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.”
Wazzu's Saturday math problem: Fresno takes the ball, Cougs give it backPULLMAN — By now, you have probably read the statistic that might color Washington State’s Pac-12 opener, a home matchup with Fresno State set for Saturday evening.
Here it is: Fresno State ranks No. 6 nationally with a turnover margin of plus-seven. Meanwhile, WSU ranks No. 119 nationally with a minus-four.
That paints a fairly accurate picture of the struggles of the Cougars’ offense, which has committed seven turnovers on the season, including five from quarterback Caden Pinnick. They’ve had trouble holding onto the ball, which figures to become even harder to do against a defense that has shown to be one of the country’s finest at jarring it loose.
So while WSU will get what figures to be a more even matchup against Fresno State, making a Cougar win possible, Pinnick has shown that the opponent is not what has prompted some of the bad decisions that have led to his turnovers. He’s made regrettable decisions against the likes of Washington and FCS Duquesne, which is why we’re picking the Bulldogs to walk out of Pullman with a win.
In his first four games at the FBS level, Pinnick has shown to be sharp from 0 to 19 yards, hitting 49 of 69 of passes at that depth, which is 71%. And not only has he been less effective at distance, hitting on just 2 of 13 passes on throws of 20-plus yards, but he’s also thrown two interceptions on those. It’s becoming clear that when he tries to stretch the field, he’s vulnerable to making mistakes.
For WSU, there’s a way to counter that, which is to generate a credible ground attack. The Cougars are more than capable of doing that, but running back Kirby Vorhees is questionable to play due to an upper-body injury, which would remove one of offensive coordinator Matt Miller’s unit’s best weapons.
Final score: Fresno State 24, WSU 20
Pinnick's five turnovers make Saturday a test of Cougar ball securityWashington State vs. Fresno State
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Line: WSU favored by 1.5
TV: USA
Radio: 920-AM
Key matchup: WSU QB Caden Pinnick against Fresno State defense
There’s one theme that will likely shape Saturday’s game: Can Pinnick avoid turnovers against Fresno State’s defense? Pinnick has lost five turnovers for the Cougars, who have committed seven total as a team, adding up to a turnover margin of minus-4. That ranks No. 119 nationally. Meanwhile, Fresno State has engineered a turnover margin of plus-7, which is No. 6 in the country.
Pinnick can’t afford any missteps on Saturday. He’s lost many of his turnovers trying to extend plays and stretch the field, which reinforces what is becoming clear: Pinnick is at his best throwing short and intermediate routes, completing 49 of 69 of passes from zero to 19 yards, which is a sharp 71%. But he’s much less effective at distance, hitting on just 2 of 13 passes with two interceptions on throws of 20-plus yards.
Fresno State cornerback Simeon Harris, who has pocketed three interceptions already, will be lurking. Pinnick might be able to throw in his direction, but he may be wise to avoid deep throws, which is when he’s gone wrong this fall.
How the Cougs win…
WSU can win this game by generating an effective ground game, which might be complicated by the status of running back Kirby Vorhees, who will be a gametime decision as he nurses an upper-body injury. If Vorhees can’t go, the Cougars could give more carries to redshirt sophomore tailback Maxwell Woods, who has had a similarly rough go against FBS competition this fall.
But against Fresno State, whose defense could be a better matchup for WSU’s offense, Woods and the Cougars could get going. That would simplify things for Pinnick and remove some pressure, allowing him to ease his way into the game, instead of pressing. That’s where he’s gotten in some trouble this season.
If WSU can establish a credible ground attack early on Saturday, Pinnick won’t feel the need to create plays that aren’t there, which is often how Fresno State’s defense has feasted in a 3-1 start to the season.
How the Bulldogs win…
Fresno State’s clearest path to victory involves preying on WSU’s biggest weakness, which is its turnovers. By giving Pinnick different looks, the Bulldogs might be able to frustrate the quarterback. Last weekend, Arizona sent a myriad of blitzes at WSU and its offensive line, which couldn’t give Pinnick enough time to make good decisions.
Plus, because of the amount of turnovers the Cougs’ offense has committed, their defense has been on the field for several extra drives and heavy snap counts. WSU’s defense has allowed just 4.3 points per game in the first quarter, which ranks No. 57 nationally. That unit has permitted 11.3 points per game in the fourth quarter, which is No. 123 nationally.
That paints a picture of the WSU defense, which has tired out as games unfold. To take full advantage, Fresno State’s defense could engineer long drives against the Cougs’ defense, which is mighty talented. But it’s also made up of human beings, who get tired the more they play.
Key stat: 32.6
Pinnick has earned a Pro Football Focus deep passing grade of 32.6, which is four spots up from dead last in the country among QBs who have tried at least 13 passes of 20-plus yards. That indicates a key limitation of WSU’s offense, which is its inability to create explosive plays through the air. If the Cougars can’t generate explosives on the ground, either, their offense could be in for another forgettable one.
Quotable
“I think any receiver would say one is too many,” wide receiver Darrius Clemons said of his reliability, dropping just one ball this season. “When Caden puts the ball in the air, it’s coming my way, my job is to catch it. He expects me to catch it. I think everybody on the team expects you to catch it. When the ball is in your hands or coming your way, the program’s in your hands, essentially.”
