Owen Eshelman
5 stories filed under Owen Eshelman on Wazzu. The newest of them: “The Cougar QB question looms large ahead of Utah State”, “Who starts at QB for WSU could decide the Utah State game”, and “Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer”. Six turnovers in five games. Friday night in Logan, the Cougs will go through all the same motions they always do. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Owen Eshelman story on Wazzu, newest first.
The Cougar QB question looms large ahead of Utah State
Six turnovers in five games. That's the Cougar QB situation right now, and it's the whole story heading into Logan. Caden Pinnick has thrown a pick in every start. He's also fumbled. That's not a trend you want to bring on the road. So the question isn't just who starts Friday, it's whether the leash is short enough to yank him if it happens again. Owen Eshelman hasn't played a meaningful snap. Julian Dugger can run but hasn't shown he can throw. None of these are comfortable answers. But here's the thing: Utah State's QB room has been worse. Their guys have taken 17 sacks and thrown 10 interceptions. That's worst in the country. So while our offense is a mess, their offense is a mess too. That puts the game on the defenses. Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk should have a day. Jaylen Thomas already has two picks this year. If the Cougar D can flip the turnover margin, we're at minus-5, they're at minus-7, this thing swings. Coach Moore is calling plays now, which Jack Pedersen backed up this week. We've got deeper coverage on that in "Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer." Worth a read before kickoff. For now, the take is simple: we don't know who's under center, but we know the defense has to carry. If they do, we've got a shot. If they don't, it's a long bus ride home. Go Cougs.
Who starts at QB for WSU could decide the Utah State game
Friday night in Logan, the Cougs will go through all the same motions they always do. Stretches. Warmups. Jumping jacks. Then the tunnel opens, and something will actually be different. Kirby Moore is taking over playcalling. That alone is a big shift for an offense that ranks near the bottom of the country in scoring. But the real question, the one that decides whether this season has a pulse, is who takes the first snap. Caden Pinnick has been turnover-prone, leading the nation in QB-fault sacks. Owen Eshelman has the arm but hasn't played in a meaningful way. Julian Dugger brings athleticism and hasn't seen much time either. Moore says everyone will get reps, and that the decision comes down to what they see in practice. That sounds like a coach keeping his options open, which is about all you can ask for at 1-4. The good news? Utah State's offense might be even worse. Ten interceptions. 13.3 points per game. Our defense should have a day. Linus Zunk and Matyus McLain ought to be licking their chops. But defense alone won't win this one. The offense has to answer. If Moore picks the right QB, and his new play sheet makes a difference, the Cougs might save the season before it slips into November. If not, bowl eligibility becomes a memory. For a deeper look at what Moore's move means, check out our story on why the Cougs are letting a new voice call plays in Logan. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer
Kirby Moore called his own shot. He took the playcalling duties from his longtime friend and offensive coordinator Matt Miller, because the Cougs' offense has been floundering. Something had to change. Moore understood the urgency. Now comes the hard part: Does it work? We're heading to Logan on Friday night, 6 p.m. on the CW, to find out. And honestly? I'm not optimistic. The prediction here is Utah State 13, WSU 7. That's a tough score to swallow. Quarterback Caden Pinnick could look sharper with a new voice in his ear. Fewer turnovers. Cleaner decisions. But if the problems are more about Pinnick than the plays being called, the Cougs are in the same spot. And it's not just him. Receivers have dropped passes. Routes have come up short. The offensive line hasn't been perfect. The tight ends haven't helped in the passing game. Nobody in that unit gets a pass. But the head of the snake is the quarterback. If Pinnick isn't the answer, Owen Eshelman hasn't seen meaningful time, and Julian Dugger would have to prove he can hurt a defense with his arm. That's a thin bench against a Utah State defense ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring. Moore made the right move. It just might not be enough. For more on why the Cougs are changing who calls the plays, check out "Why the Cougs are letting a new voice call plays in Logan." It's a deeper look at what went into this decision.
Three Quarterbacks Walk Into a Palouse Fall: Who Gets the Nod
Three quarterbacks, one Palouse fall, and an offense that ranks 130th in scoring. That's where the Cougs are right now. Caden Pinnick has the experience and the knowledge of the playbook. He also has six turnovers in five games and 18 sacks taken. You can't win that way. Owen Eshelman has the arm to stretch the field, but he's a redshirt freshman who has never taken a college snap. Throwing him into a road game at Utah State feels like asking for trouble. Julian Dugger can run like hell and showed it in the bowl game last year, but his pocket presence is shaky, and his passing resume is nine completions in two seasons. Kirby Moore is taking over playcalling. He's been here before, at Fresno State in 2022, his team started 1-4 and then won eight straight when Jake Haener came back. That's the hope. The question is whether anyone in this room can be that guy. The smart money might be on Dugger for a spark, but the Cougs need more than a spark. They need someone who can make the right read on third down and not make a bad play worse. That's what Moore keeps saying. We'll see Friday night. For more on how the Cougs got here, check out our breakdown from the Fresno State loss: "Fresno State gets the edge but the Cougs fought until the final whistle." Go Cougs.
Moore takes over WSU playcalls, promises QB competition this week
Kirby Moore is taking the play sheet back. After Washington State's offense went without a touchdown for the second time this season, this past Saturday's 26-6 loss to Fresno State, Moore announced Monday he's taking over playcalling from offensive coordinator Matt Miller. The numbers are ugly. The Cougs rank 133rd out of 138 FBS teams in total yards per game. They've scored three offensive touchdowns in four games against FBS opponents. That's not a slump. That's a fire drill. Moore called plays at Missouri from 2023-25. He knows what he's doing. But knowing and fixing are two different things when your quarterback has thrown five interceptions and your running backs combined for 13 yards on five carries in the second half. Moore says everyone gets reps this week. Caden Pinnick, Julian Dugger, Owen Eshelman, it's an open competition. He didn't rule out playing multiple guys Friday at Utah State. Miller is still on staff and still involved. That's fine. But the buck stops with Moore now. He's not panicking. He said he can't wait to get to practice. That's the right attitude for a guy who just admitted his offense needs a jump start. If you want the full look at what's at stake this week, check out "Utah State on a short week? Cougs need an offensive pulse." It's a mess right now. But Pullman has seen messes before. Go Cougs.