Washington State heads into Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. matchup with Duquesne carrying a simple mandate: look like an offense that can breathe.
The Cougars are favored by 37½, and after opening against Washington and Kansas State, this is the kind of game where WSU’s attack should have room to settle in. That starts up front. The offensive line has been the biggest problem so far, and the numbers are brutal - Washington State currently sits last nationally in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades at 17.3.
However the Cougars line up, they need to keep Pinnick upright and give him a clean pocket. Last week in the second half, left guard Kyle Martin was benched after posting a 0.0 pass-blocking grade, which opened the door for right tackle Jonny Lester to slide inside and for right tackle Jaylin Caldwell to enter off the bench. Coaches now have a choice: stay with that alignment or send Lester back to right tackle, where he has been preferred this fall, even though his best games in his first year-plus starting came at left guard.
If the front five holds up, Pinnick has a chance to spread the ball around. Darrius Clemons, Daniel Blood and Tank Hawkins are all in position to benefit, especially with senior wideout Tony Freeman done for the season after tearing his ACL. Hawkins started last week but was on the field for only one snap, and WSU needs more from that group.
The bigger picture is even clearer. Washington State’s offense ranks last in the country in total offense at 408 yards and last in points per game at 8.5. After facing two difficult opponents to begin the year, Matt Miller’s offense gets a winless FCS team at home and has a chance to finally show something more convincing.
That could mean more than just passing production. Running backs Kirby Vorhees, Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi could also get rolling if the Cougars control the line of scrimmage and let the game open up.
Duquesne’s path is much narrower, but it exists. The Dukes would need to lean on the part of their team that has the best chance to matter here: the defense. If they can create the kind of pressure Washington and Kansas State brought, they might make this one awkward.
The problem for Duquesne is that its own offense has been nearly nonexistent, ranking almost last in the FCS at 6.5 points per game. So the defense would have to do the heavy lifting, with linebackers Luke Miller and Zach Chambers leading the way and trying to force a turnover or two against WSU.
The one number that jumps off the page is 527. That’s the average number of yards Duquesne has allowed through its first two games. The Dukes have taken on Air Force and Youngstown State, and Youngstown State is No. 9 in the latest FCS Top 25 poll, but the results have still been rough.
That’s why the biggest question on the WSU side is so straightforward: can the offense finally roar to life in a convincing way? If Pinnick gets time, the Cougars should have chances to involve more receivers and even tight end Jack Pedersen, who has only three catches for four yards this season.
Pinnick described the communication with Moore this way: “A lot of it’s just communication-wise,” Pinnick said of his conversations with Moore. “Whether he can help me, with play clock or situations, and just honing me into what’s going on on the sideline after drives.
A lot of it, too, is whether we have to simplify plays or concepts, and that’s what we gotta do. But at the end of the day, our conversation has always been, ‘what can help this offense grow’ and obviously, what can he do?
Like, what are we hearing that he’s not? I think this is a good relationship that me and him have that we’re able to talk with each other and establish some things that we need to work on.”
In Other News...
WSU Finally Found Its Offense But One Concern Still Lingers
Washington State finally got the kind of home opener it was looking for at Martin Stadium, rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a burst of offense that took over in the third quarter. The Cougars scored three touchdowns in that period alone, with quarterback Caden Pinnick and running back Kirby Vorhees both turning in strong performances as Kirby Moore picked up his first win as a head coach.
The win gave Washington State a much-needed jolt and offered a clearer look at an offense that can lean on the ground game when things are clicking. Still, not everything came together cleanly, and the kicking game remains a source of concern after Jack Stevens had accuracy issues that stood out even in a lopsided result. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Biggest Early Problem Still Isnt Going Away
Washington States home opener offered a few signs of life on offense, with the Cougars taking a 14-7 halftime lead over Duquesne after leaning on the ground game. Maxwell Woods supplied a 45-yard Wildcat burst, and Caden Pinnick finished off a 19-yard touchdown run, a couple of plays that at least gave the offense a little more rhythm than it had shown at times before.
Still, the early concern around the Cougars has not gone away, because Duquesne kept finding room on the ground. The Dukes answered with a 1-yard quarterback keeper from Carson Camp, and their backs piled up 113 yards on 19 carries in the first half, a reminder that Washington States defense still has work to do even when the scoreboard is in its favor. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Built Exactly The Momentum Fans Wanted Before Arizona
Washington State got exactly the kind of response it needed before Arizona, shaking off an early tie and rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a barrage of points that turned a tense start into a runaway finish. After the Dukes pulled even at 7-7, the Cougars ripped off 41 unanswered points, with Caden Pinnick steering the offense and piling up 196 passing yards, two touchdown throws, 76 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
The win had a little of everything for a team looking to build confidence at the right time. Kirby Vorhees added a rushing touchdown, while Jaylen Thomas and Tank Hawkins each delivered punt return touchdowns, giving Washington State impact plays in every phase and a reminder that the margin for error can get awfully thin for opponents when the Cougars start stacking momentum. [Read more 🡒]