Washington State Cougars O:6 D:8
The Cougars haven't laced up their bowling shoes since 2003, Doba's inaugural campaign, and the Pullman natives are getting restless. The quarterback position and offensive line look solid, but a capable replacement must be found for running back Jerome Harrison who moved on to the NFL. However, the wide receiver corps is oozing with talent, as both Jason Hill and Michael Bumpus are back to terrorize opposing defenses. They're one of the best tandems in the country, and the Cougars should come close to matching the 33+ points per game they dished out a year ago provided they stay healthy. Special teams could hurt the Cougars chances overall as both kickers must be replaced.
Improvement on defense is a must if Washington State plans on going bowling this year. It needs to resemble the stop units of a few years ago that gave up an average of twenty two points per game. The defensive line looks to be this unit's fiercest bunch with a couple of stout defensive tackles and a solid sacking defensive end. The line backer corps returns completely intact, and it should help the new guys in the secondary adjust quicker to their roles. Overall, look for a steady improvement as the season progresses.
