quarterback pressure
Wazzu keeps quarterback pressure 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”, “Eshelman's arm was fine, but the O-line left a hole WSU couldn't fill”, and “For the Leaupepetele brothers, Sunday dinner looks a lot different now”. That Eshelman run felt like a comeback. You can point fingers a lot of directions after a loss like Saturday's. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every quarterback pressure 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.
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.
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.