Saturday’s matchup gives Washington State a familiar coaching chess game and a tough assignment all at once.
Arizona coach Brent Brennan and WSU defensive coordinator Trent Bray know each other well from their time together at Oregon State, and Brennan said Monday that his children even call Bray “Uncle Trent.” Brennan didn’t mince words about the challenge ahead, either.
"Trent is an outstanding football coach," Brennan said. "That defense is physical.
They're sound. They fly to the football.
He is going to have those guys ready to play."
For Washington State to have a real shot at pulling the upset at Gesa Field, it has to win a handful of key battles that could decide whether the Cougars can keep Arizona off balance.
One place to start is the left side of WSU’s offensive line. When the Cougars moved Jonny Lester back to left guard full-time last week, it strengthened that side alongside team captain Ashton Tripp at left tackle. Kirby Vorhees took advantage immediately, ripping off both of his touchdown runs against Duquesne on that side of the field, including a 58-yard score to end the third quarter.
Arizona is a different animal entirely. The Wildcats bring pressure from all over, whether it’s through the linebackers or the secondary, and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has built that reputation from the Rocky Long coaching tree through his stops at New Mexico and San Diego State. That style figures to disrupt some runs from Vorhees, Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi.
Still, if the Cougars can create any room, it may come from Tripp and Lester working against a smaller Arizona defensive end.
The passing game will demand just as much precision from quarterback Caden Pinnick. He has to sort out where the pressure is coming from before deciding where to go with the ball, especially with Arizona likely to keep changing the picture.
WSU’s quick game should matter here, with throws to the backs in the flat and to tight ends or receivers on seams. But the Cougars also need to be ready to take their shots. Arizona’s defense will leave some chances for deep passes, and WSU has to be willing to go after them.
Branden Ganashamoorthy looks like the natural downfield target. His speed and ability to win in the air give him a chance in one-on-one matchups, and the Cougars should test Arizona corners Dwight Bootie and Tyrese Boss. Bootie allowed a 61-yard completion to BYU’s Legend Glasker, while Boss gave up a 52-yard touchdown pass to Northern Illinois’ Cam Thompson.
On the other side, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita enters his 38th career start with the kind of experience that usually makes defenses work overtime. He has more than 10,000 passing yards and 80 touchdowns, so he’s no stranger to reading pressure and punishing mistakes.
But the last two games have been rougher. Fifita has been sacked seven times over that stretch, including four times against Northern Illinois, and he said the issue was holding the ball too long.
That game offered a couple of clear examples. One sack came on a backfield blitz. Another came when Northern Illinois stayed patient, waited for Fifita to roll outside the hash and then finished the play.
Fifita is a progression passer, so he’ll spend the time to work through his options. At the same time, he’s good enough to sense pressure, plant and fire before a defense can get comfortable.
That means Bray will likely keep mixing coverages and pressure looks to challenge him. For WSU, the priority is simple: stay disciplined, keep everything in front of them and don’t let Arizona turn those looks into explosive plays.
In Other News...
Arizona Fans Had Two Reasons To Be Furious During BYU Loss
Arizona fans already had plenty to digest as BYU hung around long enough to turn a tight game into a frustrating finish, and the mood only got worse as the Cougars pulled away late. Arizona carried a halftime lead into the break, but the second half belonged to BYU, which steadily took control and left the Wildcats staring at a loss they could feel slipping away before it was over.
The broadcast added its own distraction when Fox Sports analyst Robert Griffin III spent time on an odd anecdote about Bear Bachmeiers family traditions, a side note that quickly started making the rounds. Between the comeback on the field and the offbeat call from the booth, Arizona fans wound up with two separate reasons to be irritated on a night that was supposed to bring a different result. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Suddenly Has A Depth Problem Before Washington State
Arizona is heading into its matchup with Washington State with a little less margin for error than Brent Brennan would like. The Wildcats are sorting through the ripple effects of a defense that has already had to absorb injury news, while Brennan also pointed to the need for cleaner run-game execution and sharper fundamentals across the board, from turnovers to tackling to special teams. Along the way, he highlighted Brandon Phelps versatility and said safety Cam Chapa has been trending in the right direction, two small signs of progress in a week when depth matters more than usual.
The bigger concern is that Arizonas available options are still not fully settled, especially at a spot where the staff had hoped for more clarity by now. Brennan said one injury has already ended a players season, and another key piece remains in limbo after leaving the NIU game, leaving the Wildcats to prepare without knowing exactly how much of the rotation will be intact when they line up against the Cougars. For a team trying to stabilize its identity, that uncertainty only raises the stakes on a game where the details may matter as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces Three Washington State Threats That Could Decide Pullman
Brent Brennan knows the trip to Pullman can test a team in a hurry, and Arizonas third-year coach is preparing for a Washington State group that has found a few different ways to make life difficult. Brennan, who played and coached in the old Pac-12, is familiar with the challenge of handling a road game in that setting, where the details can tilt the night one way or the other.
What makes this matchup especially tricky is the variety Washington State brings into it. The Cougars have players who can affect the game at different spots, from Woods and Pinnick in the offensive mix to Thomas, whose recent burst on special teams has given him a bigger role in the return game. For Arizona, the issue is not just containing one threat but sorting through several, and Pullman has a way of rewarding the team that handles those moving parts best. [Read more 🡒]