Hoping for good football news already? You're outta luck!

by Jeff Nusser on Dec 1, 2009 7:06 PM PST in Cougar Football Comment 16 comments

EDIT, 7:37 p.m. - Jones arrest
EDIT, 9:29 p.m. - Grippi confirms all but the Jones arrest

I think we all were hoping that we could put the 2009 football season in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible and start focusing on why 2010 has the potential to be better.

Well, the news coming out of Pullman today isn't exactly inspiring confidence at this point. Cougfan.com is reporting three different pieces of news which don't bode well for the future of the program. All are premium content, which I don't have access to, so I'll pass along details when Grippi's report hits SportsLink, but suffice to say that the headlines tell the story.

Safety Eric Block, who has fought a generally losing battle with ulcerative colitis over the past two years, will no longer play football. Block was expected to challenge for a starting safety spot next year. EDIT, 9:29: Grippi confirms and Bud Withers has more here. Basically, when he doesn't play football, he's more or less OK.
Offensive lineman Joe Eppele, who hails from British Columbia, is returning to Canada to pursue a career in the CFL. While he wasn't expected to battle for a starting job, this cuts into the offensive line depth. And if anyone knows how important that is, it's us. EDIT, 9:29: Grippi reports Eppele has just a few credits to finish up his degree in the spring. As a native Canadian, he'll be highly thought of in the CFL draft.
Offensive lineman Kevin Freitag has been slow to recover from toe surgery and it's raising some major concerns. Again, there's the potential that we could be losing a guy expected to potentially provide depth. EDIT, 9:29: Freitag has never played at WSU, and Grippi says he probably never will because the issues with his foot just aren't getting better.

EDIT, 7:37 p.m.: I suppose we also should throw in the apparent arrest of cornerback Brandon Jones for fourth degree domestic violence on Monday. Unbelievable.

I guess we can just hold onto the good news that James Montgomery is looking awfully good to come back next year. But at this point, I'm waiting to hear that he's suffered a debilitating pinky injury that will cause him to end his football career.

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OK.

Well,… uh,…um,… (odd expression on face now),…can it get any worse? Oh! Yes, it can. I almost forgot we have the 2010 season just 9 months away and the entire PW crew returning for more fun from the Palouse for every team we play.

I’m sorry guys but after that Crapple Cup effort I’m not sure giving the coaching staff more talent, speed or size will matter much. Might be a bit like sending Boy Scouts after Bin Laden with sling shots the first year, BB guns the second year and .22’s the next, and so on and so on. No matter how good the weapons get they’re still not ready for the assignment. Bigger guns and more ammo doesn’t always get the job done.

I pray that Wulff is just the unluckiest SOaG ever and when the curse lifts it turns out he can coach and this was all just some freaklishly perfect storm bad karma fest that randomly landed in Pullman!?!?!? Please God, …please. (weird look on face is back)

by Longtime Coug on Dec 1, 2009 8:47 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think we're a bit attuned to the negative.

Makes sense because of what we’ve gone through.

That said, we kinda thought Block wouldn’t be back.

Eppele and Freitag are a bummer, but I read that we’ve got 20 O-linemen on the roster for next year (including current verbals), and Wulff and Co are looking to sign more, so again, no real surprise to see someone leaving. Danaher might not come back either (concussions).

Last, if I recall correctly, 4th degree DV is the equivalent of blocking someone from getting past you, or pushing someone out of the way if they’re blocking you. I’ve known a few guys who’ve been arrested on bunk DV charges that never go anywhere. If the cops show up, and one party says the other laid a hand on them, the cops pretty much HAVE to arrest them. Wait for the details on this one.

by TiltingRight on Dec 1, 2009 9:23 PM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Please no more football news

It just ruins my day at this point and takes away from my basketball excitement.

The offensive linemen leaving and the other one being hurt is bad as we are already thin on the O line and Wulff does not seem to be recruiting a whole lot, at least according to the recruiting sites.

Another thing that got me depressed is realizing that this was probably one of the worst year the Pac-10 has had in a long time and while we might be the most improved team next year, everyone else will also have improved and we still might be the worst team in the Pac-10. Looking around at the rosters there are a lot of skill position players that will be returning next year for every team. Also every team but three – Cal, Oregon State and Arizona State – returns their starting QB (unless Locker leaves early) and those three teams still have young talented QB’s ready to step in via transfer, freshmen already on roster or recruits coming in. The Pac-10 was a very young league this year and every other team will also be returning a lot of good young players that have shown they can already beat our young players quit easily.

This team needs to put in some major work before next season, and this news so far does not start the that off on the right foot. Lets hope this team shocks the hell out of us all and everything starts to click and come together for them next year.

by spokanecougar on Dec 1, 2009 9:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know how you come to the conclusion that this is one of the worst years the Pac-10 has had

I think it’s exactly the opposite. This is one of the best years for the conference — top to bottom — in a LONG time.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Dec 1, 2009 9:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Down year

I tend to agree more with the first post, while I do not think this was the worst year for the conference, I think it is far from one of the best years for the Pac-10. I liked how this year was more deep than we have seen the past years, however I do not think, outside maybe Oregon, any of the conferences best teams could be the best teams from the other BCS conferences. USC did beat Ohio State, but then went on to get blown out in a couple of game and Oregon lost to Boise State, and I still don’t think they could beat them.

Next year however, this conference could be the best in the country. It will be very deep, with no teams really declining to much and most teams should improve quite a bit. However, that doesn’t seem to help out the Cougs next year. We could be the most improved team and still be, by far, the worst team in the conference again.

by wazzucougfan on Dec 1, 2009 10:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Stanford? An Arizona team that took Oregon to the wire? Oregon State? USC?

The conference probably the strongest 1-9 there is. There wasn’t any games you could relax, besides playing us.

I’d put Oregon, Stanford, OSU, and USC up against almost anyone. Everyone just beat the crap out of each other this year. There was a ton of balance conference wide with alot of good teams.

by cougfan on Dec 1, 2009 11:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait until bowl season

I would love to see Oregon play BSU again — the would absolutely destroy them this time around. While there was no elite team on the order of USC of the past eight years, the rest of the conference was almost unbelievably good 1-9.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Dec 2, 2009 8:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe not top to bottom

top to ninth place

by Cougar999 on Dec 2, 2009 7:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Danaher

Danaher looks to be returning. That is a positive for the line since he has seen quite a bit of playing time. Good for depth.

by acgcoug on Dec 1, 2009 9:34 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Ulcerative colitis can be pretty serious

most people who have it live fairly normal lives but it can lead to more serious things, most notably colon cancer.

best of luck/good wishes to Eric Block in dealing with it.

by coug2828 on Dec 1, 2009 10:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Assault in the fourth degree is actually not that big of a deal

I obviously don’t think it’s ever a good thing, but I watch a lot of cops, and that is really not a big deal. Assault in the 4th could be as little as pushing her hand out of your face when you’re in an argument.

It’s never a good thing, but let’s not blow this out of proportion.

by ogoshcougs on Dec 1, 2009 11:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I posted the link earlier

I had forgotten that in Washington with a DV situation, they have to arrest someone. The female said he assaulted her (no specifics in the logs) so he had to be arrested. Still, an arrest isn’t good, but who knows what the circumstances around it are.

by cougfan on Dec 1, 2009 11:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

As I said on the other post

I know that fourth degree assault can be something just a little more than nothing, but … I’m 32 and I’ve never found it that hard to avoid being arrested. Apparently our football team does not find it so simple.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Dec 2, 2009 8:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Football players in particular

live and breath in testosterone heavy environments. That’s not to excuse bad behavior, at all, but combine that with them being such public figures on and around campus, and you can end up with seemingly disproportionate representation on the police blotter.

We still don’t know what happened in Stripling’s case, and have heard mixed stories about Roof’s, but in both cases, it could easily have been a situation where a drunk would be badass thought they’d take on the big dude and show how truly badass they are. In both cases, the smarter thing is to walk away, but I’ve been in plenty of shoving matches and scuffles, and a couple of actual fights (when I was young and dumb)…even sending someone to the hospital… and never been arrested for it.

That said, I’ve never had a DV situation. But I’m pretty dang sure cougfan and I are right that if a cop shows up, someone MUST be arrested, even if noone will be charged in court.

Like I posted earlier, I think we’re attuned to bad news…. With a little perspective, while still not good, this isn’t terrible…. and Danaher sticking around is actually GOOD news.

by TiltingRight on Dec 2, 2009 9:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Freitag and Eppele

If this is the worst news over the next couple of months I’m a happy guy. Why? It was pretty obvious Eppele was never going to become more than a project. He just couldn’t block. Frietag came in with a lot of promise but unfortunately he also came in with a knee injury and never was able to get over the injury hurdle. I really think if it wasn’t for the injuries he would have been at least productive if not a starter down the road. There just isn’t enough time right now and the opportunity to bring in 2 more offensive linemen (hopefully mid-year JCs) is actually good news for Wulff if he can find the talent.

Block is definitely the biggest blow. Most likely he did not have the talent of other players like Daniels, Atofau, or even a Toomer but he was a tough guy and you love having those guys on the team. Really too bad to lose him but if they can use his spot for another lineman then hopefully it will help get things on track.

As for Brandon Jones it was a 4th-degree thing. Also, there is Simmons, Hayward, Washington, and Carpenter waiting in the wings.

If this is the worst then great but I have a feeling we may not have heard the end of the departures. The good news with these 3 is that it should have no impact on the APR hopefully other than maybe with Eppele if he were not to finish his 2 credits.

by BornCoug on Dec 2, 2009 12:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Hey Nuss!

Did you catch, (I think it was Grippi’s) the report in the Spokesman today that Wulff is finally interested in some JC support!? Wow! Sounds like Sterk finally rang the last lap bell?!?! I was all for bringing in JC’s to bolster the weak upper classes from the get go but Wulff apparently thought he had enough older (albeit Doba’s) guys to create a PAC-10 line from. Why Sterk let that slide I’ll never know, it has cost us badly and will now take years to overcome. I hope they’ve learned a lesson from that experience. If the talent was an issue in the upper classes, if depth was so low, which exposes you to the injury bug, why choose to thumb your nose at the possiblity? Crazy stuff man. I am glad that they are pursuing them and think that can significantly improve our opportunities next year. The other ingredient they discussed in the article was the coaching staff, which also gave me hope that somebody in Pullman is seeing what we are!! I’m still very concerned that even if they manage to secure some reliable and athletic JC’s that the game prep, game plans and game management will still be second rate and we’ll suffer another 1-11 or 2-10 year. But Go Cougs and keep the pressure on them Sterk!

by Longtime Coug on Dec 2, 2009 9:33 PM PST reply actions 0 recs