turnovers
5 stories filed under turnovers on Wazzu. The newest of them: “Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns”, “Moore puts it plain after Cougs let early lead slip in Pullman”, and “One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was”. Keith Brown had to ask the score at halftime. Kirby Moore sat down at the podium Saturday night and didn't waste words. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every turnovers story on Wazzu, newest first.
Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns
Keith Brown had to ask the score at halftime. That tells you everything about how Saturday went for the Cougs' defense. The sixth-year linebacker wasn't being cute, WSU had just taken a three-point lead into the break, but Brown was so locked into his own series that he'd lost track of the game. You don't hear that kind of tunnel vision from guys on losing teams very often. But here's the thing: the defense is playing too much, and it's starting to show in the fourth quarter. The numbers are brutal. WSU's giving up 4.3 points in the first quarter, that's top-half of the country. By the fourth? They're allowing 11.3, which is 123rd nationally. That's not a coincidence. That's what happens when your offense keeps handing the ball back. Seven turnovers in four games, and your defenders are racking up 60, 70 snaps a night. Khamari Terrell played 72 against Arizona. Brown logged 69. Those dudes are gassed by the time the game matters. Kirby Moore says it's about complementary football, and he's right. The front can't rush if they're spent, and the back end can't cover if the rush never gets home. The solution isn't just playing more guys, they're thin at key spots, with injuries stacking up. It's about the offense holding onto the ball. That's the real fix, and it's a big reason Saturday's game against Fresno State feels like a fork in the road.
Moore puts it plain after Cougs let early lead slip in Pullman
Kirby Moore sat down at the podium Saturday night and didn't waste words. "This should hurt," he said. He was right. The Cougs took an early two-score lead against Arizona, then watched it disappear in the second half, losing 34-24. That's now 1-3 in Moore's debut season, and the problems are starting to stack up. Caden Pinnick played OK on short throws, 85% completion inside 9 yards, but he's up to five turnovers, and they keep coming when he tries to do too much. The running backs are averaging 3.38 yards per carry against FBS teams, which isn't going to scare anyone. Special teams gave up a 39-yard punt return and another missed field goal, even if that one wasn't the kicker's fault. And for the second straight week, the coaching staff botched an end-of-half situation, letting 40 seconds burn off the clock before calling a timeout. That's the kind of stuff that loses games you should win. There were bright spots. Linus Zunk finally got his first sack and is grading out well. Punter Max Dean is 14th in the country. But the Cougs need more than that. Next week Fresno State comes to town. That's the start of Pac-12 play, and it's where we start to find out what this team really is. If you want a deeper look at that matchup, check out our piece on Moore facing his old team as a new era begins. For now, this one should hurt. It did. Go Cougs.
One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was
One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was. The Cougars beat a bad FCS team that gives up yards like candy at a parade. Kirby Moore made adjustments, and credit where it's due, Caden Pinnick looked sharp after halftime, and Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees ran like they meant it. That second half felt good. It should encourage you. But here's the honest part. Against FBS teams this season, WSU has one touchdown and four turnovers. That offense has looked thin. Arizona comes to Gesa Field as a 10½-point favorite, and that line exists for a reason. Tony Freeman is done for the year with an injury, and without him, the deep threat shrinks. This isn't a doom post. The offensive line shuffle and Moore's growing role in playcalling are real reasons to believe. Those changes should help win some Pac-12 games. But beating a Big 12 team in primetime? That's a taller ask. Prediction: Arizona 23, WSU 16. If you want more context on what's at stake with the kicking game, go read about Max Dean's migraines making punting a game-time call. Special teams might matter more than usual Saturday night. Go Cougs.
Trey Leckner's return is suddenly a Saturday question for Cougs
Trey Leckner's foot healed faster than the schedule said it would, and that's a small win in a 1-3 start that's felt heavier than the record. The Cougars' best pass-catching tight end is a game-time decision Saturday against Fresno State, per Kirby Moore, who's been cautious with him all month. Leckner was supposed to miss the first half of the season. Instead, he's back at practice, full-go, and ready to give an offense that's turned the ball over seven times a much-needed safety valve. That's the thing about this group: they've got backs, they've got receivers, but they haven't had a reliable middle-of-the-field target since Leckner went down. Jack Pedersen has filled in admirably, five catches, one score, mostly against Duquesne, but he's not the same mismatch. Moore said it himself: they want both guys on the field, and that's a problem for Fresno State's defense if Leckner's actually healthy. Elsewhere, Jalil Tucker's status remains a shrug emoji. He's dressed and warmed up the last two weeks but hasn't played since the Apple Cup. The silver lining? Jack Bal made the most of his shot against Arizona, picking off a pass and taking it back 25 yards for a score while logging a career-high 67 snaps. If Tucker can't go, you ride Bal again and hope the secondary doesn't bend too far. Moore also defended his clock management before halftime last week, and honestly, he's got a point. You don't give Noah Fifita extra chances.
Moore's offense showed some pulse, but the Cougs still left plays on the field
Three offensive touchdowns in three games against FBS teams. Six turnovers. Seven total giveaways. That's not a Power 4 problem. That's a self-inflicted wound problem, and it's the story of this Cougar season so far. Kirby Moore's offense showed a pulse Saturday against Arizona, especially on that opening 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive where Caden Pinnick looked like he knew what he was doing. The quarterback keeper, the blocks, the finish. That's the offense we were hoping to see. Then it vanished. The third quarter was brutal. Three points, two three-and-outs, four punts, three sacks. Arizona turned a three-point deficit into a four-point lead and never looked back. The defense held up its end. The offense didn't. Pinnick is making bad decisions, not just Power 4 athletes making great plays. The interception into triple coverage against Duquesne. The fumble while trying to throw while being dragged down. The slide a yard short of a first down. Those aren't talent gaps. Those are judgment gaps. Moore said it starts with him. That's the right answer. But the fix has to show up against Fresno State next week. If these problems are about competition, they'll ease up. If they're about Pinnick's decision-making, they won't. We've got more on Moore's postgame comments in "Moore puts it plain after Cougs let early lead slip in Pullman." Worth a read. For now, the Cougs are what we thought: 1-3, right on schedule. The question is whether they're better than the schedule. Go Cougs.