cornerback
Wazzu keeps cornerback in one place: 4 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Khamari Terrell tackles like he's the only one on the field”, “Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns”, and “Trey Leckner is healing up fast and might finally see the field”. Khamari Terrell slaps himself on the helmet after a tackle. Keith Brown had to ask the score at halftime. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every cornerback story on Wazzu, newest first.
Khamari Terrell tackles like he's the only one on the field
Khamari Terrell slaps himself on the helmet after a tackle. Once. Twice. Then he gets back up and does it again. That's the kind of focus a cornerback needs when Boise State rolls into town with the nation's second-best rusher, Dylan Riley, averaging 139 yards per game. The Broncos rank ninth in the country as a team on the ground. That's a problem for a WSU defense that just gave up 48 points to Oregon State and missed 18 tackles in the process. But here's the thing: the Cougars have actually tackled pretty well this season overall. PFF gives them a 61.4 grade, which is 93rd nationally and fifth in the Pac-12. Not elite, but a real step up from where this program has been. Jake Dickert's 2024 team finished fifth-to-last in tackling grades. Jimmy Rogers' 2025 squad finished dead last. So credit to defensive coordinator Trent Bray, cornerbacks coach Brandyn Thompson, and the rest of the staff for getting this group to wrap up. Terrell himself has only missed three tackles on 339 snaps. Keith Brown, the veteran linebacker, has missed six on 418 snaps. Redshirt freshman nickel Jamarey Smith has missed exactly one. The Cougs have been solid up the middle, too, with guys like Leaupepetele and Kaden Beatty stacking runs. The problem is on the edges, where Oregon State gashed them.
Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns
Keith Brown had to ask the score at halftime. That tells you everything about how Saturday went for the Cougs' defense. The sixth-year linebacker wasn't being cute, WSU had just taken a three-point lead into the break, but Brown was so locked into his own series that he'd lost track of the game. You don't hear that kind of tunnel vision from guys on losing teams very often. But here's the thing: the defense is playing too much, and it's starting to show in the fourth quarter. The numbers are brutal. WSU's giving up 4.3 points in the first quarter, that's top-half of the country. By the fourth? They're allowing 11.3, which is 123rd nationally. That's not a coincidence. That's what happens when your offense keeps handing the ball back. Seven turnovers in four games, and your defenders are racking up 60, 70 snaps a night. Khamari Terrell played 72 against Arizona. Brown logged 69. Those dudes are gassed by the time the game matters. Kirby Moore says it's about complementary football, and he's right. The front can't rush if they're spent, and the back end can't cover if the rush never gets home. The solution isn't just playing more guys, they're thin at key spots, with injuries stacking up. It's about the offense holding onto the ball. That's the real fix, and it's a big reason Saturday's game against Fresno State feels like a fork in the road.
Trey Leckner is healing up fast and might finally see the field
Trey Leckner is getting closer. That's the best news the Cougar offense has heard in weeks. The tight end from Snohomish has been out since summer with a foot injury. The early word was midseason. Now Kirby Moore says he's game-to-game after this weekend. That's a faster timeline than anyone expected. Moore said Leckner has been moving around in practice. That's not nothing. This matters because the passing game needs a jolt. The Cougs are 1-2 against FBS teams, and the offense has been stuck in neutral. Leckner caught 24 passes for three touchdowns last year. He's the best pass-catching tight end on the roster. Caden Pinnick and Matt Miller could use a reliable target over the middle. Jack Pedersen has been filling in, and he's fine. He's not Leckner. The Cougs host Arizona this Saturday, a night game under the lights. Leckner won't play. But if he's back soon, that changes the math. Read our piece on DJ Warner's Arizona roots for more on that matchup. Also worth watching: cornerback Jalil Tucker is a game-time decision. The secondary looked better against Duquesne when they moved Jamarey Smith to corner. And kicker Jack Stevens is 1-for-5 on field goals. Moore is sticking with him. That's loyalty. We'll see if it pays off. For now, the take is simple: Leckner healing fast is the best thing that's happened to this offense all month. Go Cougs.
Trey Leckner's return is suddenly a Saturday question for Cougs
Trey Leckner's foot healed faster than the schedule said it would, and that's a small win in a 1-3 start that's felt heavier than the record. The Cougars' best pass-catching tight end is a game-time decision Saturday against Fresno State, per Kirby Moore, who's been cautious with him all month. Leckner was supposed to miss the first half of the season. Instead, he's back at practice, full-go, and ready to give an offense that's turned the ball over seven times a much-needed safety valve. That's the thing about this group: they've got backs, they've got receivers, but they haven't had a reliable middle-of-the-field target since Leckner went down. Jack Pedersen has filled in admirably, five catches, one score, mostly against Duquesne, but he's not the same mismatch. Moore said it himself: they want both guys on the field, and that's a problem for Fresno State's defense if Leckner's actually healthy. Elsewhere, Jalil Tucker's status remains a shrug emoji. He's dressed and warmed up the last two weeks but hasn't played since the Apple Cup. The silver lining? Jack Bal made the most of his shot against Arizona, picking off a pass and taking it back 25 yards for a score while logging a career-high 67 snaps. If Tucker can't go, you ride Bal again and hope the secondary doesn't bend too far. Moore also defended his clock management before halftime last week, and honestly, he's got a point. You don't give Noah Fifita extra chances.