2011 WSU Football Previews: Defensive Line, Travis Long and Then What?
by Mark Sandritter on Aug 30, 2011 4:00 PM PDT
in 2011 WSU Football News
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PrintThere was a time, not so long ago, when WSU always seemed to have a great pass rusher. D.D. Acholunu, Isaac Brown, Rien Long, Mkristo Bruce, even Lance Broadus terrorized a quarterback or two.
Those times now seem like ancient history. Over the last three seasons WSU has totaled 14, 13 and 18 sacks. The 2003 Cougars had 50.
Travis Long could be that guy this season, but there are plenty of unanswered questions along the rest of the defensive line.
2010 Depth Chart
DE: Travis Long (SO), Sekope Kaufusi (RsFR)
DT: Brandon Rankin (RsJR), Anthony Laurenzi (RsSO)
DT: Bernard Wolfgramm (RsSR), Justin Clayton (RsFR)
DE: Kevin Kooyman (RsSR), Casey Hamlett (SR)
2011 Depth Chart
DE: Travis Long (JR), Lenard Williams (JR)
DT: Kalafitoni Pole (RsFR), Justin Clayton (RsSO)
DT: Anthony Laurenzi (RsJR), Brandon Rankin (RsSR)
DE: Adam Coerper (RsJR), Skylar Stormo (RsJR)
The 2010 defensive line was a major disappointment. Long was solid, but Rankin and Wolfgramm, both former 4-star junior college recruits failed to live up to the pre-season hype. Laurenzi was a bright spot at defensive tackle and earned considerably more playing time as the season went along. Kaufusi moved to linebacker after proving to be outmatched as a situational pass rushing defensive end.
The 2011 group is full of potential, but is still a below average defensive line in the Pac-12. Long and Laurenzi are solid starters and could prove to be above average. Pole has received a lot of praise in fall camp and might have played a big role last season if not for a calf injury. Still, he is a redshirt freshman and will be relied on to play a major role right away. Rankin is eligible, which is good and he and Clayton should help to provide some decent depth at defensive tackle.
The defensive end spot opposite Long is still a major weak spot. Coerper was the 2008 scout team defensive player of the year, but he's been buried on the depth chart since. He rose us the ranks this fall camp, and would make for a feel good story, but like Pole he is inexperienced and being relied on to make a major contribution. The depth at DE isn't much better. Stormo moved to DE from TE during fall camp spring ball and Lenard Williams is a JC transfer. So out of the four defensive ends on the depth chart, only Long has game experience.
If Pole is as good as advertised and Laurenzi and Long continue to improve, this could be the best WSU defensive line since 2005. The flip-side of that, Pole shows flashes but goes through some growing pains while Laurenzi and Long receive constant double teams that limit their effectiveness.
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What happened to Ian Knight?
I think he was first team early in camp, but haven’t heard much since and now he isn’t even listed on the depth chart release.
Attractive, Intelligent, Short Attention Span, Timbers Fan Reader
Good question.
I don’t remember reading about any injuries. Grippi wrote this on the 25th.
Converted tight end Skylar Stormo ran with the ones yesterday as Coerper wasn’t in attendance and did a solid job (as far as I could tell). Lenard Williams, who has also played there, wasn’t able to show his wares in the team sessions after suffering from stomach cramps. Ian Knight has taken snaps on that side but seems better suited as a backup for Long on the other, which is more of a pass-rush position.
by Mark Sandritter on Aug 30, 2011 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions
I remember reading that.
So in theory, he should have been listed as the 2nd string DE behind Long. Except he isn’t there on the “official” depth chart.
Attractive, Intelligent, Short Attention Span, Timbers Fan Reader
Sounds about right.
In theory you would think Williams would backup Coerper and Knight Long. Instead, it seems as if Stormo essentially passed up Knight after converting to the position three weeks ago. Either Stormo is a natural and is going to excel at DE or Knight is having trouble making the jump from JC.
by Mark Sandritter on Aug 30, 2011 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions
Grippi article from a few weeks ago
On Knight, JC transfers, and a bit of Rankin thrown in there
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/aug/08/cougars-hope-have-good-knight/
by All Cougar all the time on Aug 30, 2011 9:13 PM PDT up reply actions
No, I got your point
You aren’t that subtle.
Mostly i just figured some readers might be interested…
Wasn’t expecting sarcasm for posting an article related to the subject though.
by All Cougar all the time on Aug 31, 2011 7:17 AM PDT via iPhone app up reply actions
I think Stormo converted in the spring (not sure, though)
But the rest of your point still stands.
#CougHarmonyonTwitter with your pants off, M*tha F*cker!
by TiltingRight on Aug 30, 2011 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions
You are correct.
At least that’s not quite as bad as him moving three weeks ago and passing guys.
by Mark Sandritter on Aug 30, 2011 11:33 PM PDT up reply actions
The only thing with your poll choices...
…is that it’s hard to imagine three of the four phases not having a drastic improvement (rush defense, pass defense, rush offense). But even if these three phases improve drastically, they still could be borderline terrible overall.
For instance, if the rush offense and rush defense leapfrog 25 teams, and you could argue is a major improvement, but they would still be somewhere around 80th overall in these categories. And I think we would find it hard to be a Wulff supporter, even if it is a realistic improvement.
I think a more important assessment is will these units be acceptable for competing in the Pac-12, because isn’t that what really matters at the end of the day? Wulff can keep pumping us full of, ‘we have drastically improved since last year’ talk (which he has every year he’s been here except for 2008), but really a meaningless statement if you think about it.
Each unit needs to be able to compete against the Pac-12 enough to avoid embarrassing losses and win I say at least 5 games in order for Wulff to stay. That’s what matters,
Could prove to be above average?
Hasn’t Long already been selected 2nd team pac 10 or something along those lines?
Sounds like the guy’s already shown that he’s above average, no?
The Cougars have been so lacking in victories that their premier players tend to be obscured by the losing. Long, a defensive end, is clearly one of those, having recorded five sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2010, numbers that were just outside the top 10 in the conference.
Moreover, he did it packing a bad shoulder. Early in fall camp, he was doing a “swim” move over an offensive tackle when the shoulder got forced out of its socket temporarily.
“From then on,” Long said, “it happened about every day.”
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/08/27/1775399/wsus-long-not-short-on-talent.html#ixzz1WZ4nHuu0
by All Cougar all the time on Aug 30, 2011 6:16 PM PDT reply actions
Honorable mention Pac-10 after last season.
Long is a good player, above average wasn’t the best term to use. Depending on how you define above average Long may or may not already be there.
by Mark Sandritter on Aug 30, 2011 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Honorable mention
That’s what I was referring to when I asked “Hasn’t Long already been selected 2nd team pac 10 or something along those lines?”
Thought I left myself a little bit of wiggle room on that one…
by All Cougar all the time on Aug 30, 2011 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions
It would be nice if we moved Rankin back out to the edge soon.
This group should be better but only if the listed starters and Rankin stay healthy.
"If you want your dreams to come true, don't sleep in."
Speaking of Pole
I thought this was a great visual/description for his style of play (courtesy of another site which I shall not cite here, seeing as how I am unfamiliar w/ cougcenter blog etiquette):
The word that comes to mind to describe Toni Pole is… violent. He is just extremely violent at the point of attack. He uses his arms a lot all while driving low and hard into the defender. Its not unlike a 290 lb weed wacker mounted on a Dodge Charger.
Somewhere another Cougar player described one of our (OL?) linemen as “quick, like a quick hippo” or something along those lines… Wish I could find the quote.
Anyway, just a couple descriptions that I thought were worth sharing…
by All Cougar all the time on Aug 30, 2011 6:54 PM PDT reply actions
there is a distinct ripple effect
when the d-line can simply hold the line. LB play is impacted to a huge degree and so is the life of the strong safety. Last year we saw myriad instnaces wherein an LB was in isolation w/ a lead block OLer and the ball carrier. Improving to ‘decent’ interior play will vastly alter the DE play too. Long will no longer face a veiled double w/ the bloking back chipping down as often… the number of 2nd and long and third and longs allow more gaps shoots and blitzes.
Pole, Laurenzi, Rankin, Clayton, Sampson (if he plays) are all over 285— last year- only Wgramm was. It will matter a great deal.
If you can't Go Cougs... don't go.
by hollyweirdcoug on Aug 31, 2011 11:36 AM PDT reply actions
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