen.

2. The players will probably still be hungry for winning the Pac 12 north, Pac 12, Beating UW.

3. Competition for playing time

Also why is it that Alabama doesnt underachieve? One would think Alabama's players would get complacent, etc.

Saban wont let that happen.

Also everybody always gives Alabama their best shot, and Alabama still wins.

The thing is that by the numbers, etc, Alabama is usually better.

Well this year, Assuming, and IF Gage is, what he should be, and if, baring LOTS of injuries, LOTS of extreme bad bounces, etc,

WSU should be to the Pac 12, etc, this year, like what Alabama is.

Like Alabama, WSU also:

1. Has the better, best team ON PAPER in Pac 12, by the numbers, math, facts, etc.

2. WSU is UP, compared to a DOWN Pac 12.

3. WSU like Alabama, can, should win despite getting the other teams BEST SHOT.

4. Leach like Saban wont allow complacency.

WSU will win AT LEAST 7,8,9 games

And should win 9,10, 11 games

And could win 11, 12, 13 games

And thats REALISTIC, LEGIT, non hype, assuming baring lots of injuries, Gage pans out.

So tho I understand your concern, there is probably no reason to be concerned.

If this was the Poor Ole Little Ole WSU of the past, concerns would be valid.

But this is not Poor Ole Little Ole WSU anymore.

Things have changed.

So no need to be concernef.

Brevity can be your friend.......

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Brevity can be your friend.......

holy sh!t...

I clicked "show ignored"... brevity indeed.

 

[mikalalas]

Here is one other poster, NCW, that is saying that CBS ranked WSU #10

But I am sure he is making that up, didnt see that somewhere according to FLAT, and that he is wrong.

And oh look, there is FLAT. He did see this.

Guess he didnt remember it.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Here is one other poster, NCW, that is saying that CBS ranked WSU #10

But I am sure he is making that up, didnt see that somewhere according to FLAT, and that he is wrong.

And oh look, there is FLAT. He did see this.

Guess he didnt remember it.

BTW, the poll that he was looking at was last years poll just showing the next games for the teams ranked at the end of last season. The actual CBS preseason poll has us at #21. Sorry that actual facts don't fit your world view. Link below.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...r-clemson-post-spring-florida-and-texas-rise/

 

[mikalalas]

Has us at #10 (thanks for the tip, clickbait.com). Now that is some love.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/rankings/cbs-sports-ranking/

Your wrong FLAT.

The link I COPY PASTED posted goes to a CBS Poll, ranking of 129 teams.

It came out sometime after the bowl season ended in 2019.

It says it waa last updated on July 26, 2019.

It did not come out 2018 before the start of last season, or during last season.

And it is not a final ranking of last years team.

It is a PRE SEASON RANKING POLL of THIS YEARS TEAM that was done sometime AFTER the bowl season ended, and has been periodically updated, with the last update saying July 26.

The only thing your right about in what you said, is that CBS has lowered WSU's ranking in ANOTHER POLL OR UPDATE OF THE POLL THAT RANKED WSU #10, and now says that WSU is ranked 21.

But the earlier 2019 CBS Poll, Ranker, originally ranked WSU at #10.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Has us at #10 (thanks for the tip, clickbait.com). Now that is some love.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/rankings/cbs-sports-ranking/

Your wrong FLAT.

The link I COPY PASTED posted goes to a CBS Poll, ranking of 129 teams.

It came out sometime after the bowl season ended in 2019.

It says it waa last updated on July 26, 2019.

It did not come out 2018 before the start of last season, or during last season.

And it is not a final ranking of last years team.

It is a PRE SEASON RANKING POLL of THIS YEARS TEAM that was done sometime AFTER the bowl season ended, and has been periodically updated, with the last update saying July 26.

The only thing your right about in what you said, is that CBS has lowered WSU's ranking in ANOTHER POLL OR UPDATE OF THE POLL THAT RANKED WSU #10, and now says that WSU is ranked 21.

But the earlier 2019 CBS Poll, Ranker, originally ranked WSU at #10.

I don't give a crap about what date that poll says. It clearly hasn't been updated when you look at the other page showing the polls side by side.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/rankings/index/

Look at that link and see how the teams line up. It's awful interesting that the final AP and coaches poll from last year line up almost exactly like that CBS 129 poll. It's interesting that Oregon.....a team that is universally hyped this year isn't in the Top 25 of your little poll. Face it....that poll may say updated July of 2019....but it hasn't actually been updated.

 

[mikalalas]

Also note in the CBS poll, ranker, link, that I copy, pasted, posted, that it says that Texas that finished 9-4, lower ranked then #8, or last year is ranked #8 in the pre season for this year according to the CBS ranker of the 129 teams.

If it was done last year in 2018, or as a final ranking of last years teams etc, it wouldnt have Texas at #8, and wouldnt have a 9-4 record next to, for Texas.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Also note in the CBS poll, ranker, link, that I copy, pasted, posted, that it says that Texas that finished 9-4, lower ranked then #8, or last year is ranked #8 in the pre season for this year according to the CBS ranker of the 129 teams.

If it was done last year in 2018, or as a final ranking of last years teams etc, it wouldnt have Texas at #8, and wouldnt have a 9-4 record next to, for Texas.

Holy sh!t.......you have your head so far up your a$$ that you are gonna suffocate. The poll you linked has them shown at 10-4....which was their record last year. They were #9 in both the AP and Coach's Polls at the end of last season. What's kind of interesting is when you look at the link below (from Sporting News), you are going to see something interesting......

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...season-top-25-poll/1w2ppcy498ddf1itvx5ks3z2j9

Their summary of our rankings are as follows:

Composite (average of all rankings): #20
Sporting News: #18
SI: unranked
USA Today: unranked
ESPN: #13 (downgraded to #19 recently)
CBS: #21 (holy sh!t...how can that be....you are positive that they are #10!)

So again, find me a real poll that shows us in the Top 10.....not some old a$$ poll that is from last year and just has an updated time stamp.

 

[PeteTheChop]

Has us at #10 (thanks for the tip, clickbait.com).

Is clickbait.com down because I see no Cougar info on that site?

 

[SDCoug]

Holy sh!t.......you have your head so far up your a$$ that you are gonna suffocate. ...

Flat, why do you engage? I don’t even need to show ignored content to know where this started. You have to understand that responding just triggers the next round of crazy, don’t you?

 

[mikalalas]

Holy sh!t.......you have your head so far up your a$$ that you are gonna suffocate. The poll you linked has them shown at 10-4....which was their record last year. They were #9 in both the AP and Coach's Polls at the end of last season. What's kind of interesting is when you look at the link below (from Sporting News), you are going to see something interesting......

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...season-top-25-poll/1w2ppcy498ddf1itvx5ks3z2j9

Their summary of our rankings are as follows:

Composite (average of all rankings): #20
Sporting News: #18
SI: unranked
USA Today: unranked
ESPN: #13 (downgraded to #19 recently)
CBS: #21 (holy sh!t...how can that be....you are positive that they are #10!)

So again, find me a real poll that shows us in the Top 10.....not some old a$$ poll that is from last year and just has an updated time stamp.

WERE, WAS #10 IN PRESEASON RANKINGS FOR THIS YEAR, NOT ANYMORE FOR NOW, AT LEAST NOT YET.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Flat, why do you engage? I don’t even need to show ignored content to know where this started. You have to understand that responding just triggers the next round of crazy, don’t you?

I was bored.....

 

[SDCoug]

I was bored.....

Ha! That’s pretty funny, actually.

 

[GrayOnGray]

Flat, why do you engage? I don’t even need to show ignored content to know where this started. You have to understand that responding just triggers the next round of crazy, don’t you?

On paper, yes.