A Season of New for Washington State
Washington State football has been in a state of depression for the last eight seasons, not compiling a better than .500 record in that time span. It has been nine years since they earned a bowl bid and 15 years since they clinched a Rose Bowl bid. The past four seasons have been the worst for the Cougars, compiling a miserable 9-40 record. That is a .184 winning percentage! To help try to turn things around Washington State is changing everything. In 2012 it will be a season of new for the Cougars. They will have a new head coach, Mike Leach, a new quarterback, new uniforms, and even a new upgraded stadium and facilities.
This reaction to difficult times is not uncommon. Many people do the same thing when they are going through a rough patch in life and many teams change head coaches when their teams are struggling. Mike Leach is known as an offensive guru who turned Texas Tech into one of the most feared offenses in the nation. His passing concepts spread like wildfire through the collegiate ranks and revamped the way offenses operated. He was fired from Texas Tech in an ugly scandal that involved the mistreatment of a player with a concussion. Now Leach is moving forward with his new job and life, embracing the challenge that lies ahead, looking to turn around another cellar dweller in a power conference. Washington State is a logical fit for Leach, they already have a prolific passing attack which presumably will be even better under his tutelage. It will take some time for him to turn the Cougars around but he will have the help of some other new and attractive purchases by the Washington State football program.
The school bought new Nike uniforms for all sports. For football they now have new sleek crimson home jerseys, a sharp white alternate, and an all grey alternative uniform. They are said to be more comfortable and are designed to help the players look and feel good while competing. Mike Leach will likely use the uniforms in a similar way that conference rivals Oregon does, as a recruiting tool. New uniforms are a great way to attract young high school stars. Washington State certainly hopes the investment will pay massive dividends, not only this season but for years to come, in better recruit classes.
Lastly, the Cougars have new facilities underway. They upgraded their stadium, making the 2012 visit to the stadium better for both players and fans alike. They have a new weight room, training room, and locker room. Coaches have new offices and new meeting rooms as well. The state of the art facilities will compete against the other great venues in the Pac-12 conference.
There are a lot of changes at Washington State and there are a lot of new faces and materials. These new things are spurring excitement in both the fans and the players. This is a start of a new era for the Cougars; one that they hope breeds much success. Improving is a process, so it would be unfair to expect an immediate turnaround but Washington State looks to have a bright future. Their recruiting classes should begin to improve and so should their record. The era of new is underway at Washington State and despite the poor outlook for this season, it is still an exciting time to be a Cougar.
Read the in-depth Preview for Washington State Football
