One more hurdle for Wazzu

They handled a midseason coaching swap with aplomb. They’ll try their hand now at a postseason opponent swap.

At least this time their opponent, by definition, is going through the same thing.

To cap a season full of hurdles, the Washington State Cougars try to surmount one final one at 9 a.m. Pacific today (CBS) when they face the Central Michigan Chippewas in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, just four days after learning that’s whom they’ll be playing.

“It’s been amazing,” newly hired WSU coach Jake Dickert said in a news conference Thursday. “Our group, they really don’t flinch. I know you guys might feel like that’s coachspeak, but they’ve taken everything in stride.”

As an example, he described edge rusher Ron Stone Jr.’s response Sunday to the news that Miami (Fla.) was withdrawing from the game because of a coronavirus outbreak on its team.

“After we got the bad news,” Dickert said, “RJ Stone raised his hand and said, ‘Coach, are we still going to Top Golf?’ ”

That’s a sprawling El Paso entertainment center the Cougs had been scheduled to visit. And did so. With Stone, though, the point probably wasn’t Top Golf. He was trying to change the subject to keep everyone’s spirits from plummeting.

“And everyone celebrated,” Dickert said, continuing his story. “They just love being around each other. I don’t know even how to express that. I think there’s a culture piece. Because what is forgotten in this, in the state of Washington we haven’t been able to eat much as a team (because of pandemic protocols). We’ve been very careful and it’s led to all of our success. So when we get to these events — that camaraderie, when you’re part of a team — to be at these events this week has really established and reaffirmed our culture.”

The next day, an outbreak on the Boise State team led to the cancellation of its Arizona Bowl matchup with the Chippewas, who therefore agreed to replace Miami. They drove from Tucson, Ariz., to El Paso on Thursday, arriving about 2 p.m. Pacific.

Hence a highly unusual matchup of teams that, four days ago, knew virtually nothing of each other’s personnel or schematics.

“At the end of the day, when you kick that ball off, it’s two teams competing, playing at their best, relying on rules and principles,” Dickert said, “because in three days of prep, no one’s going to get all that tricky or all that specific.”

As Dickert pointed out, the Cougars (7-5) are getting used to turmoil, having weathered the midseason firing of coach Nick Rolovich and four assistants.

“Anyone that’s really followed our story throughout the 2021 season knows that this group was equipped for this week,” said Dickert, who was named interim coach upon Rolovich’s departure and later was given the permanent job.

In Central Michigan (8-4), the Cougs are getting an upper-tier Mid-American Conference team on a four-game win streak, led by former Florida coach Jim McElwain and buoyed by productive running back Lew Nichols III (142 rushing yards per game).

Among the Cougs who’ve tasted extra anxiety lately is sophomore quarterback Jayden de Laura, who missed a practice early this week because of travel snafus after spending holiday time in his native Honolulu.

Some of the Cougars’ recent challenges are of the “next man up” variety, chiefly regarding the decisions of running back Max Borghi, right tackle Abe Lucas and cornerback Jaylen Watson to skip the bowl and prepare for the NFL draft.

Borghi’s productive senior backup, Deon McIntosh, is another nonparticipant in the bowl, for unexplained reasons, putting the onus on third-stringer and probable 2022 starter Nakia Watson. Also being asked to step up are true freshman tackle Christian Helborn and transfer cornerback Kaleb Ford-Dement.

“Our group has outlasted adversity, and it’s brought us closer,” Dickert said. “Adversity in life can be your ally for growth if you allow it to be. This group has allowed it.”

Grummert may be contacted at daleg@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2290.