Washington State gets its first home test of the Kirby Moore era on Saturday, and the setup is hard to miss: a 0-2 Cougar team hosting an FCS opponent that has also stumbled out of the gate.
Duquesne comes to Gesa Field at Martin Stadium in Pullman for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff, with USA Network carrying the game. As of Monday afternoon, WSU was listed as roughly a 35.5-point favorite at most sportsbooks.
For the Cougars, this is about more than simply getting back in the win column. It’s a chance to shake loose an offense that has looked stuck in neutral through two weeks and currently sits last nationally in total offense. WSU has 408 total yards through two games, an average of 204 per contest, and the Kansas State loss made the issues impossible to ignore.
The Cougars fell 34-7 last week, dropping to 0-2 for the first time since 2016. Their offense never scored, marking the first time the program has been shut out on offense since 2010. Quarterback Caden Pinnick finished 9 of 20 for 65 yards, making him the first WSU quarterback to throw for fewer than 100 yards since Jeff Tuel did it in the same season, when Paul Wulff was head coach.
WSU’s only points came on defense, when safety Jaylen Thomas returned a pick-six just before halftime. Thomas had two interceptions in the game, but that was the lone bright spot on a night when the Cougars managed just 166 yards of offense. Running backs Kirby Vorhees and Maxwell Woods combined for 74 yards, and Vorhees also lost a fumble for the second straight game.
Special teams added to the frustration. Jack Stevens had a field goal attempt tipped at the line in the first quarter after sending the kick too low, leaving him with three misses in his first four tries this season. Then in the second quarter, WSU allowed a 62-yard punt return, and Kansas State scored two plays later to build a 17-0 lead.
The defense wasn’t spotless, either, with one glaring issue being that the Cougars generated only seven pressures on Avery Johnson. But the offense was the main reason the game got away.
WSU also played without top wide receiver Tony Freeman, who is now expected to miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL. That takes away a major piece of the passing game and a key return option.
Kirby Moore said the focus this week has been on getting the offense back on the same page.
“Well, I think you go back. Have had a lot of meetings, really getting off the flight, and then yesterday in the morning,” Moore said.
“Starts back with our process of game planning, the number of reps we get in practice, how many looks we get of those during the week. Obviously, that’s gonna build confidence for the players and what could come on Saturday.
Everyone being on the same page - that’s the one thing about offensive football. Gotta have all 11 working together.
At the end of the day, we gotta score more points to be successful here.”
WSU also expects help back in the secondary. Starting cornerbacks Jalil Tucker, who had been out with injury, and Khamari Terrell, who had been out for undisclosed reasons, are both expected to be available against Duquesne, Moore said.
Duquesne arrives in Pullman with its own problems. The Dukes opened with two road losses to FBS teams, falling 34-0 at Air Force and then 70-13 at Youngstown State. Their offense ranks last in the FCS with 351 total yards, and they’ve already lost two turnovers.
Jerry Schmitt is in his 22nd season leading the program, and the Dukes have reached the FCS playoffs three times under him, most recently in 2023.
At quarterback, Duquesne is leaning on sixth-year journeyman Carson Camp. He began his career at South Dakota, spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Sacramento State, transferred to Southeastern Louisiana and threw for nearly 1,800 yards there, then moved on to Duquesne this season. Through two games, Camp has completed 12 of 37 passes for 105 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Moore pointed to the Dukes’ experience on offense and a defense with a new look.
“Offensively, they do a good job with RPOs and got an experienced quarterback. He’s entering his seventh year in college football,” Moore said.
“Very solid running backs. No.
32 (Ness Davis) was an all-conference player last year, and defensively they have seven new starters, so a little bit of a new group there.”
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