Kirby Moore liked enough of what he saw in WSU’s season opener at Washington to feel encouraged, but he made it clear this week that the Cougars are going to need a "huge jump" if they want to walk out of Kansas State with a road win Saturday in the first meeting between the programs.
That puts a lot of pressure on a few players to tilt the game.
At the top of the list is transfer quarterback Zevi Eckhaus Pinnick, who has already emerged as the offense’s most dangerous weapon. The UC Davis transfer could be the headliner every week, but after the way both Moore and Kansas State coach Collin Klein talked about his playmaking ability following his WSU debut, he lands here first.
The Cougars’ problems against the Wildcats figure to be pretty straightforward: they need points, and they need to protect the ball. That’s where Pinnick comes in. After a rough stretch of third-down offense and a few early mistakes, WSU’s path to an upset runs through the dual-threat quarterback from Roseville, California.
His best stretch against the Huskies came in the third quarter and into the early part of the fourth, when he helped drive WSU’s only touchdown - an 11-yard score with 10:20 left. Moore is hoping that sequence wasn’t a one-off, but a sign this offense can string together scoring drives.
The most dangerous part of Pinnick’s game Sunday came on designed runs, and that’s the kind of thing that can test an aggressive Kansas State defense if the Wildcats take the wrong angles. On passing downs, though, Moore wants more patience and more trust in protection. When Pinnick stays in the pocket and sets his feet, he can do more than just survive back there.
For WSU to have a real shot, Pinnick probably has to account for at least three touchdowns, whether through the air or on the ground.
Defensively, the matchup inside could belong to Anothony Leaupepetele. Moore was impressed this week by the transfer from Eastern Washington, who helped WSU put together a strong effort against Washington’s run game. He credited Leaupepetele with setting the line of scrimmage and kept coming back to how fast he moves for a man listed at 6-foot-3 and 349 pounds.
The stat sheet only gave him one tackle, but his impact showed up in the middle of the line, especially on the Cougars’ fourth-down stop at the goal line as the first half expired.
Now he gets a huge interior test against Kansas State center Dylan Villarouel, who is listed at 6-3 and 328 pounds and moves well enough to pull on run plays and get to the second level to block linebackers. If Leaupepetele can’t win that battle, Kansas State’s three-pronged rushing attack, led by Rodney Fields Jr., could start chewing up yardage.
The other major concern for WSU is Kansas State’s tight ends. Washington hurt the Cougars with Decker DeGraaf and Baron Naone, who combined for nine catches. Moore pointed to the way Klein uses tight ends, both now and in the past, and Kansas State has plenty of options there with Garrett Oakley, Will Anciaux and Linkon Cure.
Those three give senior quarterback Avery Johnson reliable targets in the intermediate game, especially on later downs. That means WSU’s back seven, with Warner leading the way, has to stay locked in on them snap after snap.
In Other News...
WSU Brings Back A Look Fans Have Learned To Worry About
Washington State is dusting off a familiar road look for its meeting with Kansas State, going back to the white icy white combination that has become a talking point with fans. The set includes white helmets with crimson logos, white jerseys and white pants, and it was unveiled this week with Jaylen Thomas, a third-year player who transferred from San Jose State, serving as the model.
For a lot of Cougars fans, the appeal of the clean all-white look comes with a little hesitation, because the results in it have been uneven in recent seasons. Washington States last regular-season win while wearing the uniform dates back to 2021, so this trip to face Kansas State gives the Cougars another chance to make the outfit look a little more like a statement and a little less like a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Faces An Early Road Test With No Margin For Error
Washington State heads into its trip to Kansas State already carrying a few extra burdens. The Cougars have had a short week to get ready, they face a difficult travel schedule, and the offense is still searching for answers after uneven play has left little room for error. Special teams also loom large in a game like this, especially against a Kansas State program that has long made that phase of the game a strength.
The concern only deepens with Tony Freeman in danger of missing the game because of a knee injury, leaving Washington State without its top receiver and kick returner. That puts even more pressure on the players asked to fill those roles, and the margin gets thinner still when the return game is already an issue. On the other side, Kansas State has been one of the nations more dangerous teams in that area for years, which makes this opener feel less like a tune-up and more like an early test of how much the Cougars can absorb. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Upset Hopes Ride On One Defensive Swing
Washington State heads into its matchup with Kansas State as a heavy underdog, with the Wildcats installed as 17 1/2-point favorites, but the Cougars do have a path if they can make the game ugly. The defensive front will be under the spotlight, especially the edge rushers against Kansas States tackles, because Washington State needs pressure to slow the Wildcats and keep the game within reach.
The offense, meanwhile, has to find more consistency even before accounting for its latest personnel concerns. Top receiver Tony Freeman is likely out with a knee injury suffered in the first quarter of the Apple Cup, leaving the Cougars thinner in a spot where they could have used a reliable target, and the real swing factor may come on the other side of the ball if Washington State can create turnovers and give itself extra possessions. [Read more 🡒]