In response to Mr. Baily’s column about fan support the first word that came to mind was: really? After the WSU football team goes 3-9, the answer is to blame the fans?

Facts are important. The reason that we lost the Apple Cup has nothing to do with fan support or number of people in the stands. If the sheer number of fans is inherently tied to the success of the football team, then we have no shot at winning with the smallest stadium in the conference. While the author makes reference to the 2012 Apple Cup and the record-breaking victory in the 4th quarter, he completely ignores the fact that most students and alumni left that game early as well. You know what? We won anyway.

Fast forward to this year’s Apple Cup. The first Husky drive was two plays, 58 yards and a touchdown in 36 seconds; the stadium was full. After halftime the Husky drive was 2 plays, 64 yards and a touchdown in 40 seconds. This season, among FBS schools, we were 48th in points scored averaging 31.8. Defensively, we ranked 118th averaging 38.6 points against. That’s why we were unsuccessful this year.

After the Apple Cup, WSU Athletics let go of a coordinator and an assistant coach and presumably, Leach is on the hot seat going into next year. Mr. Baily, the problem has nothing to do with students. If you’re honestly going to make the argument that the only way that WSU can win is by the fans in the stadium, why are a majority of the most impressive wins of the Leach-era in opposing stadiums? We’ve won six games at home with Leach as our head coach in the last three years and half of them are against FCS opponents.

One of the reasons that you insisted fans stay had to do with games against Utah and Oregon State – away games with hardly any fans present. Yeah, clearly the fans are the reason for the team’s gaudy year. You bash people for leaving early but your assertion that if the Cougars don’t win in 2015 they are “doomed for eternity” is the proper attitude for fans of Cougar athletics to have, right?