Washington State’s offense has been searching for traction, and Saturday offers a matchup that could finally give it some room to breathe. Colorado State comes in with a defense that has been gashed all season, especially on the ground, and the numbers are ugly enough to make this a prime opportunity for the Cougars to snap out of their rushing slump.
That matters because WSU’s tailback-led run game has barely moved the chains lately. Over the last 12 quarters against Oregon State, Boise State and San Diego State, the Cougars have totaled just 80 rushing yards.
Still, this feels like the one spot on the schedule where that trend can change. Colorado State has already given up 2,441 rushing yards in nine games, which is nearly 250 more than the next-worst defense.
The Rams are allowing 6.6 yards per carry, worst in the country, and opposing backs have scored 35 rushing touchdowns against them, nine more than any other team has surrendered.
The way Colorado State is getting exposed only adds to the concern. Last week against Boise State, Dylan Riley piled up 192 yards and two touchdowns, while Harry Stewart also found the end zone twice, repeatedly bouncing runs outside where no defender was waiting.
That kind of edge-setting failure is exactly the sort of weakness Washington State should be able to attack with Kirby Vorhees, Maxwell Woods and even Leo Pulalasi. Even with the Cougars’ run game stuck in neutral outside quarterback Owen Eshelman’s RPO runs, this looks like the week those backs should get a heavy workload - at least 30 carries combined - and have a chance to break some bigger plays.
The Rams’ problems do not stop at the line of scrimmage. Their defense has also been vulnerable in the middle of the field, where in-breaking routes like slants, shallow crosses and posts should be available if Eshelman has time to throw.
That opens the door for Branden Ganashamoorthy as a deep threat, while Daniel Blood and Trey Lecknar can work the intermediate areas. Colorado State has also been beaten through the air in a big way, allowing an opposing wide receiver to top 100 receiving yards in seven of its last nine games.
Then there is Hauss Hejny, the kind of quarterback who can make a defense work for every stop. Colorado State’s signal-caller brings toughness, a quick release and plenty of improvisation, turning scrambles into backyard chaos.
He does not lock onto one target; he waits for a defender to lose coverage and then fires to the open man. That makes life difficult for Washington State’s secondary, which will have to deal with cornerbacks Khamari Terrell, Jalil Tucker, CJ Solis-Lumar and Kai Rapolla, nickel back Jamarey Smith, and safeties Jaylen Thomas, Jeremiah Bernard and Jackquintin Bal.
Hejny can still beat coverage downfield even when it looks sound, much like Arizona’s Noah Fifita. For Washington State, the assignment is simple in theory and tricky in practice: stay sticky, stay disciplined and do not lose receivers when the play breaks down.
In Other News...
Washington State Is Bringing A Fresh Look Into Pac-12 After Dark
After a bye week, Washington State comes back home Saturday with a fresh look for another Pac-12 After Dark stage, and the Cougars are leaning into it with a new uniform combination. The set pairs anthracite jerseys and pants with a crimson helmet and white facemask, a variation on looks the program has used before but not quite in this exact way.
It also adds another entry to a long-running trend under the current run of uniform creativity, becoming the 58th new combination since 2017. Washington State has had some memorable results tied to these pieces in the past, which only adds a little extra intrigue to what the Cougars will look like when they take the field at home again. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Defense Has A Season-Long Problem That Wont Go Away
Washington States defense gave the Cougars another reason to regret a tight loss to San Diego State, even as Jaylen Thomas came through with his third interception of the season. The play was one of the few bright spots in a game that ended with Washington State falling to 1-8, and it fit into a season where the defense has had trouble creating the kind of game-changing moments that can swing close contests.
The bigger issue has been hard to miss all year: this unit simply has not produced enough turnovers or pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Near the bottom nationally in both turnovers forced and sacks, Washington State keeps putting itself in long stretches where the defense is on the field without delivering the extra possession or negative play the Cougars need. Until that changes, even the occasional takeaway feels more like a brief reprieve than a sign of a larger fix. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Let A Strong Start Slip In A Costly Loss
Washington State had the kind of loss that lingers because it was there to be won. The Cougars built a strong start, but Duquesne kept hanging around and eventually pulled out a 72-71 decision in regulation, moving to 3-0 on the season. Even in defeat, there were signs of progress for Washington State, especially as the defense tightened late and the game turned into a possession-by-possession fight.
Kerem Konan was central to the finish for Duquesne, delivering the game-winning three-point play and setting a career high with nine assists, while Arness Lawson gave the Dukes important minutes as both a defender and scorer. Washington State still has issues to sort out, particularly on the perimeter, but this was the sort of narrow loss that can sharpen a team if it carries the right lessons forward. [Read more 🡒]