Can Washington State football finally get over the hump and win the Pac-12 North in 2019? The pieces are there for Mike Leach.
Washington State football was in a constant state of turmoil for the better part of a decade, and now it seems as though Mike Leach has finally turned the tide in Pullman, and has the Cougars on a consistent path to winning ball games.
After having two three-win seasons in Leach’s first three years in charge, Washington State has now finished each of the last four seasons as one of the top teams in the Pac-12. Leach has been able to carry out this turnaround by sticking to what he knows best: spreading the defense, throwing the ball, and then throwing some more.
Last season, quarterback Gardner Minshew led all of college football in passing attempts by more than 100 attempts, and he finished with a career season that generated some late season Heisman buzz, throwing for 4,779 yards and 38 touchdowns.
It’s true, Leach’s much-heralded air-raid offense has begun to produce big dividends, as last season the Cougars were in the College Football Playoff mix all the way up until their loss to the Huskies in the Apple Cup.
The Cougars finished the season 11-2 after defeating Iowa State 28-26 in the Alamo Bowl.
But with a few new faces all around the roster, it will be a test of the Cougars ability to reload with the likes of Oregon, Washington and Stanford to stay competitive in an increasingly improving Pac-12.