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July is coming to a end and the news and social media related to WSU football is starting to pick up a little. Earlier in the week, the Pac-12 held its media day. CougCenter had extensive coverage of the event that you can read about here in case you missed anything. Many fans probably see the media day as a formality with a lot of "coachspeak." Of course, that is never the case when it comes to Mike Leach. Gnats, Geronimo, and sturgeon fishing were all topics of conversation when Leach spoke to the press.
Taco Bell
Before we get to football related items, Friday was a milestone of sorts in Pullman as a new Taco Bell on Stadium Way opened for business. Long lines were the order of the day as fellow Pullmaniacs filled the newly open establishment from the cash register to the door. I popped in around 2pm and was fairly impressed with how well the operation was running for its first day.
So many times over the years I have sat down to watch a game wishing I had a bag of soft tacos or a Burrito Supreme. But with a round trip of 20+ miles to the nearest Taco Bell in Moscow, the cravings were never really able to overcome the distance. Now only a few blocks separate me and a bag of relatively inexpensive quasi-Mexican food. Like all fast food establishments, there is definitely a burnout threshold when it comes to Taco Bell. I am guessing two or three times a month will likely be my max.
Football
Friday it was announced that for the second year in a row the WSU football team will be holding the first part of its fall camp in Lewiston, Idaho at Sacajawea Middle School. Last year WSU held camp in Lewiston more out of necessity than anything with the construction of the Football Operations Building making Rodgers Field unserviceable. This year the Cougs will be there by choice after coaches saw the benefit of getting players away from their everyday living arrangements to focus on football and each other as they prepare for the season. The team will be in Lewiston from August 2nd to August 13th.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>WSU will begin fall camp in Lewiston on Aug. 2 at Sacajawea Middle School. They'll be in Lewiston until Aug. 13 before heading to Pullman.</p>— Britton Ransford (@bkransford) <a href="https://twitter.com/bkransford/statuses/492796909246234625">July 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Kicker Matt Abramo became the 11th commit to the 2015 WSU recruiting class on Friday. Last year the Cougs received a committment from kicker Tristan Vizcaino, who later flipped to Washington leaving the 2014 WSU kicking game with some serious question marks. A lot of coaches will not even offer a scholarship to a kicker. Leach made national headlines in 2008 when he recruited a student that won a contest by kicking a 30-yard field goal to walk on at Texas Tech. I have an uneasy feeling that once the 2014 season is over, Coug fans will be plenty happy to see Abramo arrive on campus.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>VERBAL: Petaluma (Calif.) Casa Grande kicker Matt Abramo has committed to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wazzu?src=hash">#Wazzu</a>. More <a href="http://t.co/Tn74EQh5CT">http://t.co/Tn74EQh5CT</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoCougs?src=hash">#GoCougs</a></p>— Britton Ransford (@bkransford) <a href="https://twitter.com/bkransford/statuses/492814605886844928">July 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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The Pac-12 is gaining a lot of attention this year for the strength of the conference's quarterbacks. The College Football Performance Awards recently put out its watch list for the top 40 quarterbacks in the nation and seven Pac-12 quarterbacks were on the list, including WSU's Connor Halliday. So what is the likelihood that Halliday can distinguish himself from the pack? Veteran reporter Vince Grippi from the Spokesman Review took a look at the potential for Halliday to have a special season in 2014 while Jacob Thorpe examines the tradition of excellence among Pac-12 quarterbacks.
Halliday has a chance to be special - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - July 25, 2014
A GRIP ON SPORTS The Pac-12 media days are done. All that's left before the start of the upcoming football season are those pesky preseason practices. What a bore. I'm joking, of course, but the rest of this post won't be humorous, I promise. It's about the Cougars' quarterback situation, ...
Passing the torch - Spokesman.com - July 25, 2014
LOS ANGELES – Not every school brought a quarterback to Pac-12 media days, but those that did not were immediately suspect. Over two days in Southern California the league’s coaches and a smattering of its best players gushed about the Pac-12’s quality and quantity at the most important position in football. Only Arizona and Washington do not return a starting quarterback from last season, and of the returnees only Colorado’s Sefo Liufau and Utah’s Travis Wilson weren’t chosen to represent their schools at the conference’s Hollywood powwow.
Cyrus Coen was named to the Polynesian Player of the Year watch list on Friday by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. Coen will play his final season for WSU in 2014 and is projected to be the Cougs' starting SAM linebacker.
Coen Named to Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List - Washington State University Official Athletic Site
Cyrus Coen was named to the inaugural Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award watch list
It's no secret that Mike Leach is quite fond of Key West, Florida. That's where Bill Moos had to go to find him and talk him into coming to WSU. Now Leach is relegated to visiting Key West on vacations and maybe some recruiting trips. Recently, Leach was spotted vacationing in Key West where the Cody, Wyoming native seems to fit right in with native Floridians.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Dear Steve Spurrier, you have competition! "<a href="https://twitter.com/marc_b">@marc_b</a>: When I grow up I wanna be Mike Leach (via <a href="https://twitter.com/LostLettermen">@LostLettermen</a>) <a href="http://t.co/54O3m6dtB8">pic.twitter.com/54O3m6dtB8</a>"</p>— Sports Dude™ (@ImTheSportsDude) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImTheSportsDude/statuses/492697253165801472">July 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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No shirt, no helmet, no problem - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - July 25, 2014
Washington State football coach Mike Leach likes to exercise. He walks to work every day, and can often be spotted on one of his various constitutionals around Pullman. So it makes sense why he spends his downtime in the offseason in Florida's Key West. Not only can he bike wherever ...