WSU Notebook | Tough days for Dennis Erickson

Eight miles apart on the Palouse on Sunday, coaches and players from Washington State and Idaho reviewed video of the Cougars' 56-10 romp from Saturday.

The Cougars' sessions had to be more enjoyable than the screenings in Moscow.

After the worst beating of his college and NFL coaching career, Dennis Erickson said, "The thing that I really want to check is who played hard in the fourth quarter of this game.

"That's real important to me," Erickson continued sternly. "Who played hard and who didn't play hard because that gives you an idea of where we're at. If there's anything positive out of this, it's finding out who played hard and who quit."

Bearing down

The Cougars play Baylor (1-1) at Qwest Field on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Baylor dismantled Division I-AA Northwestern State of Natchitoches, La., 47-10 Saturday night.

Quarterback Shawn Bell threw four touchdown passes and cornerback C.J. Wilson made two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

Baylor lost its opener at home to Texas Christian 17-7.

WSU last played Baylor in the 1994 Alamo Bowl and beat the Bears 10-3. Baylor leads the series 3-1.

Same wavelength

Quarterback Alex Brink's passing performance against Idaho — 12-for-15 passing for 231 yards and three touchdowns — prompted coach Bill Doba to talk about how in sync Brink is with quarterback coach Timm Rosenbach.

"Those two are really on the same wavelength," Doba said. "They break the huddle and come to the line. And Rosey says [into the headset that Doba monitors], 'Oh no, no, no, they're pressing. We need to check it.'

"And sure enough, he checks it," Doba went on. "Or, 'We need to do this and go over the top.' It's like he's got a headset or a microphone or an earpiece in Brink's helmet."

More WSU fame

WSU inducted nine into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday.

Inductees were basketball players James Donaldson and Steve Puidokas, football standouts Dan Lynch and Vaughan Hitchcock (who also starred in wrestling), swimmer Dick Hannula, gymnastics coach Hubert Dunn, bowler Janet Harman, track and field star Laura Lavine and former athletic director Sam Jankovich.

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