HOT COUGAR ACTION: Fall Camp Day 17 Recap

The football team was back on the practice field Tuesday and Paul Wulff wasn't exactly thrilled with their performance. 

Per Vince Grippi

Wulff was pointed. "The focus level wasn't good enough," he said. "Typical young guys, they get distracted. There have been a lot of distractions the last few days and they didn't come out like they had been coming out all the other practices. Again, not uncommon, but it shouldn’t sit well with any of us."

What happened at practice to draw that kind of reaction? Again, take it away Vince.

There were a lot more drops than we've seen since camp began...There were also more miscommunication between Jeff Tuel and his receivers...There were low snaps, bad handoffs, defensive offsides, a couple of fumbles, a number of muffed punts in drills, and on and on.

Now before you get worried and start blaming Jeff for jinxing the positive vibes coming out of fall camp, take a look back to the first practice after classes began last season.

The first play of team drills Tuesday looked like something out of a "The Longest Yard" rehearsal. Quarterback Jeff Tuel took the snap under center, bobbled it, and got stepped on by center Zack Williams, who had been driven back by Bernard Wolfgramm. While going down, Tuel tried to get the ball to Chantz Staden, but the handoff went awry and the ball caromed into the hands of Kevin Kooyman, who fell on it in the end zone. 

Apparently reading all of those syllabi really weighs down the players. 

WSU Football

Football Practice: Kaufusi's INT Highlights Defensive Day - WSUCougars.com
The Cougars returned to practice today, working out for two hours in full pads at Rogers Field after taking Monday off to focus on the first day of school.

WSU sons followed hearts to Pullman - Spokesman.com - Aug. 23, 2011
PULLMAN – The bios read more like a road map than a resume. Logan, Utah. Moscow, Idaho. Laramie, Wyo. West Lafayette, Ind. Corvallis, Ore. Berkeley, Calif. Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Detroit, Cleveland. Add all those cities up and they equal … Pullman? At least it did for David Gilbertson and Kyle Lappano.

Jared Karstetter a Candidate for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award - The Washington State University Official Athletic Site
PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University senior Jared Karstetter was one of 30 NCAA® football bowl subdivision student-athletes candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in football. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.

Cougar O-line a work in progress | Moscow-Pullman Daily News Blogs
At 6 a.m. every day this summer the offensive line pushed a sled, lifted weights at the gym and worked together in makeshift drills. It was all in an attempt to move on from a season that played out more like traumatic event than a football schedule - so much so that the O-line sought the help of sports psychologist Brian Cain this offseason.

Football Preview 2011 - Sports - ISU Bengal - Idaho State University
The BCS Matchup - Washington State Idaho State University football kicks off its season against Washington State in Pullman, Wash., on Sept. 3. Washington State is a BCS team and should provide a healthy challenge for the Bengals. ISU generally schedules at least one game against a BCS team every year and the end result is never pretty. This game might be different.  WSU only average 20 points per game last year while giving up 35 points per game. This is a great opportunity for the Bengals to play and win against a BCS team and try out that new offense.

Other WSU Sports 

Life in the Appalachian League - The Washington State University Official Athletic Site
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - For three years, Paris Shewey pitched for the Washington State University Cougars. He made 63 appearances in Crimson and Gray (60 out of the bullpen), won nine games and saved 13.

COLLEGES: Bellingham grad to enter WSU Hall of Fame - Sports News - bellinghamherald.com
Former Bellingham High School graduate Douglass Gibb, a staple in the Washington State University aquatics program, will be inducted into the WSU Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 9, in Spokane. Gibb is the father of current Squalicum girls' and Lynden boys' swim coach Steve Gibb.

Eileen Maes Named Pac-12 Player of the Week - The Washington State University Official Athletic Site
Maes scored three goals in the second half and Washington State opened its 2011 soccer season with a 3-1 victory at Hawaii, Aug. 19. The hat trick for Maes came in less than 22 minutes. 

Where Brett The 49er Advocates Against Throwing Frozen Dog Poop

The Daily Evergreen Online - Fans need to stop
All that being said, I would never in a million years consider getting violent about sports. It’s absolutely out of the question; there are zero excuses to justify getting violent over a game, even if that game does shape who you are.

WSU Athletics Video of the Day

Cougar Football: Coach Paul Wulff Interview (via WSUCougarAthletics)

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