SPOKANE — Washington State football fans, who have watched their beloved Cougars go down to defeat 32 times in 37 tries the past three seasons, were treated to three rare and unusual sights at the final scrimmage of spring practice Saturday afternoon.
For starters, the sun broke through occasionally, although there were also plenty of gray skies and a few sprinkles to remind everyone of the miserable spring weather the Northwest has endured this year.
Secondly, the small home crowds of recent years were offset somewhat by an Albi Stadium turnout of 4,076. That is 3,000 or more larger than typical crowds for a final spring scrimmage in Pullman.
Last but hardly least, WSU fans witnessed sheer, blinding, exhilarating speed. The type of speed that recent WSU teams have been lacking, and the type of speed the Cougars believe can vault them into a bowl game for the first time in eight years.
Speedy little freshmen Henry Eaddy and Rickey Galvin set the tone with explosive plays on the Crimson’s first two possessions.
The Crimson, consisting mostly of starters, wound up scoring on all five first-half possessions in a 38-3 romp over the Gray.
“We couldn’t click like that if it was versus air the first two years,” WSU coach Paul Wulff cracked.
Wulff was referring to his first two seasons at WSU, in 2008 and 2009. Junior quarterback Jeff Tuel wasn’t around for the historically awful 2008 season, but he says there’s no comparison between the speed of the current Cougars and his first WSU team in 2009.
“Oh, it’s night and day,” Tuel said. “Honestly, you’ll hear people say that just because it’s the thing to say. But honest to God, it’s night and day. We have fast football players on this team, and it’s going to make a difference. That’s why we’re making plays out here. Speed kills.”
Wulff said WSU’s no-huddle, hurry-up offense never looked better in a game or practice than on Saturday. The Crimson dominated on both sides of the ball in a Crimson and Gray game that lasted more than an hour.
“I’m really happy with what they did,” Wulff said. “The 1’s (starters) played like 1’s should play.”
Wulff was the first to point out that the Gray defense was at a severe disadvantage due to injuries that sidelined many of WSU’s best defensive players. The Gray’s front seven proved quite vulnerable.
Still, the Crimson’s offensive execution was impressive.
Tuel, back for his second full season as a starter, completed 12 of 17 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Wulff said Tuel was the most valuable player of the spring workouts.
“Jeff’s the leader of this football team,” Wulff said. “He’s been solid, consistent, and he just keeps getting better.”
Tuel was quick to point to the speed of Eaddy and Galvin as key factors in the Crimson’s offensive explosion. Eaddy opened the scoring on a 32-yard reverse down the left sideline, then Galvin burst 23 yards up the middle on the Crimson’s next play from scrimmage. He capped the drive with a 5-yard TD run.
“It’s nice to have guys like that with that speed that you can’t find on every football team,” Tuel said.
Galvin, who redshirted last year after breaking his arm on his first college carry in a season-opening loss at Oklahoma State, sat out most of the scrimmage with a bruised sternum after taking a big hit. The former Berkeley, Calif., prep sensation, who claims to be 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, displayed dazzling quickness while gaining 47 yards on five carries.
The Cougars announced that an MRI confirmed that freshman wide receiver-kick returner Blair Bomber suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Surgery will sideline him for the year.
WSU opens the season Sept. 3 at home against Idaho State.
