defensive line
defensive line at Wazzu is a file of 4 stories. The newest of them: “That Eshelman Run Felt Like a Comeback but the Fourth Quarter Had Other Plans”, “San Diego exposed what keeps WSU from closing out wins”, and “The O-line gets the callout: WSU faces SDSU's pass rush Saturday”. That Eshelman run felt like a comeback. Jaylen Thomas shook his head after the San Diego State loss, and you could see the frustration. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every defensive line story on Wazzu, newest first.
That Eshelman Run Felt Like a Comeback but the Fourth Quarter Had Other Plans
That Eshelman run felt like a comeback. For a moment, it looked like the Cougs had pulled the same trick they did against San Diego State two years ago. Down 26-14 in the fourth, Owen Eshelman pulled a read option, jogged untouched into the end zone, and let out a scream. You could feel the shift. The ghosts of that 2024 rally, Mateer touchdowns, an Al-Uqdah interception, were in the building. But these Cougars are not those Cougars. The final drive died at midfield. A false start. A timeout to stop the runoff. Two incomplete passes. The ball went back to the Aztecs, and WSU walked off with its sixth straight loss. This team is 1-8 and still looking for its first FBS win. The bye week comes at a good time, but the list of problems is long. Eight sacks in nine games ranks 134th out of 138 teams. The run game is averaging 46 yards per game. Perimeter tackling is letting opponents bounce outside for touchdowns. The offense can sustain drives but can't finish them. There's talent here. We talked about that with Solomon Kipchoge bringing a Pac-12 title home to the Palouse. But one win in nine games says more about decisions than ability. The Cougs have three games left to prove they can put it together. The next one is against Colorado State's terrible defense. If they can't win there, the questions get a lot harder. Go Cougs.
San Diego exposed what keeps WSU from closing out wins
Jaylen Thomas shook his head after the San Diego State loss, and you could see the frustration. The Cougars have a tackling problem, and it's not new. SDSU ran for 202 yards, and Lucky Sutton broke off runs of 46, 11, and 16 yards. The secondary missed its chances. Thomas knows it. So does the rest of the defense. Here's the thing: WSU's interior line is doing its job. Kaden Beatty, Jirah Leaupepetele, and the rest have made it tough to run up the middle. So opponents just go outside. That's where the tackling falls apart. The perimeter guys are athletic, but they're taking bad pursuit angles and missing wraps. Coach Kirby Moore wanted to hold SDSU under 150 rushing yards. They gave up 202. Then there's the pass rush. The Cougars came into this game ranked 131st out of 138 FBS teams in sacks. They didn't add any in San Diego. Pressure is there from McLain and Zunk, but they can't finish. This defense has pieces. But the little things, tackling, sacks, decision-making, are keeping WSU from closing out wins. If you want to dig into a Coug who did finish runs, check out our piece on Dan Doornink, a Coug and a Seahawk, who ran for 123 yards we still remember. Go Cougs.
The O-line gets the callout: WSU faces SDSU's pass rush Saturday
The O-line gets the callout, and it's deserved. Watching the Cougs' front five against Boise State was like watching a screen door try to stop a stampede. Two of the four sacks on Owen Eshelman came from that group, and the kid was under pressure all night. Now they get SDSU's pass rush, which has piled up 16 sacks this season. That linebacker trio of Rahman, Wallin and Hala alone accounts for 8.5 of them. This is the matchup that decides Saturday. Here's the thing, though: SDSU's defense is bad. Like, statistically terrible. No. 135 in total defense, giving up 462 yards a game. No. 133 in scoring defense. The Aztecs give up points and yards like they're handing out samples at a Costco. If Eshelman gets time, the Cougs should carve them up. That's a big if. On the other side, WSU's defense has been dropping interceptions like they're hot. Six drops, tied for most in the country. Only five forced turnovers. Eight sacks. They're playing well but can't make the big play when it matters. SDSU is starting a redshirt freshman making his second start. Pressure him, force a mistake. That's the path. And keep an eye on that kick returner, Hawkins. Three touchdowns on returns this season. The Cougs have been solid covering kicks, but one missed tackle and he's gone.
For the Leaupepetele brothers, Sunday dinner looks a lot different now
Jirah Leaupepetele called his brother Jonah this week, not to talk trash for once, but to fish for intel. Jonah, Fresno State's starting right guard, wasn't giving anything up. Fair enough. The problem? Jonah's listed as questionable and isn't expected to play Saturday when the Cougs host the Bulldogs. So the first-ever on-field matchup between these two brothers will have to wait. That doesn't mean this weekend is meaningless. Far from it. Their parents, Tony and Rhonda, are driving up from Apple Valley with the other five kids and a whole mess of grandparents, nieces, and nephews. Jirah made it clear what colors they better be wearing. The Leaupepetele family has earned this moment. Jirah transferred in from Eastern Washington and has become a force on the interior of WSU's defensive line, notching his first sack as a Coug last week against Arizona. Jonah earned the starting job at Fresno State as a redshirt freshman before the injury. Even if they don't line up across from each other, they'll share the same field. That's enough for a family that watched these boys grow up sharing a bedroom, one yelling at video games, the other trying to sleep. This is the kind of story that reminds you why Cougar football matters beyond the score. For more on how this weekend is shaping up, check out our piece on how the Cougs stared down the Dawgs and didn't flinch. Go Cougs.