Washington State’s first Pac-12 game in nearly three years comes with a simple, nagging question hanging over Saturday night: can the Cougars protect the football long enough to survive Fresno State?
That issue sits right at the center of Kirby Moore’s first week of conference play. WSU’s new head coach has to walk a fine line with quarterback Caden Pinnick, who has coughed up five turnovers in his first four games.
Push the ball-security message too hard, and there’s a risk Pinnick starts playing scared. Ease up too much, and the mistakes could keep piling up.
The timing makes the problem even sharper. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Saturday on the USA Network, and the Cougars are not just trying to chase their first FBS win of the season. They’re also facing a Fresno State team that has turned takeaways into a weapon, sitting at plus-7 in turnover margin, sixth-best in the country.
Washington State, meanwhile, is at minus-4 and No. 119 nationally, with seven turnovers in a 1-3 start.
“I think it’s just trusting the play-the-play, and each play has life of its own,” said Moore, whose first FBS coaching job came at Fresno State, where he worked as receivers coach and offensive coordinator from 2017-22. “Obviously, we want to create explosive plays, and then with that, the defense has a say in the fight.
So there’s times where, shoot, if they’ve got a good call or they execute a little bit better than us, it’s OK at times, whether it’s taking a sack or throwing the ball away. Obviously, we’ve gotta have great ball security by the runners as well.
So all those things you talk about. There was some instances of it on Saturday, and we gotta learn from it and carry it over this week.”
That message is especially important with Pinnick coming off a rough outing against Arizona, when he threw an interception, lost a fumble and also flirted with another pick that slipped away only because the defender bobbled it while heading out of bounds. Fresno State cornerback Simeon Harris, who already has three interceptions and received some preseason votes for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, will be waiting for mistakes. The Bulldogs have also forced and recovered three fumbles.
Washington State’s offense may not even be at full strength. Running back Kirby Vorhees, who has started two games, is a gametime decision because of an upper-body injury he picked up in practice this week. If he can’t go, that would be a blow to a ground game that still hasn’t produced 100 rushing yards from its running backs against FBS opponents this fall.
There is at least some potential help on the way. Tight end Trey Leckner, who missed spring practices and fall camp with a foot injury, could make his season debut.
He’s listed as probable on the Pac-12 availability report, and Moore also called him a gametime decision. If he’s available, he would give the Cougars their best pass-catching tight end back and could open up a part of the offense that has not really been unlocked yet.
The stakes around this one are hard to ignore. Washington State is 1-3 overall, but those losses have not counted in the Pac-12 standings.
A win would give the Cougars a clean start in conference play. A loss would drop them to 1-4 and put their bowl streak - bowl eligibility in 10 of the last 11 full seasons - in serious danger.
And the schedule does not ease up after Saturday. WSU heads to Utah State next, then travels to Oregon State. However this one plays out, tougher weeks are already waiting.
Fresno State has looked the part of a dangerous opponent. Quarterback Jayden Mandal has completed 64% of his passes for six touchdowns and just one interception while leading the Bulldogs to wins over Sacramento State, San Jose State and Rice. In those victories, Fresno State has averaged nearly 38 points per game.
Running back Rayshon Luke has been just as explosive. He was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 167 yards and a touchdown on only 11 carries in last weekend’s win over Rice.
“They’re a good football team,” Moore said. “I think you look at the number of wins they had last season, the tradition there.
Those guys are going to come in expecting to win, and it’s shown up on offense, defense, the complementary football, special teams. They do it a very high level.
John Baxter (special teams coach) does a really good job, so it’s gonna be a great challenge for us on Saturday night.”
In Other News...
Washington State Heads Into Fresno State With Two Big Injury Concerns
Washington State heads into its matchup with Fresno State still sorting through its health on both sides of the ball, and the latest availability report leaves a few important questions hanging over the Cougars. Running back Kirby Vorhees is listed as questionable because of an upper-body injury, while tight end Trey Leckner is probable and could be in line for his season debut after being sidelined for most of the year by a foot issue.
The defensive side has taken a harder hit. Linebacker Nylan Brown is expected to miss significant time with a foot injury, and several other Cougars defenders are listed as doubtful or out, leaving the staff to manage depth as the week moves on. For a team trying to keep momentum heading into a road game, the injury report may end up shaping just as much of the conversation as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Jirah Leaupepetele Faces A Fresno State Twist Few Fans Saw Coming
Jirah Leaupepeteles next game carries a personal angle as much as a football one. The Washington State defensive lineman is preparing to line up against Fresno State, where his brother Jonah plays right guard, setting up the kind of family crossover that usually adds a little extra buzz to an otherwise ordinary Saturday. It also gives their parents and other relatives a chance to make the trip to Pullman and watch both sides of the family storyline unfold in one place.
The twist, of course, is that the matchup may not look the way it first seemed. Jonah is listed as questionable and is not expected to play because of an injury, leaving the possibility of a brother-versus-brother showdown hanging in the balance. Even so, the family presence in the stands gives the game a personal layer, and for Jirah, the emotional backdrop will be there whether or not the on-field collision ever happens. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Faces A Defining Pac-12 Test Against Fresno State
Early-season growing pains have already given Washington State plenty to clean up, and Kirby Moore has been stressing that the lessons have to show up fast as the Cougars head into their Pac-12 opener against Fresno State. This is the kind of matchup that can reveal a lot in a hurry, especially for a team trying to settle in after the opening stretch and prove it can handle a more demanding opponent on both sides of the ball.
The spotlight falls first on Caden Pinnick, who will need to answer Fresno States aggressive defense with poise and decisiveness, while Washington States defensive line is expected to make life uncomfortable for the Bulldogs offense. Jayden Mandals tendencies give the Cougars a clear scouting target, but it may be the defensive backs who end up carrying the heaviest load in coverage if this game turns into the kind of test that exposes every small mistake. [Read more 🡒]