***WSU @ ARIZONA GAME THREAD***

[chipdouglas]

It is still way early and anything can and will happen in the second half. But, the Cougars defense gave up only 14 points to one of the highest scoring teams in the entire country.

I am not sure why you are complaining about the defense from watching that first half.

With respect to the actual post of mine which you have quoted, you're imputing motives where there are none. A bad choice of post to call me out.

Now, to the point of when it is or is not OK to criticize the defense, like it or not - this isn't SB Nation. I don't have to clear my views with mods - or you - before I post them. It is OK to be bummed that the O comes out hot and the D gives up a penalty-filled 80-yard drive despite the tailwinds of bad snaps - followed up by another given up touchdown by the ST. The margin of error with this team the past few years has been razor thin. It's OK to be critical. There are no thought police here.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Wowzers. Great pass by Falk.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

You could see that pass to Dom coming. No way they can stop that. Lol.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Offensive juggernaut.

 

[chipdouglas]

TOUCHDOWN COUGARS!!

38-21 COUGS!!

*Pending XP

 

[wulffui]

It took three and a half years, but it's a Leach offense, performing consistently.

 

[wulffui]

Cougs score... with a three back set. Different deal this year.

 

[chipdouglas]

Amazing stat - last time WSU won 3 straight in conference was 12 years ago?!

It was that bad, folks. Who saw this coming after PDX State at home?

 

[jarvis1981]

It took three and a half years, but it's a Leach offense, performing consistently.

No disrespect to the Cougars players of the past but they were completely undersized.
Remember the 250 lb O-linemen?
Now these guys are 320 or more and they have 8 of these guys.
Depth is still an issue at WSU and that's one of the reasons that Special teams are still a problem but I suspect that will get better over time as well.

UA can still come back in this game but if the Cougs get the next score then this one could be over.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

He should get called for grounding for that.

 

[chipdouglas]

D gives up a 60-yard run to let Zona back in the game (sorry 90).

Boy, those Arizona snaps are ATROCIOUS.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Amazing stat - last time WSU won 3 straight in conference was 12 years ago?!

It was that bad, folks. Who saw this coming after PDX State at home?

We are generally bad at home. Don't forget that. But yes, no one saw this coming.
I am much more comfortable with our chances on the road. Strange, but the evidence supports this overwhelmingly.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

What a great stop!

 

[702coug]

randle is going to be a handful.

 

[chipdouglas]

Great penetration and 4th down stop by the D!

 

[MikeFingLeach]

Huge stop. Need a long clock eating drive

 

[Suudy]

He should get called for grounding for that.

Clearly thrown to save yardage. The "receiver in the area" was a cop out. He had no intention of trying to complete that pass.

 

[chipdouglas]

We are generally bad at home. Don't forget that. But yes, no one saw this coming.
I am much more comfortable with our chances on the road. Strange, but the evidence supports this overwhelmingly.

It's true. And weird.

 

[Coug1990]

My finger is not pointed at Leach. I've been totally patient with him, though admittedly it was beginning to wear thin after Portland State in Year 4.

My question is about ST and ST talent, scheme and coaching. Does an ST coach really need head coach time to stop giving up house calls? Is special teams that kind of job? I keep hearing that it's getting better, and we keep giving up worst-in-class plays.

Coug D just gives up another one to keep it interesting. 28-21 Cougs.

Ok. What I meant is that it took years to get the offense really humming. This is really Mele's first year.

Now, with exceptions, ST usually has younger players. Younger players make both mental and physical mistakes. Plus, most of those players have never played the ST position that they are being asked to play. Understand, that most of the skill players were the ball carriers, not the player asked to run down and make the tackle.

It is similar to baseball players who are great hitting stars, but in the majors they are asked to bunt and move players over. In the beginning, it is new to them and they struggle.

With time and recruiting better players, you will see fewer big plays happen. It really is just a physical and mental problem that time will take care of.

 

[chipdouglas]

One more TD and Zona will be in full desperation mode. I like our chances then.

 

[chipdouglas]

One of the big turning points for Luke has been his willingness to dump off to the RB. He looks so calm out there, as if the RB is a guaranteed completion when everything else breaks down.

 

[chipdouglas]

Erik Powell gets a freebie there. Not sure if it's fair to call a 50 yard miss another ST miscue?

No credit though for Charme kicking it into the EZ from the 40.

 

[wulffui]

randle is going to be a handful.

He's also going to throw at least one interception.

 

[chipdouglas]

Zona having some success with misdirection and running, but the question is, down 17 with the 4th about to start, how much longer can they afford to grind it out?

 

[chipdouglas]

All Arizona has now is trick plays. How much longer can it work? Can you trick your way out of a 17-point hole with 1 quarter to play?

Let's hope not.

 

[MikeFingLeach]

Need pts here

 

[wulffui]

Take that, dirty.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

D gives up a 60-yard run to let Zona back in the game (sorry 90).

Boy, those Arizona snaps are ATROCIOUS.

glass houses.

It wasn't that long ago, in the CML era even, that we couldn't get the ball from center to qb either.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Marks lost that ball in the shadow. Lucky it didn't get picked.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Ugh, Dom is having one of his days. Sure do wish he would fight for those balls.

 

[chipdouglas]

Officiating seems so arbitrary. If you took 10 college refs and showed them 100 PI calls you couldn't get a consensus more than about 30% of the time.

 

[StormyCOUG42]

getting nervous now... we can't seem to put this game away...

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Officiating seems so arbitrary. If you took 10 college refs and showed them 100 PI calls you couldn't get a consensus more than about 30% of the time.

Are you referring to the push off in the end zone, or DW getting raped?

Honestly, though, the officials have been a non story today, which is how I like it.

 

[chipdouglas]

A stop could be really big here - get the O back on the field chewing clock.

 

[702coug]

az receivers catch everything. yeeesh!

 

[Suudy]

getting nervous now... we can't seem to put this game away...

Alcohol helps with the nervousness. Randall doesn't.

 

[chipdouglas]

Are you referring to the push off in the end zone, or DW getting raped?

Honestly, though, the officials have been a non story today, which is how I like it.

Yeah I don't disagree - it's really just the culmination of having seen 1000 P12 games and how terrible the rules (and the refs) are that PI (etc.) has become more of an art than a science.

 

[chipdouglas]

A RIDICULOUS hold there that goes uncalled.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

getting nervous now... we can't seem to put this game away...

I have this sinking fear this game will go down to wire. Hope I'm wrong. Our team likes them close.

 

[Coug1990]

Randle has been an awfully inaccurate passer his entire career. Unfortunately, he his having a career game in passing accuracy.