Oklahoma State 65, Washington State 17

[Sgt John]

Washington State should thank the Ducks. They killed New Mexico in such a manner people kinda forgot Washington State doing its best "I want to be a Division II school" impression.

Why God why does Paul Wulff still have a job?

 

[Kingdome]

Why God why does Paul Wulff still have a job?

Because it wasn't his fault the program was in such a mess when he took over.

Unless WSU has a for sure winner in the bag, they would be stupid to let Wulff go. He is recruiting well and building a nice team for a year or two in the future.

The program was in shambles when he took over. His predecessor spent all his time with his dying wife, with the administration's blessing, instead of recruiting and running a football program. WSU is the toughest BCS program to win at, and they have a coach who understands what it takes to be successful there.

 

[Sgt John]

A nice team? He has managed to lose on a grand scale in his first two seasons, and he started this one off with another disaster.

I'll post the article you are getting your information from:

As Washington State begins a new football season, Paul Wulff's seat is said to be hot enough to liquefy the Mendenhall Glacier. He needs to win this many games, he needs to win that many. Take your pick.

Sports Illustrated wrote that Wulff needs to win "at least five" to maintain fan support.

You've got it all wrong, people. Losing games should only reinforce why the Cougars need to hold onto Wulff.

OK, we exaggerate. But in a Joseph Heller-Catch 22 sort of way, Wulff's 3-22 record in two years only helps underscore why WSU ought to see his regime through.

First, there's the pragmatism of it: Given that WSU has one win over a BCS-level team in two years, you think the line of candidates to replace Wulff is going to stretch from Bohler Gym to The Coug?

If you want to tie the can to Wulff after the 2010 season, this is what you're saying: He should be gone from a place where the weight-room was systemically dysfunctional; where he inherited an APR penalty of eight program scholarships; where he's had a ridiculous run of injuries; where it's traditionally tough to win and nobody gets fired after three years.

Oh yeah, and this: Where there was alarmingly little talent when he took over late in 2007.

In the first two years Bill Doba was coach (2003-04), a total of 16 slots on the All-Pac-10 first and second teams were filled by Cougars, all recruited in the Mike Price regime.

In the first two years of Wulff's tenure (2008-09), with the preponderance of the roster signed under Doba, there was one first- or second-team selection. In 2008, the Cougars failed to have a first- or second-team all-league pick for the only time in a Pac-10 Conference now entering its 33rd season.

In the past two springs combined, WSU has had a grand total of three NFL draftees or free-agent signees. Oregon State and Arizona — not the highest-level programs in the league — had 13 and 12, respectively.

If you think there has been pro-caliber talent on the WSU roster not being developed to that level, well, e-mail me for information on some ocean-view parcels outside Colfax.

About the injuries: In the public discourse, those are a fuzzy, unpopular topic. Everybody has them, and nobody wants to hear about them, right?
According to a researcher at Phil Steele 2010 Football Preview magazine, WSU lost 67 starts due to injuries last year, the highest number in college football since 2006. The next-highest team in 2009 (Tennessee) had 44.

Recently, I asked Bill Moos, the new athletic director, where he stood on Wulff. Moos was part of an advisory group that helped make the hire in 2007.

"I really want it to work for him," Moos said. "In an ideal world, he fits the (WSU) profile of someone who's paid his dues, is a former player and isn't going to leave (if he has success).

"I was involved in the hiring process. I felt he was the guy, and I'll stand by him."

So uncompetitive have the Cougars been the past two years that it's difficult to know whether Wulff and his staff are good game-planners or game-day strategists. The talent deficit has been so large, the debate doesn't get to that level.

"It'd be easier to judge Paul as an Xs-and-Os game-day coach," Moos said, "if he had three years of players like this freshman bunch coming in."
The talent is improving. When I caught practices in Pullman two weeks ago, the best receiver on the field was playmaking 6-foot-3 freshman Marquess Wilson. JC defensive tackle Brandon Rankin will be a force in the Pac-10. Freshman offensive tackle John Fullington (North Mason) looks like he'll play right away.

The quarterback, sophomore Jeff Tuel, has an arm, great feet, smarts and leadership ability.

Meanwhile, Wulff's staff has 12 commitments for 2011, including a four-star running back, Bishop Sankey of Gonzaga Prep in Spokane (he is taking other visits, however), where WSU has recruited well.

"I like the way we're recruiting Eastern Washington and the entire state," Moos said.

It's not at all unreasonable for WSU fans to expect noticeable improvement. If that isn't in evidence, or if it becomes apparent that Wulff is not the guy who can rally the troops, then all bets are off.

Personally, I'd measure the Cougars not in wins as much as: Do they resemble a football team? Are they hanging around well into the second half of most games, with a shot to win? Does the roster suggest there's a future?

If the answer is yes, then Wulff deserves the benefit of the doubt. Change things now, and WSU becomes a place where you can't win for losing.

 

[Sgt John]

And a Husky fans take on it:

Over the past year and two weeks, it has become painfully clear that Paul Wulff has no idea what he’s doing. The head coach of the Washington State University football program is overmatched as a play caller in the Pac-10, and on top of all that his team is virtually talent-less. It’s a bad situation.

That said, I took the liberty of Googling the phrase “Fire Paul Wulff,” to which I received nine individual search results. Either nobody cares about Wulff, or people don’t want him fired, but I’m going with the former.

Next, I Googled “Employ Paul Wulff Forever,” whereupon I received zero, zilch, nil, no results. I broadened my search by eliminating “Forever” from the text, and simply searching “Employ Paul Wulff.” Still no returns. That’s job security right there.


Just for the hell of it, I Googled “Seattle Sportsnet.” I had my ego padded by returning 8,910 results, but that’s beside the point.

The point is, somebody needs to start the Employ Paul Wulff Forever campaign and that guy is gonna be me.

As a Husky fan, I couldn’t be more entertained by the mishaps of Coach Wulff. His antics brighten my day, and his follies keep me coming back for more. I get the same emotions watching Paul Wulff manage a game as I do watching Superbad for the millionth time. “Take off your vest, you look like Aladdin!” Hah! That’s hilarious.
Anyways, I know there are people out there whose patience is growing thin with the big, bad Wulff. I am not one of those people. I could care less whether this guy succeeds or fails, but I just don’t want to see him go. On top of my own selfish ways, he seems like a genuinely nice guy, too, and it’s hard not to root for the underdog.

So join me if you feel the same way. The Employ Paul Wulff Forever campaign starts right here, right now. Jump on board, there’s always room for one more!

 

[Sgt John]

If his classes are that good, you would see the results on the field. That OKST team is nothing like the one that won 18 games the last two years, and they absolutely crushed WSU.

You dont get points for being a nice guy in the coaching business. Wulff runs a team that would be hard pressed to be competitive in the FCS, and fans aren't going to wait forever for a turnaround.

It does not shock me at all he has a couple nice recruits. They can play immediately, blame the Cougars suck ass talent level for their deficiencies, and have a better shot at getting a look from the Pros.

He beat your Huskies in 2008, and you guys quickly turned it around built around a decent QB. He has an alleged "decent" QB, yet Montana State will be the only team they may beat this year.

 

[Kingdome]

A nice team? He has managed to lose on a grand scale in his first two seasons, and he started this one off with another disaster.

He lost with awful talent that Doba stiffed him with. He then redshirted his first class instead of pointlessly burning them.

I'd ignore their w/l record this year. Coug fans with a clue are too.


And I never read that article before. I live in the state of Washington, I understand what is going on with football here. Firing Wulff would be a stupid thing to do (unless they have a for sure winner in the bag).

 

[Kingdome]

If his classes are that good, you would see the results on the field.

I don't think you understand the situation at all.

You don't understand Pullman. You don't understand the desolation. You don't understand how piss poor they are. I don't think you understand how awful the facilities are. It is the toughest program in the BCS to win at. Nothing is close.

The Pac-10 closed the academic loop hole. The only way for WSU to win is to find hidden gems or get the leftovers no one else wants. You can't win over night at WSU, and you especially can't after the hole Doba put them in.

When has WSU ever won? How did they do it?

Who better can WSU get? Do they understand Pullman? Can they overachieve in in-state recruiting? Can WSU afford them?


Wulff should get two more years, at least.

If Wulff is a poor coach, why was Eastern Washington a D1-AA power that put players into the NFL?

 

[Kingdome]

If I can find it, I'll post the satellite image that shows Pullman is desolate, surrounded by wheat fields and a giant canyon.

Until then, this will do:

 

[Sgt John]

why was Eastern Washington a D1-AA power that put players into the NFL?

Some guys cant make the transition.

Bottomline you have to win. He could get by with 4 or 5 a year, but again, they just got crushed by a team many feel will finish dead last in the Big 12 South.

You want a guy who turned junk to gold? Mike Leach.

He is just the sort of coach who finds those gems you speak of consistently. Lubbock is a craphole and won there. He would be cheap and would likely take the job just to get back in to coaching.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Kingdome]

Some guys cant make the transition.

Bottomline you have to win. He could get by with 4 or 5 a year, but again, they just got crushed by a team many feel will finish dead last in the Big 12 South.

Wulff players are Sophomores. You honestly believe that WSU is remotely close to Okie State in the talent department?

Anyone who is calling for Wulff's head is ignorant about the situation at WSU. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Sgt John]

No excuse. Other coaches all across the county find ways to compete and win with varying degrees of talent.