Peyton Bender Out for 2016 Season

[425cougfan]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

 

[Coug1990]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

Well, we know why WSU just picked up Anthony Gordon. According to what I read, the Cougars were waiting on the QB situation to clear. I guess we know that meant whether Bender stayed eligible or not.

I am not certain, but I think it could be his grades are so bad or that he withdrew (or didn't pass) from classes so he did not have enough credits toward his degree for two consecutive semesters. Others may know more.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Well, we know why WSU just picked up Anthony Gordon. According to what I read, the Cougars were waiting on the QB situation to clear. I guess we know that meant whether Bender stayed eligible or not.

I am not certain, but I think it could be his grades are so bad or that he withdrew (or didn't pass) from classes so he did not have enough credits toward his degree for two consecutive semesters. Others may know more.

Yep, Gordon makes a whole lot of sense now.

 

[COUGinNCW]

I bet one or two of the QBs who decomited last winter would like a do-over.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

That's a shame. Didn't see that one coming at all.

 

[YakiCoug]

Well, we know why WSU just picked up Anthony Gordon. According to what I read, the Cougars were waiting on the QB situation to clear. I guess we know that meant whether Bender stayed eligible or not.

I am not certain, but I think it could be his grades are so bad or that he withdrew (or didn't pass) from classes so he did not have enough credits toward his degree for two consecutive semesters. Others may know more.

Some Apple Cup residual effect? Too bad for the young man. Guess we're going to see Hilinski earlier than we thought.

 

[Coug95man2]

I bet one or two of the QBs who decomited last winter would like a do-over.

Ain't that the truth. Kids inability to see how life isn't about a plan but how you adapt to when the plan goes awry, is always a tough lesson. One of those "unintended consequences" of allowing the loosening of transfer rules, I guess. Just think, one of those kids could be a starter this year (hope not but you get my point)…

Because they wanted it "now", they won't get it "now" even though they had the opportunity. We are truly a society of "immediate gratification".

 

[dgibbons]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

Two ways- Deficient (under WSU's standards) or failure to make progress toward a degree (failure to get a C or better in enough credits under the NCAA rules).

 

[CougPatrol]

Some Apple Cup residual effect? Too bad for the young man. Guess we're going to see Hilinski earlier than we thought.

Let's hope Falk stays healthy throughout the season, and that Hilinski gets a lot of reps against Eastern WA and Idaho.

 

[acgcoug]

I've been much higher on Hilinski than Bender for a while now. Hilinski has been steadily improving where I just haven't seen the same improvement yet from Bender. Hilinski was fantastic in the spring game and Bender struggled.

I would be surprised if he made it back on the team.

 

[95coug]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

And now things make sense.

I expect that the next chapter in this story sees Bender leave WSU...maybe very soon. A year in JC to get his grades back up, and then a transfer to FCS or a mid-major. Seems like the best way for him to actually see the field.

If he doesn't transfer, this puts him a year behind Hilinksi - who was already out-competing him, if reports are correct - so he'd end up a senior backing up a junior. I don't see that happening.

On the plus side, if Hilinski beats Gordon for the backup spot, Gordon has a redshirt available.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

I just wanted to comment on being thin at QB. We need to get over the idea that our #2 or #3 QB is going to come into games and shock the world with great play. When you look over the years at what happens when our starter goes down, it's almost alway ugly as hell.

In 1993, WSU was 5-2 after Pattinson went down in a 34-7 victory over Cal (who finished 9-4). Lost four straight to finish the season with Pattinson out.
In 1998, WSU flopped to a 3-8 finish after watching Leaf leave early for the NFL.
In 2002, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Gesser went down with injury.
In 2003, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Kegel had to leave the game due to injury.
In 2004, WSU lost to CU on a pick six thrown by backup Alex Brink. That loss kept us out of bowl eligibility.
2008 to 2012 was such a wreck that it's hard to fathom.
In 2014, WSU went 1-3 with Falk as starter after Halliday went down due to injury against USC.
In 2015, WSU was crushed by 5 TD's with Bender in as a starter.

You look at all those years and you see a lot of instances of WSU struggling when the backup QB comes in without a lot of experience.....which is just the way it is at that position. The time may come where that is different, but history suggests that the myth of QB depth is nothing more than wishful thinking. Oregon watched their 2007 season go up in smoke when Dennis Dixon was injured against Arizona. Hell, they were a much different team when VAJ wasn't on the field last year. UW was doomed to 0-12 once Locker went down in 2008. So, it's not just us.

It's important to have QB's in the system that are good so we don't have a repeat of 1998, but the idea that our backups are going to make a difference right now is fool's gold.

 

[CougPatrol]

Regardless of whether of not Bender has a future at WSU, I hope that he's able to get his academic standing in order. There are a lot of programs in the FCS that play an air raid style of offense should he decide to go that route.

 

[ttowncoug]

I'm guessing his career here is probably done. Unless he's got a legit excuse (i.e. ADD), I can't imagine Leach being pleased with his work ethic off the field.

 

[Fab5Coug]

Ain't that the truth. Kids inability to see how life isn't about a plan but how you adapt to when the plan goes awry, is always a tough lesson. One of those "unintended consequences" of allowing the loosening of transfer rules, I guess. Just think, one of those kids could be a starter this year (hope not but you get my point)…

Because they wanted it "now", they won't get it "now" even though they had the opportunity. We are truly a society of "immediate gratification".

What are you talking about? What do transfer rules and "immediate gratification" have to do with the QBs who decommitted and ended up signing with Notre Dame & Fresno?

 

[Fab5Coug]

I bet one or two of the QBs who decomited last winter would like a do-over.

I very much doubt Peyton Bender's presence on the roster had much to do with their decisions to decommit.

 

[425cougfan]

I just wanted to comment on being thin at QB. We need to get over the idea that our #2 or #3 QB is going to come into games and shock the world with great play. When you look over the years at what happens when our starter goes down, it's almost alway ugly as hell.

In 1993, WSU was 5-2 after Pattinson went down in a 34-7 victory over Cal (who finished 9-4). Lost four straight to finish the season with Pattinson out.
In 1998, WSU flopped to a 3-8 finish after watching Leaf leave early for the NFL.
In 2002, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Gesser went down with injury.
In 2003, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Kegel had to leave the game due to injury.
In 2004, WSU lost to CU on a pick six thrown by backup Alex Brink. That loss kept us out of bowl eligibility.
2008 to 2012 was such a wreck that it's hard to fathom.
In 2014, WSU went 1-3 with Falk as starter after Halliday went down due to injury against USC.
In 2015, WSU was crushed by 5 TD's with Bender in as a starter.

You look at all those years and you see a lot of instances of WSU struggling when the backup QB comes in without a lot of experience.....which is just the way it is at that position. The time may come where that is different, but history suggests that the myth of QB depth is nothing more than wishful thinking. Oregon watched their 2007 season go up in smoke when Dennis Dixon was injured against Arizona. Hell, they were a much different team when VAJ wasn't on the field last year. UW was doomed to 0-12 once Locker went down in 2008. So, it's not just us.

It's important to have QB's in the system that are good so we don't have a repeat of 1998, but the idea that our backups are going to make a difference right now is fool's gold.

Flat, we're on the same side on this issue ... basically, if Falk goes down we're screwed. I'm not saying otherwise. I just don't want to be in a position where, if Falk goes down, we're one snap away from playing Gordon or Jorgenson instead of a (lightly) experienced and potentially decently capable RS-SO. (I'm not taking anything away from Gordon's talent level or his ultimate ceiling ... I just hope we don't see him this fall.)

Depending on when this were to happen, it could make the difference between, say, 4 wins and 6, even if it's not going to make the difference between 4 wins and 9 or 10.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

College can be a struggle for some. Some kids cruise through high school and then get to college and it just is another level for them. Not making excuses, just an observation.

I believe his grandmother passed away late fall too, maybe that and being far away from home hurt his academics? Whatever the reason, it happened - and he's just going to have to keep moving forward, whether it's at WSU or another school.

Flat makes valid points and it's rare that a backup come in and blow anyone's socks off. Just win, baby. Also in agreement with CP's statement, I hope TH (assuming he wins the No. 2 spot) can get a lot of game time due to a large leads.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Flat, we're on the same side on this issue ... basically, if Falk goes down we're screwed. I'm not saying otherwise. I just don't want to be in a position where, if Falk goes down, we're one snap away from playing Gordon or Jorgenson instead of a (lightly) experienced and potentially decently capable RS-SO. (I'm not taking anything away from Gordon's talent level or his ultimate ceiling ... I just hope we don't see him this fall.)

Depending on when this were to happen, it could make the difference between, say, 4 wins and 6, even if it's not going to make the difference between 4 wins and 9 or 10.

Building depth for the future is important and as you are saying, an extra two wins in a pinch is the difference between disaster and mediocre. Sometimes....mediocre is an acceptable alternative. Longer term, we don't want to end up like Oregon scrabbling for senior transfers and we don't want to replicate 1998.

 

[95coug]

I just wanted to comment on being thin at QB. We need to get over the idea that our #2 or #3 QB is going to come into games and shock the world with great play. When you look over the years at what happens when our starter goes down, it's almost alway ugly as hell.

In 1993, WSU was 5-2 after Pattinson went down in a 34-7 victory over Cal (who finished 9-4). Lost four straight to finish the season with Pattinson out.
In 1998, WSU flopped to a 3-8 finish after watching Leaf leave early for the NFL.
In 2002, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Gesser went down with injury.
In 2003, WSU gagged away the Apple Cup after Kegel had to leave the game due to injury.
In 2004, WSU lost to CU on a pick six thrown by backup Alex Brink. That loss kept us out of bowl eligibility.
2008 to 2012 was such a wreck that it's hard to fathom.
In 2014, WSU went 1-3 with Falk as starter after Halliday went down due to injury against USC.
In 2015, WSU was crushed by 5 TD's with Bender in as a starter.

You look at all those years and you see a lot of instances of WSU struggling when the backup QB comes in without a lot of experience.....which is just the way it is at that position. The time may come where that is different, but history suggests that the myth of QB depth is nothing more than wishful thinking. Oregon watched their 2007 season go up in smoke when Dennis Dixon was injured against Arizona. Hell, they were a much different team when VAJ wasn't on the field last year. UW was doomed to 0-12 once Locker went down in 2008. So, it's not just us.

It's important to have QB's in the system that are good so we don't have a repeat of 1998, but the idea that our backups are going to make a difference right now is fool's gold.

I don't think anyone is expecting a backup to come in and save the season. Very few teams have a Frank Reich on the roster. At WSU, I don't think there's been a single instance where a mid-season loss of the starter was a positive during the same season.

Gossen/Garcia in 1989 is the most successful example I can think of, and that season ended 6-5. Gossen/Garcia in 1990 was a disaster, and led to burning Bledsoe's redshirt in a lost 3-8 season.

I know 1993 is the classic example, but to be fair, while we were 5-2 and Pattinson was a pleasant surprise, he wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. He was averaging a bit over 200 yards a game, and had 10 TDs in 7 games. And, while neither Deeds or DeGrenier looked much like a Pac-10 QB over the last 4, those games included very tough Arizona and UCLA teams that may very well have beaten Pattinson too, and also a UW team that was ranked most of the season and finished 7-4.

Lots of people go with the 2004 Colorado game too, but I don't see that as comparable either. For one thing, that was the 2nd game of the season, so it's really hard to accept the assertion that "it kept us out of bowl eligibility". Sure, it could have been a 6th win, but so could the Oregon or Stanford games, which we lost by 1 score and which Swogger played all of. For another, Swogger was replaced because he was completely ineffective against CU, and had struggled the week before against powerhouse New Mexico. He was back for the next 4 games, turned in progressively worse performances, and was finally replaced for good at mid-season, having gone 3-3 against the easy part of the schedule.

 

[YakiCoug]

Building depth for the future is important and as you are saying, an extra two wins in a pinch is the difference between disaster and mediocre. Sometimes....mediocre is an acceptable alternative. Longer term, we don't want to end up like Oregon scrabbling for senior transfers and we don't want to replicate 1998.

MenckBaum hater!

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Wow. To be academically ineligible as a scholarship QB bespeaks either stupidity or complete immaturity. Of course, they are not mutually exclusive. He could stick around, suck it up and recover. Or he could cut and run…which, as we know, doesn't usually end well.

It seems clear that his maturity level is lacking. Hard to know which course of action he will choose.

 

[Cougsocal]

Academically ineligible. No link, as I've only seen it reported on Brand X, but it's all over Twitter as well.

With my understanding of academic ineligibility, this means his grades are so bad that even a strong effort in summer school wouldn't be enough to get him eligible.

Things suddenly look very thin at QB.

My god, ruled ineligible before Summer School? That is very very hard to do. If they won't even let you sign up for WSU's biggest academic band-aid classes like - intensive Spanish (10 credits) or set design, it is unlikely you will ever make it back.

Probably a good thing, shows a very poor work ethic, and that we don't need on a team that wins based on hard hat and lunch pail football.

 

[BiggsCoug]

If he is declared ineligible now, Im guessing he probably doesn't have the credits he needed over the fall and spring semesters. You can only push so many credits in the summer towards your required amount needed during the entire year. It keeps kids from taking 8 credits in the fall, a few more in the spring, then loading up the summer to finish out the required amount.

He didn't get the summer to try and play catch up. So while it may be true that his GPA or his progress towards his degree completion may be lacking, my guess is that he needs more credits this summer then the rules allow. Hence, he's done now.

The problem he may have in transferring is that this will follow him. I don't know about FCS academic rules. I'd imagine they are similar to FBS in regards to GPA, degree progress and needed credits per year. If he were to leave for FCS football he may be taking his problem with him. So playing right away just may not be an option.

If he were looking to play this season his best bet is probably in the NAIA.

 

[Fab5Coug]

My god, ruled ineligible before Summer School? That is very very hard to do. If they won't even let you sign up for WSU's biggest academic band-aid classes like - intensive Spanish (10 credits) or set design, it is unlikely you will ever make it back.

Probably a good thing, shows a very poor work ethic, and that we don't need on a team that wins based on hard hat and lunch pail football.

No it doesn't. I know plenty of people who worked very hard, but just struggled with school. Maybe he's just lazy, maybe he was having trouble balancing everything, or maybe school is just difficult for him.

 

[kayak15]

Well, so far we have had every conceivable explanation under the sun. Immaturity, lack of intelligence, laziness, psychological issues, too much partying, grandmother's demise, rigorous academics, homesickness, etc. None of the speculations have been accompanied with any factual data backing up the hypothesis. Talk about a pig in a poke! So who knows? We apparently don't.

However, I am pleased to read reports that he will remain in Pullman over the coming year. If I were his father I would insist on it. If our tutoring program is as good as reported and given Leach's emphasis on scholastic achievement then Wazzu gives him the best chance to get back on track. I have no doubt that Leach has discussed this problem with his parents and that they will do what is best for Peyton's future. If, after spending a year rectifying the problem, he wishes to transfer then fine. Peyton's education far outweighs his participation in our, or anyone else's, football program. A year of concentrating on school will serve him well in the future. I wish him the best.

 

[CrimsonWazzu]

If he is declared ineligible now, Im guessing he probably doesn't have the credits he needed over the fall and spring semesters. You can only push so many credits in the summer towards your required amount needed during the entire year. It keeps kids from taking 8 credits in the fall, a few more in the spring, then loading up the summer to finish out the required amount.

He didn't get the summer to try and play catch up. So while it may be true that his GPA or his progress towards his degree completion may be lacking, my guess is that he needs more credits this summer then the rules allow. Hence, he's done now.

The problem he may have in transferring is that this will follow him. I don't know about FCS academic rules. I'd imagine they are similar to FBS in regards to GPA, degree progress and needed credits per year. If he were to leave for FCS football he may be taking his problem with him. So playing right away just may not be an option.

If he were looking to play this season his best bet is probably in the NAIA.

I believe he would be able to sit the season, transfer in January, and his academic standing at the end of the Spring quarter/semester wherever he lands, will determine his eligibility for the 2017 season. That's assuming he ends up transferring.

He could very well stay, focus on class and working out, cut out the partying, and push hard for the starting job here in 2017 if Falk does declare early.

 

[brettcraycraft51]

No it doesn't. I know plenty of people who worked very hard, but just struggled with school. Maybe he's just lazy, maybe he was having trouble balancing everything, or maybe school is just difficult for him.

well said. some around here, to paraphrase the great dave dameshek, seem to be enjoying their view from up on mount pious.

 

[Fab5Coug]

I believe he would be able to sit the season, transfer in January, and his academic standing at the end of the Spring quarter/semester wherever he lands, will determine his eligibility for the 2017 season. That's assuming he ends up transferring.

He could very well stay, focus on class and working out, cut out the partying, and push hard for the starting job here in 2017 if Falk does declare early.

What partying is that?

 

[Flatlandcoug]

MenckBaum hater!

Busted!