Originally published April 11, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 11, 2007 at 2:02 AM

WSU Football | Doba talks Cougs "D"

Washington State coach Bill Doba says the Cougars offense is ahead of where it was a year ago, but he can't say the same about the defense...

By Craig Smith

Seattle Times staff reporter

Washington State coach Bill Doba says the Cougars offense is ahead of where it was a year ago, but he can't say the same about the defense.

Asked for his analysis of the Cougars defense this spring in the wake of the November meltdown that kept WSU out of a bowl game in 2006, Doba quipped:

"Do you have about two hours?"

Doba said the "biggest concern" remains cornerback, where the two starters were seniors and the fall starters could be recruits who have yet to set foot on campus.

Doba said he saw "things I like" last fall from returning cornerback Brian Williams but that he "needs to get better." He said Ryan Kensok "makes plays but he gambles a lot," and that Markus Dawes and Brian Walker need to get better reading keys.

The incoming crop of defensive backs includes Terry Mixon, a junior-college All-American safety at Grossmont (Calif.) and cornerbacks China Nwachukwu from Allen, Texas, Tyrone Justin of Van Nuys, Calif., Devin Giles of Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College and Romeo Pellum of Norwalk, Calif.

Doba said Wyman Alexander, a junior-college linebacker recruit might not clear academic hurdles and that the Cougars might start looking for a replacement.

Romeen Abdollmohammadi is leading fellow senior-to-be Loren Langley in the battle for starting kicker but that both are kicking well, Doba added.

Doba said Abdollmohammadi is likely to be the starter "unless he is terrible" in fall camp.

The Cougars will conduct their final spring scrimmage at 1 p.m. Saturday at Martin Stadium.

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

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