PULLMAN -- Keith Brown has heard all the noise around this year’s Apple Cup, and his answer is pretty simple: treat it like any other game.
That’s the message the Washington State linebacker is carrying into Saturday’s matchup, even with the rivalry landing in an unusual spot as a Week 1 non-conference game instead of its familiar late-season slot. Brown, who is set to return for the first time since December 2024 because of injury, said the setup doesn’t change the way he wants WSU to play.
“I tell them I'm undefeated out there, which I am,” Brown said with a chuckle on being 1-0 in Apple Cups. “So for me, it's just go out there and handle our business and do what we're supposed to do.
Like on defense, it's such a unique side of the ball because we don't really care necessarily who we're playing or who they have or anything like that. We just follow a set of rules and we go out there and do that.
For them, it's just another game, another opponent. It's another time to go out there and showcase what we can do.”
Brown said he actually likes the move to opening weekend.
“I kind of like the idea of playing it week one,” Brown said. “Get it out of the way, see where we're at.
I feel like week one is the best time to play anyone. You're fresh, you're healthy, the best you're going to feel all year.
So I think it's a good time to play.”
The 6-1, 244-pound sixth-year linebacker also told teammates what to expect at Husky Stadium: a tough environment and plenty of noise.
“Just make sure when you go there, you're ready to compete. When you go in that stadium, it feels like the fans are on top of you and it creates a great atmosphere for football.
So just come ready to compete. It's going to be loud.
It's going to be fun.”
Brown said the chance to get back on the field has been a long time coming.
“I can't wait. Ever since I went down last year, I've just been waiting to get back and now it's finally here. I couldn't be more excited and more happy to go out there and play.”
He also pointed to two teammates who could matter on the edge: Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk.
“They're both massive humans. Matyus is a super elite pass rusher, and Linus is that giant anchor on the edge.
Having both of them on either side of me, I feel comfortable having them out there. I think both of them are going to do a great job of containing the rush and doing a good job of what they're supposed to do.”
On the other side of the line, left tackle Ashton Tripp is heading into his fourth Apple Cup and kept his comments short and steady, the way veterans often do when the stakes are already obvious.
“I’m just excited,” Tripp said. “Big game, big rivalry.
It’s what we’ve been practicing for all month with the noise ... everyone shows out for the game. East and West and it's a big deal.
It's loud. It's a lot of fun.”
Tripp said his first memory of the rivalry goes back to the back-and-forth that came with having friends who were UW fans.
“I couldn't remember, but it's just a big rivalry game. I know we have friends back home that are UW fans and back and forth, so that bickering kind of thing.
So I knew about that when I was a kid. So that was probably my first memory.”
And as a Kennewick product, Tripp knows what the game means on a broader level for him personally.
“I want to represent this university and the side of the state and bring that trophy back.”
In Other News...
Washington State Enters Apple Cup With One Roster Question Still Looming
Washington State is heading into the Apple Cup with most of the roster trending in the right direction, a welcome development as the Cougars prepare for one of the seasons most important games. Coach Kirby Moore said only two players, tight ends Trey Leckner and Hudson Cedarland, will be out against Washington, while several others who had been limited recently are expected to be available, including defensive tackle Kaden Beatty.
Kirby Moore also took a moment to acknowledge the passing of former Washington State coach Bill Doba, adding a somber note to a week otherwise centered on getting as healthy as possible. With the availability picture clearing up, the Cougars still have one lingering roster question to sort through before kickoff, and it could shape how they approach the rivalry game. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Linebacker Depth Suddenly Matters In A Big Way For Apple Cup
Nylan Brown spent fall camp staying at the Cougar Football Complex, putting his attention on football and recovery as Washington State worked through the early part of the preseason. The junior transfer arrives with prior playing experience at Kent State, and he fits into a linebacker room that suddenly carries more weight in the buildup to the Apple Cup.
Brown is expected to be part of Washington States backup mix in the 4-2-5 defense, which makes his development worth tracking even before the first big rivalry test arrives. His tackling ability is one area the Cougars will be watching closely, and with depth at linebacker becoming more important, every rep has a little extra value. [Read more 🡒]
Kaden Beatty Brings Extra Edge To A Cougars Rivalry That Still Hurts
Kaden Beatty is bringing a little extra bite to the buildup around this years Apple Cup, and for good reason. The Washington State defensive tackle has already lived through one of the sports most emotionally charged rivalries, and he spoke this week about how much the matchup against Washington still means as the Cougars prepare for another shot at their cross-state foe.
Beattys perspective gives the game a little more urgency for Washington State, especially with his emphasis on doing the job for four quarters and his confidence in the direction of his coach. He sounded eager to be part of a Cougars effort that turns last years experience into something better, and in a rivalry this heated, that edge can matter as much as anything else. [Read more 🡒]