College Football
Cougars back on the learning curve

By Craig Smith
Seattle Times staff reporter

JAMES BRANAMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Freshman defensive tackle Ropati Pitoitua, trying to break through the line during practice, has already secured a starting job.

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

The Cougars have brought home stellar report cards for three historic, consecutive 10-win years, but this looks like a season the final grade won't be anywhere near as good.

The Cougars have a new quarterback, the fewest starters back in the Pac-10 and injury issues at some key positions.

But their three-year magic carpet ride, which ended Sun Bowl-Rose Bowl-Holiday Bowl, has taught players to expect to win.

The only major blemish the past three seasons has been the inability to win the Apple Cup. This could be the year the Cougars win it — but fall short on at least a handful of other Saturdays.

Grading the Cougars Quarterbacks Josh Swogger was hot and cold as a freshman backup last year, had a spotty spring and has had trouble moving the offense in fall scrimmages, but showed late improvement. Freshman Alex Brink hasn't overtaken him. Grade: C. Running backs Chris Bruhn is big, smooth and a load to tackle. JC transfer Jerome Harrison is quick and elusive, but he hasn't played in a Pac-10 game. Allen Thompson has trouble staying healthy. Kevin McCall is untested. Grade: C-plus. Receivers Among tight ends Troy Bienemann (second-team Pac-10) and 6-foot-8 Cody Boyd and wideouts Jason Hill, Marty Martin, Chris Jordan, Michael Bumpus, Greg Prator, Trandon Harvey and others, the job should get done. Grade: B. Offensive line Three spots appear solid — tackles Sam Lightbody and Calvin Armstrong and center Nick Mihlhauser. Norvell Holmes has stepped up at right guard. Grade: C-plus. Defensive line All starters are gone, but the cupboard isn't bare. Depth is a concern. This group has looked good in camp. Senior tackle Steve Cook is the graybeard, and surprising freshman Ropati Pitoitua will start. Aaron Johnson could be a force. Mkristo Bruce and Adam Braidwood are a good end tandem. Grade: B-minus. Linebackers Preseason All-American Will Derting is expected to play in the season opener with a dislocated wrist. Scott Davis could have a breakout year. Steve Dildine and Pat Bennett are solid. Depth is a problem. Grade: B-minus. Secondary Cornerback Karl Paymah is the only returning starter, but there still is plenty of experience with safeties Jeremy Bohannon and Hamza Abdullah. Cornerbacks Alex Teems, Don Turner and JC transfer Tyron Brackenridge can make big plays. Grade: B. Special teams Cougars have an All-American candidate in punter Kyle Basler. Concern is placekicking, where Graham Siderius might be too inconsistent and freshman Loren Langley could be needed for field goals. Siderius is a capable kickoff man. Return men are inexperienced, but blocking and tackling on special teams should be good. Grade: C-plus. Craig Smith

Here are 10 questions as the curtain is about to rise:

1. How good can the Cougars be?

The Cougars look good enough to have a winning record and make it to a bowl for an unprecedented fourth straight year. The Pac-10 has seven bowl berths available, and all a team has to do is finish above .500 to be eligible for one of them. If the Cougars win two of three nonconference games and go 4-4 in league play, they go bowling.

There is no realistic chance to extend the remarkable 10-win-season streak to a fourth year. This team is rebuilding and doesn't look as good as the past three. The mathematical clincher is that the standard schedule in college football this year is 11 regular-season games, not 12 as it was in 2002 and 2003.

2. What could surprise fans about this team?

The defense. Although there are only two returning starters, this is an aggressive unit loaded with players who got meaningful game experience last year. Coordinator Robb Akey is an emotional leader, and that rubs off on this unit.

Key ingredients of recent stalwart Cougars defenses appear to exist, at least in unpolished form — tackles who can clog the middle, ends who can crash and sack and cornerbacks who can cover man-to-man.

3. Do the Cougars have a good schedule?

Yes. It has been called the best schedule in the Pac-10. The nonleague games are all winnable — at New Mexico, vs. Colorado in Seattle and vs. Idaho in Pullman — and Oregon, USC and Washington all visit the Palouse.

The Cougars' "miss" in the Pac-10 again this year is nationally ranked California.

The Cougars play at Arizona on the afternoon of Sept. 25 in a game moved from Oct. 2 for television. Playing the Wildcats sooner might be better, as Arizona could improve fast under new coach Mike Stoops. This change also puts the bye week closer to the midpoint of the season, when a break is most needed.

The Cougars could be in for a lot of close games this season, and the only opponent that looks unbeatable is USC.

4. What should a Cougars fan be worried about?

The No. 1 concern should be the offense, because it didn't look good in fall scrimmages. Can redshirt sophomore Josh Swogger fill the shoes of Matt Kegel and Jason Gesser at quarterback? If Swogger falters, can freshman Alex Brink, who is more mobile but lacks Swogger's arm, do the job?

The guard positions were an early concern that looks better now.

All-America candidate Will Derting (dislocated wrist) is expected to start despite the injury. But his effectiveness may be limited while his wrist heals. The junior linebacker is the heart and soul of the defense. Lack of depth at linebacker and defensive tackle is a big worry.

5. What games are especially important?

The Sept. 11 game in Seattle against Colorado could turn out to be the deciding factor in a bowl bid. The Oct. 23 visit to Oregon State comes a week before USC visits Pullman. And, of course, there is the Nov. 20 Apple Cup, in which Cougar Nation desperately wants the Huskies' winning streak to end at an embarrassing six. There can be no argument that the past two Cougars teams were superior to the Huskies, yet they lost. This year's home-field advantage could be significant. Coach Bill Doba already has said he hopes it snows.

	JAMES BRANAMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Preseason injuries to safety Hamza Abdullah (left) and linebacker Will Derting add concern to the Cougars' defense.

6. What new faces are likely to make a splash?

Freshman wide receiver Michael Bumpus has matched his national-recruit hype in practice. Ropati Pitoitua is a 6-foot-7, 277-pound freshman defensive tackle who enrolled in January and has won a starting job. Defensive tackle Aaron Johnson redshirted last year as a freshman and could be a force. Running back Jerome Harrison is elusive and from the same junior college that supplied the Cougars with Jonathan Smith, the productive back of 2002 and 2003. Wide receiver Greg Prator is a powerful junior-college transfer who has looked good. Tyron Brackenridge is a JC cornerback who can contribute. Freshman place kicker Loren Langley is just 5-9 and 146 pounds, but he has a strong and accurate leg and it won't be a surprise if he winds up handling field-goal duties this season.

7. If you had to rank the 10 best Cougars, who would they be?

1. Derting; 2. Kyle Basler, Jr., punter; 3. Karl Paymah, Sr., cornerback; 4. Calvin Armstrong, Sr., offensive tackle; 5. Troy Bienemann, Jr., tight end; 6. Nick Mihlhauser, Jr., center; 7. Scott Davis, So., LB; 8. Adam Braidwood, Jr., defensive end; 9. Chris Bruhn, Sr., running back; 10. Chris Jordan, So., wide receiver.

	JAMES BRANAMAN / THE TIMES Coach Bill Doba hopes to stop UW's Apple Cup win streak at six.

8. Who could have a breakout year?

Wide receiver Jason Hill didn't catch a pass as a true freshman last year but was productive on special teams. He could catch a bunch this fall. Davis is an exciting player who could have a big year.

9. The three starting wide receivers from last year's team — Devard Darling, Scott Lunde and Sammy Moore — are gone. Why isn't this considered a big problem?

Because Marty Martin, Chris Jordan, Trandon Harvey, Bumpus, Prator and Hill appear capable of stepping up and doing the job. When it comes to pass targets, the Cougars also have tight ends Bienemann (29 catches last year) and 6-8 Cody Boyd (18 catches). Boyd can be split wide, and a lot of cornerbacks will need stepladders to reach high balls tossed to him.

10. Eight of the 28 members of the recruiting class failed to get into WSU. Will that hurt this year?

Not that much. Of the eight, just three might have played this season — JC defensive end Letrell Myers, safety Randy Estes and defensive back Michael Willis. The Cougars hope to get Myers and Willis into school in January. Anyone who enters in January can be counted as 2004 recruits under the NCAA rule that allows 25 scholarship athletes to enter every fall. The Cougars had expected some of the 28 athletes signed last February not to make it. Eight is certainly more than they expected. The Cougars admit they took risks because these borderline students were so enticing and because a lot of academically risky athletes have succeeded at WSU.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

E-mail this article

Print this article

Search archive

More College Sports headlines...