NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
NWSB insider Q brings us an interesting take on the Washington State offseason and a look into next season. With Mike Leach taking over the helms of the team, many are wondering if he can bring the Cougar football program back to relevance as they have died out in the Pac-12. With Jeff Tuel and Marquess Wilson still around, can they reload and make a run in the Pac12?
NWSB Insider Steve Lee has been following Washington State Men’s Basketball recruiting for the 2012-2013 recruiting class. Coach Ken Bone found some future stars in Demarquise Johnson, Brett Boese, Richard Longrus and big man Richard Peters. With the addition of these four recruits, the Cougars will be able to fill in the gaps from the 2012 departures.
NWSB Insider & Managing Editor “Q” tells us college football is also getting ready to get into their spring practices and four Pac 12 programs are looking ahead to the regular season, which kicks off in September. The Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Washington St. Cougars, and Washington Huskies will all return competitive teams in the 2012 Pac 12 season.
NWSB Insider Jason Green and Pac 12 hoops blogger Jason Green has his WSU Cougars recap article. Five things he learned about the Cougs hoops team. This season gives WSU fans hope for next season. The players that are coming back give the Cougars a lot of high hopes. Brock Motum (18.1 ppg 6.5 ppg) had a good season and he and 3rd leading scorer Reggie Moore (10.2 ppg) will be back.
NWSB insider Blair Thomas raises an interesting question regarding Washington State Cougars men’s hoops. Is Ken Bone the right man to lead in 2012? Although he has a winning record in his current stay with Washington State, his lack of recruiting and conference wins may ultimately doom him in the end.
NWSB Insider and Seattle Seahawks blogger Clinton Bell tells us its the end of the line for Tacoma’s Marcus Trufant in a Seattle uniform. His bad back and lofty salary finally led to the end of his career with his hometown team. Clinton says Marcus Trufant has always been a class act, and he hopes that he continues his career in the same fashion that he played here in Seattle. NOT in the NFC West.
NWSB Managing Editor Q gives you his free NCAA hoops Betting Odds & Picks on the BYU Cougars vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs matchup. Gonzaga is favored by 6.5 in this game. The over/under is set at 146. Can Robert Sacre and Kevin Pangos lead the Gonzaga Bulldogs to a big win in this one?
Another North West Coach in the spotlight today. Past University of Washington State Cougars head basketball coach Dick Bennett. Insider Steve one of our Washington St. Cougars bloggers points out his Cougs career started in 2003, and he was there until 2006. The first order of business for Bennett and his WSU coaching staff was changing the culture and identity of Cougars basketball.
Did you miss the Arizona Wildcats vs. Washington State Cougars Pac 12 basketball game Thursday night? We’ve got the highlights loaded for our Pac 12 Hoops fans. Jesse Perry’s tie-breaking three-point play with 38.8 seconds left helped Arizona beat WSU. Brock Motum has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games and nine times overall.
NWSB insider Brandon Choate brings us a Northwest Coaching Profile on ex-Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren. Mike Holmgren was a QB genius, playing the position himself until an injury derailed his playing career. He quickly took that experience into coaching, taking in QBs like Steve young, Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Matt Hasselbeck. He set multiple records while coaching in the NFL, especially while with the Seahawks.
NWSB Insider and Washington St. Cougars blogger Insider Steve tells us the events leading up to the dismissal of Cougars linebacker C.J. Mizell, and now with the arrest of long-snapper Zach Koepp were just bad mistakes. He was expecting this to happen from the moment when former Cougars head football coach Paul Wulff was calling Mizell a “good guy”.
NWSB insider Brandon Choate brings us a Northwest Coaching Profile on Washington State Cougars ex-head coach Mike Price. After starting out coaching Weber St, Price was given a beaming recommendation by former high school team mate and personal friend, Dennis Erickson and landed the Wazzu head coaching job. Price took the Cougars to the Rose Bowl twice and earned National Coach of the Year. He is now at UTEP.
