Washington State Football: 3 Takeaways from the loss at USC

Corners are an issue

USC is the most physically talented team Washington State has seen this season. They are big, strong and fast. It’s not that the Cougars aren’t physically capable of competing, its that they are building a program and they don’t have the athletes at all positions that Southern Cal does, nor in the same quantity.

It was the most event in the mismatch between USC’s receivers and the Washington State defensive backs. The Trojans wideouts were bigger, faster, and more athletically gifted than the players covering them. WSU defensive backs were constantly beat deep and/or out-played for passes. That’s why there were so many penalties on the Washington State secondary. Additionally, the USC receivers made their quarterback, J.T. Daniels look much more accurate than he was.

Leach is a very smart man. Somewhat eccentric at times, but smart. When he watches the game film again, it will confirm what he saw unfolding in real time. The Cougars need bigger, faster corners. WSU’s program has come a long way since Leach took over, but it’s still a work in progress.