Let me start by thanking you for the opportunity to get my first byline in The Daily Evergreen. We have prepared as best we can for the home opener Saturday against Portland State and it will be a great day, back in front of our fans, particularly you, the students.

We have had a good camp, the players have done a great job all year, and I don’t mean since August. It goes back to the summer workouts, spring practices and Midnight Maneuvers. There has been a tremendous amount of hard work stacked one day on top of another over the past nine months, on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. In successful programs those areas cannot be looked at separately, they are intertwined and leading programs achieve at high levels in all three areas. That is what we strive to be.

There have been changes in the program since last season as we’ve added four new coaches that have come in with great energy, a tremendous passion for teaching, and a desire to get better each and every day. There’s no question this is one of the finest staffs I have coached with and as you see them around campus and get to know them, you will see what I am talking about. They have come to Pullman from prestigious universities for the same reason I did, because they believe in the direction our program is headed.

I’ve said this numerous times over the last year so one more time won’t hurt: we have the best facilities in the Pac-12 Conference and there’s no debating that. Anyone who chooses to argue that would be wrong. I’ve seen everything in the conference and ours are the best, period. The credit for that goes to the leadership of Bill Moos and the late Elson Floyd.

Our goals for the season are the same as every year: to win one game each week. You only play one game a week so there’s no reason to look beyond that. Each day we focus on three things: be a team; be the most excited to play; and be the best at doing our job. If we do those three things, we will see improvement.

What I’ve listed above is our formula for success, and you, the students, are the key ingredient.

As we approach Saturday, I want to thank all of you for supporting our players, coaches and staff. We have what I believe to be the best student section in the country. When the Crimzone and stands behind our sideline are packed, we feel that. The players notice, our recruits notice and our opponents notice. You have the ability to affect the atmosphere of the game more than you believe, more than any place I’ve been. I’ve coached at many great stadiums, and I can tell you when Martin Stadium is full, it’s unlike any other venue out there.

I can speak for our entire team when I say we appreciate all the support you give us. This is a true college town, it’s both special and unique, it’s what college is supposed to be and I’m proud to call Pullman my home. As I said at one of the many press conferences I had upon coming to WSU, “A successful program requires a strong relationship between teams, coaches and fans.” We have that here and as you continue to support us, we will strive to get better every day and bring you a program you can be proud of. See you Saturday.

Go Cougs!