Noah Dunham
Noah Dunham at Wazzu is a file of 3 stories. The newest of them: “Eshelman's arm was fine, but the O-line left a hole WSU couldn't fill”, “Big Tripp, Big Job: Wazzu's O-Line Tries to Find Its Feet”, and “Moore's homecoming was nice, but WSU's offense is now the problem”. You can point fingers a lot of directions after a loss like Saturday's. Ashton Tripp doesn't say much, but what he says lands. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Noah Dunham 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.
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.
Moore's homecoming was nice, but WSU's offense is now the problem
The boos at Gesa Field Saturday night weren't just about one bad game. They were about a promise that hasn't been kept. Kirby Moore came home in December under a gorgeous sky, waving from a Jeep Wagoneer, telling fans he was excited to build something. The offense was supposed to be the fun part. Instead, WSU just laid a 26-6 egg against Fresno State. No touchdowns. Eight turnovers on the season. Three offensive scores in four games against FBS competition. That's not a rebuild, that's a regression. Moore said the Cougs needed 27 points to win. They scored six. He also said the fans deserve better, and he's right. But "better" has to start with a hard look at the quarterback room. Caden Pinnick took five sacks, threw a pick, and wasn't ready for a snap. He wasn't made available to the media after the game, which is a bad look for a guy who talked about giving the program pride after an earlier loss. Coaches should have at least given Julian Dugger or Owen Eshelman a look in garbage time. Even if Moore sticks with Pinnick, that evaluation has to be real. The defense played well enough to win. The offensive line didn't. The running game didn't. And the passing game didn't stretch the field. This offense hasn't improved since fall camp, and that's the most frustrating part. There's still time to fix it, but it starts with honesty.