- Cougs turn to Owen Eshelman at QB, Pinnick benched for Oregon State
PULLMAN – Six games into the season, Washington State is making a change at quarterback.
Redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman will start WSU’s road game at Oregon State on Saturday, coach Kirby Moore said on Monday, replacing starter Caden Pinnick.
It’s a major shakeup for the Cougars’ offense, which has scored just four touchdowns in five FBS games this season, ranking as one of the country’s worst offenses in several categories. A transfer from UC Davis, Pinnick has thrown just three touchdowns against five interceptions, including just one FBS touchdown pass. He has lost seven total turnovers, including a fumble in a Friday road loss to Utah State.
“Caden understands that this is a team-first decision, and it’s about what’s doing best for the team moving into the second half of the season,” said Moore, who added that he made the decision on Saturday and informed each player on Monday morning. “Owen has been right there pushing the quarterback room for the past 10 months and has prepared like the starter, and done everything we’ve asked of him.”
A native of Norman, Oklahoma, Eshelman’s only college experience came earlier this season, playing two snaps in the final moments of a blowout win over FCS Duquesne. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, Eshelman redshirted his true freshman season last fall. Now as a starter, he figures to provide the Cougars with a sharper passing attack and even some more mobility, which he showed during fall camp practices back in August.
A class of 2025 prospect out of Norman North High School, Eshelman played three seasons as the team’s starter, totaling 6,666 yards of total offense and 79 touchdowns in that span. As a senior, he threw for 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns, plus 1,312 rushing yards and 19 scores on the ground, earning all-conference honors.
Eshelman, who also started three seasons on the basketball team, originally committed to FCS South Dakota State before flipping to WSU, following former coach Jimmy Rogers in that transition.
“There’s definitely some similarities in terms of playmaking ability,” Moore said, comparing the two QBs’ playstyles. “I think the big thing is we gotta continue to work on accuracy with the football, and when something’s there, we gotta take advantage of it and be more efficient on first and second down. Had opportunities there to drive in the red zone and didn’t take advantage of it, and then on third down, we gotta make sure we we do a good job of taking care of the football. And sometimes it’s OK to punt. We’ve had some turnovers in those situations the last few games that have put our defense in bad positions.”
The move was necessary for WSU (1-5, 0-2 Pac-12), whose offense had almost no life under Pinnick. In Friday’s game, Pinnick completed 23 of 36 passes for just 156 yards. He did not complete a single pass further than nine yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus, highlighting one of his main weaknesses: He either can’t or won’t stretch the field vertically.
Underscoring that reality is this statistic: Pinnick is one of three QBs in the country to attempt at least 150 passes and total less than 1,000 yards, which illustrates how little he was willing to move the ball downfield.
After six games, WSU’s offense has scored just 12.6 points per game, which ranks No. 133 of 138 FBS teams in the country. The Cougars are producing 236 yards per game, one spot up from dead last, and their 8.5 yards per completion also ranks one place better than last in the nation.
“Owen does a great job in the meeting room. He really does,” Moore said. “He’s a student of the game. He’s worked like heck throughout this offseason. He’s gonna continue to tackle that, and that’s gonna translate to the practice field throughout this week with more reps and more on his plate. Naturally, that’s play-to-play. Sometimes there’s checks with plays. Sometimes we’re calling and hauling. Sometimes there could be protection checks that are on the quarterback. But we feel very confident about Owen making all those decisions.”
Can Eshelman turn around WSU’s moribund offense on Saturday against Oregon State, which boasts the country’s best offense? The Cougars can probably count on better accuracy – in Friday’s game, Pinnick missed a wide open Leo Pulalasi, who could have scored on the play – and improved pocket presence. Pinnick has taken 11 QB-fault sacks, according to Pro Football Focus, tied for the most nationally.
Moore, who called plays for the first time in Friday’s game, might get better QB play this time around. Whether it leads to the Cougars’ first FBS win remains to be seen, but the program was due for a change.
“I think there’s not a lot of guys that could do what he does and he’s a very mentally strong person,” Norman North High coach Justin Jones told Sports Illustrated back in 2023. “He’s an ultimate competitor and I think him playing multiple sports and being an exceptional basketball player as well, he brings that to the game and gets some tough runs. … He takes a lick a lot and he just has a growth mindset and doesn’t worry about the previous play. Moves on to the next one and that’s why he’s having some success right now.”
Extra points
• Left tackle Ashton Tripp is day-to-day with an ankle injury he sustained against Utah State, Moore said. If Tripp can’t play against Oregon State, the Cougars will turn to Washington transfer Maximus McCree, who filled in when Tripp went down
• Safety Kyle Peterson and defensive ends Malachi Wrice and Michael Hughes will return to practice this week and will be game-time decisions against Oregon State, Moore said. Wrice has missed the past four games, Hughes has been out since the Apple Cup and Peterson has missed the past two contests
- Bray's defense brings the heat, and a little revenge, to Corvallis
PORTLAND – In his first season as Washington State’s defensive coordinator, Trent Bray has gotten just about as much as he can out of his group. The Cougars rank among the conference’s best defenses, and they’ve generated three interceptions, including two pick-sixes.
Plus, in WSU’s road game against Oregon State on Saturday afternoon, Bray will get a chance for a homecoming. An OSU alum and longtime coach, including head coach for roughly one and-a-half seasons, he’s quite familiar with the Beavers’ program.
But this WSU defense has never faced an offense quite like Oregon State’s, which is why we’re picking the Beavers to keep things rolling and hand the Cougars their fourth straight loss. OSU QB Braden Atkinson and star freshman wideout Jesse Legree still have not been slowed down, not even in their team’s two Power 4 losses to open the season, which is what makes this such a tall task for WSU.
Entering as 18.5-point underdogs, the Cougars might have a chance to pull an upset, thanks to head coach Kirby Moore’s decision to bench quarterback Caden Pinnick in favor of redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman, whose accuracy and big arm rank among his best traits. A lively offense might be what the Cougs have needed all along.
But that’s a lot to ask of a 20-year-old making his first career collegiate start, playing his first meaningful snaps at the college level. It’s hard to keep pace with this OSU offense, to match wits with the Beavers’ high-flying offense. There’s a reason why Atkinson leads the country with 376 passing yards per game.
WSU might not win Saturday’s game, but that doesn’t have to mean Moore’s decision to start Eshelman would be a mistake. The redshirt freshman could need some experience to settle into the role. Getting thrown into the fire in Corvallis would certainly help to that end. Final score: Oregon State 35, WSU 20
- Oregon State looms as Cougs head south still searching for first win
PULLMAN – Here is a first look at Washington State’s road game against Oregon State on Saturday afternoon.
What is it? Still looking for its first FBS win of the season, WSU (1-5, 0-2 Pac-12) heads to Corvallis to take on Oregon State (4-2, 2-0) in a matchup of the two legacy Pac-12 schools. The teams find themselves on opposite ends of the conference standings – the Cougars at the bottom, the Beavers at the top, using one of the country’s most potent offenses to enter this matchup on a four-game winning streak.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Cougar defensive coordinator Trent Bray, who spent a large chunk of his coaching career with the Beavers, including as their head coach for the 2024 season and part of the 2025 campaign before being fired.
It will also be the first start for WSU QB Owen Eshelman, who is taking over the starting duties and replacing Caden Pinnick, Cougar coach Kirby Moore announced on Monday.
Where is it? Reser Stadium in Corvallis.
When is it? Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
Where can I watch it? USA Network will broadcast the game.
Who is favored? WSU opened as a 171/2-point underdog.
How did the Cougars fare last week? A lot had to happen for WSU to lose its road game against Utah State last weekend, but the Cougars pulled it off, blowing a two-score halftime deficit in a 17-16 defeat. The Cougs lost two fumbles, one from quarterback Caden Pinnick and one from tight end Jack Pedersen, both of which turned into Aggie touchdowns in the second half.
WSU, which scored only its fourth touchdown in five FBS games in this game, could not generate any consistent offense in the second half. After getting two field goals from kicker Jack Stevens and a long touchdown rush from Leo Pulalasi in the first half, that production vanished in the second, and the Cougars totaled just 64 total yards of offense in the final two quarters.
All told, it was more of the same from WSU and Pinnick, who is now one of only three quarterbacks in the country to attempt at least 150 passes and total less than 1,000 yards. That highlights one of the biggest flaws in his game, which has hampered his offense: He can’t or won’t stretch the field vertically, forcing the Cougars to try and grind out long drives, which has not been a recipe for success in the long run.
Pinnick was sacked three times in that game, which makes 21 times on the season, one of the highest marks in the country. Only two other teams have given up more. Complicating things on that front for WSU was an ankle injury to left tackle Ashton Tripp, who exited the game in the first quarter. He was replaced by Washington transfer Maximus McCree, who was dinged for two false start penalties.
On the other side of the ball, WSU’s defense turned in another strong showing, getting one sack apiece from defensive tackle Jirah Leaupepetele and defensive end Linus Zunk, whose team held the Aggies to just two field goals in the first half. WSU held USU quarterback Grady Brosterhous to just 150 yards passing, including just one touchdown pass, but that score helped the hosts draw within one score. Late in the fourth quarter, after Pedersen coughed up a fumble, the Cougars were dealt a short field and couldn’t keep the Aggies from taking the lead on a short touchdown rush.
In head coach Kirby Moore’s first game calling plays, WSU did generate some offense in the first half, including grinding out a 15-play, 84-yard series. On those drives, Pinnick stayed within himself and trusted his playmakers. But the Cougars couldn’t translate that to the second half.
Scouting Oregon State … In head coach JaMarcus Shephard’s first season, the Beavers have been one of the top surprises in all of college football, bursting onto the scene with one of the best offenses nationwide. Quarterback Braden Atkinson leads the country in both passing yards per game (376) and passing touchdowns (21), finding a reliable target in true freshman Jesse Legree, who is emerging as one of the best receivers in the country.
Legree, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week all six weeks of the season, will pose serious problems for the Cougar secondary. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, Legree has hauled in 38 catches for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the country in the latter two categories.
Fresh off a 66-14 dismantling of San Diego State, OSU can seemingly do no wrong. Running back AJ Newberry, a transfer from Vanderbilt, has tallied 326 rushing yards and three scores, while fellow tailback Cornell Hatcher Jr. has added 149 yards and three of his own touchdowns. Make no mistake: This is one of the country’s best offenses.
“He’s a really good player,” Moore said of Legree. “You see him with the ball in space, obviously taking the top off a number of times as well. I think it’s about playing team defense. Obviously, communication is gonna be really important: Where he’s at, whether he’s in the slot, whether he’s outside, left, right. The pass rush has to help out the coverage. The coverage has gotta help out the pass rush. I think Coach Bray is doing a good job right now with our guys, making sure they’re all on the same page.”
The Beavers have also done well to involve their tight ends: Utah Tech tight end Eric Olsen has racked up 27 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns, while Central Michigan transfer DeCorion Temple has 20 receptions for 169 yards and two scores. Sprinkle in some production from receivers Aeyron Hampton and Aaron Butler, the latter a transfer from Texas, and you get the Beavers’ high-powered offense.
What happened last time? In a rare scheduling quirk, WSU and Oregon State played twice last season, once in Corvallis and once in Pullman. The Beavers won their home matchup, 10-7, while the Cougars returned the favor in Pullman, winning that one 32-8.
This will be WSU’s third time in the last three years playing in Corvallis.
