WSU Football Notebook | Experience boosts Baylor

Coaches are paid to worry about opponents, and Bill Doba of Washington State has no shortage of concerns about Baylor.

The Cougars (1-1) play the Bears (1-1) from Waco, Texas, on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Qwest Field. Doba said everything from the makeup of the visitors to the way they line up poses a problem.

"They have 31 seniors on the team and 16 are starters," said Doba, whose Cougars are 13 ½-point favorites.

Twenty-five seniors are fifth-year students.

"That's a lot of experience, a lot of depth, a lot of leadership," Doba said. "We better be ready to play."

The Baylor attack emphasizes short passes thrown from an unusual formation.

"The biggest difference you'll see is a 5- to 6-foot gap between tackle and guard depending on how confident the tackle is that he can beat an inside charge," Doba said. "The reason they do that is to split the defensive end way out. That way, if he beats the tackle he's still got a long way to go to get to the quarterback."

Baylor has thrown 93 passes (completing 58) and run the ball only 28 times this season in a 17-7 loss to Texas Christian and a 47-10 romp over Division I-AA Northwestern State of Louisiana.

Baylor used an option attack when the Cougars played the Bears in the 1994 Alamo Bowl. WSU won 10-3.

"I wish they were [running the option] now to be honest with you," Doba said. "They can attack where we are the weakest with our corners and secondary."

On defense, the Bears routinely use five defensive backs and only two linebackers.

Scheduling

Doba said he would like to schedule one "formidable" nonconference opponent every year but said he didn't want to play "perennial powers" such as Michigan or Ohio State.

Next year, the Cougars will open at Wisconsin.

"I think that's kind of fun for our kids," Doba said. "I tell them, 'That's why you come to a Pac-10 school. You get a chance to walk into a stadium with 87,000 screaming fans against you. That's a great feeling if you can get that crowd quiet.' "

Auburn wasn't expected to be as good as the Tigers turned out to be when the Cougars scheduled this year's road opener against them a year in advance. Doba said he thinks the WSU visit to Auburn, where the Cougars lost 40-14, "helped" the Cougars beat Idaho 56-10 last week.

Brink gets lectured

WSU quarterback Alex Brink was asked Tuesday if any coaches admonished him for taking too many chances running with the ball against Idaho.

"All of them," he said.

Brink rushed five times for 46 yards.

"Usually, I don't like to slide but I'll probably have to," Brink said. "I understand the need to protect myself."

Notes

• Starting LB Scott Davis left practice early with a strained Achilles tendon. He is expected to be able to play Saturday.

• Starting RB DeMaundray Woolridge, who missed the Idaho game with a thigh bruise, practiced Tuesday.

• Injured starting CB Don Turner (hip) tried to practice, then went to the locker room early.

• There was no word on whether G Andy Roof, who had been a starter early in camp, is to return to practice soon. He suffered a fractured thumb in camp and it was to be re-examined this week.

• CB Courtney Williams (thumb) is expected to play Saturday, as is backup S Michael Willis (shoulder).

• Expected to be out are backup CB Markus Dawes (high-ankle sprain) and reserve RB Chris Ivory (ankle).

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com