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A year later, Apple Cup still sour

The Columbian
Published: November 26, 2009, 12:00am

Once again, only pride at stake in state’s biggest game

SEATTLE — They came storming on the field a year ago, a wave of crimson and gray fans rushing the turf to cap an awful season for Washington State, defining the sad state of the Apple Cup where finishing the year 2-10 was something to celebrate.

That was 12 months ago, when the Apple Cup served as the punching bag for the national media, a matchup of woeful programs battling for residency of the Pacific-10 Conference basement. A year later, football in the Evergreen State is not that much better.

They might not be the joke of rivalry matchups this season, but the 2009 version of the Apple Cup on Saturday between Washington and Washington State is still pretty rotten.

The Cougars (1-10) and Huskies (3-7) bring a combined four victories and zero postseason hopes into the pillow fight for state supremacy that for a quarter-century regularly had Rose Bowl or other major bowl implications on the line.

Improvement may be on the horizon for both programs.

For now, it’s hard for fans to see promise through the losses.

“What helps us keep our sanity and sleep well is the improvement we’re going to make,” Washington State coach Paul Wulff said. “We just know this program is going to jump by leaps and bounds.”

A year ago, it was Wulff leaping and bounding off the field in Pullman like a clumsy dancer after the Cougars rallied for a 16-13 double overtime victory over Washington that all but ensured the first 0-12 season in Pac-10 history for the Huskies.

The game was competitive and entertaining, but far from well played.

Getting any carry-over from that victory for the Cougars never developed. Their season finale arrives with few fans feeling optimistic about the future.

They have been beset by countless injuries from the mundane to the extreme.

Running back James Montgomery, a bright spot early in the season, likely will never play football again after suffering from “acute compartment syndrome” in the calf muscle, a condition that can cause serious illness or even death, and needed emergency surgery following the Cougars’ lone win, over Southern Methodist in September.

Statistically, they are among the worst in the country and easiest the worst from a BCS conference. WSU ranks last in the Pac-10 in 12 of the 14 statistical categories tracked by the conference. They rank 104th or worse nationally in 11 of those, and are next to last in total offense (256.3 yards a game) and dead last in total defense (516.6 yards agame).

Of all the stats that can be traced, perhaps one is as damming as any: WSU has not led a game in regulation since Nov. 8, 2008, when the Cougars jumped out to a 7-0 lead over Arizona — and went on to lose, 59-28.

The growing pains faced by Washington State the last two seasons were expected by Wulff. His job when the former Cougars center arrived back in Pullman was changing an attitude that became complacent after three consecutive 10-win seasons earlier this decade.

Fans accepted that.

But they wanted to see wins in the process, and just three of them the last two years is making Wulff an easy target for disgruntled Cougs.

The big defeats haven’t helped either: losses of 69, 63, 58, 53, 49, 46 and 41 points have happened in Wulff’s two seasons. In the 10 years before the 2008 season, the Cougars were blown out by 40-plus points only four times.

“It didn’t surprise us. We knew that the first two seasons were going to be tough ones for us. It was pretty evident once we got here,” Wulff said. “But at the same time, we felt we could be a little more competitive in both years. As you look at it, we’ve just endured more injuries than anybody could have imagined. That’s lowered our competitiveness. I think that’s been a big issue with us, and our depth and how that’s suffered.”

At least across the state, fans at Washington can point to some progress under first year coach Steve Sarkisian. The task early in his first head coaching job was mental healing of his players as much as improving on the field.

“To go winless and to be a part of that messes you up mentally,” Washington tight end Kavario Middleton said. “It takes a while to recover out of that.”

Recovery arrived in late September with the Huskies upset of then No. 3 Southern California. It also instantly raised expectations that were likely unrealistic considering the depths of UW’s fall last year. Those inflated hopes were even more crushed with near misses at Notre Dame, Arizona State and UCLA,

But there has been the growth of quarterback Jake Locker in Sarkisian’s pass-first offense as another bright spot. His performances have pro scouts drooling about the Locker’s professional future.

But while the Washington name has been somewhat redeemed after last year’s 0-12 stain, the inconsistencies that have the Huskies on a five-game skid entering Saturday still fluster players, coaches and fans.

Those lingering problems for the Huskies and the Cougars’ struggles again keep this Apple Cup from meaning anything more than bragging rights.

“You’re not playing for yourself,” Washington State linebacker Andy Mattingly said. “You’re playing for your coaches and teammates and family and friends and all the fans around the state. You hate to let people down by losing the game.”

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