run game
Wazzu keeps run game 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”, “Trey Leckner's foot healed. His impact on the Cougs didn't miss a beat”, and “Cougs hand Utah State a win with an offense that forgot how to finish”. That Eshelman run felt like a comeback. Trey Leckner's foot finally healed, and somehow the Cougs' offense didn't lose a step without him. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every run game 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.
Trey Leckner's foot healed. His impact on the Cougs didn't miss a beat
Trey Leckner's foot finally healed, and somehow the Cougs' offense didn't lose a step without him. That's not a compliment to the offense. Washington State still can't run the ball, still can't block for the quarterback, and ranks 135th out of 138 FBS teams in points per drive. But Leckner himself? He's been a bright spot in a dark season. He missed almost a full calendar year, spring ball, summer workouts, fall camp, the first month of games, with a broken foot that wouldn't stay fixed. When he finally returned in October, he picked up right where he left off. Twelve catches on 13 targets. Zero drops. A reliable pair of hands for a freshman quarterback who needed them. On a critical fourth-and-short against Boise State, Leckner sold the defense on a fake, caught a quick pass, and fell forward for the first down. The Cougs scored a few plays later. That's the kind of detail you have to latch onto when the big picture is this ugly. Leckner isn't a bruiser at 6-3, 243 pounds. He's a finesse tight end in a program that didn't even use them under Mike Leach. He's also a Swiss Army knife who blocks well in pass protection and runs routes like a receiver. He's not the reason the Cougs are losing. He might be one of the only reasons they're still competitive.
Cougs hand Utah State a win with an offense that forgot how to finish
Logan was not kind to the Cougs. Washington State went down to Utah State Friday night and handed them a win the Aggies barely earned themselves. WSU led 16-3 at halftime. Then the offense forgot how to finish. Kirby Moore took over playcalling from Matt Miller, and for a half it looked like something might click. Three field goals. A touchdown. 193 yards. Then the second half happened: 64 total yards, zero points, 1 of 8 on third downs. That's not just a slump. That's a collapse. Utah State didn't suddenly get good. Their quarterback completed 11 of 26 passes. They averaged 2.9 yards a carry. They looked miserable. But the Cougs gave them short fields off two turnovers, a Pinnick fumble and a Jack Pedersen fumble, and that was enough. The defense deserved better. Again. At 1-5 and 0-2 in the new Pac-12, bowl hopes are gone. Oregon State and Boise State are next. The wheels are off. Something else needs to change offensively, and if you want a deeper look at the quarterback situation, we have a piece titled "Caden Pinnick is a good dude. That doesn't fix the QB room." It's worth your time. Go Cougs.