Without a doubt, Washington State was one of the most surprising teams in football last year. A lot of questions surrounded the group as Luke Falk graduated and moved on to the NFL. Gardner Minshew, who placed fifth in Heisman voting, turned out to be a fantastic quarterback and fan favorite in Pullman. Even Head Coach Mike Leach couldn’t resist donning the famous mustache during a postgame interview. They finished the year 11-2 with a victory over Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl. Expectations aren’t extremely high for the Cougars this year, but they are no stranger to being a surprise team out in the Pac-12
Prestige Rank: 3
Coach Mike Leach has had his work cut out for him when he accepted the position at Wazzu in 2012. Since then, he had led the Cougars to bowl games in 5 of the last 7 years, including 4 straight. The next big step for Washington State will be to win the Pac-12.
Last Year’s Record: 11-2
The Cougars had their best year in over a decade, posting a double digit win total for the first time since 2003. Their two losses came against Pac-12 opponents, losing to USC and Washington. Their highest ranking was #7 in the country, and would’ve been a dark horse pick for the CFP had they won the Pac-12.
Key Losses
Gardner Minshew tops this list without a doubt. Replacing this caliber of a QB will be difficult, but Mike Leach has been in this situation before (see last year).
Jalen Thompson is another player who will be sorely missed, particularly in the Cougs secondary. All four safeties this year are new, and this is a big problem spot to look out for in Pullman.
Andre Dillard was one of the best pass blocking OL in the draft and was taken in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a huge offensive line whole that will need to be addressed if they want to stay competitive.
Key Additions
Gage Gubrud is yet another graduate transfer heading to Pullman by way of Eastern Washington University. He is still in a QB battle with Anthony Gordon, who Leach said would start if the season began today.
Lamonte McDougle is a highly touted, All-American transfer from West Virginia. He hasn’t solidified himself as a starter, but that could be in part to the talent the Cougs posses on the defensive line.
Travion Brown is a four star true freshman who appears to have carved himself a role. The OLB is looking to provide a bump to this WSU defense that has been one of the more underrated units in the Pac-12. Their 38 sacks led the Pac-12 and they allowed 121.2 rush yards per game, which was second to Utah.
Player to Watch: Max Borghi
Coming off of a true freshman season where he played a backup role to James Williams, Borghi is ready to be the bell cow. Last season he had 366 yards on 72 carries and caught 53 passes for 374 yards. He also added 8 rushing and 4 receiving touchdowns to his tally. Look for him to be a big part of this air raid offense and provide a security blanket for whoever Leach puts under center.
Game to Watch: @Washington, November 29
Washington has always been dominant. With a 73-32-6 record all time and a current six game winning streak, WSU has played little brother for a long time. They’ll have an opportunity to reclaim the Apple Cup for the first time since 2012 when they go visit Washington.
Season Outlook
There’s no doubting, Mike Leach is a top tier coach. As the hype has been growing in Pullman, they’ve also been able to reel in high value prospects. Their schedule does not do them any favors this year, as they have to face Oregon, Utah, and Washington all on the road. A successful season would be a victory over one of these teams and another double digit win season. Look for WSU to push hard in recruiting next year to find a QB of the future. Their three current QBs are in their final year of eligibility. The Pac-12 has a lot of competition, with five teams ranked in the top 25. Even if the Cougs have a bit of a down year, this likely won’t be the last you hear of them.