WSU Football

[West TX Hawk]

0-2 now. Tough loss to Boise with poor clock management and increasingly characteristic bad defense.

Leach needs to be questioned about the direction of the program. Yes, they were 9-4 last year and had a very nice season. It's a long season but the Cougs could well be on their way to a 4th losing season in 5 years. Losing to Eastern is unacceptable and the Boise loss illustrates the problem with Leach's entire system.

Throwing 70 times a game without any ability to gain short yardage on the ground is not a formula for sustained success in the Pac12. Falk is a solid QB but it's just painful and absurd watching WSU trying to use bubble screens on 3rd and short and 4th and short.

610 yards given up to Eastern, 420 to Boise. Giving up 1030 yards the first 2 games and relying entirely on passing 80% of the time is not a recipe for success. The problem cannot be simplified by arguing WSU just lacks the resources and funding of their conference peers-while enrollment is reportedly down, adequate resources exist to recruit better athletes on defense. If the quality of the athletes are not the issue, then again the problem is soley attributable to Leach and the system he has incorporated.

I don't care about his Pac12 coach of the year award last year. The totality of his tenure has resulted in a 21-31 record in 5 seasons. (13-23 in Pac12) Hardly congruent to a coach making nearly 3 million annually.

 

[KitsapGuy]

Over the summer, I submitted a public records request for Mike Leach's contract, mostly just to have it. After the debacle that was the game against Portland State -- and in the context of his now 12-26 overall record at WSU -- many are wondering when WSU pulls the plug and just cans Leach.

Here's the short answer: They probably couldn't if they wanted to.

In the 11 pages of contract embedded at the bottom, the most important clause when it comes to whether WSU will be firing Leach anytime soon is Section 4.6.1, which includes language that compels the school to pay Mike Leach 60 percent of his $2 million base salary for the remainder of the contract. (You might remember that Leach got a raise last August, but that only amended his media compensation to make his total annual guaranteed payout $2.75 million -- it appears the base salary remained the same.)

Leach's contract runs for four more years after this one through 2019, meaning if he is fired at the end of the season, the school appears to owe him $1.2 million per year -- $4.8 million total.

When you consider the money it would cost to make Leach go away, plus the money it would cost to hire a replacement, combined with the currently insolvent state of the athletic department ... simply put, without a large donation from a wealthy donor who really wants Mike Leach out the door, Washington State won't be able to afford to fire Leach anytime soon.

If you're convinced it's only a matter of time before Leach is shown the door, about the best you'll be able to hope for is Bill Moos electing not to roll over his contract next January, cutting that buyout by $1.2 million at the end of 2016.

http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-f ... gton-state

 

[Seafan]

If the cougs got rid of Leach they would never find a better coach/recruiter and Leach would enjoy his paid vacation but he'd be swooped up very fast. Firing Leach would be the very definition of couging it.

 

[dogorama]

Over the summer, I submitted a public records request for Mike Leach's contract, mostly just to have it. After the debacle that was the game against Portland State -- and in the context of his now 12-26 overall record at WSU -- many are wondering when WSU pulls the plug and just cans Leach.

Here's the short answer: They probably couldn't if they wanted to.

In the 11 pages of contract embedded at the bottom, the most important clause when it comes to whether WSU will be firing Leach anytime soon is Section 4.6.1, which includes language that compels the school to pay Mike Leach 60 percent of his $2 million base salary for the remainder of the contract. (You might remember that Leach got a raise last August, but that only amended his media compensation to make his total annual guaranteed payout $2.75 million -- it appears the base salary remained the same.)

Leach's contract runs for four more years after this one through 2019, meaning if he is fired at the end of the season, the school appears to owe him $1.2 million per year -- $4.8 million total.

When you consider the money it would cost to make Leach go away, plus the money it would cost to hire a replacement, combined with the currently insolvent state of the athletic department ... simply put, without a large donation from a wealthy donor who really wants Mike Leach out the door, Washington State won't be able to afford to fire Leach anytime soon.

If you're convinced it's only a matter of time before Leach is shown the door, about the best you'll be able to hope for is Bill Moos electing not to roll over his contract next January, cutting that buyout by $1.2 million at the end of 2016.

http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-f ... gton-state

Can't disagree w/anything I have read but the reality of the Pac-12 in the 21st century is that the talent is spread pretty thin and WSU is at the bottom of the food chain. WSU Admin hoped to hire an innovative coach that could design an offense that could overcome some of that, much like Oregon did, but the Cougs don't have Uncle Phil and let's face it, Pullman can't compete w/much more desirable locations around the league. No, the best the Cougs can hope for is pretty much what they have, a conglomeration of talent every few years that produces a somewhat decent season.

 

[KitsapGuy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Softykjr/status/774866793210843137[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/swxlindsayjoy/status/774864346321031168[/tweet]

 

[Sports Hernia]

0-2 now. Tough loss to Boise with poor clock management and increasingly characteristic bad defense.

Leach needs to be questioned about the direction of the program. Yes, they were 9-4 last year and had a very nice season. It's a long season but the Cougs could well be on their way to a 4th losing season in 5 years. Losing to Eastern is unacceptable and the Boise loss illustrates the problem with Leach's entire system.

Throwing 70 times a game without any ability to gain short yardage on the ground is not a formula for sustained success in the Pac12. Falk is a solid QB but it's just painful and absurd watching WSU trying to use bubble screens on 3rd and short and 4th and short.

610 yards given up to Eastern, 420 to Boise. Giving up 1030 yards the first 2 games and relying entirely on passing 80% of the time is not a recipe for success. The problem cannot be simplified by arguing WSU just lacks the resources and funding of their conference peers-while enrollment is reportedly down, adequate resources exist to recruit better athletes on defense. If the quality of the athletes are not the issue, then again the problem is soley attributable to Leach and the system he has incorporated.

I don't care about his Pac12 coach of the year award last year. The totality of his tenure has resulted in a 21-31 record in 5 seasons. (13-23 in Pac12) Hardly congruent to a coach making nearly 3 million annually.

From an outsiders POV...... outside of their Safety, it looks like most of their stud athletes and good players are on offense. I think that Leach's philosophy is to out boat race everyone with that offense and pray for a miracle on defense. One demonsional thinking has cost them IMHO.

 

[Seahawks1983]

They held Boise to 24 points defensively. I thought the defense played pretty well actually, especially compared to the disaster against EWU the week prior.

That said, the season is a disaster thus far.

 

[Seahawks1983]

Can't disagree w/anything I have read but the reality of the Pac-12 in the 21st century is that the talent is spread pretty thin and WSU is at the bottom of the food chain. WSU Admin hoped to hire an innovative coach that could design an offense that could overcome some of that, much like Oregon did, but the Cougs don't have Uncle Phil and let's face it, Pullman can't compete w/much more desirable locations around the league. No, the best the Cougs can hope for is pretty much what they have, a conglomeration of talent every few years that produces a somewhat decent season.

So.....basically the same thing everyone not named USC, Stanford, or Oregon can hope for?

 

[getnasty]

Have you ever been to Pullman? The fact that Leach had 9 wins last year is pretty amazing, the Cougs would go back to what they were before Leach if he left. Your not gonna be able to line up and play traditional football and win with the kids you recruit at WSU, you need to take chances and have a gimmicky offense.

 

[JSeahawks]

Can't disagree w/anything I have read but the reality of the Pac-12 in the 21st century is that the talent is spread pretty thin and WSU is at the bottom of the food chain. WSU Admin hoped to hire an innovative coach that could design an offense that could overcome some of that, much like Oregon did, but the Cougs don't have Uncle Phil and let's face it, Pullman can't compete w/much more desirable locations around the league. No, the best the Cougs can hope for is pretty much what they have, a conglomeration of talent every few years that produces a somewhat decent season.

So.....basically the same thing everyone not named USC, Stanford, or Oregon can hope for?

Pullman and Corvallis are without question the 2 toughest destinations to recruit to in the conference.

 

[Seahawks1983]

Have you ever been to Pullman? The fact that Leach had 9 wins last year is pretty amazing, the Cougs would go back to what they were before Leach if he left. Your not gonna be able to line up and play traditional football and win with the kids you recruit at WSU, you need to take chances and have a gimmicky offense.

Yes, probably more than most people who post here.

I am not saying Pullman is a football hot bed - but saying that the Wulff era is the baseline norm is misguided at best.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Can't disagree w/anything I have read but the reality of the Pac-12 in the 21st century is that the talent is spread pretty thin and WSU is at the bottom of the food chain. WSU Admin hoped to hire an innovative coach that could design an offense that could overcome some of that, much like Oregon did, but the Cougs don't have Uncle Phil and let's face it, Pullman can't compete w/much more desirable locations around the league. No, the best the Cougs can hope for is pretty much what they have, a conglomeration of talent every few years that produces a somewhat decent season.

So.....basically the same thing everyone not named USC, Stanford, or Oregon can hope for?

Arizona State says "Now wait a minute" as does UCLA. Both those places are ripe for winning a LOT because they're in great locations. The right coach (no, Jim Mora isn't it......great recruiter, poor coach) and either one of those places wins and does so in bunches.

And as J said, Pullman and Corvallis have a very decided disadvantage in recruiting.

 

[Seahawks1983]

Can't disagree w/anything I have read but the reality of the Pac-12 in the 21st century is that the talent is spread pretty thin and WSU is at the bottom of the food chain. WSU Admin hoped to hire an innovative coach that could design an offense that could overcome some of that, much like Oregon did, but the Cougs don't have Uncle Phil and let's face it, Pullman can't compete w/much more desirable locations around the league. No, the best the Cougs can hope for is pretty much what they have, a conglomeration of talent every few years that produces a somewhat decent season.

So.....basically the same thing everyone not named USC, Stanford, or Oregon can hope for?

Arizona State says "Now wait a minute" as does UCLA. Both those places are ripe for winning a LOT because they're in great locations. The right coach (no, Jim Mora isn't it......great recruiter, poor coach) and either one of those places wins and does so in bunches.

And as J said, Pullman and Corvallis have a very decided disadvantage in recruiting.

Yet throughout history they basically never have.

Not saying they don't hold advantages over Pullman or Corvallis, but nothing they have ever done indicates they can achieve long term success like USC and Stanford have, and to a lesser extent, Oregon.

In fact, it wasn't that long ago that Eugene was in the same boat as Pullman and Corvallis. But Oregon has proven that with money and the right people in charge, location can be overcome.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Ryan Leaf says yes, yes it can. LOL

 

[CodeWarrior]

ASU has all the makings of a powerhouse football school... lax academics, hot women, huge student population. What gives?

 

[Seahawkfan80]

ASU has all the makings of a powerhouse football school... lax academics, hot women, huge student population. What gives?

Snow Birds.

 

[West TX Hawk]

I'm going to give credit when due and to my surprise, Leach is beginning to turn the team around this season. A couple excellent victories against the Ducks and UCLA. Looks to be an exciting season. The biggest surprise is the defense playing much better, especially in conference play. Falk is really developing into an all-conference caliber player and so comfortable running the offense.

 

[tmobilchawker79]

Don't forget Stanford.

 

[KitsapGuy]

Washington State football coach Mike Leach was fined $10,000 and reprimanded Thursday by the Pac-12 Conference for comments about the Arizona State football program.

During a press conference Monday, Leach again accused the Sun Devils of stealing signs.

“Conference rules prohibit Pac-12 member institutions from disparaging each other and discrediting other institutions,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in statement.

“Information or accusations relative to rule violations must be handled by institutions filing those concerns with the Conference office through a formal process, and institutions must refrain from discussing those concerns publicly.”

On Monday, Leach turned his attention to Arizona State and coach Todd Graham ahead of the Cougars’ game Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium.

“I think they still steal signs, and we’ll have to keep an eye on that,” Leach said Monday. “That is a very unsavory practice they have, so we’ll have to do what we can to defend against it.”

Leach said he heard rumors about microphones and cameras.

“They have a whole command center,” he said.

Scott noted in his statement that there are no playing rules that restrict a team from observing an opponent’s offensive or defensive signals.

“The NCAA playing rules (1-4-11-a, b and f) cover what audio and video equipment is prohibited in the team area, coaching box and coaches’ booth, and specifically state that any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personal is prohibited,” Scott said.

http://q13fox.com/2016/10/20/pac-12-fin ... -comments/

 

[Hawks46]

ASU has all the makings of a powerhouse football school... lax academics, hot women, huge student population. What gives?

Spend a little time in AZ, and it becomes obvious.

When I first moved down in 2003 I got a hard dose of reality. I woke up at 8am and it was already 100 degrees. It's a different world. I've been in some sticky hot heat in Puerto Rico, Chicago, Miami in 101 with huge humidity, and NYC in July. Now they say the desert is a "dry heat"... but it's also a hell of a lot more intense when you are out in the sunlight.

That day, around noon, it was 110 in the shade... and it was almost survivable, but when you step out into that desert sun... you fry like a bug under a magnifying glass. I had an accurate heat beater thermometer that read 136... that's what you are experiencing under direct sunlight. It sucks the life right out of you, and it can also kill you in short order. You feel like your brains are going to cook right out of your ears.

It's hot all the time, especially up in Phoenix, and it changes the entire culture.

I leave Seattle where everyone is pumped up on caffeine and "go go go" all the time, people are driven. Down here, everyone is drunk off their ass by 10am and ready for a siesta.

After a few days down here I needed a porch-light, a special bulb... so I go to the light store. I walk in, the store is empty, there's an old dude sitting in the guest area reading a newspaper... figure he was a customer. No one at the desk. I ring the bell for service, like it says, and I wait. Ten minutes go by... 15 minutes. No store clerk. I ask the guy reading the paper if the store is open. He nods and says "yup". So I wait another 5 minutes. Just as I am getting ready to leave, the old dude puts aside his newspaper, goes behind the counter, and says "May I help you?"

That's Arizona.

Everything runs at 1/3 speed man... I still am not used to it over a decade later. What surprises me most, is the fact that UA and ASU manage to win at all.

I lived in Vegas. Same thing. Plus I worked as a carpenter outside. You start work at 3 am to avoid the heat, and it's still 90 degrees when you start. At 105, you start to fell like you're being microwaved. You wear long sleeves to keep the sun off your skin, like you said when you're exposed you feel like you're being fried by a magnifying glass.

And Vegas is where people from Phoenix go to cool off.