Cougars Host Washington Saturday Night For Apple Cup
WASHINGTON (7-5, 3-5) at WASHINGTON STATE (3-8, 2-6)
Martin Stadium (32,952) • Pullman, Wash.
7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29 • FOX Sports 1
WASHINGTON STATE HOSTS WASHINGTON SATURDAY FOR APPLE CUP
Washington State University hosts the University of Washington Saturday at Martin Stadium in the 107th meeting between the two rivals. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.
APPLE CUP SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 53rd version of the Apple Cup. Prior to 1962, the game was called the Governor’s Cup. The Huskies claimed a 26-21 win in the first official Apple Cup played in 1962 in Seattle. WSU trails the all-time series 67-32-6 but rallied from an 18-point fourth quarter deficit to take the 2012 meeting, 31-28 in overtime in Pullman. Last season, Washington posted a 27-17 win in Seattle.
BOB ROBERTSON, NATION’S LONGEST TENURED RADIO ANNOUNCER
Hall of fame announcer Bob Robertson is in his 48th season calling Cougar football games, and according to a nation-wide survey of sports information directors, is the longest tenured radio announcer in the country with the next closest being Bill Hillgrove who has announced 44 straight seasons at Pitt. Robertson began calling WSU games in 1964 and with the exception of a three-year period in 1969-71, has been calling Cougar games ever since. Last season, Robertson slid over from his familiar play-by-play role and passed the microphone to Bud Nameck. Robertson now hosts the Cougars pre, halftime and postgame shows, while also providing analysis during the games.
COLLEGE GAMEDAY RECORD
In addition to Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, ESPN’s College GameDay has had another constant – the WSU flag, which this weekend will be making its 161st consecutive appearance on the weekly show, dating back to the beginning of the 2004 season. Two flags – Ol’ Crimson and Gray – have been flown in the background of the GameDay set by dozens of friends and alumni. The Gray flag was added this year after Whitey was retired in honor of Steve Gleason’s “No White Flags.” WSU recognized the GameDay flag wavers in a pregame ceremony prior to the Montana State game in 2010. In addition to the flags that fly, there is a traveling flag signed by the holders after each episode. The traveling flag is retired after each season, the first of which is hanging in WSU’s Alumni Center.
WSU TO INDUCT STEVE GLEASON IN TO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
Washington State will induct Steve Gleason as the lone member into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. In an unprecedented move, Gleason will be the sole member of the 2014 class and will be recognized in an in-game ceremony during Saturday’s Apple Cup. Gleason was a four-year letterwinner in both football and baseball during his time at Washington State (1995-99). On the football field he was a two-time team captain, garnered All-Pacific-10 Conference honors three times and finished his career with 282 tackles, ninth-most in school history. As a member of the baseball team Gleason served as team captain his senior year. Academically Gleason was a four-time Pacific-10 All-Academic selection for football, including first-team honors his junior and senior seasons. As a senior he was also a GTE Academic All-District VIII First Team selection and received WSU’s Beulah M. Blankenship Outstanding Student-Athlete award and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board Outstanding Senior Award. Gleason went on to play in the NFL for seven seasons (2000-07), all with the New Orleans Saints. As a player he may be best remembered for blocking a punt that resulted in a touchdown in the Saints first game in New Orleans’ in nearly 21 months following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 and since that time he, along with his foundation, Team Gleason, has been a global leader in raising awareness of and improving the lives of those affected by the disease. Gleason will join the current 177 members of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
YOUNG COUGS MAKE DEBUTS
This season, 28 players have made their WSU debuts and 23 players have recorded their first career start including 12 freshmen. A total of 20 freshmen have played including nine true freshmen, punter Jordan Dascalo, wide receiver Calvin Green, cornerbacks Kevin Griffin, Marcellus Pippins and Pat Porter, safety Sulaiman Hameed, linebackers Frankie Luvu and Dylan Hanser and longsnapper Joe Lang (Punts).
FOR STARTERS
In the season-opener against Rutgers, eight Cougars make their first career start, five on offense and three on defense and four more freshman made their first career start at Nevada. The offensive line owns three players, center Riley Sorenson, right guard Eduardo Middleton and right tackle Cole Madison, who all made their first start this season, with Madison also making his collegiate debut. Against Rutgers, running back Jamal Morrow started while the defense saw senior SAM linebacker Mitch Peterson make a game-high 16 tackles in his first career start. At Nevada, Darius Lemora (S), Robert Lewis (WR), Charleston White (CB) and true freshman Calvin Green (WR) each notched their first career start. Against No. 2 Oregon, two more players made their first career start, defensive end Darryl Paulo and WILL linebacker Jeremiah Allison. Freshman safety Sulaiman Hameed started at Utah. Against Arizona, center Sam Flor made his first career start, as did MIKE linebacker Peyton Pelluer and true freshman cornerback Pat Porter. Against USC, wide receiver Tyler Baker made his first career start as did right tackle Jacob Seydel. True freshman cornerback Kevin Griffin started at Oregon State and true freshman Marcellus Pippins starter at Arizona State.
A NUMBER OF COUGAR FIRSTS
A couple of young Cougs reached their first milestone week three against Portland State. Redshirt-freshman quarterback Luke Falk officially made his debut at Nevada, appearing in one play for an injured Connor Halliday but made the most of his appearance against PSU, hitting Rickey Galvin for his first career completion before connecting with Dom Williams for an 84-yard touchdown for his first career touchdown toss. Also against the Vikings, redshirt-freshman cornerback Charleston White picked off his first career pass and redshirt-freshman running back Gerard Wicks punched in a one-yard touchdown run for his first career score. Against Arizona, redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Tyler Baker caught his first career touchdown and redshirt-freshman wideout Robert Lewis caught his first career touchdown against USC.
FALK NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK AFTER WIN
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Luke Falk was named the Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week after leading WSU to a 39-32 win at Oregon State. In the first start of his career, Falk completed 44 of 61 passes for 471 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The Logan, Utah native completed passes to nine different receivers, with five different receivers catching touchdowns. With WSU trailing 10-0 in the first quarter, Falk led WSU on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, one of four touchdown drives of 70-plus yards he led on the day. He guided WSU to eight of 13 third-down conversions and did not turn the ball over. His 471 yards and five touchdowns are the most thrown by a Cougar player in their first start.
FOUR COUGARS NAMED TO PHIL STEELE’S MIDSEASON ALL-PAC-12 TEAM
Four Cougars received Midseason All-Pac-12 accolades from Phil Steele Magazine. Mayle, a senior wide receiver, was named to Phil Steele’s All-Pac-12 first team while junior offensive lineman Dahl also was a first-team pick. Also recognized were junior defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and sophomore cornerback Daquawn Brown as both were named to the second team.
HALLIDAY EARNED PAC-12 HONORS AFTER SETTING NCAA FBS PASSING MARK
Connor Halliday earned Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week after his record-setting performance against California. He completed 49 of 70 passes for an NCAA FBS record 734 yards, six touchdown and no interceptions. The 734 yards eclipsed the previous record of 716 yards set by David Klingler of Houston, Dec. 2, 1990. Halliday threw for 337 yards in the first half and 397 yards in the second half, a school record. The Spokane, Wash. native was just the 15th player in NCAA FBS history to throw for 600 yards and he accomplished that before the end of the third quarter. He threw touchdown passes of 90, 16, 17, 86, 9, and 9 yards.
HALLIDAY OWNS TOP MARKS
Connor Halliday added to his school-records with some big performances this season, throwing for 300+ yards in seven of the nine games including three 500-yard games highlighted by the 734 yards against Cal. He owns 21 career 300-yard performances, twelve 400-yard games, five 500-yard games, 15 four-touchdown performances including six 5-TD games and three 6-TD games, all school records. He continues to lead the country in total passing yards (3,873), passing yards-per-game (430.3) and total offense (415.8). He owns three of the top-six passing performances in all FBS games this season and is third in the country with 32 touchdowns.
HALLIDAY BREAKS WSU TOUCHDOWN, PASSING RECORDS
In the midst of leading the historic comeback victory at Utah, Connor Halliday tossed four touchdowns and broke Alex Brink’s school record for touchdown passes. Halliday’s third touchdown of the night, the second to Dom Williams, was No. 77 of his career, breaking Brink’s record of 76. He owns 90 career touchdown throws, fourth-most in Pac-12 Conference history. In his 489-yard performance against Arizona, Halliday also broke Brink’s school record for career passing yards (10,913). He owns 11,304 career passing yards, fourth-most in Pac-12 history.
HALLIDAY OWNS OTHER NCAA FBS RECORDS
Connor Halliday’s 734 passing yards against California isn’t the only NCAA record he owns. Last season he went 58-of-89 for 557 yards and four touchdowns at No. 2 Oregon, setting Pac-12 and WSU single-game records for pass completions and attempts in addition to records he broke for passing yards and total offense. His 58 completions tied an NCAA Division I record with Andy Schmitt of Eastern Michigan in 2008 and were the second-most completions in NCAA history. The 89 pass attempts were the second-most in NCAA history and were a Division I record, surpassing the previous mark of 83 thrown by Drew Brees in 1998.
COUGAR OFFENSE BREAKS OWN PAC-12 RECORDS AGAINST CALIFORNIA
WSU’s 734 passing yards against California were Pac-12 and WSU records while the 812 yards of total offense was a WSU record, breaking the 706 set against Portland State in week three. The previous passing mark was also set week three, passing for 630 yards as a team (Halliday 544, Falk 86), breaking the 557 set at Oregon last season. Against Portland State, the Cougars also passed for seven touchdowns, tying the school record (UNLV - 2011).
NEW-LOOK OFFENSIVE LINE
WSU returned two starters from last year in left tackle Joe Dahl and left guard Gunnar Eklund who combined for 33 starts to start the season, the fewest by any Pac-12 offensive line. WSU replaced the center and right side of the line after all three positions were occupied by seniors in 2013. Sophomore center Riley Sorenson and redshirt-sophomore Eduardo Middleton were the only two with game experience, appearing in a combined four games last season while redshirt-freshman Cole Madison started the first eight games at right tackle in his first collegiate season. Junior college transfer Jacob Seydel made his collegiate debut this season and has started the past three games at right tackle. The 2014 offensive line is the biggest (weight) it’s been since coach Mike Leach arrived with the line now averaging 309.4 lbs, up 20 pounds from 288.2 in 2013 and 288.6 in 2012.
MORE STRIDES FROM THE OFFENSIVE LINE
The Cougars showcased an improved offensive line last season, nearly doubling rushing yards and allowing 25 fewer sacks than 2012. Last year, WSU rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns at Auburn, 113 yards against Oregon State, 101 at Arizona and finished the year with 10 rushing touchdowns after rushing for six scores all of 2012. The Cougars finished the season with the second-best pass attempts-to-sack ratio in the Pac-12 at 23.9 (756/32), going the second-longest between allowing sacks while dropping back to pass the most times in Pac-12 history. This year, the Cougars limited Oregon to just one sack and did not allow a sack in games against PSU and Cal.
DAHL NAMED COUGAR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Each week, Washington State coaches award the “Bone” award to the offensive lineman who performs the best during the previous game. Last week, left guard Gunnar Eklund earned the “Bone” award after posting the highest grade of all of the linemen. Week 1: Joe Dahl; Week 2: Gunnar Eklund; Week 3: Gunnar Eklund; Week 4: Riley Sorenson; Week 5: Joe Dahl; Week 6: Joe Dahl; Week 7: Joe Dahl; Week 8: Eduardo Middleton; Week 9: Joe Dahl; Week 10: Joe Dahl; Week 11: Gunnar Eklund
MAYLE NAMED BILETNIKOFF AWARD SEMIFINALIST
Vince Mayle was named a 2014 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club announced recently. Mayle was the first Cougar to be named a semifinalist since Jason Hill in 2005. He enters the week tied for first in the country with a school-record 101 receptions, second nationally with a school-record 1,404 receiving yards and tied for 11th with nine touchdown catches. The Natomas, Calif. native shares the national lead with 9.2 receptions-per-game, is second averaging 127.6 receiving yards-per-game and owns a Pac-12 best six 100-yard games this season. The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the nation’s outstanding college football receiver. The 2014 winner will be presented live on December 11, 2014 on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be broadcast from 7-9 p.m. on ESPN.
MAYLE REACHES 1,000-YARDS, SETS RECEPTIONS MARK
Redshirt-senior wide receiver Vince Mayle made his record-setting catch one to remember at Oregon State, breaking the WSU single-season record for receptions on a 48-yard touchdown catch late in the half at OSU, breaking the record of 82, set by Marquess Wilson in 2011. Mayle enters the week with 101 receptions, fifth-most in Pac-12 history. Against USC, Mayle surpassed the 1,000-yard mark, the 11th 1,000-yard season in WSU history and the first under Mike Leach. Mayle’s 1,404 receiving yards are No. 12 in Pac-12 history. His nine touchdown catches are tied for 11th nationally. Mayle recently selected an invitation to play the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Jan. 20, 2015.
WIDE RECEIVERS AMONG NATION’S BEST
Washington State has seen 9+ players catch a pass in 10 of the 11 games this season, the only team in the Pac-12 to do so. Ten players made a catch in the season-opener against Rutgers. The Cougars enter the week as the only team in the country with multiple players ranked among the top-30 nationally in receptions, Vince Mayle is tied for first with 101, Isiah Myers is tied for 11th with 68 and River Cracraft is tied for 29th with 63. Myers is tied for third in the country with a team-high 12 touchdown catches, tied for second-most in school history. Mayle owns nine TD catches, Dom Williams has eight and River Cracraft has seven. The four Cougar freshmen who have caught passes combine for 125 receptions, third-most by a freshmen class in the country.
THREE COUGARS ON BILETNIKOFF AWARD WATCH LIST
Wide receivers River Cracraft and Vince Mayle were both added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List in early October, joining fellow wideout Isiah Myers who was added to the list in early September. Washington State and Baylor are the only teams with three players on the watch list. The Biletnikoff Award is presented to the nation’s outstanding college football receiver.
RECEIVERS ADD MORE BIG NUMBERS
Each Cougar receiver has had a breakout game this season. Vince Mayle started the year with 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown against Rutgers. Myers posted a career-best performance against Portland State, making 11 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns, the most receiving yards in the country during week three. River Cracraft caught a team-high eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against Oregon, made nine catches for 126 yards at Utah before posting career highs of 11 catches, 172 yards and three touchdowns against Cal. Mayle exploded in the Cal game, also catching 11 passes for a school-record 263 yards highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown. Dom Williams and Mayle each caught a pair of touchdowns in the comeback win at Utah with Mayle capping the night with an 81-yard touchdown for the game winner. Cracraft followed by making 14 receptions for 100 yards at Stanford and Mayle answered by matching Cracraft with 14 catches for 145 yards and touchdown against Arizona. At Oregon State, Baker recorded career highs of nine catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. Against Arizona State, Mayle erupted for a school-record 15 catches for 252 yards.
DEFENSIVE LINE DISRUPTS
Against No. 2 Oregon, Washington State tallied 11 tackles-for-loss and sacked Marcus Mariota seven times. The 11 TFL’s were the most by the Cougars since last season’s shutout win over Idaho when they made 14. The seven sacks tied for the sixth-most in school history and were the most since making seven against Arizona State in 2007. The Cougars had four players each tally two tackles-for-loss highlighted by Kache Palacio’s two sacks. Xavier Cooper and Ivan McLennan each recorded 1.5 sacks. The front line was at it again in the road win at Oregon State, tallying nine tackles-for-loss including four sacks led by Palacio’s two. At Arizona State last week, the front seven tallied nine TFLs including five sacks by five different players. Palacio leads the team with 6.5 sacks this season while Cooper adds 8.5 tackles-for-loss including five sacks.
LINEBACKING CORE LEADS THE WAY
The Cougar’s 3-4 defense has seen its linebackers continue to fill up the stat sheet this season. Darryl Monroe (MIKE), Cyrus Coen (SAM) and WILL linebacker Jeremiah Allison have all produced this season. Allison enters the week with 73 tackles, 64 (8.0 per game) coming as a starter in the last eight games, producing double-digit tackles in the first two starts of his career, 10 against Oregon and 13 (2 TFL) at Utah before making nine stops at Stanford and 12 at Oregon State. He enters the week tied for the team-high with 8.5 tackles-for-loss. Monroe owns three double-digit tackle performances, is third on the team with 68 tackles after making 10 against No. 2 Oregon and 11 at Utah. Coen also owns 55 tackles and owns 5.5 tackles-for-loss. Redshirt-freshman Peyton Pelluer has taken over at MIKE, starting the last four games and owns 31 tackles this season including 4.5 for loss. Earlier this season, redshirt-senior Mitch Peterson stepped in at SAM linebacker and made game-high 16 tackles against Rutgers in his first career start.
YOUNG DEFENSIVE BACKS STEP UP
The Cougars have gone through a youth movement in the secondary for much of the season. In the road win over Utah and the road contest against Stanford, the Cougars started three freshmen and one sophomore in its defensive backfield. Sophomore Daquawn Brown started at cornerback, redshirt-freshmen Charleston White and Darius Lemora started at cornerback and free safety, respectively while true freshman strong safety Sulaiman Hameed made his first career start against Utah. Against Arizona, WSU got younger at cornerback, starting true freshman Pat Porter and playing another true freshman Kevin Griffin for most of the second half. True freshman corner Marcellus Pippins made his debut at Oregon State and started at Arizona State last week, making three tackles, one for loss and broke up one pass. White leads the team with 13 pass breakups, second-most in the Pac-12 and Brown owns 11 break ups along with a team-high 75 tackles.
COUGARS FACE EIGHTH-TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN 2014
According to ESPN Insider Brian Fermeau, the Cougars entered the season with the eighth-toughest schedule in the country. The Cougars are slated to face their ninth bowl eligible opponent. Last year, WSU played the fifth-toughest schedule in the country according to USA Today.
HALLIDAY ON MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LIST
Connor Halliday was added to the Maxwell Award Watch List in mid-October. Each year the Maxwell Award is presented to the College Player of the Year as voted by head coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club along with sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country. Prior to the season, Halliday was named watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, Johnny Unitas Award and College Football Performance Awards Quarterback Trophy.
COOPER ON AWARD WATCH LISTS
Redshirt-junior defensive lineman Xavier Cooper was named to a couple award watch lists this summer, appearing on the Lott Trophy watch list and the College Football Performance Awards Defensive Lineman Trophy watch list. Cooper started all 13 games for the Cougars last season, making 50 tackles including team-highs of 13.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. The Tacoma, Wash. native also recovered two fumbles, forced two and scored one touchdown on a fumble return. Cooper also received preseason All-Pac-12 recognition from Phil Steele Magazine and Athlon Sports.
2015 QUARTERBACK TYLER HILINSKI TO ENROLL EARLY
Incoming freshman quarterback Tyler Hilinksi signed a Financial Aid Agreement and will join WSU in January, 2015. Hilinski will graduate from Upland High School in Upland, Calif. this winter, enroll at WSU in January, 2015 and be able to participate in spring drills with the Cougars. As a junior last fall, Hilinski earned Inland Valley Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 3,053 yards and 34 touchdowns. He completed 177-of-260 (.680) pass attempts and also rushed for 334 yards and four touchdowns. Hilinksi, 6-4, 190, is rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and three stars by ESPN.com and Scout.com. He is ranked the No. 106 prospect in the Western-150 and the No. 41 quarterback prospect in the country by Scout.com. His brother, Kelly, is a quarterback at Columbia University.
ALLISON NAMED TO ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
Linebacker Jeremiah Allison was a nominee for the Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team®. For 23 years the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has served as one of the most coveted and prestigious off-the-field honors in college football, recognizing players whose charitable involvement and community service contributions stand out among all other student-athletes participating in the sport, and who represent the sport’s finest in the areas of volunteerism and leadership among their peers. Allison, a junior, has been involved with many community service projects in and around Pullman, Wash., assisting in Habitat for Humanity, the Washington State Athletics Reading Buddies with local elementary schools, Sr. Buddies at the local retirement home, a Special Olympics basketball tournament and Butch’s Holiday Bash for local children. The Los Angeles native has also helped out with National Women In Sports Day and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for football. Allison was named to the WSU Athletics All-Academic Team as a freshman.
WASHINGTON STATE OPENS COUGAR FOOTBALL COMPLEX
Washington State opened its state-of-the-art Cougar Football Complex this summer. The 84,000-square football building will house the Cougar football program including a locker room, players lounge, team and position meeting rooms, coaches offices, training and equipment rooms, an 11,153-square foot football-only weight room, the Cougar Football Hall of Fame and Heritage Area and a gameday home for Gray W letterwinners.