UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel preaches that his team isn’t far away from being a legitimate contender in the Pac-12.
Another Pac-12 coach ““ also in his fourth season ““ has been preaching the same things, but his team is starting to see the turnaround manifested in the win column.
Meet Washington State’s Paul Wulff, whose Cougars are 3-1 to start the season after compiling just five total wins in his first three seasons at the helm, two of them against Football Championship Subdivision opponents. The Cougars were picked to finish last in the Pac-12 North, but they’re fresh off a come-from-behind win on the road over Colorado.
“They’ve believed in coach Wulff’s mantra that this thing was going to turn, and it’s turning,” Neuheisel said. “This is going to be an inspired team that comes in.”
Washington State’s early season schedule wasn’t as murderous as UCLA’s (2-3) with its other wins coming over FCS Idaho State and UNLV, but the Cougars have put up impressive offensive numbers. They’re averaging over 500 yards of total offense, tied for ninth in the nation, and their passing game is in the top-five nationally.
What’s more impressive is that the Cougars have thrown the ball all over the field with their backup quarterback. Junior Jeff Tuel started all 12 games of the 2010 season and threw for over 2,000 yards, but Tuel broke his clavicle in Washington State’s season opening win over Idaho State after throwing just two passes.
In came redshirt senior Marshall Lobbestael who had starting experience prior to this season but was beat out by Tuel for the starting job. Lobbestael has thrown for 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions while filling in, but he may be here to stay. Tuel was cleared to practice this week, but Wulff still chose to start Lobbestael.
UCLA had trouble with pass-happy offenses, mostly because of the lack of pressure applied by the front seven. The Bruins have only sacked the opposing quarterback three times this year.
“He can throw the ball just like the other quarterback can,” sophomore defensive tackle Cassius Marsh said. “You can’t allow him to sit back there and pick the secondary apart. We’re going to get after him as a defensive line.”
With all of their gaudy statistics, the Bruins insist they will not overlook the Cougars despite not having lost to them at the Rose Bowl since 2007. After all, some of the players admit to doing it last season when they gave up a 14-point lead, only to regain it in the fourth quarter.
“Last year I feel like we might have overlooked them a little bit,” senior linebacker Sean Westgate said. “You can’t overlook their numbers. We know what they can do.”
Junior quarterback Richard Brehaut, now UCLA’s starter for going on three weeks, got his first career start in that roller coaster game against Washington State and gained some valuable confidence in the win.
“Last year, I think some guys maybe overlooked them, and there we were down eight looking up at the scoreboard,” Brehaut said. “There’s going to be none of that this year. Everyone knows that this is a big game for our program.”