Happy Monday Cougs, and we hope all is well with you and yours as we return to the rise-n-grind of GAME WEEK y'all! Can you believe it? It's finally here, after a lightning-fast summer and everything else, and now we are less than a week from kickoff.
So how does everyone feel about this one? Opening at Auburn, yeesh it's daunting. Down in SEC land, in the humidity of what is likely going to be a factor on Saturday night, and a matchup where we're already 15-pt dogs? It sounds tough, but I guess we'll show up and see what happens.
For what it's worth, we actually did a new podcast last night. We're calling it Season 2, Episode 1 (or S2E1), as we roll into a new season. Check it out, plus other stuff floating out there on this Monday of game week…
As promised, S2E1 of the WSU Football Blogfather show:
NOTE – if you can't get the embedded player to show up in your browser, you can click through to this link. It's a quick listen, just 30 minutes, and not to spoil anything but one of us is getting awfully close to picking the upset!
Other stuff out there today:
Caple's latest touches on the unknown commodity at Auburn right now anyway, in QB Nick Marshall. I know we are all about to find out who and what he actually is this coming Saturday, but the buzz is that he's off the charts athletically and could be a perfect fit in Gus Malzahn's ground heavy, no-huddle attack. Marshall has some gaudy stats from last year as a JC QB, throwing for over 3,000 yards and rushing for over 1,000, so folks are pretty jacked for what's to come.
HOWEVER, as Caple pointed out in his article? Marshall did toss 20 INT's last year at the JC level, or 7 more than Conner Halliday threw at the BCS level in 2012. Not that it's rocket science or anything, but defensively I guess this one will all boil down to how WSU handles the no-huddle running attack? In the words of Mike Breske:
“We’re preparing for the run game first, and get them to throw the ball, obviously,” Breske said. “But we’ve got to be solid in the run game if we can’t get them in throwing down situations. They’ve got very talented running backs, a big offensive line, big tight ends and that type of deal. We’re working hard on our run fits.”
In other words, slow that sucker down and you've got a puncher's chance…? We'll see.
Moving on, we mentioned it in the podcast from last night but Bud Withers had a really good read on Conner Halliday. While some may read it and come away with a feel that it's more excuse-making for Halliday's inconsistency last year than anything else, but I thought it was really good insight that might at least help explain the struggles of 2012? I know I felt like I was far too quick to judge Halliday's fit in this scheme, and I sure as hell believe he deserves a clean slate for 2013, and it's time to let go of some of what we saw last year.
I know I've been down on the low completion percentage from Halliday, just 52% last year. And that for the Air Raid to really work, at least in Leach's strongest seasons as a play caller, the QB needs to hum along at least in that 65% range, preferably closer to 70% overall. But I also recall the struggles of the O-line last year, the 57 sacks and zero running game and the numerous QB hits that can make any young QB a little "gun shy" to hang in the pocket time and again and take the beatings? And Withers touched on how much trust and responsibility that Leach puts on his QB's and WR's and everyone being on the same page, AND how Halliday didn't even participate in spring ball as well as not many reps with the 1's all of camp last year, and THEN he's thrust into action after Jeff Tuel tweaked the knee early in the year? I guess I have changed my view on big #12, and I now believe that we haven't seen the "real" Halliday yet. I approach 2013 with an open mind and a feeling that it's a clean slate and fresh start to re-establish who he is and what he's all about….but if it's a rough first couple of games, well, I wouldn't be shocked if we may see a new face under center by the home opener. So there!
Moving on, as has been mentioned elsewhere already but Bud Nameck now slides into the full-time PBP guy going forward. WSU announced the move on Friday, as our old friend Bob Robertson slides over a seat in the booth and will provide some color commentary along the way. So while it's time to make the change, it's the end of an era after 470 consecutive games calling the action for good ol' Bob Rob.
Finally, while not yet official Christian Caple takes a stab at the depth chart for this week. The official release will likely come later today so we'll see how it all shakes out, but it's a good look at what's likely to come this Saturday (although unless I'm missing something, where is Logan Mayes??).
All for now. Enjoy your Monday, and GO COUGS!
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