By HOWIE STALWICK
SPECIAL TO THE P-I
PULLMAN -- Offensive tackle Vaughn Lesuma has good news for Washington State football fans: The players who wore Cougars uniforms last Saturday at Qwest Field were impostors. "We are a way better team than what we looked like," Lesuma said. "I don't know what it was. That was not the Cougar team that we are."
Despite WSU's shaky play in a 39-13 loss to Oklahoma State in last week's season opener, Lesuma said he's confident the "real" Cougars will show up this afternoon for WSU's Pac-10 and home opener against California. Lesuma, set to make his season debut against Cal after missing the opener with strained back muscles, said he also is confident the "real" Cougars fans will show up today. No one speaks more passionately about loyal Cougars fans than Lesuma ("They make me want to be a better person"), so it pains him to recall how few came to WSU's final home game last year. Fewer than half the seats were filled at the Pac-10's smallest stadium. It was Senior Night, and the Cougars still had a shot at a bowl game, but buckets of rain and a miserable performance by the home team drove away most fans before the end of a 52-17 loss to Oregon State.
"It was bad, especially for the seniors," Lesuma recalled. "The fans now are excited about the changes: new coaching staff, new style of play, new players." Coach Paul Wulff only wishes more of those players -- and more than a few of the holdovers -- were better, more experienced and/or healthier. That would come in handy against the Bears, on the verge of cracking the Top 25 after beating Michigan State 38-31 last week.
"They've got to be right up there with USC ... with pure talent across the board," Wulff said. Wulff said Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen are "probably the two fastest tailbacks in the league." Sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley looked sharp in his first start, and a veteran defense held Michigan State's traditionally solid running attack to 81 yards on 31 carries. "We don't want to just get sacks; we want to put people out of the game," California defensive tackle Derrick Hill told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Wulff said WSU's switch to a no-huddle, hurry-up offense will need time to develop, particularly with injuries playing havoc with the roster. The Cougars spent time on special teams work after a disastrous showing against Oklahoma State.
Wulff said he was pleased with much of WSU's defense. Still, the 39 points allowed (six on a kickoff return) was worse than the Cougars' league-worst 32.4 average last year. "We did a fairly good job, but we know we can do better," safety Chima Nwachukwu said. "Thirty-nine points is unacceptable."
EXTRA POINTS: Cal coach Jeff Tedford said WSU "always plays very tough at home," but the Cougars are 8-13 at Martin since 2004. The Cougars have won seven consecutive Pullman openers and 14 of the past 16. ... The Cougars estimate 30,000 fans will turn out in mid- 70s sunshine. Check out the new, $2.5 million scoreboard and video screen. The Cougars are raising money to add luxury boxes. ... An appeals court ruled Thursday the Bears can remove protesters who have lived in trees to block construction of a $125 million training center. The delay has cost the school millions. ... Wulff said he expects wide receiver Jeshua Anderson (hernia surgery) to play at Baylor next week. ... Former Cal running back James Montgomery, who is redshirting, gave his best impression of Best on WSU's scout team this week. ... Wulff and Cal offensive line coach Jim Michalczik played on the 1988 WSU Holiday Bowl team that will be honored. Michalczik and Wulff are friends, but when Wulff was told that Michalczik said WSU's 1988 offensive line would have been the best in school history if he had been replaced, Wulff deadpanned, "I would agree."
WASHINGTON STATE (0-1) VS. CALIFORNIA (1-0)
WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Martin Stadium, Pullman
TV/RADIO: FSN; KPTK-AM/1090
CALIFORNIA PLAYER TO WATCH: TB Jahvid Best. "He's probably the fastest player in the Pac-10," WSU coach Paul Wulff said. Last week, Best kicked off the season by carrying the ball 24 times for 111 yards and one touchdown, catching five passes for 63 yards and returning four kickoffs for 103 yards against Michigan State. In two college seasons, Best has touched the ball 90 times, and 30 of those touches resulted in gains of 10 or more yards. Best's backup, speedy freshman Shane Vereen, ran for 101 yards last week, including an 81-yard TD.
WASHINGTON STATE PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Chris Ivory. Injuries, including hamstring problems this fall, have limited Ivory in his three seasons at WSU. The 6-foot, 225-pound Texan possesses a dazzling combination of power and speed, which he showed off last week while gaining 32 yards on six carries in support of starter Dwight Tardy. "If we ever get that kid (Ivory) healthy and he can put games back-to-back, then we'd have a special player on our hands," Wulff said. "I don't know if he's mentally -- he's not let himself do that yet."
OUTSIDE VOICES: Cal's locker room turned into a war zone last season after the Bears wasted a 5-0 start and No. 2 national ranking -- one play away from being No. 1 -- by losing six of their next seven games. "We lost some close games," Tedford said. "It took a toll on us. ... I think these guys in this locker room have learned from last year. We did a lot in the offseason to improve the chemistry. I think there's great senior leadership."
HISTORY LESSON: The Bears lost nine in a row in Pullman from 1983 to 2001, plus a 1981 game in Spokane, before downing the Cougars 21-3 in Pullman during their last visit in 2006. That was Cal's first road win over WSU since 1979. California has defeated WSU three consecutive years, but the Cougars have won seven consecutive Pullman openers.
DAILY LINE: California by 13 1/2
P-I PICK: WSU is expected to start three walk-ons plus a walk-on kicker against a Cal team loaded with speed and athleticism. Wulff might be tempted to sneak in some of his old teammates off the 1988 Holiday Bowl team that will be honored at halftime. California 38, WSU 21.
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