Hello, Jake Dickert!
Against all odds, Washington State is coming off back-to-back absolute thrillers smelling like a rose.
How did the Cougars survive?
In the Apple Cup, WSU is clinging to a 24-19 lead in the waning moments. However, those dreaded Huskes are knocking at the door, with 4th and goal from the Cougar 1. 4th and the season for Washington State! Inexplicably, UW, with a non-running QB, elects to run an option to the SHORT side of the field.. Stuffed! Cougar ecstasy!
After the game, Washington coach, Jedd Fisch, manned up and confessed that his play call was a bad one.
Six days later, San Jose State pays a visit to the Palouse. Two surprises. San Jose State has a much better team than anybody anticipated. WSU fans did not expect to look at the scoreboard at the end of the third quarter and see SJSU winning by 38-24. If that was surprising, the 54 passes thrown by Cougar transfer, Emmett Brown, was shocking. The new coach for the Spartans was none other than Ken Niumatalolo. The same Niumatalolo who was the all-time winningest coach at Navy. The Navy team that ran the ball, ran the ball more and kept running the ball. 54 heaves is as stunning as if Dolly Parton sang at a concert in a baggy, burlap dress.
WSU proceeded to rally behind their swashbucking QB, John Mateer, and forced overtime. San Jose State immediately regrets one of their 54 passes, as WSU picks off an errant Brown pass. The norm: WSU would make a series of conservative play calls with a game-winning field goal attempt in its back pocket.
Such strategy makes even more sense because Mateer is a first-year starter who can be streaky: a poor man’s Brett Favre, so to speak. So, what does Washington State do? Mateer passes and gets picked off. Coaching malpractice of such a magnitude that easily trumped Fisch’s awful play call in Seattle in the Apple Cup.
Dickert gets off the hook when SJSU’s two-point conversion in the second overtime fails.
The Odyssey hopes that Dickert has not exhausted all his luck. Because the most challenging game on their schedule occurs this Saturday when they make a short trip to Boise. The Cougars are 7.5 point dogs to the explosive Broncos. If WSU can figure out a way to pull off the upset, the Palouse will go nuts because the possibility of an undefeated season would have the locals jumping up and down.