2007 Week 3

September 15, 2007
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - After the end of the first half, things seemed all but over for the Vandals who trailed 31-6. Brian Nooy had thrown 2 interceptions, one on a drive where he started from Wazzu's one yard line. That interception on 1st and goal was returned 100 yds for a Cougar Touchdown.

Coach Ghettoshark then immediately benched Nooy for redshirt junior Chris Joseph. The switch paid off immediately as midway through the second, Joseph gave the Vandals their only 1st half points on a 34 yd pass to Max Komar. Coach Ghettoshark's questionable decision to go for 2 failed.

At a post-game press conference, he said, "I saw something in the defense. I originally called the play to see what D they would show up in and since they called a goal-line blitz, I told [Chris Joseph] to audible to a play-action pass. It worked and there was a man open but [Joseph] missed him due to the heavy pressure. I assume full responsibility for putting him in a position like that."

However, even with a Cougar touchdown run to close the half 31-6, the Vandals touchdown seemed to provide a spark in the 3rd quarter. The Vandals rallied and outscored the Cougars 28-3 in that quarter, tying up a game which was seemingly out of hand. The Vandals had hope again, and this time they had momentum.

In the 4th quarter, after holding the Cougars to a field goal, the Vandals drove to around midfield. There, on 4th and 6, Joseph got sacked and the Cougars scored the go ahead TD to get a 10 point advantage.

The Vandals had one last shot with under a minute to play. The first 3 plays fell incomplete and it was 4th and 10 with 44 seconds left in the game. Sophomore WR Max Komar, who had 190 yards on 6 catches, used his speed to completely burn the defender who was covering him on a fly route. Joseph found him and tossed a lob and...

...HE DROPPED IT!

"We were asking way too much out of him. He had already had 2 straight 200 yard games and almost had another one today. This was all my fault. Don't go after the kid. Go after me. I'm a man...," said Coach Ghettoshark after the game.

The Vandals play host to Northern Illinois, who suffered a 27-6 loss to the Eastern Michigan Eagles, next week.