missed tackles
Wazzu keeps missed tackles in one place: 3 stories so far. The section currently leads with “That Eshelman Run Felt Like a Comeback but the Fourth Quarter Had Other Plans”, “Terrell says run his way and Boise State will find out”, and “Khamari Terrell tackles like he's the only one on the field”. That Eshelman run felt like a comeback. Khamari Terrell said something this week that every Coug with a working set of ears should have sat up straight to hear. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every missed tackles 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.
Terrell says run his way and Boise State will find out
Khamari Terrell said something this week that every Coug with a working set of ears should have sat up straight to hear. He basically told Boise State they can run his way if they want, but they're not going to like what they find. That's the kind of talk we like around here, because it means he gets the assignment. And the assignment is simple: wrap up Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines, or this Saturday gets long fast. The Cougs missed 18 tackles last weekend against Oregon State. You don't do that against a team that leads the country in time of possession and expect to win. Boise State's offense has been on the field 220 minutes this season, which is tops in the nation. That's not an accident. That's a plan. They want to wear you out, and then let Riley and Gaines bounce it outside where they're averaging nearly five yards a carry. Here's what I'm watching: the secondary. Jalil Tucker, Jaylen Thomas, Jeremiah Bernard, those are the names that matter. Thomas leads the team in missed tackles. Bernard is right behind him. Some of that is just volume, but against this backfield, volume is no excuse. The Cougs have been good up the middle all year. If that holds, the Broncos will have to test the edges. That's where Terrell and company get their chance to prove him right.
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.