Picking the Pac - Week Nine

by John Berkowitz on Oct 30, 2009 7:00 AM PDT Comment 26 comments

California at Arizona State

I find this to be a pretty interesting game. The Devils are terrible on offense but they have the ability to shut down a one dimensional offense. we allknow the Devils can play defense and if they minimize the errors on offense this will be a close game. I don't think ASU will win another game this season. That being said it is a barometer game an how well Cal will finish out the season.

Cal by 7

UCLA at Oregon State

Not a good match up for the Bruins and the hope is their defense will become even more nicked up before they return home to face Washington. OSU has way too much offense for these guys to handle. The Bruins ae in self destruct mode and the players are starting to rebel against the coaching staff. Help is on the way for UCLA but not soon enough to save this season.

OSU by 14

Washington State at Notre Dame

If I lived in San Antonio I would be scratching my head about this match up. I know Notre Dame is national brand but why not match them up with an opponent from the Lone Star State? The Irish will go up 21 -0 in the first quarter and coast to a 35-7 win. WSU fans will take pride in the fact that they came back and played the Irish 14-7 the rest of the way.

ND by 28

USC at Oregon

This is the definition of a big game. the Trojans are mortal but have found a way to win ever since the surprising loss to Washington. Oregon has been playing the best ball as of late in the conference. The big question is can Masoli stand up to the punishment he will get on Saturday? Washington didn't touch himbut you can be that the Trojans are goins to sero in on his injured knee from the very first play of the game. Count on Taylor Mays to come early and often to puthim on the sidelines. This game hinges on the Ducks abilty to protect their QB. That being said the Duck offense counts on Masoli to pick up around 80 yards per game on the ground.

USC by 3

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Cougs - man you caught the essence of Coug Nation right there...

… two weeks ago they were harping about finally having a “pac 10 defense” after forcing six turnovers against ASU. Now, after Tuel throws for some yards in another garbage time effort, they are harping on having a pac 10 offense. From my perspective, that team is in no better shape than they were at this time last year and the constant claims of progress will do nothing more than intensify the debate as to whether or not Wulff should keep his job. Its Ty part II.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Oct 30, 2009 7:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's Gekko!

…for keeping us posted on those guys. I know they still think they’re going to knock us off in the Apple Cup, we need to put a serious butt whippin on those guys!

Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!

by dawgfan22 on Oct 30, 2009 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't quite agree

SOME people thought we had a Pac 10 defense after six turnovers forced, but most of us knew better. I think the appropriate thing to say is that we played like a Pac 10 defense for one game.

Tuel’s scoring drives against Cal were all in the first half, not garbage time. We got a little excited when he had garbage time points against USC, but against Cal we were fairly consistent all game and that IS getting the Cougs very excited. He’s getting better, but we’re not at a Pac 10 level offense yet.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we’re going to win, but we better score more than 7 against an awful Notre Dame defense. The real question is how many points is Notre Dame going to score?

I still think it’s too early to say we’re coached by Ty part II. The one thing Wulff really has going for him is that almost all our best players are freshmen and sophomores. We don’t usually have the luxury of star athletes wanting to come to WSU with minimal recruiting (like Locker), which I think you’d agree helped Ty keep his job longer than he deserved it.

by johnnycougar on Oct 30, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I think it’s still too early to call Wulff a failure. Turning around WSU right away is unrealistic, and by all accounts Wulff stepped into a mess.

That said, I think most Coug fans would agree that tangible progress needs to be visible next year. Not necessarily 6 wins and a bowl, but 3 wins and being competitive in most losses would probably do the trick. This year’s team isn’t getting blown out quite as bad as last year’s team, but that’s damning with faint praise when they have only 1 win and a high likelihood of finishing with only 1 win, and still getting blown out in many of their losses.

I’d bet Wulff gets at least 4 years, for multiple reasons.

by kirkd on Oct 30, 2009 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

If the scenario you outlined happened, we’d be happy.

by johnnycougar on Oct 31, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hate this "our best players are freshmen and sophomores" BS...

… the only guys playing right now are freshmen and sophomores. This does not make them the best players that you have. I find this as a fault for not coaching up what you have if you are Wulff. Playing Tuel right now is a horrible mistake and one borne of desperation. PW is not safeguarding or developing that program.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Oct 31, 2009 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very interesting

I read the first line and half the second line before I knew you were talking about WSU. I wonder how many people would say the same thing about UW, or how many people would back up the coaching staff’s use of freshmen and sophomores. Could be an interesting fanpost.

"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"

by Lear Pilot on Nov 1, 2009 2:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it's BS

Take a good look at our upperclassmen and see how many were recruited by other Pac 10 schools. Besides, any Coug will (or should) admit that Wulff isn’t yet a good game planning coach. The best example of “coaching up” that comes to mind for me is Weiss’ first year at ND, and Weiss had NFL experience and was already a good tactician. He’s had to learn recruiting, and hopefully Wulff will learn some strategy as he goes. But Wulff is not there yet.

Wulff has already stated multiple times that he would prefer to redshirt every freshman we have. At QB, Lopina and Lobbestael both have been previously injured behind our porous offensive line, and at least Tuel can evade pressure a bit. He’s going to be our starter the next few years anyways so I don’t see the problem getting him experience. I know less about the other positions but I do know that if the older players were better they would be playing. Why on earth would a coach under pressure play worse players? If he’s playing the young’uns out of desperation and they’re actually worse than the older guys, it hurts his only supposed strength (recruiting).

The only reason I can think of for not playing Tuel right now is if we believed he should be a 4 year starter, and that he’d seriously benefit from a year of learning the offense rather than OJT. I guess one could also make the snarky comment that it’s better for Tuel’s future if he doesn’t have a year of “protection” from that O-line…

by johnnycougar on Nov 1, 2009 9:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

rooting for usc..........

just tasted puke in my mouth.

what a lose lose choice for a dawgfan.

but at this point it is about who i want to represent the pac 10 and it’s a fact the ducks can’t win the big one. i want mike riley’s team to clean their clock too.

GO USC!

gimme a drink of water to wash out the taste.

by PandG on Oct 30, 2009 7:28 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Not a problem for me

I’ll root for $C.

My take on the Gonzaga situation, Romar needs to get his troops up to do a smackdown whenever they meet in the playoffs. Romar needs to out recruit Few

by T9ODawg on Oct 30, 2009 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Recruiting

Other than more offensive lineman, what do you guys think is the top recruiting priority right now? GO TROJANS!

Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!

by dawgfan22 on Oct 30, 2009 8:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Defensive lineman

also

by T9ODawg on Oct 30, 2009 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's all about the trenches...

If we had a good OL & DL this year this team would be 7-1 or 6-2. Still need some help in the D backfield but the problem there has been more health then lack of talent. A good corner or two would be nice.

by Snostrebla on Oct 30, 2009 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, as I was noting in the recruiting review thread earlier in the week, Ty recruited OK in a lot of areas, but his abject failures in recruiting linemen on both sides of the ball and DB’s really doomed this program. There’s skill talent here on offense, but a mediocre at best OL to pave the way. There’s talent at LB, but not a good enough DL to free them up and a weak secondary behind them.

At least there’s hope for the future…

by kirkd on Oct 30, 2009 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

amen, kirk.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Oct 31, 2009 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

It all starts up front huh? I like the safety from Hawaii, and another lockdown corner would be sweet. If Jake leaves do we get another QB?

Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!

by dawgfan22 on Oct 30, 2009 9:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes, and ..

I think Sark will get a QB recruit every year.
We need OL, DL, OLB, MLB, and corners. SPEED, SPEED and, then, SPEED.
GOOOOO SC! (That was hard to say but I hate the zeros)
Gonzaga is a spoiled school; let them play whomever they want, then let’s clock them in the tournament.

by thedesertdog on Oct 30, 2009 10:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Amen Bro!

GO $C!!!!!!!

Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!

by dawgfan22 on Oct 30, 2009 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

On UCLA/ OSU and USC/UO

On the bRUINs and the Beavs , frankly, i hope it is a real physical battle and they literally kick the crap out of each other since we play them both in our next two games. May the hurting list increase exponentially tomorrow for both teams.
As for the latter game, would love to see USC destroy the Ducks like Boise did, as I think uSC would be a better rep in the BCS versus the ducks who lost to a WAC team. Nothing against the Ducks, but the stink of that BSU game is hard to erase in the national perception and if UO were to be the P10 rep, it makes a stronger case for BSU to be playing for the top spot. Unless Idaho plays out of their mind, I don’t see BSU or TCU losing again, giving a strong argument for their cases to be allowed into the BCS bowls. Ideal case would be for both TCU and BSU to lose to some lesser team in the next few games.
On another note, am more thankful each day we didn’t choose Mike Leach.

by prrbrr on Oct 30, 2009 4:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Oregon

… I think Oregon answered all questions today. 600 yds of offense against a big-boy defense? That is off the charts impressive in my book. Now the question becomes what do the ducks do to stave off overconfidence. Arizona and OSU aren’t cupcakes and they are not going to lay down. This is the most fun the Pac 10 has been in years.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Oct 31, 2009 10:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

>>"what do the ducks do to stave off overconfidence?"<<

Duck fan here. I don’t think overconfidence is going to be a problem. Chip Kelly, and his “Every game is a National Championship” mantra, will keep the team focused, and Kelly will personally remove the skin from any player who seems to be taking ANYONE for granted.

More of an issue is that the Ducks have no gimmes left on the schedule. Stanford (which matches up very well against us), ASU, Arizona (1 loss, wins the conference if they beat us and win out)—-and then the Civil War, in which anything can happen, and generally does.

Priority #1) Let us all rejoice that USC’s reign atop the conference is almost certainly over.

Priority #2) For the Ducks, take each game one at a time, play as they’ve proved they can, and win the Pac-10.

Priority #3) Hope real, real hard that Bama, Texas or one of the other teams above us when the latest poll comes out suffers a meltdown that gets us into the NC game. Unlikely, but hey, weirder things have happened.

Root for us, Beaver fans! We really do cheer for you—-except for that one day every November. . . .

Life is a sport: Watch other people play it.

by Al Orange on Nov 1, 2009 10:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"Every game is a National Championship"

That’s what we call coach speak, say it as many times as you want, that doesn’t mean the team will give 100% effort every week. The biggest challenge for Oregon is going to be whoever they play this coming weekend. It’s easy to get up for USC, ask us how we know. It’s not nearly as easy to get a bunch of college guys up the week after when you control your own destiny and you know you already beat the toughest team on the schedule.

"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"

by Lear Pilot on Nov 1, 2009 2:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, yeah, before anyone calls me on it—-I know I mixed up my posts to Dawg Pound and OSU’S Building the Dam. Hey, can you blame me, considering the amount of alcohol, adrenaline and endorphins in my system after last night’s UO-USC game?

Hate Oregon all you want——still you’ve got to be pleased that USC’s stranglehold on the conference is (for the moment) over. And speaking for myself, I may hate UW, but I love Seattle. They’ll probably kick me out of the UO alumni association for saying that.

Life is a sport: Watch other people play it.

by Al Orange on Nov 1, 2009 10:48 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

USC by 3 OREGON KING OF THE PAC-10

I bet they love you in Lost Wages!!!

Need a blog on this. TOTAL DOMINATION. Even gave USC a gift touchdown (fumble). Very exciting, watched every minute. USC never in the game. GAME OF THE YEAR!!!! All teams are our friend agains the media darlings.

Did anyone pickup on the repeated references to ND as a BCS team and deserving of a major bowl. Where are all the prognosicators who wrote Chip Kelley off after game one? Wouldn’t be surprised to see USC back in the BCS top eight in the final ranking.

by Purpledawg on Nov 1, 2009 10:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs