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Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/11/03

Coleman gets double kudos; Cougs rise to No. 10 in BCS

PULLMAN -- Erik Coleman seemed to come up with two of everything last week -- and now he's got two Player of the Week awards.

The Washington State free safety was named the Pac-10 Conference's top player for the week on both defense and special teams Monday.

The Cougars also learned they had jumped five spots to No. 10 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

That means they are on pace to make the BCS final top 12 and be eligible for an elite bowl bid.

Coleman, a senior from Spokane, made two interceptions and forced two fumbles in the Cougars' 31-13 defeat of UCLA on Saturday.

His special-teams award came in recognition of his three tackles in the kicking game, along with a forced fumble on a play that resulted in Jeremy Bohannon's 72-yard runback.

The Cougars (8-2) play Arizona State at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Pullman.

Mike Bell of Arizona was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week for rushing for 222 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats' 27-22 upset of Washington.

TCU jumped up to sixth place in the BCS, the highest ranking ever for an outsider to the system.

"We understand those things are in the hands of other people," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "We feel privileged to be where we're at. We really appreciate the respect around the country."

TCU (10-0) needs to remain in the top six to guarantee a bid to one of the four most lucrative bowls.

Oklahoma remained the runaway leader in the standings that will determine which two teams will play for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl.

The Sooners (10-0) are No. 1 in both polls and the seven computers used in the BCS.

Southern California leads the three one-loss teams hoping to challenge Oklahoma for the title, followed by Ohio State and LSU.

The formula uses the AP media and USA Today/ESPN coaches' polls, seven computer rankings, strength of schedule, losses and a bonus-point system for quality wins.

The Sooners have a 1.0 for poll average, 1.0 for computer-rank average, 0.28 for strength of schedule, zero for losses and 0.6 bonus points for beating fifth-place Texas for a 1.68.

USC was second with 6.27 points, followed by Ohio State at 7.73 and LSU at 13.17.

"With all this BCS and ranking stuff I really don't even know how they figure it out or how they come up with it," LSU defensive end Marcus Spears said. "For us it's just beat Alabama, Ole Miss and Arkansas and that's what we're focused on."

The Buckeyes could pass the Trojans for the No. 2 spot even if neither team loses because of their tougher schedule down the stretch.

Ohio State finishes the season against No. 11 Purdue and No. 5 Michigan, while USC has games left against Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State -- who have a combined record of 14-15.

The BCS was started five years ago to create a national title game without playoffs. Champions of six conferences -- the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC -- qualify for a BCS game, and two at-large teams are selected to fill out the field.

No team from the five other Division I-A conferences -- Conference USA, the Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Western Athletic -- has earned that berth.

The Horned Frogs will be eligible if they finish in the top 12 and will clinch a spot by being in the top six.

"A lot of teams have won all their ballgames, a lot of teams win their conference. But very few times are you able to do something to make history," Patterson said. "We have a chance to do that."

However, even if they win out they could drop because of their weak schedule, ranked 87th among the 117 teams. TCU's remaining games are against Cincinnati (5-4), Southern Mississippi (6-3) and SMU (0-10).

There has been pressure from schools outside the big six conferences to improve access to the BCS bowls -- Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and Rose.

TCU, a member of Conference USA, hopes that helps its cause.

"The story stands on its own," Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said. "They have a great football team. If they remain undefeated they will be an unbelievably strong candidate. I will do anything I possibly can to assure they get maximum consideration for BCS participation."

In the other noteworthy development, Tennessee moved past Georgia into seventh place. The Bulldogs are ninth and Florida was 14th.

If the three teams finished tied for first in the SEC East, the highest-ranked team in the BCS would play in the conference title game. However, if the second-place team is within five places and won the head-to-head matchup, it would get the bid.

That puts Georgia in the best position because of its win at Tennessee earlier this year.

The other teams in the top 10 are eighth-place Michigan and 10th-place Washington State.

The BCS standings will be released each week for the remainder of the season.

The seven computer rankings are operated by Anderson & Hester, Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, The New York Times, Jeff Sagarin's USA Today and Peter Wolfe.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/12/03

Kegel won't quietly go to sideline; Doba says injured QB believes he may be able to play against Arizona State

PULLMAN -- For what it's worth, Washington State coach Bill Doba said Matt Kegel walked into his office and "was giving me a hard time" for listing the injured quarterback as doubtful for the Cougars' game this week.

"Kegel is much better than I thought he would be," Doba said Tuesday. "He stopped by yesterday, swinging that arm around, and said, 'What do you mean I'm not starting?' "

Kegel, the fifth-year senior who has started all 10 games this season, sprained his right shoulder in the first quarter of the Cougars' 31-13 defeat of UCLA and was replaced by second-year freshman Josh Swogger.

Swogger worked with the No. 1 offense Tuesday, while Kegel watched, as the Cougars (8-2) prepared for their home game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Arizona State (4-6).

Doba said Kegel's condition will be evaluated today but the Cougars may not designate a starter until Saturday. "We'll see how he warms up and how it feels and what the doctors have to say," the coach said. "If he's ready to go, he's our starter."

If not, Swogger will make his first collegiate start and true freshman Alex Brink will step into the No. 2 role. The Cougars would prefer to maintain the redshirt status of Brink, who has yet to see action, but Doba said he wouldn't hesitate to insert the rookie if the other quarterbacks are injured.

MORE COLEMAN PROPS -- Not content with two Pac-10 Player of the Week awards, Cougars safety Erik Coleman on Tuesday was named Bronco Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

Coleman intercepted two passes and forced two fumbles against UCLA.

The Cougars have now claimed this award twice -- and both times by senior free safeties feasting on UCLA quarterbacks at Martin Stadium. The previous honoree was Lamont Thompson, after making four interceptions against UCLA two years ago.

Coleman will be added to the watch list for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, given annually to the top defensive player in the country.

On Monday, Coleman was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for both defense and special teams.

He and WSU cornerback Jason David own six interceptions apiece this season, tied for the Pac-10 lead with Mitch Meeuwsen of Oregon State.

"He caught up with me -- I'm not happy about that," David said, smiling widely. "I've got to get a couple next week."

Coleman might have totaled three interceptions Saturday, nearly snagging an end-zone overthrow. But he dropped the ball when a teammate inadvertently bumped him. The teammate, Coleman noted with amusement, was David.

"We're a very opportunistic defense," the safety said, "and when (the quarterback) throws the ball, everybody's flying to it and trying to get a piece of it."

WEEKLY FALSE-START REPORT -- Doba said he was "elated" that the Cougars kept their penalty yardage Saturday under 100 -- nine flags for 80 yards.

But his elation was tempered by the fact that five of the nine were for false starts, bringing the Cougars' season total in that category to an unconscionable 34.

"Our goal was no penalties before the snap," Doba said, but that goal went by the wayside quickly: The Cougars false-started on their first play from scrimmage.

The problem may have been related to the rustiness of center Mike Shelford, who also made a couple of snapping errors. He was making his first start in six games, having recovered from a bruised nerve.

MORE ON INJURIES -- Listed as doubtful for the Cougars is linebacker Scott Davis, who sprained a knee against UCLA. Termed questionable are strong safety Virgil Williams (thigh bruise), linebacker Al Genatone (ankle) and tight end Cody Boyd (hip bruise).

If neither Genatone nor Davis can fill the weakside linebacker role, Pat Bennett would move into the starting lineup.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/13/03

Sun Devils won't sulk, Walter says; After elimination from bowl contention, QB says ASU needs to have fun

Arizona State's loss at Stanford last week was not only embarrassing, it eliminated the Sun Devils from the all-consuming bowl scramble. Their impulse is probably to grieve, a fact not lost on quarterback Andrew Walter.

"There will be time to reflect after the season," he said this week. "There are two games left. My mind set is to finish out, and you can do your crying and sobbing afterward, for things lost and for hopes gone by the wayside."

The Sun Devils (4-6, 1-5) will be groping for fresh incentives Saturday when they play at Washington State (8-2, 5-1), which is still very much in the bowl scramble.

For Walter, the new incentive is that hazy refuge called "fun."

"It's been a difficult, up-and-down kind of season -- inconsistent, tremendously inconsistent," he said. "So, hey, you're either frustrated to the point of self-destruction, or you roll with the punches and have some fun."

The Sun Devils had entered the season with brassy expectations, corroborated by a Pac-10 Conference media poll that placed them second, just three points behind USC.

Those expectations had been closely tied to the talents of Walter, who had emerged at midseason in 2002 to put up some dazzling statistics -- back when the pressure was low and the game was, yes, fun. He was an agile 6-foot-5, with an appearance evocative of classic Hollywood, and Arizona State fans seemed to view him as a cross between Jake Plummer and Gregory Peck.

Well, he still has next year.

The junior has thrown for more than 2,500 yards this season, with 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions. But the bloom is off the rose -- and in retrospect it began to fade on the Sun Devils' most recent trip to Washington State.

They lost 44-22 there last November, snapping a three-game win streak. Since then, they have lost eight of 10 conference games.

Walter passed for 328 yards in that game at Pullman, but he remembers being surprised by the Cougars' defensive tactics. The Devils' previous opponents had used rather conservative pass coverage, but the Cougars made a point of challenging ASU receivers. Walter in particular remembers Marcus Trufant, now with the Seattle Seahawks.

"Their safeties are great against the run, but they also cover well," Walter said. "Their corners like to jump routes -- they'll be waiting for the ball before your receivers are. It makes it tough when you're not throwing on time and in rhythm."

Timing is an issue with Walter because he's recovering from an ankle injury that makes it "harder to transfer your weight through the throw," he said.

The Sun Devils seem to have slipped into a deeper mode of incompetence in the last three weeks, losing 20-13 to UCLA, 51-23 to California and 38-27 to mediocre Stanford.

In that last game, they committed two early turnovers and trailed 21-0, then launched a fruitless comeback. The verdict eliminated the Devils from bowl eligibility.

"For some reason, guys ... wait for something to happen rather than make it happen," Walter said. "Or they have a false sense of security that we can get down by a score or two, 21 points, and come back from it because we have in the past."

Maybe they play better when they have nothing to lose. And that's pretty much the case for the rest of the year.

NOTES -- Washington State sophomore Kyle Basler was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, given each year to the nation's top punter. Basler is averaging 43.6 yards per punt and has dropped 22 of 60 inside the 20-yard line. Other semifinalists are Vinnie Burns of Virginia Tech, Dustin Colquitt of Tennessee, Donnie Jones of Louisiana State, Kyle Larson of Nebraska, Andy Lee of Pittsburgh, Tom Malone of USC, Adam Podlesh of Maryland, Matt Prater of Central Florida and B.J. Sander of Ohio State.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/14/03

Another rosy prognosis?; With two wins and some help from Texas schools, Cougars could very well spend another New Year's day in Pasadena

PULLMAN -- They've done the PR work. They've won eight games. They're on target to meet the Bowl Championship Series criteria.

Now if the Washington State Cougars can notch two more victories and persuade the state of Texas to secede from the union, they're likely to make their third Rose Bowl appearance in seven years.

Texas Christian and the University of Texas both have the potential to crash the Rose Bowl party, but there's one thing in the Cougars' favor if things get iffy: They belong to the Pac-10 Conference.

Despite the advent of the BCS and the erosion of traditional alliances, officials of the history-minded New Year's Day game at Pasadena, Calif., are still clearly wed to their matchup of the champions from the Pac-10 and Big Ten.

They might even forgive the Cougars for botching their ticket distribution system last year.

"Well, I don't want to paint any kind of negative picture," Rose Bowl chief executive officer Mitch Dorger said Thursday. "Let me tell you the maintenance of a Big Ten vs. Pac-10 matchup is very important to us."

Washington State athletic director Jim Sterk is under the same impression. Assuming Southern California sallies off to the Sugar Bowl and the Cougars are co-champions of the Pac-10, "from what I'm hearing, we would be in the Rose Bowl," he said.

Rose Bowl speculation is moot, of course, unless Washington State wins its final two regular-season games -- at home against Arizona State on Saturday and on the road against Washington next week.

If, on top of that, USC happens to lose one of its final three games, Washington State would prance into the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10 champion for the second straight year.

It's more likely that USC will run the table and remain No. 2 in the BCS standings -- and that's when things would get murky. The Trojans would advance to the Sugar Bowl to vie for the national title, and the Rose would have no obligation to choose another Pac-10 school.

If it comes down to a popularity contest, one wonders if the Cougars will be penalized for the more than 7,000 tickets they failed to sell from their allotment of 32,000 for last year's Rose Bowl matchup with Oklahoma.

Although the bowl contract forced WSU, and not the Rose Bowl, to eat the approximately $900,000 in lost revenue, bowl officials were nonetheless displeased by the attendance of 86,848, the game's lowest since 1944.

"It was obviously an unfortunate situation," Dorger said. "But it was my understanding that it was more of a sales management issue than a demand issue. ... That may have been a one-year aberration."

That's what the Cougars believe -- that the ticket fiasco can be attributed to an uncanny combination of factors, including their own relative ignorance. These elite bowl appearances are still somewhat new to them.

Last year, after experiencing a deluge of ticket requests for their Rose Bowl appearance six years earlier, they introduced a "priority points system" for ticket distribution (something other schools had done decades earlier), but were slow in entering computer data for it.

Ticket request forms were mailed about Dec. 1 -- too late for officials to detect a certain indifference among the donors and alumni who had gobbled up the 1997 tickets. By the time they heard these yawns and made tickets available to the general public, about 5,000 Washington State fans had already jumped on the Internet and bought tickets from Oklahoma.

Why the indifference? One possible reason was the departure from bowl tradition that had seen the Orange Bowl nab Iowa of the Big Ten and send Oklahoma of the Big 12 into the Rose.

Other factors included the Cougars' deflating loss in the Apple Cup, Mike Price's resignation as WSU coach, and the fact that bowl bids weren't extended until early December.

This year's bowl picture, as officials are loath to acknowledge, will remain equally fuzzy, thanks in part to USC's game against Oregon State on Dec. 6.

"We've complained to everyone we can complain to," Dorger said. "We're used to a situation where the Pac-10 and the Big Ten know who their champions are on the 22nd of November. This delay significantly hurts our opportunity to sell tickets. But that's the system we're a part of."

Washington State, in any case, believes it got a jump on the scramble this year by mailing ticket request forms for priority buyers in October.

"We wanted to get commitments up-front," Sterk said. "That way, once whatever bowl is announced, we'll be able to announce right then, we have X amount of tickets to sell, so there won't be any delay in getting tickets to the public."

The other obstacle the Cougars have cleared is squeezing into the top 12 in the BCS standings, a requisite for getting a BCS bowl berth, and they are likely to stay in the darling dozen if they win their final two games. No other Pac-10 team aside from USC is close to that threshold.

Still, there are issues beyond the Cougars' control -- namely, the state of Texas.

If the Texas Longhorns, as a probable runner-up in a BCS conference, finish in the top four in the BCS standings, they are guaranteed a spot in one of the four premier bowls -- Sugar, Rose, Orange or Fiesta.

Then there's Texas Christian, which is presenting a new thorn in the BCS garden by going undefeated and climbing the ranks as a member of a non-BCS league, Conference USA. If the Horned Frogs finish in the top six in the BCS standings, they too would be guaranteed an elite bowl bid.

At the moment, Texas is fifth in the BCS and Texas Christian is a precarious sixth: The Frogs' pallid strength-of-schedule rating could cause them to slip even without losing a game.

Washington State coach Bill Doba declined an invitation to Frog-bash, despite the threat TCU poses to his postseason prospects.

"It's hard for me to comment on those guys," he said. "I think the whole purpose of the BCS and the bowl selection committee is to try to get the best teams. It's hard to compare, like apples and oranges. They play a different schedule in a different league. They could be better than anybody in the country, for that matter. It's really hard to say, by comparing scores and opponents, just how good they are."

If both Texas schools clinch elite bowl berths, the Cougars would probably be relegated to the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Diego, which normally has the right to the second-place Pac-10 team.

Perhaps that wouldn't break the hearts of some WSU fans, especially those who place more value on novelty than tradition: Washington State hasn't been to the Holiday since 1981.

On the other hand, the Cougars' flings in Pasadena in the past seven years didn't turn out the way they envisioned; they lost both times. This school is still looking for its first Rose Bowl victory since 1916.

"As far as we're concerned," Sterk said, "we would love to go there and win a Rose Bowl. I think people can rally around that."

NOTES -- Doba reiterated that he won't decide until Saturday whether to start quarterback Matt Kegel, who sprained his throwing shoulder last week against UCLA. Kegel returned to practice Wednesday but appeared to be experiencing pain. Doba listed him as probable but is prepared to start freshman Josh Swogger if necessary. ... Linebacker Al Genatone (ankle) is doubtful for the Arizona State game, meaning Pat Bennett may get his first start of the season. Freshman Steve Dildine is also being considered for that role. ... Offensive lineman Billy Knotts, a sporadic starter, hyperextended a knee Tuesday and is doubtful. ... Recovered from bruises are safety Virgil Williams and tight end Cody Boyd.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/15/03

QB question still hanging over Cougs; Game-time decision expected on whether Kegel or Swogger will take snaps against Sun Devils

PULLMAN -- Washington State fans may have to wait until kickoff today before learning who will start at quarterback. Surely this sounds familiar. Is it becoming a November tradition?

If so, it's better than the Cougars' old November tradition -- losing as a matter of course.

The Cougars don't seem to know if Matt Kegel's sprained shoulder will allow him to play today in a home game against Arizona State. The senior practiced Wednesday but was shelved again Thursday.

But coaches seem sufficiently confident in freshman understudy Josh Swogger, who logged some needed experience as Kegel's injury replacement in the final three quarters of the team's 31-13 defeat of UCLA last week.

His passing stats weren't terrific -- 5-of-16 for 82 yards and two interceptions -- but coach Bill Doba liked Swogger's resilience.

"He's got a short memory," Doba said. "He's not happy when he throws an interception, or doesn't do something right. But he doesn't dwell on it. Corners, quarterbacks, receivers -- they've got to have short memories."

Swogger began scoring points with coaches during his redshirt season in 2002, when he directed the scout-team offense.

"Those guys are blitzing and flying by, and he just stands in there and smiles and wings that ball," Doba said. "He's got a great arm. We've just got to get him to protect the football."

Swogger, if he plays, will presumably face a less imposing defense today than he did last week. The Sun Devils have been especially vulnerable in the red zone, where opponents are scoring with an 84-percent success rate.

One point of interest will be which set of receivers the Cougars will emphasize. Early in the season, they went to wideouts like Sammy Moore and Devard Darling. Then they threw repeatedly to slotback Scott Lunde. And last week, with Swogger running the show and Darling having a bad game, their leading receiver was tailback Jonathan Smith.

For the Cougars, the scene is reminiscent of 2002, when Jason Gesser limped and gimped his way through the final weeks of the season, and Kegel was always on call as the backup.

The stakes, too, are similar. The Cougars (8-2, 5-1) need to win their final two Pac-10 Conference games to sustain their hopes for a repeat trip to the Rose Bowl.

November -- it's still not WSU's favorite time of year. It's a month when injuries and mental strains can catch up to a team. But after going 4-19 in November during an eight-year span ending in 1996, the Cougars have fared somewhat better in the past seven years -- 10-12.

They seem to have unloaded their late-season hex on Arizona State, which is 1-10 in November and December since hiring Dirk Koetter as coach in 2001.

It's anyone's guess how the Sun Devils (4-6, 1-5) will respond to their sixth loss last week, which eliminated them from bowl eligibility. They have been pelted with injuries, though the knee sprain of tailback Hakim Hill has improved considerably this week.

The Cougars want to apply pressure on ASU's highly regarded quarterback, Andrew Walter, who is favoring a sore ankle. Washington State's defensive speed impresses Koetter, who said defensive ends D.D. Acholonu and Isaac Brown "almost look like wide receivers coming off the edge.

"USC has an excellent defense, but man 1 through 11, there is no team in the Pac-10 that can match Washington State's speed," Koetter said.

One thing the Cougars like about their defense is that it seems to move especially fast when things get dicey -- in November, for example.

Cougfan.com - Posted Nov 15, 2003

Victory: 3rd teamers deliver No. 9 for Ol' Wazzu
Cougs now gunning for third straight 10-win season

By PAT MITCHELL
Cougfan.com Associate Editor

PULLMAN --Oh, those confounding Cougars. Just when you think that nettlesome penchant for penalties and home field turnovers will finally bite them in the rear, the cavalry arrives to save the day. Today against Arizona State, the bugle was sounded by a most unlikely pair of crimson soldiers.

Pat Bennett, the junior outside linebacker from tiny Forks, Wash., and Josh Swogger, the second-year freshman from Youngstown, Ohio, were third-stringers when the season began. Injuries up the depth chart propelled them into prime time, and they used the opportunity to propel WSU from a 10-10 second quarter tie to a 34-19 victory.

The win, WSU's ninth of the season, keeps the No. 8 Cougars a half-game ahead of USC atop the Pac-10 and qualifies them for a BCS bowl invitation. That means a victory in next week's Apple Cup can all-but-secure a second-straight trip to Pasadena on January 1, either as the outright conference champion should USC lose one of its final two games or as co-champion if the Trojans advance to the national championship game.

But on this day, with wounded Matt Kegel and the Cougar offense struggling mightily and the rock-solid defense looking vulnerable over the middle and on the ground, Huskies and bowl games were the least of the Cougars' worries.

And then, with five minutes left in the first half and Sun Devil QB Andrew Walter looking for a first down, Bennett drifted left, extended his arms and took off to the races. With a final block at the 10 courtesy of D.D. Acholonu, Bennett had himself a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown and WSU had a lead it would never relinquish.

If Bennett, starting in place of injured Al Genatone and Scott Davis, looked comfortable carrying the ball, it was no illusion. During a remarkable prep career, he rushed for 5,420 yards and 65 TDs.

"I knew he was going to throw it there, so I just tried to sneak out there a little bit and he threw it right to me," Bennett said of his second career interception. "I was surprised he didn't see me, actually. After that it was a big blur. I just took it to the house. I didn't even know what I was doing."

After Acholonu posted his second sack of the day -- and 10th of the season -- on ASU's next series, it was Swogger's turn to shine.

Taking possession at the WSU 46, Swogger looked poised, fleet of foot and strong of arm as he led the Cougars on an eight-play scoring drive that included a 21-yard laser to Scott Lunde, a bulldozing quarterback sneak for a first down and, utlimately, a picture-perfect 22-yard strike to Devard Darling in the endzone. Cougars 27, Devils 10.

WHILE THE SUN gave way to rain midway through the proceedings, and the momentum of the second quarter didn't carry into the third, the enthusiastic crimson partisans who watched 22 Cougar seniors play their final home game couldn't help but think the future was so bright they needed to grab the Foster Grants.

That optimism stemmed, of course, from the prospects for the immediate future: A chance to win 10 games for a third-straight season and another potential shot at the Granddaddy of Them All.

But more so, the smiles abounded because Swogger appears more than capable of continuing Wazzu's legacy of signal calling excellence. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 206 yards and a TD, spreading the ball among six different receivers and hitting virtually every quadrant of the field. He was unflappable under pressure, comfortable making checks at the line.

And to think the man who was supposed to be Kegel's understudy this season, sophomore Chris Hurd, is expected to be fully recovered from knee surgery come spring time.

Could be a battle royale shaping up.

But not today. Center stage belonged to Swogger.

"He throws like Ryan Leaf, runs like Jason Gesser and seems to have a Jack Thompson-esque calm about him. He really showed something out there today," said CF.C senior editor John Witter.

Said former Cougar coach Jim Walden, "He was super ... We have a guy who can play and beat anyone we have left to play."

When the Devils narrowed the lead to eight early in the fourth quarter, Swogger didn't flinch. After an ASU field goal, he promptly guided the Cougars on an eight play, 80-yard drive that Jermaine Green ccapped with a 15-yard scoring run that pretty much sealed the victory.. Swogger was 3 of 3 passing on the drive. Two of those completions -- 24 yards and then 19 yards, both to Lunde -- were in third-and-long situations.

"I felt pretty cool and calm out there. I studied hard this week and watched a lot of game film. I felt really comfortable in the pocket. The learning process is coming along really well for me," said Swogger, who learned he was going into the game when Kegel came over to tell him his knee and shoulder weren't cooperating.

ERIK THE GREAT, PART 2: Erik Coleman, a week after being named national defensive player of the week, continued to work his magic against ASU. He set up WSU's first TD, a one-yard run by Jonathan Smith, by blocking a Devil punt in the first quarter.

DEVARD'S RETURN: Junior receiver Devard Darling, shut out against UCLA a week ago, caught 5 passes for 108 yards and a TD against ASU. He earned ABC-TV's Cougar player of the game award. Darling's TD was the 17th of his career; one more and he ties Deron Pointer and Nian Taylor for No. 2 on WSU career TDs list.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: The Cougars piled up an unofficial 402 yards of total offense, and for the second week in a row its running game, in the deep freeze much of the season, netted more than 100 yards. Smith led the way with 58 net yards on 16 carries.

TACKLING LEADERS: Middle linebacker Don Jackson continued his end-of-year rampage, posting 11 total tackles against the Devils to lead the Cougar cause. Will Derting had 10, followed by Coleman with seven, Jason David with six and Isaac Brown with five, including a sack.

NEXT WEEK: The Cougars and Huskies kickoff at 3:30 PT in Husky Stadium. The game will be televised live by Fox Sports Net.

NOTABLE NOTES:
Drew Dunning's two field goals today -- the 63rd and 64th of his career -- moved him past Jason Hanson in WSU's record book for most career treys. Dunning needs eight points to pass Hanson atop WSU's career scoring list.

Acholonu's two sacks against the Devils moved him to within 2.5 stops of Keith Millard on WSU's career Tackles For Loss list. Acholonu, the pride of Inglemoor High, has 37. Millard is No. 2 all-time at 39.5. Palouse Posse legend DeWayne Patterson is No. 1 at 52.5 TFLs.

WSU's last four touchdown drives in the UCLA game and first touchdown drive vs. Arizona State game combined to take just 1:24 of clock time.

The Cougs' 9-2 start this season is the fifth-best for a WSU team through 10 games. The best start was 9-0 in 1930. Three Cougar teams started 9-1 -- last season's, the 2001 club and the 1997 squad.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/16/03

Tribune/Kyle Mills
Washington State's Devard Darling makes a fingertip catch in front of Arizona State's Chris McKenzie. This first-quarter play, covering 48 yards, set up a Drew Dunning field goal that gave the Cougars a 10-7 lead. Darling caught five passes for 108 yards on the day, including a 22-yard touchdown pass from Josh Swogger in the second quarter.


Tribune/Kyle Mills
Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter is drilled by Washington State's D.D. Acholonu for a sack in second-quarter action. Walter fumbled on the play, but the Sun Devils recovered for a 3-yard loss. ASUhad to punt two plays later.

Understudy carries show; Backup QB Swogger leads Cougars past Sun Devils

PULLMAN -- Midway through the second quarter, the pain escalated and the tough-guy routine began to seem pointless. Matt Kegel knew it; coaches knew it. The senior quarterback turned to freshman Josh Swogger and said, "Your time has come, bud."

Indeed it had.

Swogger threw a touchdown pass before halftime and wound up completing 14 of 20 passes Saturday as Washington State maintained its Rose Bowl course with a 34-19 win over Arizona State.

In one week, it seemed, Swogger had come of age. The previous Saturday, he had replaced an injured Kegel late in the first quarter and, in unspectacular fashion, avoided squandering a 14-0 lead.

This time he inherited a 10-10 tie and steered the Cougars to victory.

"I said last week Josh Swogger was one of the best young quarterbacks in the country," Kegel said, "and I think he proved it today."

Washington State (9-2, 6-1) remained tied in the loss column with USC atop the Pac-10 Conference standings, sustaining its hopes for a Rose Bowl berth with one regular-season game remaining. A surprisingly small crowd of 30,423 watched on a rainy afternoon at Martin Stadium.

Another injury replacement, linebacker Pat Bennett, broke the second-quarter tie by returning an interception 39 yards for a touchdown, and four minutes later Swogger lobbed a textbook 22-yard scoring pass to Devard Darling for a 24-10 lead. Darling finished with five catches for 108 yards.

Another test presented itself in the fourth quarter when ASU pulled to within eight points, but Swogger promptly directed an 80-yard drive capped by Jermaine Green's tackle-breaking 14-yard touchdown run with 4:43 left.

Arizona State (4-7, 1-6) was given a scare with less than two minutes remaining when a collision left defensive back Riccardo Stewart experiencing numbness in his neck and shoulder. After a 20-minute delay, he was taken to Pullman Memorial Hospital, where initial tests were encouraging. He was scheduled to stay overnight.

Kegel, the WSU starter all season despite a litany of injuries, sprained his throwing shoulder against UCLA and saw limited practice time last week. Coaches declined to announce a starter until game day, leaving the decision largely to Kegel himself. He opted to start.

"I wanted to go out and see if any miracle had happened over the night," he said. "I knew before ever playing in this game that it probably wasn't going to be a great-feeling day. The injury I have is very painful."

Erik Coleman made his life easier by blocking a Tim Parker punt, giving WSU possession on the 1-yard line and setting up a Jonathan Smith touchdown plunge in the first quarter.

But Kegel badly underthrew Darling on a deep route in the second quarter, giving Chris McKenzie an interception, and the senior generally looked tentative while passing 5-for-11 for 77 yards.

Meanwhile, the medication he was taking for his shoulder began to wear off, and he said lifting his arm became difficult.

"I think a quarterback needs to be confident in himself and his arm, and I wasn't," Kegel said, making this confession with some difficulty. "I knew we had a better shot of winning with Josh than me. ... If I get hit on this shoulder, the way it is now, it could be six months before I could use my arm again, because all those tendons would completely tear."

And yet he felt compelled to add: "If I didn't feel confident Josh could go in there and ... do all the things that needed to be done, I wouldn't have come out. I'd have played through the pain, and hoped like hell I could hang on for that win."

It wasn't necessary.

For one thing, the Washington State defense played strongly again, holding the Sun Devils to 322 yards and getting two sacks from defensive end D.D. Acholonu.

Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter completed 19 of 35 passes for 262 yards, hitting Derek Hagan seven times for 109 yards.

The Devils began to rally from a 27-10 third-quarter deficit, and Jesse Ainsworth made it 27-19 with a 34-yard field goal with 9:38 left.

But the Cougar defense was just grudging enough during this stretch. It curtailed its beloved blitzes and both teams adopted a ball-control mentality: There were only 2 1/2 possessions in the third quarter.

By this time, Swogger had developed a rhythm that impressed both head coaches.

Dirk Koetter of ASU: "He really didn't make any mistakes."

Bill Doba of WSU: "He just looks like he's out on a Sunday afternoon stroll."

Swogger said his dose of playing time against UCLA, combined with the repetitions he received in last week's practices, "led to me being more comfortable when I was in there.

"It pretty much happened on my first pass," he said. "I dropped back and threw to Scott (Lunde), I think it was. It was a penalty, but I just kind of got in a flow and everything seemed a little more clear to me."

Then, after his touchdown throw to Darling, "there was another sigh of relief -- 'OK, just go out and play, just have fun, just do what you know how to do.'"

The Cougars finish their regular season on Saturday in their cross-state rivalry game at Washington. If they win, and the results of other games around the country go their way, they will probably land a Rose Bowl berth.

And it took only an instant, once this Apple Cup was mentioned, for Kegel to slip back into his tough-guy mentality.

"I'm playing this week," he said.

Arizona State                    7        3        6        3        --19
Washington State            10       14       3        7        --34

First Quarter
WSU--Smith 1 run (Dunning kick), 10:20
ASU--Canidate 1 run (Ainsworth kick), 7:06
WSU--FG Dunning 31, 4:27

Second Quarter
ASU--FG Ainsworth 47, 9:19
WSU--Bennett 39 interception return (Dunning kick), 4:59
WSU--Darling 22 pass from Swogger (Dunning kick), :51

Third Quarter
WSU--FG Dunning 32, 9:19
ASU--Hagan 25 pass from Walter (kick failed), 3:49

Fourth Quarter
ASU--FG Ainsworth 34, 9:38
WSU--Green 15 run (Dunning kick), 4:23

A--30,423.

                                                ASU                 WSU

First downs                                17                     20
Rushes-yards                           32-60              39-118
Passing                                      262                   284
Comp-Att-Int                        19-35-1            19-31-1
Return Yards                             117                   154
Punts-Avg.                                6-34                 5-42
Fumbles-Lost                            3-1                    0-0
Penalties-Yards                         6-45                11-74
Time of Possession                   28:34                31:26

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--ASU, Canidate 21-63, H.Hill 5-9, R.Hill 2-8, Karney 1-0, Walter 3-(minus 20). WSU, Smith 16-58, Green 10-41, Swogger 5-15, Bruhn 6-6, team 2-(minus 2).

PASSING--ASU, Walter 19-35-1-262. WSU, Swogger 14-20-0-207, Kegel 5-11-1-77.

RECEIVING--ASU, Hagan 7-109, Fulton 5-100, Miller 4-51, H.Hill 3-2. WSU, Darling 5-108, Lunde 5-85, Bienemann 3-32, Smith 3-25, Harvey 2-28, Green 1-6.

Lewiston Tribune Online - 11/16/03

Jim Browitt- Cougs saving it up for Huskies

PULLMAN -- Cold, wet, quiet, one-fourth empty -- sounds like Martin Stadium on a Saturday afternoon in November.

Admittedly, that's something only a longtime observer of WSU football would say. A recent addition to the Cougar bandwagon probably couldn't fathom the notion of a meaningless late-season game, or the coinciding passivity which envelops the scene.

That's what made yesterday's Pac-10 encounter on the Palouse so perplexing. It could scarcely have meant more to the Cougars, who are angling toward a conference championship and perhaps a second consecutive Rose Bowl invitation. Beyond that, it was their final home appearance of year.

And yet the atmosphere was decidedly listless.

WSU players appeared uninspired -- effective, but in an oddly detached way.

The crowd of 30,423 (that number certainly reflected tickets sold, not rumps in the stands) was by far the Cougars' smallest of the season. While attentive, appreciative and occasionally boisterous, the fans' excitement was always short-lived.

And those of us sequestered in the press box -- granted, out of the wind and rain -- marveled at the lack of spark shown by either group.

After all, this isn't a team merely playing out the string. Saturday's 34-15 triumph over Arizona State put Cougars within one victory of a variety of achievements: a third consecutive 10-win season (keep in mind that 10 wins is most WSU has ever won in a year); a second straight Pac-10 title (be it outright or shared, depending on how USC finishes up); and another berth in a high-profile bowl (it now seems that the Holiday Bowl is the worst WSU can do).

But for a program which, until recently, has been far more accustomed to frustration than prosperity, Saturday's reaction defied explanation.

Still, a few Cougars tried.

"Maybe it was because (the game) was televised; maybe people just didn't want to be out there in the rain," said offensive guard Josh Parrish, speculating on the relatively low fan turnout.

"I know I'm I playing my best when the crowd's really into it," said cornerback Jason David said, who on at least two occasions made the customary gesture for fan noise. "But the better we play the more excited the crowd gets ... and we could have played better."

"The early start (kickoff was moved to 12:30 p.m. from 2 to accommodate television) was something different, so it probably had an effect," defensive end Isaac Brown said.

OK, Brown wasn't buying it either. So he offered this:

"We love to play in Martin Stadium in front of our fans, and it's tough knowing we won't get another chance to do that (Brown is one of the Cougars' 21 seniors). But this wasn't our last game, and we knew it. In the Apple Cup and whatever bowl game we go to, that's where you'll be seeing the emotion."

Therein lies another concern. If the Cougars have a problem with emotion when they play Washington, it's usually that they're exuding too much.

Considering what's at stake next Saturday in Seattle, this will be, from a WSU standpoint, the most important Apple Cup since 1997 (that, by coincidence, was the last time WSU beat its most detested rival). So the Cougars can ill-afford to be overstimulated.

And what does Brown have to say about this?

"Guys are going to be excited, but we'll keep it under control," he said. "We've got a good mixture -- we've players and coaches who are always excited and animated, and we've got players and coaches who stay even keel."

Should the Cougars prevail, expect everyone involved -- players, coaches, fans -- to cut loose. Because that accomplishment would be impossible to underappreciate, regardless how wet, cold or otherwise unpleasant the conditions may be.

ESPN - Posted 11/15/03

Swogger replaces Kegel at QB to lead Cougars

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) -- Josh Swogger settled down after he threw his first collegiate touchdown pass.

"I said to myself, 'Finally,' " the freshman backup said after coming off the bench and helping No. 8 Washington State beat Arizona State 34-19 on Saturday.

Isaac Brown celebrates after he sacked Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter.

 

Swogger, who took the majority of snaps in practices, replaced starter Matt Kegel in the second quarter with the game tied at 10 and led two long scoring drives, keeping the Cougars ahead of No. 2 Southern California atop the Pacific-10.

Swogger acknowledged he had trouble sleeping the night before.

"I asked Coach (Bill) Doba if he thought they might try to blitz me and he said they would probably blitz Matt Kegel more than you because of his injuries," he said.

The extra repetitions in practice paid off, and Swogger said he felt comfortable against Arizona State's defense. "The learning process is coming along really well," Swogger said of his quick education in running a college football team.

The Cougars (9-2, 6-1 Pac-10) could record their third consecutive 10-win season with a victory next week over Washington in Seattle. The Sun Devils (4-7, 1-6) are heading to their second losing season in three years under head coach Dirk Koetter.

Koetter said the Cougars beat his team on big plays.

"There were four big plays; a blocked punt, interception returned for a touchdown, and two long passes over our head," he said. "When we had our chances, we just didn't capitalize."

Koetter said he was impressed with the way Swogger played.

"You could see how poised he was, he really didn't make any mistakes," Koetter said. "He played very solid."

Washington State rolled up 402 yards of offense, while the Sun Devils compiled 322.

Swogger hit Devard Darling in the end zone on a 22-yard pass to make it 24-10 just before halftime. Swogger completed 14 of 20 passes for 207 yards and a TD.

Kegel, who reinjured his right throwing shoulder last week against UCLA and practiced sparingly all week, was 5-of-11 for 77 yards and an interception. He returned for the game's final two downs.

"I wasn't confident in myself. I think a quarterback needs to be confident in his arm and I wasn't," Kegel said.

Then he let quarterback coach Timm Rosenbach and Swogger know.

"I came off the field and gave Josh a little wink and said, `Your time has come, babe," Kegel said.

Arizona State's Andrew Walter threw a 25 yard scoring pass to Derek Hagan, but the Sun Devils were held in check by the Washington State defense, which had three sacks and forced three fumbles. He completed 19-of-35 for 262 yards and an interception.

Hagan had seven catches for 109 yards, while Skyler Fulton hauled in five passes for 100 yards.

Kicker Drew Dunning connected on a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter to break Jason Hanson's school record of 64 field goals. Dunning tied the record with a 31-yarder in the first quarter that put the Cougars up 10-7.

"That's quite an accomplishment for Drew. For him to break the record of one of the best ever is a real tribute to him," Doba said.

Pat Bennett intercepted a pass from Walter intended for Moey Mutz and ran 39 yards for a score to make it 17-10 late in the second quarter.

Bennett, who hasn't scored a TD since high school, said he was just following the lead of others on the defense.

"Our defense has so much depth," he said. "I just figured if anybody could do it, I could do it, too."

Doba said Bennett's interception return for a TD "was a big momentum swing. To pick that thing off and run it in really picked us up."

Swogger hit Darling in the end zone for a 24-10 lead just before halftime. Darling had five catches for 108 yards.

Washington State capitalized on an Arizona State miscue to take the early lead.

Erik Coleman blocked Tim Parker's punt and it was recovered on the Arizona State 1. Jonathan Smith ran it in on the next play to take a 7-0 lead.

Arizona State replied on the next possession with a 54-yard scoring drive as Cornell Canidate rushed from the WSU 1.

Jesse Ainsworth kicked a career-long 47 yard field goal to pull even at 10 in the second quarter. He had a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Sun Devils safety Riccardo Stewart suffered a neck injury and felt some numbness in his left arm late in the game and was taken to a hospital for observation. ASU officials said a battery of tests came back negative, but Stewart was being kept overnight for observation in Pullman Memorial Hospital. The game was delayed for 17 minutes while an ambulance took him off the field.

Next up ... Washington