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Luke Falk's adventurous high school football career ended as he sat alone on the bench during the last few minutes of Logan's resounding loss to Timpview in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs at home.

Four years later, Falk is the leader of the Washington State Cougars, one of few Pac-12 teams entering the season with an established quarterback. "Your offseason work tends to accelerate a little bit because you've got a guy that's been in the role that's kind of leading the others and they follow his lead," coach Mike Leach said during the Pac-12 Media Days. "And as far as managing the unit, he's one of the best I've ever had."

That's saying a lot, considering the list of productive quarterbacks in Leach's past at Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and WSU.

With the help of a much-improved defense, Leach and Falk turned around the Cougar program with a 9-4 record last season. WSU went 6-3 in conference play, even while competing in a North division that became much more competitive — except for Oregon State.

With receivers Gabe Marks and River Cracraft among the returnees, Falk should rack up big numbers again in 2016 after passing for 4,561 yards and 38 touchdowns (with eight interceptions) as a sophomore.

The division's strength and depth will make it difficult for the Cougars to move into the top three, but more experience should help. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch made a big impact last season after arriving from Missouri. "We became a decisive defense," Leach said. "Despite the fact that we were young, we went from indecisive to decisive, and then some of the decisiveness allowed us to make plays even ahead of what our skills justified."

The Cougars ranked seventh in the Pac-12 in total defense, a significant jump from previous years. And they won nine of their last 12 games after being upset by Portland State in the season opener. That outcome should have WSU wary of this year's opener vs. Eastern Washington, and a trip to Boise State the following week will be a good gauge for the Cougars.

WSU will have an open date after facing Idaho, then play nine straight conference games in nine weeks.

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribkurt —

Washington State

Coach • Mike Leach (fifth season, 21-29).

2015 record • 9-4 (6-3 Pac-12).

2016 media poll • Fourth in North.

Schedule

Sept. 3 • Eastern Washington

Sept. 10 • at Boise State

Sept. 17 • Idaho

Oct. 1 • Oregon

Oct. 8 • at Stanford

Oct. 15 • UCLA

Oct. 22 • at Arizona State

Oct. 29 • at Oregon State

Nov. 5 • Arizona

Nov. 12 • California

Nov. 19 • at Colorado

Nov. 25 • Washington