The Jimmy Rogers era got off to a bumpy start on the Palouse, but as we wind down the fall the new headman of Washington State football seems to have settled in.
Adjusting to a new environment, a new culture,
can be challenging, especially when you have been somewhere else for so long; and that can be seen in the first five weeks of football from WSU. When Rogers came over from South Dakota State, he was sold as a no-nonsense, fundamental, tough-nosed defensive minded coach. The end of the air raid, the run-and-shoot, was over… the Cougs’ were going to pound the rock.
Well, that didn’t exactly happen. They amassed a measly 3 yards per carry in a shaky (to say the least) 13-10 win over Idaho to begin the season. Through five games WSU was third to last in rushing, out of 136 FBS teams. But through two games, the defense held them in it, conceding less than two touchdowns in each of their first two contests.
However, that did not last, as it seemed like the season imploded in Denton, Texas, as the Cougs were handed what was perhaps their worst loss ever. Washington State lost 59-10, and were down an abysmal 44-3 at halftime. However, as many pointed out (including yours truly), the game was dictated by turnovers from then-starting quarterback Jaxon Potter. I wrote in the postgame recap:
“Oftentimes the phrase “we beat ourselves” is a cliche way for coaches to explain a loss, but today, it was the truth. WSU turned in three interceptions, two fumbles, and a blocked punt in the first half, giving North Texas (UNT) an average starting position of the Cougs’ 18 yard line. The Cougs simply never gave themselves a chance… While this game is certainly one to forget, it would also be hard to believe it was emblematic of how the team will shape up the rest of the season.”
This has certainly turned out to be the case…
Since giving up 50+ in back to back weeks, the Cougs have only allowed 18.25 points per game (ppg), which includes trips to #7 Ole Miss and #15 Virginia. In fact, outside of the two lopsided defeats, the Cougars’ defense is allowing only 16 ppg. As hard as it is to admit, the only team to give them trouble on defense has been Washington, whom the Cougs trailed 31-24 entering the fourth quarter. Had Zevi Eckhaus not given the Huskies an extra possession to start the game, that result could have been in the balance later into the game.
In addition to the defensive improvement, the Cougars’ running game finally found its footing. Since playing Colorado State in Week 5, WSU has rushed for over 120 yards in every game. The run has successfully set up the pass, as the Cougs have been able to score 20+ in every single one of those games. To state the obvious, averaging more points than you are allowing on average is a fantastic formula for winning football games.
The win over Toledo last weekend is exactly what a Jimmy Rogers-led team looks to accomplish. Get a lead, salt the game away, flex their muscles on defense. As we get deeper into this season, you can see that formula playing out, as it almost did on the road against 2 ranked opponents.
All of this is not to say Rogers isn’t without criticism:
It looks increasingly more shocking that Jaxon Potter was chosen to start the opener over Zevi Eckhaus. Zevi’s overall command of the offense, and ability to make plays (despite a few bad turnovers) completely changes the team’s ability to move the ball.
The fourth quarter implosion and complete no-show against UNT have to be attributed to coaching. South Dakota State expects to win every game, and so does Jimmy, so this is a whole new ball game for him.
For a team with such a good defense, the tackling has been… atrocious to put it lightly.
In order to play Jimmy Rogers’ style of football, you have to play mistake-free. To pull off wins against ranked teams, you can’t shoot yourself in the foot with stupid penalties or silly turnovers.
The good news? Those sorts of things are the stuff you expect with a first year head coach with 75-plus new players on his roster. And best of all, the Cougs look physically as competitive as ever. The question is often brought up amongst Cougar fans: as the college football world evolves, will Washington State be able to compete with the talent? They have proven they certainly can.
Had you watched WSU and Ole Miss as a neutral observer with no preconceived notion of either team, you would have had zero clue the Cougars were 30-point underdogs. The same can be said, and even more so, about the contest against Virginia. The Cougs physically dominated that game for three and a half quarters. Hell, Ole Miss was starting two former Washington State players. And against the Cougs’ new conference opponents, San Diego State and Colorado State? Complete domination from Washington State, including a win over 6-1 SDSU with Jaxon Potter at the helm.
In my opinion, Cougar fans should be very excited with Jimmy Rogers at the helm. The flashes of winning culture we have seen this year despite the roster turnover and limited resources are incredible. This is a new type of football that WSU hasn’t seen in a long time. Rogers is a winner, and he is looking to build a winner, where in the new Pac-12, WSU can compete for conference titles every year. While the beginning of the year might have been a roller coaster, I believe Washington State fans can expect the opposite: consistency, for the remainder of Jimmy Rogers tenure.
The Cougs’ will look to continue that consistency against the 1-7 Oregon State Beavers today, the first of two matchups between the schools. You can find the Pac-2 matchup on CBS at 4:30 p.m. PT from Reser Stadium, in Corvallis.
