- At SDSU, Cougs need Eshelman and Moore to find the gear they lost
PULLMAN – At the beginning of the week, when the frustration still hung in the hair like a bad smell and several questions lingered unanswered, Kirby Moore returned to what he knew for sure. As he thought back to his Washington State’s last game, a home loss to conference power Boise State, he was certain of one thing.
In his second start at quarterback, Owen Eshelman may have thrown one critical interception, which is when the Cougars began to lose the lead and lose the game. But he also directed one scoring drive and kept things clean otherwise.
“I thought Owen battled his tail off,” Moore said.
If the Cougars play their best in their next game, a road matchup with San Diego State set for Saturday afternoon, Eshelman shouldn’t have to. That’s because WSU will be going up against one of the country’s worst defenses in SDSU, which ranks three spots up from last in the country in total defense and five spots up from last in scoring defense.
The Aztecs (3-5, 2-2 Pac-12) are giving up about 36 points per game, allowing some 462 yards per contest, some of the worst numbers nationwide. Looking to earn its first FBS win of the season and end a five-game slide, WSU (1-7, 0-4) would do well to take advantage of those trends.
Can Eshelman and the Cougars do so? That much will likely depend on a few factors: Can their offensive line protect Eshelman and clear space for a robust rushing attack? Can Eshelman avoid turnovers? And perhaps most importantly, what can WSU get out of its three-receiver rotation of Branden Ganashamoorthy, Daniel Blood and Tank Hawkins – and will Moore’s group expand things?
Receiver Darrius Clemons, who exited early from his team’s loss to Utah State earlier this month, is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game. In his absence, the Cougs haven’t exactly expanded their receiver rotation to include other pieces like West Georgia transfer Jordan Dees or walk-on Caleb Northcroft, who would likely be next up. Instead, Moore has asked even more out of his starters, especially Ganashamoorthy, who has played 503 snaps, the third-most in the country among receivers. Blood has logged 448, which is No. 21.
WSU is one of only four teams with two receivers in the top 25, making clear what Moore seemed to indicate earlier in the week: Coaches really only trust those three starters. Is that conducive to a win, especially on the road? The temptation is to say no, but crazier things have happened.
“We talk about deliberate practice,” Moore said, explaining the usage of only three wideouts. “That really starts with bringing great energy, having verbal combat, doing your assignment, making sure you’re not thinking out there, that you’re just reacting. I think we’ve had too many errors from a practice standpoint with guys (not) knowing their assignments, whether it’s motions, details within the position. We’ve got a lot of trust in the guys who are out there on the field. If other guys improve and they’re to the standard, they’ll be out there.”
Regardless of how that trend pans out, WSU will want more out of its offensive line, and it’ll be interesting to see whether Moore shakes things up at that position group. As currently constructed, the group of left tackle Ashton Tripp, left guard Jonny Lester, center Noah Dunham, right guard Nick Bakken and right tackle Jaylin Caldwell aren’t just giving up sacks. They’re also struggling to run-block, which is making things exceedingly hard on the Cougs’ tailback trio.
Just how much has that limited the production of Kirby Vorhees, Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi? In seven games against FBS competition, those running backs are averaging only 15 carries for 48 yards. They’ve enjoyed a stray long rush – against Utah State, Pulalasi broke free for a 52-yard touchdown jaunt – but more often, they haven’t seen any running lanes.
Could that change against San Diego State? Check out the patterns and the possibility seems to emerge. The Aztecs rank No. 109 nationally in rush defense, yielding an average of 178 rushing yards per game. Here’s the kicker to that, too: SDSU is allowing opponents to convert third downs at a 47% clip, which is No. 129 nationally.
That would be music to the ears of the Cougs, who are converting only 30% of their third downs, ranking six spots up from last in the country in that department. They’ve tried running up the middle to no avail. They’ve tried dropping back, which has often failed thanks to offensive linemen getting blown up. They haven’t found any easy answers.
Maybe they’ll get one this week in the form of the SDSU defense, which is a week removed from giving up a 50-spot in a 56-49 loss to Colorado State. The Aztecs have also been burned for 66 points against Oregon State, 41 against Toledo and 29 against Texas State, the last result a win. SDSU and third-year coach Sean Lewis have lost two of its last three.
Meanwhile, the Cougars will get a real challenge from the Aztec offense, which is prepared to start redshirt freshman quarterback Stone Saunders in place of Jayden Denegal, who ranks among the nation’s worst QBs in EPA per dropback. Last week against Colorado State, Saunders completed 23 of 33 passes for 369 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, including a pick-six shortly before halftime.
But there’s another phase of the game that WSU will have to be sharp in: special teams. SDSU redshirt freshman receiver Jaylon Hawkins leads the nation with three kickoff return touchdowns, matching the single-season school record. He took one back apiece in games against FCS Portland State, Texas State and Oregon State.
The good news for the Cougars: They rank No. 16 nationwide in kickoff return coverage, permitting an average return of only about 16 yards. That should serve them well this weekend. If things go well for them, so should their quarterback, too.
- Five-game skid meets the road: Cougs chase first FBS win at SDSU
PULLMAN – Here is a first look at Washington State’s road game against San Diego State on Saturday afternoon.
What is it?
Looking to end a five-game slide and secure its first FBS win of the season, WSU heads to the Golden State to take on San Diego State, which has lost two of its last three games. The Cougars are coming off a 31-10 loss to Boise State, which marked quarterback Owen Eshelman’s second start.
It’s the first Pac-12 matchup between the Cougars and Aztecs, who have met each of the last two seasons, both wins for WSU. The Cougs, whose bye week comes next week, are also playing their third road game in the last four weeks.
Where is it?
Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
When is it?
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
Where can I watch it?
CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game.
Who is favored?
WSU opened as a 2.5-point underdog.
How did the Cougars fare last week?
In a 31-10 loss to Boise State, WSU played the first-place Broncos to a 10-10 tie through three quarters, but that’s when things went south for the hosts. Boise State followed with a 21-0 fourth quarter, turning a costly Eshelman interception into a touchdown, then adding two more on each of its next two drives.
In Eshelman’s second start, it was another slow offensive outing for the Cougars, who tied the game shortly before halftime on a long touchdown drive and again on a field goal from kicker Jack Stevens, who has now connected on eight in a row. But that’s all the scoring WSU did, punting on four of its first five drives of the game.
The Cougars weren’t at full strength on offense. Wide receiver Darrius Clemons missed the game after going down the previous week with an ankle injury, a tough blow to a WSU receiver corps that has been thin since star wideout Tony Freeman tore his ACL in Week 1. But the Cougs didn’t exactly expand their rotation at that spot, instead opting to play receivers Branden Ganashamoorthy and Tank Hawkins heavy snaps and leaving Jordan Dees and Caleb Northcroft – both of whom WSU coach Kirby Moore said would get increased snaps – on the bench entirely.
Plus, the Cougars didn’t get much of anything from their rushing game, which produced only 53 yards on 33 carries. Running backs Kirby Vorhees and Leo Pulalasi accounted for only 20 yards on 10 carries, while fellow back Maxwell Woods played only 11 snaps and did not get any carries. In seven games against FBS competition, WSU running backs are averaging 15 carries for 48 yards.
That helped spotlight the problems facing WSU’s offensive line, which allowed 16 pressures and two sacks on Eshelman, who took four total. On several occasions, the Cougs were beaten on stunts. On others, they weren’t able to generate any push on running plays, a key reason why their running backs haven’t gotten anything consistent going. A group of five returners – left tackle Ashton Tripp, left guard Jonny Lester, center Noah Dunham, right guard Nick Bakken and right tackle Jaylin Caldwell – have shared a good dosage of the blame for a paltry offense.
“Offensively, we weren’t good enough, especially up front,” Moore said, “protecting the quarterback, running the football, and it led to 17 third downs. We want to limit the number of third downs. We gotta be more efficient on first and second down and create more explosive plays.”
On defense, the Cougs allowed several more big plays, including two long touchdown rushes from Boise State star running back Dylan Riley, who piled up 128 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter. WSU, which whiffed on 16 tackles, has had some issues preventing explosive plays all season.
Perhaps just as important: Washington State couldn’t generate any real pass rush. The Cougars finished with only eight pressures on QB Maddux Madsen, according to Pro Football Focus, which gave him ample time in the pocket to complete passes. Madsen completed several key third-down conversions, including a 17-yard scramble in the third quarter, which later led to a touchdown.
Scouting San Diego State…
In head coach Sean Lewis’ third season, the Aztecs are 3-5 overall and 2-2 in Pac-12 play, coming off a 56-49 road loss to Colorado State. In that one, backup QB Stone Saunders made his starting debut and threw two touchdowns against two interceptions, totaling 369 yards through the air.
But the Aztecs’ defense couldn’t make it count, as has been the case all season. After eight games, SDSU ranks No. 135 of 138 FBS teams in total defense (462 yards per game), No. 133 in scoring defense (36 points per game), No. 109 in rush defense (178 ypg) and No. 134 in pass defense (284 ypg). That group is also allowing opponents to convert third downs at a 47% clip, which is No. 129 nationally.
It hasn’t been pretty for SDSU’s defense, which had to replace several key pieces on last year’s unit, including cornerback Chris Johnson, a first-round NFL draft pick in the spring, as well as edge rusher Trey White and three others who transferred to Power Four schools.
The Aztecs are dealing with an injury to quarterback Jayden Denegal, the team’s starter for the first seven games. The Aztecs opened the season with a home romp over FCS Portland State, only to drop three straight games, including road matchups with UCLA and Toledo and a home contest against James Madison. Since then, SDSU has dispatched Texas State at home, lost to Oregon State on the road, bounced back with a home win over Fresno State then fell in a road tilt with CSU.
In the Aztecs’ win over the Bulldogs, Saunders came on for the injured Denegal, leading fourth-quarter two scoring drives to secure the win. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 222 pounds, Saunders profiles a pure pocket-passer, and he does it well. In his first start last weekend, Saunders completed 23 of 33 passes for 369 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. He isn’t much of a mobile threat, posting only four carries for negative-9 yards, an indication of the two total sacks he’s taken.
“They’re doing a nice job of playing complementary football,” Moore said. “They got in a shootout last week. They’re 3-1 at home. For us, it’s gonna be a challenge, third out of four games being on the road.”
What happened last time?
WSU and San Diego State’s last meeting came last fall in Pullman, where former Cougar quarterback Jaxon Potter led his team to a 36-13 win, scoring 22 unanswered points to pull away. Potter would go on to make one more start, in a loss to North Texas, before being benched for veteran Zevi Eckhaus for the rest of the season.
- Cougs need to prove the offense can show up against FBS defenses
Washington 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.”
