It's COUGAR FOOTBALL SATURDAY...almost!

The football season is upon us...that means I'll be at Cougar practice every Wednesday. So, I was there today as the Cougs prepared for Oklahoma State.

The first thing I noticed was the energy level. Everyone (and I mean everyone) was hooting and hollering as practice started (at one point co-defensive coordinator Jody Sears took off his hat and started swinging it over his head as he was screaming). Even if Paul Wulff doesn't feel like his squad will be at their best Saturday (that's what he told us after the last scrimmage)...the guys appear ready to play some football.

The team is definitely dinged up. Tight end Devin Frischknect and defensive end Mike Graise didn't practice today, but both spent time on the stationary bikes (no one could tell me what was wrong with Frischknect, but he had a wrap around his left thigh). Offensive linemen Vaughn Lesuma and Joe Eppele were also sidelined; as was cornerback Markus Dawes (he had a wrap on his right knee).

As far as injuries, there are some positives to report. Wide receiver Jeshua Anderson seems to be progressing well (he recently had surgery for a hernia). He helped the quarterbacks warm up and was also running around the practice field. A lot of the media members were talking about how good he looks for just coming off surgery. Also, punter Reid Forrest is out of his boot (he's still using crutches to walk...sort of). I was told he'll likely start punting again on Saturday (not in the game of course).

The running back situation looks good. Everyone was working out today, including Dwight Tardy (who will start on Saturday) and Christopher Ivory. Tardy, who had surgery on his knee in November, looked pain free and ran the ball well. Logwone Mitz was also impressive, breaking a big run during drills. It also became known that Marcus Richmond is no longer a running back...he was moved to wide receiver.

Speaking of wide receivers, Ferris High School grad Jared Karstetter will definitely start against the Cowboys. I asked Wulff if he is ready for Pac-10 football and he said "he better be." It'll be interesting to see what he can do...I've seen him make some pretty impressive catches in practices/scrimmages. Another note: Keith Parr, Jr., a redshirt sophomore from Bellevue High School, is leaving Washington State...he's going to transfer.

The scouts were in Pullman again...this time from the Giants (I also spotted a Colts scout at the last scrimmage). He seemed to keep a close eye on Brandon Gibson.

I talked to Gary Rogers about making his first start (what he is feeling). He said he's not really nervous because he's been around for five years waiting for this opportunity. He added that after the first play he expects any nerves to go away. I was asked by someone how he looked today at practice and, to me, it was more of the same. I saw him throw an interception early on, but he also looked very solid at times. We'll see how he performs in a real game situation. He's a nice kid with a good attitude, so I'm pulling for him.

Finally, I asked Wulff about his "not being the best team we can be" comment from Friday. He said the team is making progress this week, but he still expects some mistakes on Saturday. It's how the team responds to the mistakes that will make the big difference, he said.

Just like everyone else, I'm not sure what we'll see on game day. Oklahoma State is a seven point favorite with the over/under set at 67.5. I can definitely see this becoming a high scoring shootout, because both teams have capable offenses and questionable defenses.

P.S. A case of good news/bad news for some Cougar alums.

The good news: Kyle Weaver signed a multi-year deal with Oklahoma City today. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The bad news: Former tight end Cody Boyd was waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday.

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