Cougars Open 2016 Hosting Eastern Washington Saturday

COUGARS OPEN 2016 HOSTING EASTERN WASHINGTON
Washington State kicks off the 2016 season hosting Eastern Washington University Saturday at 5 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network. The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Eagles 3-0 after taking the 2012 meeting 24-20 in Pullman, the first home game under head coach Mike Leach.

NEXT WEEK
The Cougars will hit the road for a nonconference showdown with Boise State University next Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (PT) on ESPN2. It will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2001.

COLLEGE GAMEDAY RECORD
Dating back to the beginning of the 2004 season, ESPN's College GameDay has had the WSU flag appear throughout the show. The 2016 season begins with the streak at 178. 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 in 2014 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 IN SEASON-OPENERS
Washington State owns a 69-46-5 record in season openers in its 120-year history. Head coach Mike Leach is a career 9-5 in season openers and has won seven of his last 11. WSU is 79-36-3 all-time in home openers, including games in Pullman, Spokane and Seattle. Leach has led Washington State to a 3-1 mark in home openers. Since 1990 the Cougars boast a 17-9 record in home debuts, and are 26-14 dating back to the start of the 1975 season.

WSU VS. THE BIG SKY
Dating back to a 34-0 victory over Montana in 1903, the Cougars have played 49 games against teams currently in the Big Sky Conference. WSU is 45-3 in those games - including 19 shutouts - and had not lost to a team currently in the Big Sky in more than 60 years before dropping last year's season-opener to Portland State 24-17. The Cougars had won 18 straight meetings against Big Sky schools since a 13-12 road loss to Montana in 1947. The Cougars are 30-1 when playing a current Big Sky school in Pullman.

FALK NAMED TO AWARD WATCH LISTS
Quarterback Luke Falk was named to the Davey O'Brien Award, Rotary Lombardi Award and the Maxwell Award Watch List. Falk is one of 30 quarterbacks named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and was also named to the Maxwell Award Watch List for America's Player of the Year. Falk, a redshirt-junior, was an All-Pac-12 first-team selection last season after leading the country in passing at 380.5 yards-per-game and guiding the Cougars to a 9-4 record capped by a Sun Bowl victory over Miami. The Logan, Utah native set a school record with 38 touchdown passes, good for fourth in the nation, and was second in school history with 4,566 yards. Falk tallied three Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and was Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention.

MARKS NAMED TO BILETNIKOFF, MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LISTS
Wide receiver Gabe Marks was named to the Biletnikoff Award and Maxwell Award Watch Lists. The Biletnikoff Award recognizes the nation's most outstanding receiver each year and the Maxwell Award is presented to the nation's Player of the Year. Marks was one of 10 Biletnikoff Award semifinalists last season, earning All-Pac-12 First Team honors and tallied 104 receptions for 1,196 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. Marks led the Pac-12 in receptions, touchdown catches and was second in receiving yards while also tallying four 100-yard games.

SORENSON NAMED TO RIMINGTON TROPHY WATCH LIST
Center Riley Sorenson was named to the 2016 Rimington Trophy Watch List. Sorenson, a senior from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., has started 21 games over the past two seasons and has been one of the anchors for a Cougar offensive line that helped WSU lead the nation in passing each of the last two years. Additionally, he was named a 2015 All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection. Sorenson also received the 2016 Pac-12 Sportsmanship Award for the strength of character and dedication to his team that he displayed throughout the 2015 season even while he and his family faced extreme personal challenges. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football.

NICHOL, SHEPHARD JOIN COUGAR COACHING STAFF
The Cougar coaching staff added two new position coaches as Dave Nichol joined the staff as the outside receivers coach and JaMarcus Shephard as the inside receivers coach. Nichol is no stranger to a Mike Leach-coached team, having spent three seasons (2003-05) as an offensive line assistant at Texas Tech under the current Cougar head coach. Most recently, Nichol served as the offensive coordinator at East Carolina in 2015. Shephard arrived at WSU following two seasons as the receivers coach at Western Kentucky University. In addition to his duties as receivers coach the past two seasons, Shephard added special teams duties for the 2015 season.
AIR RAID LED THE COUNTRY ONCE AGAIN
For the second straight season, the Washington State Air Raid offense led the country in passing (389.5) as Luke Falk paced all quarterbacks in passing (380.5) after recording ten 300-yard passing efforts in 12 games played. The Cougars also led the nation in red zone offense, scoring on 52-of-55 (95%) trips inside the 20 including 36 touchdowns.

COUGAR OFFENSE HEATED UP IN PAC-12 PLAY
The Washington State Air Raid offense took off to new levels over the final eight games (6-2) of Pac-12 play, averaging 496.5 yards in total offense, 410.9 yards passing while converting 42 percent on third downs, converting 75 percent on fourth down and scored in all 37 trips inside the red zone (26 TD). The Cougars averaged 34.5 ppg during that same stretch which included its first three-game conference winning streak since 2003 and scored 40+ points in three straight for the first time since 2001. Also during that span, Luke Falk threw for 2,807 yards with 26 touchdowns, six interceptions, averaged 401.0 passing yards-per-game and completed 69.7 percent of his passes while wideout Gabe Marks caught 11 touchdowns.

COUGARS APPEAR IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Washington State appeared in Associated Press Top-25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top-25 Poll for two straight weeks late in the 2015 regular season. The Cougars appeared at No. 24 in the AP poll following the win at UCLA, its first national ranking (AP) since earning a No. 25 ranking in week 10 of the 2006 season. Following the win over Colorado, WSU was ranked No. 20 in the AP poll, the program's highest ranking since finishing the 2003 season ninth. The Cougars finished the year receiving votes in both national polls. WSU received votes in the set of 2016 national polls.

YOUNG COUGS TAKE THE FIELD
Washington State saw 23 players make their Cougar debuts last season and 11 players make their first career start. Fourteen freshmen contributed including seven true freshmen. The Cougars open the 2016 season with 11 freshmen appearing the depth chart.

DEFENSE CARRIES COUGARS TO SUN BOWL VICTORY OVER MIAMI
Washington State capped the 2015 season with a 20-14 win over Miami in the 82nd Sun Bowl in El Paso, giving the Cougars their ninth victory of the season, the most since 2003. The WSU defense forced three turnovers and Luke Falk threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cougars to their first bowl win since 2003.

SUN BOWL AWARD WINNERS
Quarterback Luke Falk was named the Sun Bowl's C.M. Hendricks Most Valuable Player after throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns. Defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa was named the Jimmy Rogers Jr. Most Valuable Lineman after recording one of WSU's four sacks. Kicker Erik Powell was named the John Folmer Most Valuable Special Teams Player after connecting on both field goal attempts from 30 and 25 yards.

LEACH NAMED PAC-12 COACH OF THE YEAR, GEORGE MUNGER COACH OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALIST
Last season, Head Coach Mike Leach was named a semifinalist for the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award and Pac-12 Conference Co-Coach of the Year. Leach shared the honor with Stanford's David Shaw. Leach guided the Cougars to an 9-4 record this season, 6-3 in Pac-12 play, both marks the best at WSU since the 2003 season when WSU went 10-3 and 6-2, respectively. The Cougars, selected fifth in the Pac-12 North Division's preseason media poll, have posted road victories over Rutgers, Oregon, Arizona and No. 18 UCLA. The win at Oregon was the first over the Ducks since the 2006 season while the Cougars hadn't defeated UCLA since 2007. Additionally, the Cougars achieved a top 20 national ranking following the win over Colorado, the first top 20 ranking since the 2003 season for WSU. Leach was one of 18 coaches named a semifinalist for the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award. He guided a Cougar program that leads the nation in passing offense at 3389.5 yards per game, and also leads the nation in red zone offense, converting on 95 percent of their opportunities inside the 20-yard line. Previously, Leach has been named the George Munger National Coach of the Year in 2008, while also receiving the Woody Hayes Award, Howie Long/Fieldturf National Coach of the Year, and Big 12 Coach of the Year in that same season. Leach is the first Cougar coach to receive Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors since Bill Doba in 2003. In all five WSU coaches have received the honor, the others being Jim Walden (1981, 1983), Dennis Erickson (1988), Mike Price (1997, 2001) and Doba.

HERCULES MATA'AFA NAMED FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
Defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa was named to the Freshman All-America Team by USA Today last season. Mata'afa posted 11 tackles-for-loss while tying for the team lead with seven sacks. He posted 3.5 TFLs and two sacks at Cal and had a TFL in five of the final six Cougar games. Mata'afa tied for fourth in the Pac-12 with seven sacks.

PELLUER NAMED TO PAC-12 ALL-ACADEMIC SECOND TEAM
Peyton Pelluer was named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Academic Second Team, highlighting five Cougars who received all-academic honors last season. Pelluer posted a 3.57 grade point average while pursuing a degree in history. WSU had four additional student-athletes earn All-Academic recognition as Joe Dahl (OL), Isaac Dotson (S), Luke Falk (QB) and Sam Flor (OL) each garnered honorable mention. Pelluer and Flor received their second career All-Academic honor while Dahl, Dotson and Falk were named for the first time. WSU has had at least five players earn All-Academic accolades in each of head coach Mike Leach's four seasons with the Cougars.

DAHL, FALK, MARKS LED COUGARS ON ALL-PAC-12 TEAMS
Offensive lineman Joe Dahl, quarterback Luke Falk and wide receiver Gabe Marks were named to the All-Pac-12 Conference First Team last season, highlighting 11 Cougars to earn all-conference recognition. In addition to the three first-team members, defensive linemen Darryl Paulo and Destiny Vaeao were named to the second team while safety Shalom Luani, offensive linemen Cole Madison and Riley Sorenson, defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa, linebacker Peyton Pelluer and wide receiver Dom Williams each received honorable mention accolades. The 2015 season marked the most all-conference selections for the Cougars since the 2003 season when WSU had 17 selections. It is also the most first-team picks since 2003, when the Cougars placed five on the first team.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR LUKE LAST SEASON
Last season, Luke Falk was a Manning Award Watch List, a Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award Semifinalist, one of 15 "Players to Watch" for The Walter Camp Football Foundation 2015 Player of the Year award and was one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation's top player who started his career as a walk-on. The Walter Camp Player of the Year award is the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation. The Davey O'Brien Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the nation's oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Falk was one of 17 semifinalists and  earned a spot on the Davey O'Brien Award "Great 8" Performance of the Week five times this season. Falk led the FBS in passing yards-per-game (380.5), was third in total offense (370.9), and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns (38) and fifth in passing yards (4,566). In Pac-12 play, Falk averaged 399.5 passing yards-per-game, completed 69.9 percent of his passes and threw 28 touchdowns against seven interceptions and also rushed for two scores. Earlier in the season, Falk was named the Walter Camp National FBS Player of the Week (the first Cougar to receive the honor since the 2004 season), the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week three times and the Maxwell Award Player of the Week.

FALK STAYED HOT
Last season, Luke Falk threw for 497 yards and five touchdowns against Arizona State and led WSU to a fourth fourth-quarter comeback victory at No. 18 UCLA, his fourth comeback-win of the season. Falk threw for 514 yards and five touchdowns in the win at Arizona after posting 407 yards and tying a school-record with six touchdown passes (all in the first half) in the win over Oregon State the week prior. Falk finished the year with a school-record ten 300-yard games and five 400-yard games including a 478-yard effort in a road win over Rutgers and a 505-yard performance in the win at Oregon. In the win over the Ducks, Falk threw for five touchdowns while rushing for another in WSU's first victory in Eugene since 2003. In just 18 career games including 15 starts, Falk owns 14 career 300-yard games, second-most in WSU history, 51 touchdowns, sixth-most in WSU history and 6,425 passing yards, good for seventh all-time.

FALK TALLIED THREE PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES IN 2015
Luke Falk was named Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week three times last season, the most by any player in the conference. Falk threw for 497 yards, completing 36-of-55 passes and five touchdowns to four different receivers with one interception in the come-from-behind, 38-24 win over Arizona State to earn his final award. After a slow first half, he completed 20-of-27 passes for 349 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the second half. All four touchdown drives in the second half went for more than 70 yards. In the fourth quarter alone, Falk threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Cougars to their third come-from-behind win of the season as they trailed 21-17 entering the final quarter. Earlier, Falk earned the accolade after leading the comeback victory at Rutgers and throwing for a season-high 514 yards and five touchdowns in the win at Arizona. Falk owns four career player of the week awards, the most in WSU history since the conference started the award in 1991.

FALK'S FOURTH-QUARTER COMEBACKS
Luke Falk hasn't been a stranger to fourth-quarter comebacks despite playing in just 18 games including 15 starts but he has already led the Cougars to five fourth-quarter comebacks in his career including four this season. Last season at Oregon State, WSU trailed early in the fourth and Falk led a pair of scoring drives for a 39-32 victory. Earlier this season, trailing by four with 1:31 remaining at Rutgers, Falk leading WSU on a 10-play, 90-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to River Cracraft with 13 seconds remaining. In the win at Oregon, Falk led WSU on a pair of scoring drives late in the fourth quarter that erased a 10-point deficit and sent the game into overtime after an eight-yard touchdown pass to Dom Williams with one second remaining. In overtime, Falk rushed for a touchdown and then threw for another before the Cougar defense picked off a pass in the second overtime to clinch the win. Against Arizona State, trailing 24-17 to start the fourth quarter, Falk led the Cougars on three touchdown drives (73, 99 and 75 yards) in the quarter, capping each one with touchdown throws to post a 38-24 victory. His most recent one came at No. 18 UCLA, trailing by three with 1:09 remaining, Falk led the Cougars on a seven-play 75-yard drive, capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Marks with three seconds remaining to knock off the Bruins.

FALK'S RECORD BOOK WATCH
•  Falk's 4,566 passing yards last season were second in WSU single-season history
•  Falk's passing yardage was the fourth-most in Pac-12 single-season history
•  Falk's 38 TD were the most in WSU single-season history, breaking the record of 34 shared by Ryan Leaf (1997) and Connor Halliday (2013)
•  Falk owns 51 career TD passes, sixth in WSU history, two behind Jack Thompson for fifth with 53
•  Falk owns 6,425 career passing yards, seventh in WSU history, trails Drew Bledsoe for sixth (7,373)
•  Falk owns three career 500-yard games, trails only Connor Halliday's WSU record of five

NEW LOOK LINE
The offensive line will have a new look to it this season after the departure of three-year starters Joe Dahl at left tackle and Gunner Eklund at left guard who combined for 79 starts. Dahl capped his career earning All-Pac-12 honors and was a fifth-round draft choice by the Detroit Lions. This season, the Cougars return a trio of starters in center Riley Sorenson (21 starts), right guard Eduardo Middleton (25 starts) and right tackle Cole Madison (21 starts) who have started next to one another for the past two seasons. Expected to take over at left tackle is redshirt-sophomore Andre Dillard who appeared at left tackle in three games last year, making his collegiate debut in the second half at No. 18 UCLA and went on to start against Colorado and at Washington. At left guard, redshirt-junior Cody O'Connell will make his first career start after playing on the field goal team all of last season.

OFFENSIVE LINE BULKED UP
Not only have the Cougars produced big offensive numbers, leading the country in passing the past two seasons, WSU has produced bigger offensive linemen. The size of the front five has gone up each season with the 2016 offensive line averaging 322.6 pounds. Last season, the Cougars averaged nearly 310 lbs after averaging 288.6 in 2012, 288.2 in 2013 and 309.4 lbs in 2014.

COUGAR OFFENSIVE LINE "BONE" AWARDS  
Each week, Washington State coaches give out the "Bone" award to the offensive lineman who performs the best during the previous game. Each Cougar starting lineman earned at least one "Bone" award last season. Portland State: None; at Rutgers: Joe Dahl; Wyoming: Gunnar Eklund; at California: None; at Oregon: Riley Sorenson; Oregon State: Eduardo Middleton; at Arizona: Cole Madison; Stanford: None; Arizona State: Eduardo Middleton; at UCLA: Gunnar Eklund; Colorado: Gunnar Eklund; at Washington: None; vs. Miami: Gunnar Eklund

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE IN THE BACKFIELD
The Cougar running back trio made up of Keith Harrington, Jamal Morrow and Gerard Wicks became known as Earth, Wind and Fire by WSU running backs coach Jim Mastro. WSU rushed for over 100 yards five games last season after recording four 100-yard efforts the previous three seasons combined. The Cougars averaged 80.1 rushing yards per game in 2015, doubling its average from 2014 (39.1). The three backs combined to rush for 1,195 yards, averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry, the highest by a WSU backfield since All-American Jerome Harrison and DeMaundray Woolridge combined for 8.5 per-carry in 2005. Wicks led the way with 610 rushing yards and three touchdowns to go along with 38 receptions. Harrington caught 43 passes, averaged 6.4 yards-per-carry and scored five touchdowns (3 receiving, 2 rushing) while Morrow averaged 6.5 per-carry and recorded four receiving touchdowns. Morrow rushed for a career-high 68 yards on eight carries in the win at Oregon and scored his first career touchdowns on touchdown catches in the win over Oregon State. Against the Ducks, the trio combined for 289 all-purpose yards, 15 receptions and averaged 9.7 yards-per-carry. Against OSU, the Cougar backs averaged 7.6 per-carry before racking up another 117 yards in the win at Arizona, its third straight 100-yard game for the first time since 2010. Both Harrington and Wicks caught touchdown passes in the win over Arizona State and Wicks rushed for another at UCLA. Against Colorado, Wicks rushed for 123 yards on 13 carries, the first Cougar 100-yard rusher since 2010 (James Montgomery vs. Montana State). The Cougars rushed for 1,041 yards in 2015, the most in Mike Leach's four seasons at Washington State.

SPREADING THE BALL AROUND
Washington State was the only team in the country with 10 players who recorded 20+ receptions last season and was the only Power-5 Conference team with two players owning double-digit touchdown receptions. Last season, WSU was the only team in the country that had six players finish with 40+ catches and four of those players returned in 2015 (Cracraft, Morrow, Williams, Lewis).  The Cougars had 10+ receivers catch a pass in every game last year and nine players finished the season with at least one touchdown catch.

RECEIVERS MAKING THEIR WAY UP THE RECORD BOOK
•  Gabe Marks broke Michael Bumpus' school record for career receptions (195) during his 12-catch performance at UCLA, he owns 227 career receptions, tied for 10th in Pac-12 history
•  Marks owns 24 career TD catches, third-most in school history
•  Marks also sits fifth in WSU history with 2,559 career receiving yards
• Marks led the Pac-12 with 104 receptions, second-most in WSU single-season history behind Vince Mayle's record of 106 set in 2014
•  Marks' 15 TD catches were a WSU single-season record, breaking Jason Hill's mark of 13 (2005)
•  Marks tallied 1,195 receiving yards, third-most in WSU sing-season history
•  Marks set a WSU single-game record and tied a Pac-12 record with four TD catches at Arizona
•  River Cracraft sits eighth in WSU history with 165 career catches
•  Cracraft is closing in on the WSU all-time top-10 for receiving yards (2,000) and TD catches (15)

MARKS NAMED BILETNIKOFF AWARD SEMIFINALIST, SET WSU RECEPTIONS RECORD
Gabe Marks was named one of ten Biletnikoff Award semifinalists, the second Cougar in as many years to be named a semifinalist after Vince Mayle earned the same honor last season. Marks, along with wide out Dom Williams and River Cracraft were named to the watch list throughout the season, making WSU the only team from a power 5 conference with three players on the list and the only Pac-12 Conference team with multiple players on the list. Last season, three Cougars were named to the watch list including Cracraft, Mayle and Isiah Myers. Marks finished the 2015 season fifth in the country in receptions-per-game (8.0), fourth in receptions (104) and touchdown receptions (15), all are Pac-12 highs while his 1,192 receiving yards were second. Marks produced four 100-yard games this season and also owns the school record with six career games with 10+ receptions. The Venice, Calif. native caught 11 passes for 110 yards and touchdown in the win over Colorado after a record-breaking performance in the win at No. 18 UCLA, catching 12 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns including the go-ahead 21-yard score with three seconds remaining. Also during the UCLA win, Marks broke Michael Bumpus' school record for career receptions (195). Marks finished his junior campaign with 227 career catches and third in school history with 24 career touchdown catches. Marks put up big numbers in the four road wins, setting a career-high with 14 catches and tied a career-high with 146 yards and a touchdown in the win at Rutgers, grabbing eight passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the win at Oregon, set a school-record with four touchdowns, also  tying the Pac-12 mark in the win at Arizona before putting up the numbers at UCLA. In the win over Colorado, Marks caught 11 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, his team-best fourth 100-yard game this season. He capped the year with a touchdown catch in the in Sun Bowl win over Miami.

PELLUER NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VIII FIRST TEAM
Peyton Pelluer was named to the 2015 Academic All-District VIII First Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Pelluer is a first-time honoree as a redshirt sophomore. The Sammamish, Wash. native boasts a 3.57 GPA while majoring in history with an emphasis in secondary education. The fourth-generation Cougar, whose father, grandfather, and great grandfather all played football for the Cougars, was a Pac-12 All-Academic First Team selection last year and was named to the second team this year.

COUGAR DEFENSE MAKING STRIDES UNDER GRINCH
The Washington State defense clamped down the hatches in 2015 under first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The Cougars' defensive unit allowed 27.7 ppg and 416.6 ypg while forcing 24 turnovers. WSU kept the explosive plays (20+ yards) to a minimum giving up 56 in 2015, averaging 4.3 per game. In 2014, the Cougar defense allowed 6.1 explosive plays per game, a total of 73 on the season. By removing special teams touchdowns allowed, WSU allowed 23.3 ppg, a vast improvement after allowing 38.6 ppg in 2014. The Cougars finished the season with 24 turnovers forced, averaging 1.8 takeaways per game and tripled the amount of turnovers from 2014 (8). In the 27-3 win over Colorado, WSU held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time since a 42-0 victory over Idaho in 2013 and the first time holding a conference opponent without a touchdown since Oregon State in 2006. It was the fewest points allowed to a conference opponent since 1996 (OSU).

GET THE BALL BACK
First-year WSU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch emphasized the need to force turnovers and get the ball back to the Air Raid offense and the Cougars did just that in 2015. Washington State forced 24 turnovers, fourth in the Pac-12 and three times as many as last season's total of eight. The Cougars recorded 13 interceptions, recovered 11 fumbles, and led the Pac-12 with 16 fourth-down stops.

DEFENSE PUT THE PRESSURE ON IN 2015
Washington State racked up 33 sacks and was eighth in the country with 7.8 tackles-for-loss per game (102 Total), the second-best average in the Pac-12 and the second-highest total in WSU history. The Cougars tallied five sacks against Wyoming, three coming from Ivan McLennan giving him the first three-sack performance since Andy Mattingly recorded four against Arizona State in 2007. All-Pac-12 second-team defensive lineman Darryl Paulo finished with a team-best 13 tackles-for-loss, eighth in the Pac-12. Paulo and All-Pac-12 honorable mention defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa shared the team-lead with seven sacks, tied for fourth-most in the conference while McLennan and Kache Palacio each own five sacks. Against Wyoming, WSU recorded 14 TFL's, tied for third-most in school history and later posted 11 TFL's at Cal, and eight more in the games against Arizona State, Colorado and Washington. WSU finished the season with five players owning 10+ tackles-for-loss, tied for the most in school history (2002).

LINEBACKERS LED THE WAY
The Cougar linebackers filled up the stat sheet last season with All-Pac-12 honorable mention Peyton Pelluer tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with 7.8 tackles-per game (101 total) along with 11 tackles-for-loss. Graduated senior Jeremiah Allison tied for eighth in the Pac-12 averaging 7.5 tackles-per-contest (97 total) after leading the Cougars in tackles against Portland State (12) and  Rutgers (11) and Arizona State (11). Pelluer tallied a career-best 14 stops against Wyoming and has shared the team-high in tackles in the wins over Oregon (8) and Oregon State (11), and led the way against Stanford (20) and UCLA (8). Both shared team-highs with 11 stops in the Apple Cup.  

YOUNG SECONDARY A YEAR OLDER
The Cougars went through a youth movement in the secondary in 2014 and 2015. Last season, WSU received solid contribution from true freshman Darrien Molton (44 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery) at cornerback while being named the top freshman cornerback in the country by Pro Football Focus. Junior college transfer and All-Pac-12 honorable mention Shalom Luani emerged as a playmaker throughout the season. He started all 13 games at safety, finished third on the team with 91 tackles, with two forced two fumbles and tied for third in the Pac-12 with a team-best four interceptions, the first sealed the double overtime win at Oregon and the next two came in the win over Oregon State, one he returned 84 yards for a touchdown. Cornerback Marcellus Pippins recorded three interceptions, nine pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and 43 tackles. The 2015 secondary combined for 10 interceptions with all four starters owning at least one.

LUANI EARNED PAC-12, NATIONAL WEEKLY HONORS
Following a two-interception performance in the win over Oregon State, safety Shalom Luani was named the Jim Thorpe Player of the Week, added to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List and the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Luani recorded a game-high 11 tackles, eight solo, with two interceptions and a pass break-up in Washington State's 52-31 win over Oregon State. Luani's first interception, late in the fourth quarter, was returned 84 yards for a touchdown, WSU's only points of the second half and the first pick-six for the Cougars since the 2013 season. He added a second interception on Oregon State's next possession to seal the victory.

SPECIAL TEAMS FULL OF NEWCOMERS
Washington State saw a couple new faces contribute on special teams in 2015. Punter Zach Charme produced eight punts of 50+ yards and put 12 punts inside the 20 during his freshman campaign while freshman kick returner Tavares Martin Jr. was close to breaking a couple long returns throughout the year. The Belle Glade, Fla. native produced returns of 29 and 34 yards in his collegiate debut against Portland State, a 40-yarder at California and a game-opening 51-yard return against Oregon State. He averaged 22.1 yards-per-return, ninth-best in the Pac-12. Although not a new face but kicker Erik Powell, now a redshirt-junior, posted a career day against Stanford, he tied a school record with five field goals (46, 23, 47, 28, 28), tying a career long of 47. Powell went 20-of-26 on the season, the fourth-most makes in WSU single-season history and now owns 22 career field goals, tenth-most in school history.

STEVE GLEASON RECRUIT SUITE DEBUTS IN COUGAR FOOTBALL COMPLEX
WSU announced the naming of the Steve Gleason Recruit Suite, inside the Cougar Football Complex this summer. Gleason, the Washington State Athletic Hall of Famer who played football and baseball in a Cougar uniform from 1995-99, was on hand as the room all future Cougar football players will walk through was named in his honor. The opportunity arrived courtesy of Cougar alumnus Glenn Osterhout's naming donation of $250,000. With his pledge, Osterhout, a 1983 graduate who is a certified financial planner in Bellevue, was presented the opportunity to name the recruiting room inside the Cougar Football Complex.

CARDIAC KIDS REVISITED
Washington State's 2015 season reminded many Cougar fans of the 1965 Cardiac Kids, the Cougar squad that became known for late-game heroics en route to a 7-3 season. That season WSU had four, late-game victories, three being road wins. The same has occurred 50 years later as the 2015 Cougars has registered four, fourth-quarter comebacks, with three wins coming in the final minute or overtime, all on the road.

1965 Last-Minute Victories
at Iowa (7-0) - Tom Roth passed 20 yards to Rich Sheron with 36 seconds to play;
at Minnesota (14-13) - Down 13-0, WSU came back to win with 2:12 left on the game clock when Roth scored from one yard out and Bill Gaskins kicked the extra point;
Villanova (24-14) - WSU trailed 14-10 when Roth hit Bob Simpson on a 78-yard pass play with 2:15 to play and Gaskins sealed the win a minute later with a 41-yard interception return for the final score;
at Indiana (8-7) - The Cougars rallied from a 7-0 deficit when Roth and Doug Flansburg hooked up on a five-yard pass play as time expired; Roth then hit Ammon McWashington with a two-point conversion pass.

2015 Last-Minute Victories
at UCLA (31-27) - Luke Falk's 21-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Marks capped a 7-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with 0:03 seconds remaining for the come-from-behind win.
Arizona State (38-24) – Training 21-17 entering the fourth quarter, WSU outscored the Sun Devils 21-3 in the final period behind three touchdown passes from Luke Falk.
at Oregon (45-38 2OT)  – Luke Falk's 8-yard touchdown pass to Dom Williams with 0:01 remaining capped a 70-yard drive that lasted 1:58 to send the game into overtime, which WSU won in the second overtime.
at Rutgers (37-34) – Trailing 34-30 with 1:31 to play, Luke Falk engineered a 10-play, 91-yard drive capped by an 8-yard pass to River Cracraft for the game-winning score with 0:13 remaining.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA TAKEOVER
The Cougars have tapped into the Rancho Santa Margarita High School pipeline, currently owning four players from the school in center, Riley Sorenson, defensive lineman Nick Begg and receivers River Cracraft and Kyle Sweet. One other Coug to point out who also went to RSMHS, would be Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson.

POLYNESIAN PIPELINE
The Washington State roster has seen an influx in Polynesian players since Mike Leach and his coaching staff arrived in 2012. Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line Coach Joe Salave'a, a native of Pago Pago, American Samoa and a nine-year NFL veteran, has helped bring a number of players to Pullman in his three seasons at Washington State. The 2016 roster has 16 players who are of Polynesian decent including seven who list their hometown from American Samoa.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Three Cougars share a unique bond with their dads and/or grandpa, each have worn the crimson a gray. Redshirt-sophomore left tackle Andre Dillard's dad, Mitch was an offensive lineman and tight end for the Cougars in the late 1980's; redshirt-junior linebacker Isaac Dotson's dad, Michael was an All-American wrestler for WSU from 1983-86; redshirt-junior linebacker Peyton Pelluer's dad, Scott also played linebacker for the Cougs, matching Peyton's No. 47 from 1977-80; Peyton's grandpa, Arnie played end for WSU in the mid 1950's and his great grandpa, Carl, played flanker in the 1920's.

COUGAR FOOTBALL BROADCAST TEAM
Hall of fame announcer Bob Robertson is in his 50th 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 46 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. Robertson now hosts the Cougars pre, halftime and postgame shows, while also providing analysis during the games. Matt Chazanow is in his second season as the play-by-play voice for Cougar football, men's basketball and baseball broadcasts. Joining Chazanow and Robertson in the booth for his third season will be Cougar legend Jason Gesser who quarterbacked WSU to the 2001 Sun Bowl and 2003 Rose Bowl. Returning for her fifth season as the sideline reporter is Jessamyn McIntyre, an executive producer for 710 ESPN Seattle.