Cougar soccer starts out with a win, while Cougar football preps for a scrimmage

Good morning Coug fans. In two weeks, we’ll be sitting down to watch an actual WSU football game. Can’t wait!

But before that, there was a WSU futbol game last night. The 21st-ranked Cougar soccer team started the season with a 3-1 win over Seattle University in Pullman. The Cougs scored three unanswered goals in the win.

Morgan Weaver had two goals and one assist. Her second goal clearly caught the Seattle U keeper off guard:

Elyse Bennett scored the other goal, which turned out to be the game-winner:

The Cougs return to the Lower Soccer Field on Sunday for a match against Grand Canyon University at 1 p.m.

Football

Friday was an easy day for the WSU football team, but today is an important one. The Cougs are set to scrimmage at 1:30 p.m. in Martin Stadium. With just two weeks left before the season opener, some position battles need to be decided—particularly at quarterback.

Gardner Minshew seems to be the front runner at QB, but Mike Leach continues to rep two guys each day. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Other position battles to keep an eye on: Nose tackle. Former walk-on Taylor Comfort seems to have a slight edge right now, according to Theo Lawson of The Spokesman Review. He’s battling Pono Lolohea, a junior college transfer.

Lawson also has true freshman Max Borghi ahead of redshirt senior Keith Harrington as the no. 2 running back behind James Williams. Borghi’s production today is something to keep an eye on.

I’m also interested in the offensive line. The first group seems to be set, but the second group will need to impress enough to make fans feel OK if someone goes down with an injury.

The depth at receiver is a good problem. A talented player is bound to be left out of the top eight. Today’s scrimmage might give us a good idea as to who is in and who is out.

School starts Monday, so if you’re headed to Pullman to catch a scrimmage, plan for it to be a little more crowded than it has the past few months.

Links

Soccer

Weaver's Big Night Leads The Cougars To Victory - Washington State University
The junior came up with two goals and one assist in the 3-1 win over Seattle.

Football

Scholarship in hand, Washington State’s Taylor Comfort now striving for nose tackle job | The Spokesman-Review
In May, Comfort was one of five players WSU bumped from walk-on to scholarship. It meant he could cease his post-grad job hunt and continue to play the game he loves – now free of cost.

The toughest and weakest college football nonconference schedule strengths in 2018 - CBSSports.com
WSU’s non-conference schedule won’t turn many heads, but it’s not nearly as easy as Oregon’s.

Pac-12 college football fall preview games players teams | ESPN.com
Check out Pac-12 Heisman hopefuls, who made our all-conference team, players to know, new coaches and more before kickoff.

Gauging the success of graduate transfer quarterbacks – The Athletic
This requires a subscription but it provides a list of names that are great blasts from the past, including former Coug Cody Clements.

Coming (and going) soon: Understanding the phenomenon of grad transfer quarterbacks in college football – The Athletic
Nearly nine out of every 10 Power 5 programs have been in the grad transfer QB game since 2006. The players and schools involved explain their strategy.

Lentil Festival

Cougar Athletics to Participate in National Lentil Festival - Washington State University
Hell yeah.