Washington State heads into Friday night’s Pac-12 meeting with Utah State needing more than just a win. At 1-4, both teams are looking for a jolt, and the Cougars may have a few built-in advantages if they can finally get their offense moving in the right direction.
The challenge on the other side is real, but so is the opportunity. Utah State has already taken on a brutal stretch of road games against then-No.
19 Washington, then-No. 17 Utah and then-No.
22 Boise State. That kind of schedule has tested the Aggies in a way few teams around the country have faced.
“They’ve had very good competition,” WSU coach Kirby Moore said of the Aggies. “With that, they’ve held their own.”
Washington State’s own road has been rough, too. The Cougars have lost at Washington and Kansas State, then dropped home games against Arizona and Fresno State.
“They were playing good teams,” Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “And with good teams comes … growing pains in terms of consistency, not capability.”
For Washington State, the first key figure is Moore himself. The rookie head coach is operating in familiar territory, and the Cougars could use that comfort as they search for a better rhythm on offense. Through much of the season, the problem has been the same: not enough flow in the play-calling to string together steady gains, stay on the field and still create shots downfield.
The expectation is that Moore will keep Caden Pinnick at quarterback to start Friday, giving the sophomore another chance to settle in with what would effectively be a fresh voice and a new cadence guiding the offense. Moore will still be getting input from former offensive coordinator Matt Miller and others in the booth.
The run game may be the quickest path to helping Pinnick and the passing attack. Moore has pointed to Utah State’s aggressive defensive front, but the Aggies have also shown some softness against inside runs lately. That opens the door for tailbacks Kirby Vorhees, Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi to make an early impact.
Woods has already done damage against this opponent. In the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl nearly 10 months ago, he led the Cougars with 117 yards on nine carries in a 34-21 win over Utah State.
He should be heavily involved again. Vorhees brings a different edge, with the kind of inside running style that can hammer through contact, turn short gains into something bigger and help dull a defense that likes to play fast and attack.
If Washington State can get close to the kind of production Boise State put up against the Aggies last week - 185 rushing yards - or even what Troy managed two weeks ago, 169 yards, that would be a meaningful step forward for the Cougars on the road.
Defensively, this is the kind of matchup Washington State should be eager for. Utah State’s quarterbacks have struggled against top competition, with interceptions in three of the Aggies’ last four games against ranked road opponents and at least three sacks allowed in each of those losses. Last year’s bowl game followed the same script, when former quarterback Bryson Barnes was intercepted and sacked three times by the Cougars.
Friday’s starter is expected to be Grady Brosterhous, with McCae Hillstead also a possibility. Last week at Boise State, that quarterback duo was sacked six times.
That sets up a prime chance for Washington State’s defensive front, and especially redshirt junior edge rusher Matyus McLain, to make life miserable in the backfield. McLain is coming off what may have been his best outing of the year against Fresno State, when he posted two tackles for loss and a half-sack while repeatedly disrupting the Bulldogs behind the line.
In Other News...
Washington State Faces A Harsh Offensive Question Heading Into Utah State
Washington States offense has been searching for answers for weeks, and the pressure is only growing as the Cougars head toward a visit from Utah State. The recent loss to Fresno State underscored how hard it has been for this group to generate consistent production, and the teams position near the bottom of the early-season Pac-12 picture reflects how much work still remains after a difficult first month.
Kirby Moore has now taken over play-calling duties, a clear sign the Cougars are trying to reset before the next chance to salvage momentum. The challenge is familiar enough by this point: get the offense stabilized, find some rhythm and give a 1-4 team a reason to believe there is still a path forward before the schedule puts even more strain on every possession. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Offensive Struggles May Not Be On The Line After All
Washington States offense has been searching for answers as the Cougars work through a rough stretch at quarterback and across the front. Caden Pinnick has battled turnovers and taken too many sacks, and coach Kirby Moore has already stepped in to handle playcalling while signaling that the staff may lean on multiple quarterbacks in the weeks ahead, with Julian Dugger and Owen Eshelman among the names in the mix.
The offensive line has also been under the microscope after recent personnel changes, but the picture may be more complicated than a simple line issue. The Cougars have certainly given up sacks, yet Pro Football Focus data points to Pinnick taking a sizable share of the blame on quarterback-fault sacks, which leaves Washington State sorting through a messy mix of protection problems and quarterback play as it tries to stabilize the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Is Leaning On One Captain After A Frustrating Loss
After a frustrating loss to Fresno State, Washington State leaned on one of its most steady voices in Kaden Beatty. The interior tackle and team captain has long been one of the programs most visible leaders, the kind of player who handles media availability and promotional duties because of his communication skills as much as his role on the field.
Beattys postgame remarks fit that profile. He spoke candidly about what went wrong and made clear the Cougars need sharper play across the board, not just from one side of the ball or one position group. For a team trying to reset quickly, having a captain willing to address the disappointment head-on matters almost as much as the corrections that follow. [Read more 🡒]