The Ball is the Boss: Moore's First Pac-12 Test is About Holdin' OnPULLMAN — This week, as Washington State prepares to host its first Pac-12 game in nearly three years, the Cougars’ new head coach has to toe a tightrope like he’s walking over the Grand Canyon.
Kirby Moore has to find the right balance between these two ideas. One: Emphasize to quarterback Caden Pinnick, who has lost five turnovers in his first four games, the importance of holding onto the ball this weekend. Two: Don’t psyche him out and cause him to become gunshy.
That’s because when WSU and Fresno State kick off, set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the USA Network, the Cougars won’t just be trying to earn their first FBS win of the season. They’ll be taking on a Bulldog (3-1) team that has blossomed into one of the country’s best at generating turnovers, earning a plus-7 turnover margin, good for the sixth-best mark in the country.
That could be bad news for WSU, which is on the other end of that spectrum, checking in at No. 119 nationally with a turnover margin of minus-4. Moore’s team has committed seven turnovers in its 1-3 start to the season. That’s where Saturday’s game could turn: Can the Cougars avoid turnovers against a Bulldog team that could pounce on one of the hosts’ biggest weaknesses?
Which is where the balance Moore has to find comes in.
“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.”
WSU’s offense, which is still looking to find its footing against FBS competition, might not be at full strength Saturday evening. Running back Kirby Vorhees, who has started two games, will be a gametime decision thanks to an upper-body injury he sustained during practice this week. If Vorhees can’t play, it would deal a costly blow to the Cougs’ ground game, which has yet to hit 100 yards from running backs against FBS teams this fall.
There’s also good news for WSU on that front. Tight end Trey Leckner, who missed all of 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 described him as a gametime decision. That would provide a nice boost for the Cougars, who would get their best pass-catching tight end back in the fold, which could unlock part of their offense that they have yet to get to.
That comes at a key time for WSU, whose season might not hinge on this home contest against Fresno State, but it might come close. The Cougars might be 1-3 on the year, but none of those games have counted against their standings in the Pac-12, meaning they could still get a headstart in conference play with a win. But if not, they would be staring at a 1-4 start to the season, putting their bowl streak — they’ve earned bowl eligibility in 10 of the last 11 full seasons — in serious jeopardy.
Besides, WSU has two road games coming up next, at Utah State and at Oregon State. However the Cougars fare here on Saturday evening, they have a tougher stretch on the horizon.
So how can the Cougars get Pac-12 play, which they haven’t participated in since knocking off Colorado in November 2023, started on the right note? They will have to take care of the ball. That starts with Pinnick, who threw an interception and lost a fumble in a loss to Arizona last week. He also threw another near-interception, which he avoided because the Wildcat defender bobbled it on his way out of bounds.
Pinnick will have to keep a close eye on Fresno State cornerback Simeon Harris, who already has three interceptions this season, underscoring why he earned some preseason votes for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He’ll also have to avoid putting the ball on the floor against Fresno State, which has also forced and recovered three fumbles.
“It’s definitely a balance,” Moore said earlier in the week. “It’s dialogue during the week. If something’s there, if it’s not there, self-preservation, making sure we’re playing the next play. Every play has a life of its own, and we had some of that come up on Saturday.”
On defense, WSU defensive coordinator Trent Bray’s unit will lead the way in trying to slow down Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal, who has completed 64% of his passes for six touchdowns against just one interception. Leading his club to wins over Sacramento State, San Jose State and Rice, Mandal and the Bulldogs have averaged nearly 38 points per game in their victories.
Running back Rayshon Luke, the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, has looked just as dangerous. In Fresno State’s win over Rice last weekend, he piled up 167 rushing yards and a score on just 11 carries, highlighting the efficiency with which he’s operated.
“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.”
One good half doesn't change what Duquesne wasPULLMAN – For a moment, let’s be frank about Washington State’s most recent game, a home blowout win over Duquesne.
The Cougars beat a bad FCS team, which entered allowing some of the most yards in the country. WSU coach Kirby Moore did well to make key adjustments, especially those on offense, which should encourage scores of fans. Quarterback Caden Pinnick looked excellent in the second half, and thanks to running backs Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees, the hosts looked like a juggernaut in the second half.
But as WSU prepares to host Arizona in primetime on Saturday, we must keep this in mind: In two games against FBS competition, the Cougars have managed one touchdown and four turnovers. Their offense has looked meager at best.
That’s no way to topple Arizona as a 10½-point underdog, which is a key reason why we’re picking the Wildcats to beat the Cougars.
Look for Arizona to win a close game at Gesa Field.
But here’s what’s important: This isn’t to say the Cougars have no chance. In fact, far from it. Thanks to a few shrewd adjustments, their offense looks far different than it did even a few weeks ago. Moore has shared some input in the playcalling department, WSU has shuffled its offensive line and Woods has gotten more opportunities to attack on the ground.
The Cougs should feel encouraged by those changes, which should help them win several Pac-12 games this season. But here’s predicting it won’t be enough to win a game against a Big 12 foe, especially with speedy wide receiver Tony Freeman out for the season with an injury.
Final score: Arizona 23, WSU 16
Cougs need to prove the offense can show up against FBS defensesWashington State vs. Arizona
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Line: Arizona favored by 10½
TV: CBS Radio: 920-AM
Key matchup
WSU offense against Arizona defense: Even after a convincing win over FCS Duquesne last weekend, the Cougars’ offense still has something to prove against FBS competition. In their two games against defenses in that category, WSU has scored one offensive touchdown against four turnovers. The Cougs made some nice adjustments to earn their first win of the season, but whether they can keep those up against the Wildcats’ defense will play an outsize role in the outcome of Saturday’s game.
The Cougars will need to play clean football against the Wildcats’ defense, which has forced just one turnover in three games this season. WSU will likely roll out the same offensive line as last week – left tackle Ashton Tripp, left guard Jonny Lester, center Noah Dunham, right guard Nick Bakken and right tackle Jaylin Caldwell – which helped the Cougars rack up more than 300 rushing yards against Duquesne. They won’t need to match that total on Saturday, but they’ll need to present a credible rushing game to keep the Wildcats’ defense honest.
How the Cougs win …
To limit Arizona’s high-powered offense, WSU could use a turnover or two, which safety Jaylen Thomas has shown he’s capable of doing. He picked off two passes against Kansas State, including a pick-six right before halftime, and he can do something similar against Arizona QB Noah Fifita, the hosts will have a much better chance at springing the upset.
The Cougars will also need to get pressure on Fifita, who has already taken eight sacks in three games. WSU pass rushers Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk are still looking for their first sacks of the season, and with backups Mike Hughes and Malachi Wrice out, they’ll bear most of the responsibility on that front.
Only one problem for WSU: Arizona ranks No. 18 nationally in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades. The only sacks the Wildcats’ offensive line have given up are three from left guard Rhino Tapa’atoutai, which could give WSU defensive linemen Paul Hutson III and Kaden Beatty some opportunities.
How the Wildcats win …
Arizona has lots of paths to a win, but the most probable involves the way it has won two games this fall: by dominating on offense. Fifita has become one of the nation’s most prolific passers, completing better than 80% of his throws for eight touchdowns, and he is looking more and more comfortable on the ground . He’s broken off a 30-yard rush, which is the longest of his career.
But Fifita and the Wildcats may not have their full complement of playmakers in Saturday’s game. Receiver Giovanni Richardson, who leads the team in receiving despite missing last weekend’s game with an injury, is questionable to play against WSU. The Wildcats also produced just 84 rushing yards against Northern Illinois, which prompted coach Brent Brennan to address that earlier this week.
“We’re aggressively attacking that,” Brennan said, “because it’s unacceptable where it’s at right now.”
Key stat: 23%
Fifita has faced pressure in the pocket on 23% of passing plays this season, according to Pro Football Focus. In those situations, Fifita has completed 7 of 12 passes for 67 yards and one interception, the only pick he’s thrown. If Fifita has shown any vulnerability this season, it’s been when he’s under duress, which makes it even more important that McLain and Zunk create havoc in the backfield.
Quotable
“I feel like attention to detail,” WSU linebacker DJ Warner said about the biggest differences between his team’s difference from Week 1 to Week 4. “I feel like as far as the defense and the whole team in general, I feel like now we’re way more detail-oriented than we were in Week 1, and I feel like that’s gonna be the thing that really helps us take it to the next level.”
