2010 Washington State Football Predictions
Washington State finished up the 2009 season at 1-11
, with their only win coming against SMU early in the season, as they finished the year with nine straight losses, all coming against their conference opponents in the Pac-10. This year the Cougars have 15 starters back, but it doesn't appear like they will have the talent to compete with the rest of the teams in the conference. Here is a quick breakdown of what the Cougars will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my thoughts on where they will finish the year in the Pac-10.Offense:
The Cougars look like they have found an answer at the quarterback position in sophomore Jeff Tuel, as Tuel came in and started the final five games for Washington State and really impressed, completing nearly 59% of his passes for 789 yards and six touchdowns. If Tuel can build of his strong finish, I think the Cougars could have some of the best quarterback play in a long time.
Senior James Montgomery is expected to step in and start at running back this season, as the Cougars lose 2009 top rusher Dwight Tardy. Montgomery finished second on the team with 167 yards and one touchdown, but had the highest average per carry at 4.5.
The Cougars return all three starters at the wide receiver positions, which is another reason why I really like Tuel to step up his game this season. The two guys to watch out for are junior Jared Karstetter and sophomore Gino Simone. Expect Karstetter to be the main redzone target, as he Is a nice big target at 6'4.
Washington State has four starters returning on the offensive line, and if this unit can really show some significant improvements this season, they are going to be a lot better than people think. Not exactly a ton of talent up front, but the experience should go a long ways for this unit.
Defense:
The Cougars really had a hard time stopping their opponents on defense last season, as they gave up just under 39 points a game in 2009. This year the Cougars are hoping to make some decent improvements on this side of the ball, as they return seven starters from last year.
Like the offense, the Cougars appear like they will be much stronger on the defensive line, as they have three starters back from last year, led by sophomore defensive end Travis Long, who stepped in as a freshman and recorded 2 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Added to the mix will be junior college transfer Brandon Rankin, and he figures to quickly become the Cougars best player at defensive tackle.
With all the talent returning up front, the Cougars have just one starter back at the three linebacker spots, as junior Alex Hoffman-Ellis is back on the weak-side. Junior Louis Bland is expected to step in and start in the middle, while senior Myron Beck is projected to take over on the strong-side. I look for this unit to feed off the strong play up front, and put together a much better season than a year ago.
Two more starters return in the secondary in junior corner Aire Justin and senior strong safety Chima Nwachukwu, but this unit has a long way to go, as the Cougars allowed 276 passing yards a game in 2009. Added to the starting lineup will be sophomore Daniel Simmons at quarterback and sophomore LeAndre Danials at free safety.
Pac-10 Prediction 10th: Teams better be ready to play the Cougars this season, as they aren't going to be complete pushovers like they were last season. While I think this is a much better football team than a year ago, I don't think it results in them moving up in the standings in the Pac-10. The defense still concerns me, as I think they will lose them more games than they help them win this season.
For a complete look at how the conference will finish up this season, check out our 2010 Pac-10 predictions.
If you are looking to bet the college football odds this season, be sure to stop back each week for our expert college football picks.
2010 Washington State Football Predictions
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