Ashton Tripp
Wazzu keeps Ashton Tripp in one place: 4 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Eshelman's arm was fine, but the O-line left a hole WSU couldn't fill”, “Boise State week hits a snag as Tripp and Clemons hobble in”, and “Oregon State looms as Cougs head south still searching for first win”. You can point fingers a lot of directions after a loss like Saturday's. Ashton Tripp is day-to-day with an ankle. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Ashton Tripp story on Wazzu, newest first.
Eshelman's arm was fine, but the O-line left a hole WSU couldn't fill
You can point fingers a lot of directions after a loss like Saturday's. Eshelman's arm was fine. The pick wasn't great, but it wasn't the problem. The problem was in front of him. Boise State ran the same stunt three times, and the O-line couldn't stop it. Three times. That's not bad luck. That's a pattern. The numbers are ugly. Eshelman was pressured on 22 of his dropbacks. The running backs combined for 20 yards on 10 carries. Nationally, the run-blocking grade sits at 129 out of 138. Three of the five linemen were recruited for an Air Raid system that doesn't ask for this kind of work. It shows. Kirby Moore is calling plays now. Eshelman is in at QB. The results haven't changed. The common denominator is the guys up front, and it has been all season. The margin was already thin. This game, it was gone before halftime. If you want a moment of good news from the weekend, go check out the story on John Olerud getting his bronze spot outside the stadium. That one's worth your time. This one just hurts. Go Cougs.
Boise State week hits a snag as Tripp and Clemons hobble in
Ashton Tripp is day-to-day with an ankle. Darrius Clemons is on crutches. And Boise State rolls into town this weekend ranked 21st in the country. That's not ideal. The offense was starting to look like something. Owen Eshelman put up 289 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon State, and the run game finally had some teeth. But now the left tackle who's held that spot since 2023 might not be available, and Clemons, 20 catches, 218 yards, seven starts, is getting his ankle evaluated. Kirby Moore said depth at receiver is thin already after Tony Freeman's ACL in the Apple Cup. So if Clemons is out, you're looking at Daniel Blood, Tank Hawkins, and Branden Ganashamoorthy to carry the load. Ganashamoorthy just posted career highs last weekend, so maybe that's something. On the other side, the defense might actually get some help. Malachi Wrice and Michael Hughes are expected to play full speed. Hughes got 30 snaps back against Oregon State after missing five games. Wrice hasn't played since Week 2. If those two can spell McLain and Zunk, that's a real boost. Moore also put to rest any talk about NIL deciding playing time. Said the best players play. That came up after the decision to bench Caden Pinnick for Eshelman. Moore said Eshelman had turnover issues in camp but kept preparing like a starter. He's grown. We saw it Saturday.
Oregon State looms as Cougs head south still searching for first win
Owen Eshelman gets the keys. First start of his college career, and he's walking into Corvallis against an Oregon State team that looks like it's been shot out of a cannon. The Beavers are on a four-game win streak, leading the country in passing yards per game, and just hung 66 points on San Diego State. Meanwhile, the Cougs are still hunting for their first FBS win, sitting at 1-5, and just watched a halftime lead evaporate into a 17-16 loss to Utah State. That Utah State game stung. Two fumbles turned into touchdowns. The offense put up 64 yards in the second half. Caden Pinnick took the brunt of it, and Moore made the call this week. For more on how Moore handled the aftermath, check out our piece, "Moore won't throw his QB under the bus after Utah State loss." Eshelman has a tough task. He's facing a Beaver defense that's rolling, and he's doing it with an offensive line that just lost left tackle Ashton Tripp to an ankle injury. The good news? WSU's defense is still showing up. They held Utah State's quarterback to 150 yards and one touchdown pass. They'll need that same effort, and then some, against Jesse Legree and that OSU passing attack. This is a gut-check game. The Cougs are 17.5-point underdogs for a reason. But it's also a chance to see what the offense looks like with a new hand on the wheel. Go Cougs.
Big Tripp, Big Job: Wazzu's O-Line Tries to Find Its Feet
Ashton Tripp doesn't say much, but what he says lands. The 6-foot-7 left tackle from Kennewick has been around Pullman long enough to know clichés don't fix a 1-4 start. "We gotta play 11 as one," he said after watching the tape. Hard to argue with that. The Cougs' offense is broken. 11.8 points per game. That's 130th in the country. Caden Pinnick has thrown a pick in every game, and he leads the nation in QB-fault sacks. Ten of his 18 sacks are on him. That's not just bad luck. That's a quarterback who can't feel pressure or won't get rid of the ball. Kirby Moore is taking over playcalling, and he says everyone's getting reps. That could mean Julian Dugger or Owen Eshelman gets a look Friday night at Utah State. It could also mean changes up front. Maximus McCree, the Washington transfer who was supposed to be a big get, still hasn't played a snap. That's worth watching. The offensive line has been fine in pass protection when the QB holds up his end. The run blocking? Less fine. Tripp's run-blocking grade is the lowest on the line. Lester is the bright spot there. But this group was recruited for the Air Raid. They're learning a new offense on the fly, and it shows. If you want more on Moore's approach, our piece on the quiet work that wins in Pullman is worth your time. For now, the Cougs need to find five guys who can click.