STILLWATER, Okla. – The question seemed simple enough: What’s the difference between the 2010 Washington State football team and that woeful Cougars team of 2009?
Gino Simone was so excited to provide an answer, he literally started laughing out of sheer joy.
“One eighty (180 degrees),” the sophomore wide receiver said. “The confidence we have is not even close to where it was last year.”
A Cougars team that coach Paul Wulff describes as “much, much better” gets its first chance to prove it tonight at Oklahoma State (4 p.m. FSN). More than 50,000 fans are expected to turn out on a warm night at Boone Pickens Stadium.
“Our preparation and focus (is improved), because we know what we’ve got to accomplish,” WSU cornerback Daniel Simmons said. “Our offseason workouts were ridiculous. I never worked that hard in my life.”
WSU defensive players better be in great shape, because the Cowboys run a no-huddle, spread offense that plans to operate at a tempo virtually unrivaled in college football.
“I’ll be exhausted when it’s all said and done,” OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden said.
“There’s no question they’re going to get their completions out in space,” Wulff said, “so we have to tackle extremely well.”
That may prove challenging for a secondary with just one upperclassman, senior strong safety Chima Nwachuwku (CHEE-muh WATCH-uh-koo), on the two-deep depth chart.
WSU’s young defensive backs call Nwachukwu “Uncle Chim.” The fourth-year starter is looking forward to helping the youngsters deal with Oklahoma State’s new pass-happy offense.
“We know they’re going to hurry up and try to run a lot of plays at us,” Nwachukwu said.
“We have to be patient,” Wulff said. “We’ve got to understand they’re going to get their yards.”
It is imperative that the Cougars get their yards, too. Part of the reason WSU ranked last in the nation in defense in 2009 was due to the fact that the offense ranked next to last and kept the injury-ravaged defense on the field far too long.
The offense should be improved with sophomore quarterback Jeff Tuel and senior running backs James Montgomery and Chantz Staden back in the lineup after injury problems last season. True freshman Marquess Wilson and junior college transfer Isiah Barton are exciting new additions at wide receiver.
“Jeff is more confident in his receivers, and the receivers are more confident in Jeff,” Simone said.
Wulff said Tuel is “bigger and stronger. His arm is probably stronger as well.”
The Cougars, 1-11 overall and 0-9 in the Pac-10 last season, are the consensus pick to finish last in the conference for the second straight year. Some “experts” predict Oklahoma State will wind up last in the Big 12 South after losing most of the talent and experience off last year’s 9-4 squad.
Still, oddsmakers have the Cowboys favored by as many as 17 points tonight, thanks largely to the presence of senior running back Kendall Hunter.
“He’s their best player,” Simmons said. “He’s going to get swings (swing passes). We expect him to get the ball on the first play of the game.”
Simmons says he doesn’t care who has the ball for the Cowboys, he just wants to unload on someone – anyone – besides a teammate after a month of practices.
“I’m tired of these guys,” he said with a smile. “I don’t want to hit ’em anymore.”
COUGARS GAMEDAY WASHINGTON STATE (0-0) AT OKLAHOMA STATE (0-0)
KICKOFF: 4 p.m., Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Okla.
TV: none RADIO: 850-AM, 1240-AM, 1090-AM
THE SERIES: Washington State leads, 2-1. Oklahoma State won the last meeting, 39-13, in 2008 in Seattle.
WHAT TO WATCH: Both teams are inexperienced at key positions. Oklahoma State is operating a new offense, one designed to run plays at an extremely high rate, with plenty of passing. OSU coach Mike Gundy has refused to say whether DE Jamie Blatnick or FS Victor Johnson will play. Both are listed at No. 2 on the depth chart after Blatnick pled guilty to hitting a former teammate in the face with a beer bottle in a bar fight, and Johnson’s multiple run-ins with the law included a DUI.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Cougars are bigger, faster, stronger and deeper than the 11-loss teams of the past two years, but Oklahoma State is favored by 17 points. A win, or even a close loss, would provide WSU players, coaches and fans with a much-needed boost of morale and confidence. WSU’s defense, last in the nation a year ago, must slow down talented running back Kendall Hunter. He’s running behind a rebuilt offensive line.
TNT PICK: Oklahoma State, 31-24.
PRIME NUMBERS
Washington State
No. Name, position Ht./Wt. Year
10 Jeff Tuel, QB 6-3/214 Sophomore Passed for 354 yards vs. Cal as true freshman last year.
17 Alex Hoffman-Ellis, OLB 6-1/241 Junior Led team with 84 tackles last season.
21 James Montgomery, RB 5-10/200 Senior Ran for 118 yards vs. Hawaii last year.
5 Brandon Rankin, DT 6-5/181 Junior National JC Defensive Player of Year in 2008.
84 Jared Karstetter, WR 6-4/208 Junior Led WSU in 2009 with 38 catches, 540 yards, 6 TDs.
Oklahoma State
No. Name, position Ht./Wt. Year
24 Kendall Hunter, RB 5-8/200 Senior Injured last year; ran for 1,555 yards and 16 TDs in 2008.
91 Ugo Chinasa, DE 6-5/255 Senior Led team with 61/2 sacks, 9 QB hurries last year.
3 Brandon Weeden, QB 6-4/219 Junior Nearing 27 years of age, has thrown 27 passes in college.
10 Markelle Martin, SS 6-1/202 Junior Had 11 pass breakups, 45 tackles, 0 interceptions last year.
84 Hubert Anyiam, WR 6-0/203 Junior Led 2009 Cowboys with 42 catches, 515 receiving yards.
Howie Stalwick, contributing writer
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