Washington State’s ground game finally looked like a real weapon Saturday, and now the Cougars have to prove it wasn’t just a one-off against overmatched competition.
In a 48-7 win over Duquesne, WSU piled up 316 rushing yards, its highest total in 21 seasons. The last time the Cougars ran for more came in 2005, when they posted 330 against UCLA.
The production came from a three-back rotation that all left fingerprints on the game. Maxwell Woods led the way with 116 yards on 11 carries, good for his second career 100-yard rushing game. That was just shy of his career high of 117 yards last season against Utah State.
Kirby Vorhees added 109 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard score that capped a strong third quarter. It was his first 100-yard game for WSU.
Leo Pulalasi also played a role in the mix, while quarterback Caden Pinnick added 76 rushing yards and scored his second rushing touchdown of the season.
For Washington State, the numbers were notable not just for the total but for the company. It was the first time since 2005 that two Cougars backs topped 100 yards in the same game. The last duo to do it was Jerome Harrison, who had 113 yards, and DeMaundray Woolridge, who finished with 105 against Grambling State in Seattle.
“We’ve got to continue that,” WSU first-year coach Kirby Moore said. “Hopefully their confidence grows with the guys up front in execution.”
That’s the real question heading into this week: can the Cougars bring that same kind of push against Arizona? The Wildcats sit 48th nationally in run defense, allowing 117.0 yards per game, with middle linebacker Taye Brown and defensive lineman Tre Smith leading the way.
Arizona hasn’t been as dominant as Washington and Kansas State, both top-25 run defenses, but it still brings an active front that should make life harder than Duquesne did.
Vorhees was quick to acknowledge the difference.
“It was a little bit of a mismatch (against Duquesne),” Vorhees said. “But if the offensive line is working and all stepping in the right direction, and all (of them) got their hands inside and are running their feet, (the run game) is going to bounce, it is going to pop.
Washington State also may have found a better formula up front. Senior Jonny Lester moved back to left guard from right tackle, and that gave the Cougars a stronger run-blocking look on the left side next to left tackle Ashton Tripp. That was the side Vorhees broke loose on for his 58-yard touchdown.
“It starts up front with the offensive line and getting to the second level,” Moore said.
Vorhees said the backs are looking for more than just collision after collision.
“None of us got recruited here to bash our head into the wall until something happens,” Vorhees said. “We are all here to make plays - whether if those plays are if Max has to truck somebody or I have to outrun somebody.”
In Other News...
WSU Finally Found Its Offense But One Concern Still Lingers
Washington State finally got the kind of home opener it was looking for at Martin Stadium, rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a burst of offense that took over in the third quarter. The Cougars scored three touchdowns in that period alone, with quarterback Caden Pinnick and running back Kirby Vorhees both turning in strong performances as Kirby Moore picked up his first win as a head coach.
The win gave Washington State a much-needed jolt and offered a clearer look at an offense that can lean on the ground game when things are clicking. Still, not everything came together cleanly, and the kicking game remains a source of concern after Jack Stevens had accuracy issues that stood out even in a lopsided result. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Biggest Early Problem Still Isnt Going Away
Washington States home opener offered a few signs of life on offense, with the Cougars taking a 14-7 halftime lead over Duquesne after leaning on the ground game. Maxwell Woods supplied a 45-yard Wildcat burst, and Caden Pinnick finished off a 19-yard touchdown run, a couple of plays that at least gave the offense a little more rhythm than it had shown at times before.
Still, the early concern around the Cougars has not gone away, because Duquesne kept finding room on the ground. The Dukes answered with a 1-yard quarterback keeper from Carson Camp, and their backs piled up 113 yards on 19 carries in the first half, a reminder that Washington States defense still has work to do even when the scoreboard is in its favor. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Built Exactly The Momentum Fans Wanted Before Arizona
Washington State got exactly the kind of response it needed before Arizona, shaking off an early tie and rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a barrage of points that turned a tense start into a runaway finish. After the Dukes pulled even at 7-7, the Cougars ripped off 41 unanswered points, with Caden Pinnick steering the offense and piling up 196 passing yards, two touchdown throws, 76 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
The win had a little of everything for a team looking to build confidence at the right time. Kirby Vorhees added a rushing touchdown, while Jaylen Thomas and Tank Hawkins each delivered punt return touchdowns, giving Washington State impact plays in every phase and a reminder that the margin for error can get awfully thin for opponents when the Cougars start stacking momentum. [Read more 🡒]