Area of need: Receiver
Current situation: The Air Raid needs passing targets, and a lot of them. Washington State's aerial attack was again very effective this past season, but two of Luke Falk's top three receivers have exhausted their eligibility. Gabe Marks and River Cracraft combined for 153 catches, 1,595 yards, and 18 touchdowns. Both are now gone, so Falk must prove he can manage without them.
That was a problem during the final three games of 2016 -- all losses -- when the Cougars were forced to play without Cracraft, who suffered a season-ending injury in early November. Washington State averaged 44.3 points per game in 10 games with Cracraft, but only 17.6 points in the three-game stretch without him.
Numbers aren't even necessary to recognize the value that experienced receivers bring to Mike Leach's intricate passing system. Both Cracraft and Marks had developed excellent rapport with Falk, and that was plainly visible on timing routes -- this offense is stocked with them -- and broken plays on which both receivers would instinctivey find an open pocket in the defense.
Plan moving forward: Tavares Martin Jr. exploded as a sophomore, catching 64 passes for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. He's the leading returner in Washington State's pass-catching corps. The big question: Can he maintain that level of productivity while covered by the opposition's best defensive back? In 2016, opponents' top resources were constantly directed at Marks, a player who rewrote the Pac-12 record books.
Robert Lewis, a 5-9 target, will be back after a 33-catch season, as will Kyle Sweet (27 catches). There's excitement surrounding the 6-foot-3 Isaiah Johnson-Mack, who caught 33 passes during his freshman season.
Easop Winston, Anthony White Jr., and Derrion Grim are the three receivers committed to Washington State in its 2017 recruiting class. Given the large amount of wideouts that the Cougars' system employs, there should be an opportunity to earn immediate playing time here.
Expect Washington State to rely especially heavily on receiving production out of its backfield next season. Running backs Jamal Morrow, James Williams, and Gerard Wicks combined for 125 catches and 1,014 yards last season, and their role in the pass game should only increase with Falk losing two of his favorite weapons on the perimeter.
Leach's Air Raid has proven that it has the ability to consistently reload, so Cougars fans probably shouldn't fret too much -- especially with Falk returning along with some experienced offensive linemen. He'll have an entire offseason to develop rapport with his new targets, but the struggles without Cracraft at the end of 2016 do underscore the importance of the next several months for Washington State.