SB Nation - Darren Markle

WSU Fall Practice Report: All Is Quiet

Brian Floyd — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 01:36:03 -0000

It was a rather uneventful practice in Pullman on Tuesday, with few big plays to speak of. The safeties has a solid day, picking off multiple passes, and a freshman wide receiver continued to dominate on the outside. Oh, and it's still very hot out.

The Cougars practice for about two and a half hours, spending the first hour at Rogers Field before heading down to the stadium for special teams work and team drills. It was basically the same format as last week. The most entertaining part of practice came at the end, when Mike Leach went off on a pretty great tangent about sharks. You can read that transcript over here.

For more on practice, including the few big plays there were to speak of, read on.

The Gabe Marks Show continued, and I really don't see it stopping. He catches just about everything, and if he gets into a one-on-one situation with a corner, it's over. During the one-on-one drills, he was being dragged down by Ray Ford and still hauled the catch in while getting a foot down in the back corner of the end zone. The next time the two faced off, Ford had Marks' hand pinned, and Marks still snared the ball with one hand in the back of the end zone. After that play, Ford screamed ... frustrated by his inability to slow Marks down. Kid can flat play.
Deone Bucannon had a nice day, picking off two passes. The first was a pretty bad read and throw by Jeff Tuel, that Bucannon easily hauled in. The second came late in practice, with Bucannon stepping in front of a Connor Halliday throw in the end zone.
Taylor Taliulu was, once again, running with the first-team defense. He made a nice interception on a tipped ball that appeared to bounce off Gino Simone and Eric Oertel on a short route. Taliulu looks like he's in line to play quite a bit at the safety spot, if the practice rotations are any indication (or he could just be getting a look).
The first-team defense for the day: Matt Bock, Steven Hoffart, Ioane Gauta, Travis Long, Chester Su'a, Darryl Monroe, Eric Oertel, Nolan Washington, Damante Horton, Taylor Taliulu and Deone Bucannon. The second team: Destiny Vaeao, Austin Brown, David Davis, Logan Mayes, Justin Sagote, Jared Byers, Cyrus Coen, Daniel Simons, Tracy Clark, Casey Locker and Tyree Toomer.
The starters on offense were the same as usual: John Fullington, Matt Goetz, Elliott Bosch, Wade Jacobson and Jake Rodgers from left to right. Jeff Tuel as the quarterback -- and he had more reps with the ones on Tuesday. At wide receiver, Marks, Marquess Wilson, Andrei Lintz, Gino Simone and Rickey Galvin all saw time with the ones in different formations.
Practice ended in a different way on Tuesday. The team huddled up around Leach for quite a few minutes as Leach explained how overtime works. They then ran back out onto the field for one play -- a quick screen to Marks -- before huddling up again. It was, presumably, to simulate the end of the game and a coin toss. The second-team offense then went three-and-out against the first team defense -- ending with the aforementioned Bucannon interception -- and the first-team offense scored a few plays later on a slant to Wilson to "win."
As far as injuries go, the usual suspects were on the bike: Kristoff Williams, Toni Pole, Xavier Cooper and Darren Markle. Isiah Myers was also in street clothes. Robert Barber and Rico Forbes were also on crutches, wearing bulky knee braces.

That's it from practice. The Cougars get back out on the field at 9:15 tomorrow morning. I'm told it'll be a simulated travel day, hence the early practice.

Simming The Season, Week 8: BYE Is No Match For Cougars

Kyle Rancourt — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 20:00:12 -0000

You have no idea how close I came to making the title of this post "Cougars Are Bye Curious", but then decided it was probably in poor taste. I laughed about it for a while, though.

Anyways, I hadn't originally planned on even writing about the Bye Week because nothing happens. After thinking about it more, though, it's a good opportunity to post a bunch of things you guys have been asking for. Also, there was a pretty big upset in the Pac 12, and a handful of key players went down with injuries, including Washington QB Keith Price and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Oregon QB Bryan Bennett and RB De'Anthony Thomas, and a few of our own players (Darren Markle and Lenard Williams). I haven't looked at the Injured Player list yet this season, so some of these injuries have been around for a while, possibly explaining why their teams tanked (looking at UW). Because if you can come back from a broken foot in 1 week, you're basically not human.

After the jump, we'll look at an updated Pac 12 standings, as well as a Top 25.

Around the Pac 12:

Arizona 49, UW 35
Utah 34, Oregon State 0
USC 31, Colorado 21
Stanford 31, Cal 6
Arizona State 27, Oregon 10

WHOA. Arizona State knocks off the previously unbeaten and #1 team in the nation. The injuries to Bennett (broken hand, out 3 weeks) and Thomas (strained back, out 7 weeks) certainly didn't help, and I kind of wish we could have played them sans those two guys. We probably would have won. Also, the absence of both Price (broken collarbone, out 4 weeks) and ASJ (stress fracture in foot, out 2 weeks) for the Huskies is almost certainly why they've just fallen apart.

Speaking of injuries, Darren Markle is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Lenard Williams will miss the next 2 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot. I was hoping Logan Mayes was on the injured player list, as a reason to explain away his complete drop off in production, but he's not hurt. He's just not getting any playing time.

Updated Pac 12 Standings:

North

1. Oregon (6-1) [3-1]
2. Wazzu (6-1) [3-1]
3. Stanford (4-3) [2-2]
4. UW (3-4) [0-4]
5. Oregon State (2-5) [0-4]
6. Cal (2-6) [0-5]

South

1. Utah (7-0) [4-0]
2. USC (6-1) [4-1]
3. UCLA (6-1) [3-1]
4. Arizona (5-2) [3-1]
5. Arizona State (3-4) [2-2]
6. Colorado (2-5) [1-3]

Top 25 (Coaches Poll):

1. Kansas State (7-0)
2. Texas (7-0)
3. TCU (7-0)
4. Utah (7-0)
5. Alabama (6-1)
6. USC (6-1)
7. Virginia Tech (7-1)
8. Arkansas (5-2)
9. Oklahoma (4-2)
10. Iowa (7-0)
11. LSU (6-2)
12. Auburn (6-1)
13. Wisconsin (7-1)
14. Notre Dame (6-1)
15. Oregon (6-1)
16. Georgia (5-2)
17. Florida State (6-2)
18. Michigan (5-2)
19. Nevada (8-0)
20. NC State (6-1)
21. Florida (5-2)
22. Clemson (4-3)
23. UCLA (6-1)
24. Nebraska (5-2)
25. Mississippi State (6-1)

Also Receiving Votes:
Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Tennessee, Ohio State, Arizona, Stanford

Other Interesting Tidbits:

WSU is currently ranked 38th. It certainly doesn't help that BYU, Oregon State, and Cal have all completely fallen on their faces.
With the week off, Jeff Tuel drops to 5th in the Heisman race.
Speaking of Tuel, he needs 4 TDs to surpass Ryan Leaf for the most passing TDs in a single season at WSU. He'll need just over 1,000 yards (1,083) to surpass Leaf's passing yardage mark, which sounds like a lot. Then you realize we have at least 5 games left, and Tuel has been averaging 400 yards per game, and suddenly it seems pretty likely Leaf's record won't hold up.
WSU is #1 in the nation in total yards (4,847), passing yards (3,288), and passing TDs (31), as well as #2 in offensive yards (3,878) and #4 in points per game (43.8). They come in at #122 (out of 123) in rushing yards (590), and tied for #114 in rushing TDs (4). East Carolina comes in at #121 in rushing yards with 591.
Our defense is a different story, though. We come in #6 in the Pac 12 in offensive yards allowed, 9th in passing yards allowed, 6th in rushing yards allowed, 8th in points allowed, 2nd in sacks, and tied for 12th in interceptions.
Here comes the fun: we get penalized a lot. WSU is currently worst in the Pac 12 in penalties, and tied for 26th in most times penalized in the nation. We're tied for 10th in the Pac 12 in turnover differential (-3) and 11th in takeaways (9). We're also 1st in interceptions thrown (10) but have only lost 2 fumbles, good for best in the Pac 12.
Even though the Cougars didn't play this week, Tyree Toomer still missed a tackle.

This:

On one hand, this Taco Bell commercial is absolutely awful. On the other hand, I would eat a burrito made of nachos.
— Grady (@Grady509) June 8, 2012

---

Remember, if you want rosters, go here. For a detailed explanation of what this is, go here. See you Monday. Go Cougs!

WSU Football Releases Depth Chart Ahead Of Fall Camp

Brian Floyd — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:36:32 -0000

For the first time in a real long time, we have a depth chart to work with. Heading into fall camp -- one more week, y'all -- the Cougars released a depth chart and it may look a little odd to most. As a reminder, though, the starters, backups and rotation are all subject to change over the course of the next month.

The wide receiver spots are about what was expected, with Marquess Wilson and Kristoff Williams starting on the outside; Andrei Lintz and Bennett Bontemps are on the inside. Bontemps may be a bit of a surprise, but considering the names at that spot -- it's the Elf spot, with Gino Simone and Blair Bomber listed behind him -- it's about what I expected. Bontempts did well during the spring and, for the moment, is atop the depth chart. But I expect him to be pushed in fall camp.

The offensive line, from left to right, is listed as: John Fullington, Wade Jacobson, Matt Goetz, Dan Spitz and Rico Forbes. Gunnar Eklund is listed as the backup right and left tackle, Spitz is the backup left guard and Jake Rodgers is the backup right guard. Again, I'd expect this to be fluid. Players were rotating around throughout spring ball, and I'd expect some movement during fall camp.

On the other side of the ball, Xavier Cooper, Toni Pole and Anthony Laurenzi are listed as the starting defensive linemen. This is also subject to change as we're still not sure what Laurenzi's status is. He could be gone by next week for all anyone knows.

It's also interesting to note the free safety spot is listed as an "or" with Tyree Toomer and Casey Locker. Toomer was out for much of the spring, allowing Locker some more time (though the latter also missed the end of spring ball). The linebackers and secondary aren't all that surprising, though seeing a converted fullback listed as the backup WILL linebacker is sure to scare some.

Full depth chart is after the jump (via Christian).

X-WR Marquess Wilson
Dominique Williams

Y-WR Andrei Lintz
Bobby Ratliff

LT John Fullington
Gunnar Eklund

LG Wade Jacobson
Dan Spitz

C Matt Goetz
Elliot Bosch
Taylor Meighen

RG Dan Spitz
Jake Rodgers

RT Rico Forbes
Gunnar Eklund

H-WR Bennett Bontemps
Gino Simone
Blair Bomber

Z-WR Kristoff Williams
Isiah Myers
Drew Loftus

QB Jeff Tuel
Connor Halliday
David Gilbertson

RB Rickey Galvin
or Carl Winston
Teondray Caldwell

BH Max Hersey

DEFENSE

RT Xavier Cooper
Lenard Williams

NT Kalafitoni Pole
Anthony Laurenzi

LT Anthony Laurenzi
Steven Hoffart

BUCK Travis Long
Logan Mayes

SAM Eric Oertel
Cyrus Coen

MIKE Darryl Monroe
Darren Markle

WILL Chester Su'a
Jared Byers
Tana Pritchard

CB Daniel Simmons
Tracy Clark

SS Deone Bucannon
Anthony Carpenter

FS Tyree Toomer
or Casey Locker

CB Damante Horton
Nolan Washington

SPECIALISTS

P Michael Bowlin

PK Andrew Furney

KO Michael Bowlin

LOS Zach Koepp
or Alex Den Bleyker

H David Gilbertson

PR Leon Brooks
or Rickey Galvin
or Rahmel Dockery

KOR Rahmel Dockery
Rickey Galvin

I honestly wouldn't read a ton into this. The competition for positions will really begin to heat up early in fall camp and with the addition of some freshmen who are ready to play early, the depth chart could look completely different by the time the season opener rolls around.

WSU Spring Practice: Eric Oertel Shines, Up-Downs The Theme Of The Day

Brian Floyd — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:14:40 -0000

Practice started off slow on Tuesday, and head coach Mike Leach wasn't happy about it at all. The offense was having to reload and run things again too many times, passes were being dropped and the wrong routes were being run. Nothing was going to his liking, so he stopped the show and sent a quick message.

"If you don't have time to do it right, how the hell do you have to do it over," Leach said as the defense stood to the side while the offense did up-downs. Some 30 reps later, after the offense was good and worn down, they got back to work again. And wouldn't you know: Things suddenly picked up.

It was a theme on both sides of the ball, and the coaches weren't having it on Tuesday -- and don't any other day, for that matter. The sharpness would disappear, players would make mistakes and the unit would be punished as a whole. There were multiple times were everything stopped for a moment and the coaches sent a message -- first with the offense, then with the defense.

More notes after the jump.

It's pretty clear at this point that a message is being sent to Marquess Wilson. Again, he ran with the third-team during team drills at times. And again, he was sent over the middle, right into the linebackers, on a shallow cross. Just like everyone other time, Wilson was completely flattened by a linebacker licking his chops -- Eric Oertel put him on his back after a loud pop. You can probably figure out the message. To be very clear: This doesn't mean OMG MARQUESS WILSON IS A THIRD-STRING RECEIVER AND HE'S IN BIG TROUBLE. He worked with the first team and also worked with what was essentially the last team. It was nothing exclusive.
Speaking of Oertel, he had another strong day at linebacker. Wilson was just one of his victims, joining Marcus Mason -- blown up in the middle -- and the offensive line -- blown up on a run.
Xavier Cooper took out pretty much the entire offense line as if they were bowling pins on one play. One moment, the ball is being snapped. The next, bodies are everywhere, Cooper is strutting out of the pile and the quarterback -- Cody Clements -- is limping off the field. If you're wondering why Connor Halliday leaves before the team drills, there you go (Clements was fine).
The running backs had a strong day, especially in team drills. After practice, Leach said he has a whole bunch of running backs that look the same, and the only one he could pick out of a blind lineup from behind is Carl Winston. Winston has thicker legs, he said.
Leon Brooks may have had the best day of them all. One one play, he made a nice cut and outran the defense for a long touchdown. On another, he did the same to the opposite side and took it in for the score. After running for about 50 yards, Brooks was jogging back to the huddle when Jim Mastro yelled "You can't just sit back there and tap your ass out." Out of breath, he hurried back to get with the group behind the live offense.
On the defensive side, Damante Horton hauled in a "Damante Horton" (right place, right time, tipped ball fell into his lap). Darren Markle had a play that got the entire defense, which watches in the end zone way behind the live defense, all fired up. Markle chased a receiver some 40 yards down the middle of the field, reaching out and batting away the pass in the end zone. It was one hell of a play by a middle linebacker in no-man's land with no help way down the field.
Today's story of immediate redemption involves Phllip Brandt. The defense, like the offense earlier, was stopped and forced to do up-downs for whatever reason. On the next play, Brandt stepped in front of a pass and picked it.
Speaking of up-downs, Toni Pole was in a club. The entire defense did up-downs as their extra conditioning after practice (it's a normal thing). It really looked like it sucked for Pole, who was doing them one handed and is already on the larger side.
Meanwhile, the quarterbacks were on the other end of the field kicking field goals while waiting for the receivers to join in for the typical fade route drill after practice. Jeff Tuel played the role of long-snapper, with David Gilbertson as holder (his normal role) and Connor Halliday kicking. Tuel snapped the ball the first time and almost took a football square in the ass as Halliday tried to boot an extra point. The next snap, Tuel got rid of the ball, then immediately hit the deck, flattening out as the ball whizzed over his head.
Halliday then held for Gilbertson, who actually made the field goal. If Gilbertson really wanted that backup quarterback job, one misplaced kick, to the side instead of the football -- oops, I slipped -- would've done the trick.
Halliday also tried his hand at center as Gilbertson ran fade routes with Tuel playing quarterback -- both giggling as he stood under center to take the snap at first.
Eric Morris sometimes turns into a puppy chasing cars. He'll be working at the line of scrimmage, helping the receivers release, one moment and the next he's chasing an outside receiver down the field and muscling them off the ball ... before taunting.
And while we're talking about taunting, Mike Bowlin was off to the side working on his punting when he unleashed a solid 60-yard punt. As it was in the air, he flexed the whole time, nodding like "you're damn right."
Tyree Toomer was not at practice. Anthony Carpenter took his place. Mansel Simmons also wasn't at practice.

That's it for Tuesday. Back with more later.

WSU Spring Football: Notes From Saturday's Scrimmage

Brian Floyd — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:05:02 -0000

The Washington State Cougars practiced on Rogers Field for about an hour before heading down Martin Stadium for the first scrimmage of the year. It was an up-and-down practice overall, with head coach Leach calling things "disjointed" after practice. Players were seeing a live defense in a scrimmage setting, leaving Leach to surmise the offense was trying to do too much at times.

The scrimmage pitted the first-team offense against the first-team defense, with the same happening for the second teams. As has been the case throughout the spring, players were rotating in frequently, especially at the wide receiver spot. However, we do have a clearer picture of which players are where on the depth chart, and both lines stayed about the same throughout the scrimmage.

Jeff Tuel was 11-of-17 for 95 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. David Gilbertson, working as the backup, finished 5-of-8 for 52 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Each drive began from the 50 and most of the routes seemed to be underneath, with a few verticals thrown in.

More notes from practice can be found after the jump.

Connor Halliday did not practice again and wasn't even out with the team this time. Leach said, "He's doing great. He's got a family deal he's taking care and we couldn't be more excited. We're going to have a very thrilling film meeting and can't wait to see him back there. Cause I think that's going to be excited for all of us. We're looking forward to seeing him again. He's only been gone for a couple hours, but we miss him."
The first team offense line, from left to right, was John Fullington, Zack Johnson, Matt Goetz, Elliot Bosch and Dan Spitz. The second team, from left to right, was Gunnar Eklund, Chas Sampson, Taylor Meighen, Moritz Christ and Rico Forbes. These groups stayed the same for most of the scrimmage.
Marquess Wilson, Blair Bomber, Kristoff Williams, Andrei Lintz, Bobby Ratliff, Dominique Williams, Drew Loftus and Bennett Bontempts all saw time with the first team at receiver.
Carl Winston, Marcus Mason and Teondray Caldwell all worked with the first-team offense at running back. Rickey Galvin watched from the side and wasn't in pads.
Kyle Lappano is back on the offensive side of the ball, working at running back. He had a few nice runs during the practice portion of the day, and did the same during the scrimmage while working more with the scouts.
On the defensive side of the ball, the first-team consisted of Lenard Williams, Anthony Laurenzi, Xavier Cooper, Travis Long, Damante Horton, Daniel Simmons, Chester Su'a, Darren Markle, Eric Oertel, Deone Bucannon and Tyree Toomer. Tracy Clark, Casey Locker and Anthony Carpenter also saw time in the secondary.
Justin Clayton was rolled up on early in the scrimmage and went in pain, clutching his knee. He was helped off the field after staying down for quite some time and did not return.
Daniel Simmons had the interception of the day, making a juggling grab before securing the pick. The ball hit him in the hands, the facemask and bounced off another defensive back before Simmons finally made a diving catch.
Eric Oertel jumped a swing pass in the backfield and, for all intents and purposes, returned it for a touchdown.
Clark also jumped an out route and picked off the pass. Tuel threw the ball a bit behind his receiver and Clark was there waiting.
On the next play, Winston made a grab on a swing route and picked up a few yards, only to be lit up by Anthony Carpenter near the sideline. The hit elicited plenty of hoots and hollers from each side of the field.
Bontempts had a nice little drive midway through the scrimmage, picking up nine yards on a catch and run, then fighting into the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown pass two plays later.
Today's story of immediate redemption involves Demante Horton. During the practice session, Kristoff Williams went up over the top of Horton to haul in the touchdown. One play later, Horton gave him a shot at the line and kept him from ever really getting into the route.
Leach stressed physicality, saying the receivers need to be more physical with their blocks. Every receiver, from little Blair Bomber to 210-pound Kristoff Williams, needs to be able to block. If they can't or won't block, Leach said, they won't play. The outside receivers stayed after practice and worked on getting off jams and being more physical with Dennis Simmons.
There was plenty of special teams work, once again. On the field at Martin, players went through the same weave, stick, hit drill they've been doing every day. After the scrimmage, the field goal kickers worked with holders from extra point distance. Andrew Furney took the first reps, followed by Mike Bowlin and Wes Concepcion. Bowlin still can't sit still and wandered around the sidelines kicking a ball against the concrete when he wasn't on the field.

Update: Official stats from Bobby Alworth:

RUSHING
Marcus Mason 3-19
Teondray Caldwell 3-1
Leon Brooks 1-0
Jeff Tuel 1-8
Carl Winston 1-5

PASSING
Jeff Tuel 11-17, 95 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
David Gilbertson 5-8, 52 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

RECEIVING
Andrei Lintz 2-20
Carl Winston 1-9
Drew Loftus 2-30
Blair Bomber 2-22
Kristoff Williams 2-10, TD
Leon Brooks 2-12
Bobby Ratliff 1-9
Bennett Bontemps 2-22, TD
Teondray Caldwell 1-2
Gino Simone 2-11, TD

SCORING
K. Williams two-yard pass from Tuel
Bontemps 12-yard pass from Tuel
Simone six-yard pass from Gilbertson

That's it for Saturday's scrimmage. We'll be back later with photos and video of the Cougar Football Project. Martin Stadium is growing fast, and the renovation is looking superb.

WSU Spring Football: Players To Watch

Brian Floyd — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:14:14 -0000

Spring football is a bit of a different beast, if you haven't noticed yet. Once fall camp rolls around, with the grind of two-a-days and the urgency that comes with preparing for the season, things will change. But for now, the 15 practice sessions spread over about five weeks allow everyone on the roster -- from Marquess Wilson to the walk-on wide receiver you didn't know existed -- a chance to shine.

As such, there are a few names to keep an eye on. These aren't the entrenched starters or stars of the show, but are players that could break out in the spring. There's always a handful of newcomers of upperclassmen that come out of nowhere and perform well in the spring, and a few of the players below are worth keeping track of.

After the jump, some players to watch and a few predictions.

Darryl Monroe/Cyrus Coen/Darren Markle: This is cheating, but these three are all battling for a spot in the linebacker rotation. You know Chester Su'a by now, and it's likely he'll grab hold of a starting spot. But these three all have an excellent chance to make a strong impression, and each will get plenty of reps.

Monroe, as you know, is coming off an Achilles injury. He's back and certainly looks the part -- bulked up, quick and powerful. Coen was around last year as more of a backup, but with the turnover at linebacker he's got a chance to find his way into the starting rotation. Markle bounced around in the linebacker rotation, stuck behind Alex Hoffman-Ellis and friends previously. He's strong -- a power-lifter, if you've forgotten -- and an excellent fit for one of the middle linebacker spots

Dominique Williams: Or, as I like to call him, Baby Marquess with a flat-top fade. Williams redshirted last year, but should be in the mix at outside receiver. He's fast, big and has a knack for making nice grabs.

Blair Bomber: This is more of a personal choice because of his story. After redshirting in 2010, he promptly tore his ACL during last year's spring practice. Every time I was at practice last season, I saw Bomber running sprints, catching balls from the jugs machine and rehabbing his knee. He's finally back in action and able to fully participate, and he's looked great so far. Bomber fits the mold of an inside receiver almost to a t, so this could be his chance to shine.

Rahmel Dockery: This probably doesn't need much explanation. Dockery's debut on the field has been much-anticipated, and after a semester delay he's finally in Pullman. And then he took a knock to his shoulder during Thursday's and was forced to the side. He'll be fine, it seems, and could slot right in as a punt returner and slot receiver.

Drew Loftus: Made a few nice grabs on Saturday and could be a nice pickup as a walk-on. No idea if he'll be anything more than a practice guy and depth, but he looked quite solid going through drills and catching passes.

Andrei Lintz: He's been more a blocking tight, but look for Lintz to break out. Right now, he looks like Leach's x-factor, a guy that can move around, play a bunch of different positions and create some matchup problems in the route. Lintz is more athletic than most realize, and Leach seems to be enamored with him.

Aaron Dunn: Because everybody always asks about him. Dunn is still at tight end, and as you know there aren't a ton of plays designed for that position in Mike Leach's offense. As of now, it appears Lintz is the clear starter at whatever that position is. Dunn could play a similar role.

Logan Mayes/Tana Pritchard: Mayes was playing a bit out of position last season, working as a situational pass-rushing defensive end. He's got an incredible understanding of leverage and balance, as well as a strong repertoire of rush moves, but should be a natural fit at the outside linebacker spot this year. With his athleticism and ability to get after the quarterback, he'll be able to get upfield or drop back into coverage.

Pritchard is similar in a lot of ways. He's about the same size as Mayes -- a little bit lighter and shorter -- but is oozing with athleticism. He seems like a guy that should be in the mix at linebacker and, like the rest, has a chance to make an impression this spring.

Mike Bowlin: Why is a kicker here? Because in my own uninformed opinion, he's also the punter right now. He's got a big leg and figures to handle the kickoff duties, and may challenge Andrew Furney for the placekicking job, too. He may just do everything on special teams.

Remember, these are some names you may have forgotten or didn't even know in the first place. Most of the defense, outside the linebacking corps, is all but set, with plenty of returning players. The offense, as you may have noticed, is much more wide-open at the moment, and with Leach using a deep rotation, many receivers will see action.

Who are you looking forward to seeing? Which players do you think are poised to make a move?

Notes:

-- On KJR Leach opened the door for Sekope Kaufusi to return sometime in the future, saying it was possible he could be back after an "extended time off."

-- Also on KJR, Leach noted he saw a lot of mini-skirts and hot pants on College Hill ... and that it's like 37 degrees out.

-- Leach also singled out Lintz and was basically drooling over him during the interview. Because he's smarter than me and is researching this stuff, here's what Mark had to say:

The Texas Tech comparison would probably be Bristol Olomua. 6-5 259 and caught 55 passes in two seasons at Tech. The most TE targets of anyone under Leach.

-- It was Future Cougar Day on Saturday and a large tour group was gathered on top of the library just after practice started. The group broke out into a loud "Go Cougs" chant for a bit as the team went through its initial drills. Job well done there.

Five Things To Watch As WSU Begins Spring Practice

Mark Sandritter — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:26:28 -0000

It seems whenever a new season begins, writers like to talk about the sounds and smells. They often remark about the smell of freshly cut grass or the sound of football pads popping for the first time. Washington State begins spring football practice today, but they practice on field turf and won't be in pads until next week, so thanks for nothing cliche sports writing introductions.

Normally the start of spring football at WSU isn't met with much fanfare, but this isn't a typical start to spring football. For the first time as the head coach of Washington State, Mike Leach will be on a field doing actual coaching. No more fundraisers, no more promo videos, just Leach with a whistle and 10,000 passes being thrown. With actual football things about to happen, here are five things I'm watching this spring.

Injuries

One of the biggest goals of spring practice for any school is to get through it without suffering any major injuries. Players will inevitably get dinged and miss some time, but hopefully WSU can get through the 15 spring practices without any injuries that will linger into fall camp or the regular season. At the same time, spring football is also an opportunity to see where previously injured players are in their rehab. Leach does not discuss injuries publicly, so how much a player practices during spring is our best chance to gauge their current health. Connor Halliday is one to keep an eye on, but a few other players were nursing injuries at the end of last season.

Position Changes

With new offensive and defensive schemes, it's likely at least a few players will find themselves playing new positions. Spring is a great time for a new staff to move players around and see where they fit best. A few defensive ends may move to linebacker, but I wouldn't be surprised if a player or two switched sides of the ball. One player I'm watching in particular is Rahmel Dockery. All of the talk has been that Dockery will play wide receiver, but with a deep class of incoming freshman receivers it wouldn't shock me to see Dockery get some time at cornerback this spring.

Installing The New Schemes

During his press conference yesterday, Leach said he thought it would take four practices to install the basic framework of his offense. That is pretty remarkable, at least to me. One of the most prolific offenses in college football can be installed in as little as four practices. The previous staff took years to install the offense. I'm not saying Leach can't do it, because he is Mike Leach, but I'm looking forward to watching the process. If the spring game comes and the offense is running smoothly, will anyone wear pants all summer?

Position Battles

Competition is always part of college football. Close depth chart battles will still go down to the final days of fall camp, but spring practice is the time where some players begin to distinguish themselves. Everyone will monitor the quarterback competition, but nearly every position is up for grabs other than No. 1 wide receiver. One position I'm paying attention to is cornerback. Daniel Simmons and Nolan Washington are coming off injuries, while Damante Horton, Brandon Golden and Tracy Clark enter their third seasons in the program. Will anyone in the group begin to separate from the pack?

Breakout Players

It seems every year a previously forgotten player, buried on the depth chart rises during spring football. Last year, Adam Coerper went from forgotten man to starting defensive end during spring. One player I think could be in line for a similar breakout this spring is Darren Markle. Markle came in as a highly touted linebacker but has never seen more than sporadic playing time in two seasons after redshirting. There is a major void to fill at linebacker so opportunity is no longer an issue. WSU would be in much better position if Markle locked down one of the open linebacker slots. Can he do it?

C.J. Mizell 'Not Retained' By WSU Football Program After Violation Of Team Rules

Brian Floyd — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:53:23 -0000

C.J. MIzell has been dismissed from the Washington State football team following a Sunday arrest for assault, according to a report by Cougfan. Mizell was reportedly involved in an altercation just after midnight on Sunday morning and was apprehended later that day. WSU confirmed the news just before noon.

Mizell's dismissal doesn't come as a huge surprise at this point. Yes, he was given a fresh start by the new coaching staff, but one would have to assume the clean slate came with a warning to not mess it up. After all, Vince Grippi notes that only a coaching change saved Mizell following last season.

After all, there have been some on-field incidents with the former coaching staff - if Paul Wulff had been retained for a fifth year, I know for a fact Mizell would no longer be a member of the team after pulling himself out of last year's Apple Cup - and now an off-field problem, something that Leach can't be too happy about

Vince's blog post was written this morning, and he also added he wasn't sure whether a fight would be the last straw. As anyone who's read Leach's book, Swing Your Sword, knows, he tends to come down hard on players that fight, but does so with strength and conditioning punishment.

However, there may have been more to this, and assuming a late-night altercation was the only thing at play may be incorrect. As Cougfan reports:

Prior to his arrest, Mizell had come under scrutiny of the new coaching staff for academic concerns, but he appeared to have gotten those in order. Mizell also returned several days late to Pullman for the start of classes in January, a move that got him into hot water with Leach, said the source.

So that's it for Mizell, but don't wring your hands. It's never good to lose talent, but there comes a point where the negatives outweigh the positives. We've hit that point and, truth be told, we probably hit that point in the Apple Cup, when Mizell came out of the locker room in sweats for the second half.

It sucks because I thought he had turned the corner. He showed up last season and seemed like a different player. His practice habits had improved, he had taken on a more vocal leadership role and he seemed ready to be a positive member of the team.

Then he got dinged up and it all went out the window. The injuries reduced his role to something more akin to a reserve, with the coaching staff trying to manage his use while keeping him on the field for at least a portion of the game. Everything came to a head in the Apple Cup, and we saw what happened.

But let's be clear about this: C.J. Mizell can be replaced. I understand he's a fan favorite -- his play during his freshman year, including a bodyslam and whatever you want to call his out-of-bounds hit on Jacquizz Rodgers won over a lot of people, but he was not irreplaceable. I'd argue Alex Hoffman-Ellis, though he left due to graduation, was a bigger loss, and I'd probably be right.

As for the on-field replacements, Darren Markle, Sekope Kaufusi and Darryl Monroe are all candidates to take over in the middle of the 3-4. Kaufusi has practiced at middle linebacker before, and the other two are each natural middle linebackers.

Personally, I'm not even bothered by the loss at this point. Mizell's path to Pullman was filled with some bad stuff -- stuff I don't want to get into -- and he was given a chance. He blew that chance, and many subsequent chances, eventually leading to his dismissal. It had to happen, and there's no sense being upset about it. And now we'll see who steps up and takes his place in what's sure to be an interesting competition.

Washington State Depth Chart: The Defense And Special Teams

Mark Sandritter — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:23:41 -0000

We already went over the offensive depth chart, so now it's time to take a look at the defensive side. While we're at it, might as well go over special teams as well.

(RS) = Player used his redshirt season. * = Player is a walk-on.

Defensive Linemen

Seniors: Travis Long, Lenard Williams, Adam Coerper (RS), Skylar Stormo (RS), Anthony Laurenzi (RS), Steven Hoffart (RS), Justin Mann (RS)*

Juniors: Ian Knight (RS), Jordan Pu'u Robinson (RS), Justin Clayton (RS), Ioane Gauta, Zach Brevick (RS)*, Matthew Brock (RS)*

Sophomores: Kalafitoni Pole (RS)

Freshman: Robert Barber, Keith Ewing, Destiny Vaeao, Darryl Paulo (RS), Xavier Cooper (RS), David Davis (RS), Eddie Releford (RS)*, Hamza Griffin (RS)*

Scholarships: 17

Overview

No position group has a bigger scholarship allocation on the WSU roster than the defensive line. Even if we assume Ewing will move to linebacker, that is still 16 scholarship guys for three starting spots. I think we can assume Travis Long will play a major role in the defense next season. It's also not a major stretch to think Pole will see significant time. The other spot, whether it be at NT or DE, is still up for grabs. The sheer amount of players on the defensive line should provide a nice rotation for Mike Breske to utilize.

2012 Recruiting Class Impact

We've already determined Barber and Vaeao are four year starters correct? Now that Kyle's brain has exploded, my guess is that the two true freshman redshirt while Gauta sees time in the NT rotation. As with the entire defensive line, a lot is up in the air with the newcomers. Fall camp will be a great measuring stick for this group.

Linebacker

Seniors: Louis Bland (RS)

Juniors: C.J. Mizell, Eric Oertel, Sekope Kaufusi (RS), Darren Markle (RS), Phillip Brandt (RS)*

Sophomores: Logan Mayes, Darryl Monroe, Chester Su'a, Cyrus Coen*, Paul Lutgen (RS)*

Freshman: Jeremiah Allison, Khalil Pettway, Kache Palacio, Jacob Tuivaiave, Tana Pritchard (RS)

Scholarships: 13

Overview

There are a few question marks here, especially with the switch to a 3-4 defense. Bland's status is still unknown, while Oertel is still listed as a linebacker on the official roster despite playing running back last season. It's also possible we will see a few of the current defensive ends move to outside linebacker. Mizell, Kaufusi and Su'a are leading candidates to start, but the shift to four linebackers makes it all a relative unknown.

2012 Recruiting Class Impact

Leach and his staff targeted a number of players who fit the mold of an outside linebacker in the 3-4. That to me says, they don't think they have the depth currently on campus. I think a couple of these guys play next season with my money being on Allison and Palacio as the two most likely to play.

Safety

Seniors: Tyree Toomer (RS), Kyle McCartney (RS)*

Juniors: Anthony Carpenter (RS), Deone Bucannon, Casey Locker (RS)

Sophomores: Tyrone Duckett (RS), Matthew Simmons (RS), Trase Pickering (RS)*, Jordan Simone*

Freshman: David Bucannon, Taylor Taliulu, Feddie Davey, Mitchell Peterson (RS)*, Max Gamma (RS)

Scholarships: 10

Overview

Both starters from a year ago return, as does Casey Locker who saw extensive playing time. There is no question, WSU's safeties had issues in coverage last season. Despite a rather large group, Toomer, Bucannon and Locker are the only three with any extensive experience on defense. The others have mostly been relegated to special teams work.

2012 Recruiting Class Impact

You would think with six scholarship players above them, the incoming recruits would be in like to redshirt. However, would it really surprise you to see an older player or two get surpassed? I still tend to think all three will redshirt, but a strong fall camp could change that.

Cornerback

Seniors: Daniel Simmons (RS), Travion Smith (RS)*

Juniors: Nolan Washington (RS), Damante Horton

Sophomores: Spencer Waseem, Tracy Clark (RS), Brandon Golden (RS)

Freshman:

Scholarships: 6

Overview

While this group struggled at times last season, it would not surprise me to see significant progress in 2012. Simmons and Washington have battled injuries throughout their careers while Horton has shown glimpses of being a solid player. Waseem, Clark and Golden are still relative unknowns, if one or more develops, depth may not be the concern it currently is.

2012 Recruiting Class Impact

With Alphonso Marsh headed to Utah and Raymond Ford picking Cal, WSU missed out on two of its main cornerback targets. This could be a high priority position in the 2013 class.

Specialists

Seniors: Alex Guaper (RS)*-Kicker, Zach Koepp (RS)*-Snapper

Juniors: Andrew Furney*-Kicker,

Sophomores: Alex Den Bleyker*-Snapper, Mike Bowlin (RS)-Kicker

Freshman: Tyler McNannay*-Kicker

Scholarships: 1

Overview

You may notice there is no punter listed. McNannay and Bowlin have experience punting so barring another walk-on punter, one of those is likely to get the call in the rare instances where WSU punts next season. Furney was glamorous last season and will likely retain the field goal job at least initially.

2012 Recruiting Class Impact

Bowlin will contribute from day one as a kickoff specialist but could easily see his role expand either to field goals or as a punter. Regardless, fixing kickoff coverage is a major issue and Bowlin will be a big part of that.

2011 WSU Football Previews: The Linebackers And Room For Improvement

Brian Floyd — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:39:10 -0000

Our criticisms of the linebackers were well-documented throughout the 2010 season. Without a capable second-level, the WSU defense struggled. But with two of the three starters returning -- C.J. Mizell and Alex Hoffman-Ellis -- and a strong group of young linebackers, one has to think the group will be improved. Yet it's still a question mark.

Changes were made. Travis Niekamp and Malik Roberson were sent on their way. Roberson was replaced by veteran defensive line coach Todd Howard while Niekamp was replaced by Chris Tormey. From all we've heard, the changes have been positive.

To be fair, it's not all the linebackers fault. The Cougars' defensive scheme last year made the problem two-pronged. The defensive line struggled to keep the linebackers free to work and the linebackers frequently struggled to find the right gap.

Combine the two and you have a defense that was frequently unable to generate a solid pass rush while being gashed on the ground by the run game. It wasn't pretty.

Edited to reflect the latest two-deeps.

2010 Depth Chart

MIKE: CJ Mizell, Mike Ledgerwood
WIL: Myron Beck, Sekope Kaufusi
SAM: Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Darren Markle

2011 Depth Chart

MIKE: CJ Mizell, Mike Ledgerwood
WIL: Alex Hoffman-Ellis, ~~Darren Markle,~~ Chester Su'a
SAM: Sekope Kaufusi, Darryl Monroe

We've heard nothing but praise for the linebacking crops this year, which could be a good sign or could be nothing. Alex Hoffman-Ellis, we're told, is bigger, stronger and has improved on the field. CJ Mizell has his head on straight and seems to be doing the right things. Sekope Kaufusi still has long hair and still flies around making plays.

But it's all talk until the Cougars hit the field and the linebackers can't do it alone. As the front seven goes, so does the defense, and for the scheme to work, the linebackers have to improve. Otherwise, we're back to square one, where big plays are the norm.

Poll

How will the 2011 linebackers compare to the 2010 version

Major Decline

4 votes

Slight Decline

2 votes

Same

11 votes

Slight Improvement

99 votes

Major Improvement

185 votes

301 votes | Poll has closed