Cougars now among Pac-10's hunted
By Mel Kiper Jr.

Washington State, picked to finish no better than eighth in the Pac-10 at the same time last year, is now regarded as one of the favorites to capture the 2002 league championship.


Mike Bush was a big-play performer in 2001, averaging 20.8 yards a catch and scoring nine touchdowns.
What a difference a year makes! After proving all the doubters wrong and finishing tied for second in the Pac-10, the surprising Cougars went on to defeat Purdue in the Sun Bowl to finish with an impressive record of 10-2 last season.

Now, though, Mike Price's squad won't sneak up on anybody and will have to deal with lofty expectations. On the plus side, the Cougars have a schedule that has become much more favorable now that a trip to Hawaii on Nov. 30 was removed. They benefit from an open date not only before the Apple Cup against Washington but also before their regular-season finale against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Early on, Washington State has nice tune-ups in Pullman against Nevada and Idaho, before heading to Columbus on Sept. 14 to face Ohio State in what should be one of the most intriguing games of the non-conference slate. You'll have the firepower of the Cougar offense working against a Buckeye defense that figures to be outstanding.

Within the Pac-10, USC, Oregon and Washington all have to deal with the Cougars in Pullman, which can be a nightmare for the opposition.

OFFENSE
Price and offensive coordinator Mike Levenseller benefit from the return of charismatic senior quarterback Jason Gesser, who is justifiably being promoted as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Gesser is a real energizer, finally garnering the type of national publicity he deserves.

A key for the Cougar offense will be the overland attack. During the latter portion of last season, the offense began to tail off, the downturn beginning after RB Dave Minnich was sidelined with a knee injury. The numbers tell the story: Over the first seven weeks, the Cougars averaged a remarkable 44 points per game. But over the last four weeks of the regular season, their scoring output fell off the charts, to just 19.7 points per game.

With Minnich's graduation loss, Price and Levenseller are counting on a triumvirate of junior-college running backs to provide the necessary juice. The most highly touted of the group is physically gifted 6-foot-1, 212-pounder Jermaine Green from Butler County Community College in Kansas. Green participated in spring drills, giving him a critical head start at understanding the complexities of the offense. He's regarded as the fastest RB Price has ever coached, and his natural pass-receiving skills allow for Green to become a multi-dimensional threat.

Although the Cougars lost leading receiver Nakoa McElrath (72 catches, 1,163 yards, nine TDs) to graduation, Gesser benefits from the return of a stellar receiving corps led by 6-6, 213-pound basketball player Mike Bush. Not only does his size and athleticism create a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators, but he also has the best hands of any WR on the Cougar squad.

Fellow senior Jerome Riley appears primed for a huge year after making the transition last season from junior college. Riley is dangerous after the catch, able to do a great deal of damage in the open field. As for the third option, keep an eye on Florida State transfer Devard Darling. The talented 6-3, 205-pounder sat out last year and has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Tight end is viewed as a question mark going in, but true freshman Troy Bienemann showed promise during spring practice. The Cougars also expect juco transfer Eddie Robinson to compete for the starting job. Heavily in the mix will also be former starter (12 receptions in 2000) Russell Mizin, who returns after sitting out 2001.

If it can remain injury-free, the Cougar offensive line should be quite good, led by senior OG Derrick Roche, one of the Pac-10's elite trench men. However, depth is viewed as a problem, so the offensive line will be an area to watch closely as the season progresses.

DEFENSE
The Cougars will potentially field one of the nation's most impressive front fours. A trio of juniors -- Rien Long, Tai Tupai and Jeremey Williams -- sets the tone along the interior from the tackle spots. Williams is actually regarded as a third starter in the Cougars' rotation system.

On the outside, yet another junior, D.D. Acholonu, is coming off an excellent campaign that saw him record 9

We are no longer the hunted and it's a little bit scary. I think teh football team will be able to do a great job and step up to the great competition this year.