WSU
WSU at Wazzu is a file of 219 stories. The newest of them: “Coach Citowicki on the Texas State loss and what's next for Cougar Soccer”, “Eshelman looks sharp but Cougs still chasing the Pac-12 pack”, and “A Freeman grad named Boen Phelps just broke a Coug heart in Boise”. Gubi Citowicki didn't sugarcoat the Texas State loss. Owen Eshelman looks the part. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every WSU story on Wazzu, newest first.
Coach Citowicki on the Texas State loss and what's next for Cougar Soccer
Gubi Citowicki didn't sugarcoat the Texas State loss. That's not his style. The Cougar soccer team went on the road and got handed a result that stings, and the coach made it clear there's no moral victory in a close game you don't win. He pointed to the little things that added up, a missed assignment here, a slow step there, and said the team has to own it before they can fix it. That's the kind of honesty you want from a coach who expects more. What comes next is the real story. Citowicki isn't hitting the panic button, but he's not brushing this off either. The Cougs have shown they can hang with good teams. That win over SDSU earlier this season wasn't a fluke, check our breakdown in "Coug Soccer Coach Citowicki Breaks Down the Win Over SDSU" for the full look at what clicked that day. The question now is whether they can learn from a loss like this and come back sharper. The answer probably starts in practice this week, with a lot of film and a little less patience. Pullman soccer fans know the drill. You take the good with the bad, and you keep showing up. This team has the pieces. They just need to put them together more consistently. Go Cougs.
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Eshelman looks sharp but Cougs still chasing the Pac-12 pack
Owen Eshelman looks the part. He stands in the pocket, looks downfield, and will take a hit to deliver a third-and-long throw. But after two starts against the best the Pac-12 has to offer, the Cougs are still stuck chasing the pack. Saturday's 31-10 loss to No. 21 Boise State was another game that got away, tied at 10 entering the fourth quarter, then undone by a costly interception. It would be easy to blame the quarterback. Eshelman threw no touchdowns, one pick, and took four sacks. But the issues run deeper. The offensive line is getting flat-out whipped. When your running backs combine for 20 yards on 10 carries, it doesn't matter how patient your QB is. Eshelman completed just 21 of 40 passes while under constant duress. Still, there was something there. A 10-yard scramble on third down. Four-of-five on fourth-down conversions. WSU actually held the ball longer than Boise State, the nation's No. 1 time-of-possession team. It was chaotic, not clean, but chaos at least creates the possibility of a big play. Head coach Kirby Moore says nobody's quitting. With four games left and no bowl to chase, the Cougs need to show improvement, not just spirit. For a deeper look at how one bad snap turned a close game into a lopsided loss, check out "One bad snap cost the Cougs a chance at an upset in Boise." Go Cougs.
A Freeman grad named Boen Phelps just broke a Coug heart in Boise
A Freeman High grad named Boen Phelps just broke a Coug heart in Boise. The junior linebacker, a former walk-on, picked off an Owen Eshelman pass early in the fourth quarter and returned it 13 yards to set up a touchdown that put the Broncos up by 14. That's the kind of play that makes you groan into your beer. Eshelman and running back Kirby Vorhees weren't on the same page, Vorhees went the wrong way, and the ball went right to Phelps. Two plays later, Boise State scored. Game over. Phelps finished with six tackles, but it was Dylan Riley who twisted the knife. The Broncos' star back struggled for three quarters against a WSU defense keying on the run. Then the fourth quarter happened. Riley ripped off a 33-yard score right after the pick, then bounced outside for a 72-yard dagger on the next possession. He finished with 128 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Ranked No. 6 nationally in rushing entering the game, he's now at 963 yards for the year. One bad snap. One missed read. That's the difference between a tight game and a runaway loss. For deeper coverage on how that fourth quarter unraveled, check out "One bad snap cost the Cougs a chance at an upset in Boise." Go Cougs.
A Hall of Fame look back at the 1976 baseball Cougs
The 1976 baseball Cougs just got their flowers, and it's about damn time. That squad, the one that punched way above its weight and put Pullman on the map for something other than wheat and wind, is being honored with a Hall of Fame induction. You don't get a plaque like that for showing up. You get it for being the kind of team that makes a grown Coug get a little misty when you say "'76." They didn't just win games. They played the game the way it's supposed to be played on that dusty field: scrappy, smart, and unafraid of anyone. If you want to feel the full weight of what that era meant, go find the speech Lee Blakeney gave when he went in. It's the kind of thing that reminds you why we still care about a baseball program that's had more valleys than peaks. He talks about the guys, the bus rides, the way the Palouse wind made every fly ball an adventure. It's worth your time. This isn't a rewrite of history. It's a long-overdue nod to a group of guys who made Pullman proud when Pullman wasn't used to it. Go Cougs.
The 1981 Cougs get their due with a Hall of Fame speech
When the 1981 Cougars walked into the Hall of Fame, it wasn't just a class getting its due. It was a reunion of a team that spent decades waiting for the phone to ring. And when the speech finally came, it didn't sound like a highlight reel. It sounded like Pullman. That's the thing about these Cougs. They weren't the flashiest team in WSU history. They didn't have the national profile of some later squads. But they had something else. They had each other. The speech made that clear, not through stats or game recaps, but through the kind of stories you only get when a group of guys has been sitting on the same memories for forty years. There were jokes. There were pauses. There were a few moments where you could tell the speaker was feeling the weight of the room. It reminds me of something we ran earlier this year. If you liked the way Lee Blakeney's Hall of Fame speech let you hear the man behind the helmet, you'll want to catch this one too. Same kind of honest, unpolished love for the program. The 1981 Cougs didn't need a plaque to know what they meant to each other. But it's good that they finally got one. Go Cougs.
2006 rowing team honored with Hall of Fame video and speech
It is a fine thing when the program takes a moment to pull a team out of the past and say, "You mattered." The 2006 rowing team got that treatment this week with a Hall of Fame video and a speech, and good for them. Rowing does not always get the loudest cheers in Pullman, but that team put in the work on the Snake River when the water was cold and the mornings were early. You do not win a Hall of Fame nod by accident. You earn it in the dark. We have been writing a lot about these Hall of Fame honors lately. If you missed it, go back and read about the 1996 volleyball team getting its flowers. Different sport, same feeling. That is the thing about Cougar athletics. The wins are not always national headlines, but the effort is real and the memory sticks. The 2006 rowers deserve their moment in the spotlight. The video and the speech matter because they do not just honor a scoreboard. They honor the grind. The hours. The teammates who pulled together when the boat was dragging. That is Pullman. That is Wazzu. Go Cougs.
The long run that broke the dam: WSU defense gasps after Boise's 72-yard dagger
That sound from the crowd, part scream, part gasp, part something else, was the sound of a dam breaking. Dylan Riley's 72-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter wasn't just a score. It was the final, brutal exclamation point on a 31-10 loss that dropped the Cougs to 1-7. And if you've watched this season, you saw it coming. This defense has played solid football. No, really. They've kept games close, even with the offense dragging anchor. But they keep getting torched by the big play. Riley's long run was the headliner, but Boise State also hit a 33-yard scoring run from Riley and a 33-yard strike from quarterback Maddux Madsen to Raesean Jones on a key third down. The killer came late in the third quarter, game tied 10-10. On third-and-6, Madsen scrambled 17 yards, linebacker Isaiah Hung missed, and the Broncos drove for the go-ahead score. That opened the floodgates for a 21-0 fourth quarter. The pattern is maddening. Bad pursuit angles. A cornerback taking the wrong path. Another coming in too hot. It's the same story from last week in Corvallis, where WSU gave up scoring plays of 90 and 88 yards. The defense can hold a great back like Riley to 23 yards on his other carries, but then one missed tackle turns the game. Hung said it best: he's gotta make that play. Next time.
The 1985 Coug cross country team gets its Hall of Fame moment
The 1985 Coug cross country team finally gets to hear its name called in the Hall of Fame, and it's about damn time. These were the runners who tore through the fall of '85 with something to prove, and they did it without a lot of noise. That's how a lot of great Pullman teams work, they just show up, grind, and let the results speak. This group ran well enough to earn a spot among the best in WSU history, and now the Hall of Fame makes it official. We've been digging into these older teams lately, and there's a pattern: the ones who didn't get the spotlight at the time tend to have the best stories. If you missed our piece on the 1981 Cougs getting their Hall of Fame speech, that one hits the same note. Different sport, same feeling of overdue respect. These recognitions matter because they connect the current Cougs to the ones who built the foundation on cold mornings in the Palouse. The cross country team from '85 deserves this moment. Not because they were loud, but because they were relentless. That's a Coug trait you can't fake. Go Cougs.
The 1996 volleyball team gets its Hall of Fame flowers
The 1996 volleyball team is finally getting its Hall of Fame moment, and it's about damn time. These Cougs went 27-5. They swept through the regular season like a Palouse wind and punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament. That kind of dominance doesn't happen by accident. It takes a squad that moves as one, that digs for every loose ball like the floor is lava and the last slice of pizza is on the line. We love seeing this group get the recognition they earned on those blue courts. It's a reminder that Pullman has been turning out winners long before the rest of the country caught on. If you want to feel the full weight of what a Hall of Fame nod means around here, pull up the piece we did on the 1985 cross country team getting its own moment. Different sport, same Cougar pride. The 1996 volleyball team belongs in that conversation. They were tough, they were sharp, and they made Pullman proud. We're just glad the Hall of Fame finally caught up. Go Cougs.
Cougars stuff stat sheets in a sweep over Texas State
Texas State came to Pullman and got stuffed. The stat sheets tell the story, and Coug fans are going to enjoy flipping through them. This wasn't a squeaker. The defense showed up, the offense did its work, and the final numbers look like a team that knew what it was doing. Good on them. It's been a week of mixed results across Cougar sports. The soccer team took a tough loss to Texas State too, and Coach Citowicki broke down what went wrong in our coverage. Worth a read if you want the honest version, not the press release. And on the football side, the Boise State game showed the Cougs can hang, even if the scoreboard didn't tilt our way in the end. But this one? This was clean. No drama. Just a win that looks exactly like what you want to see on the stat sheet. When the defense is that sharp and the offense doesn't waste trips into the red zone, you get a sweep. Go Cougs.
John Olerud gets his bronze spot outside the stadium
John Olerud is getting a bronze statue outside the stadium, and that feels right. Not just because he was a damn good baseball player, but because he did it the Coug way, quiet, consistent, and unforgettable. The guy played 17 years in the big leagues, won two World Series rings, and still wore a batting helmet because of a brain aneurysm scare in college. That's not a story you forget. Now, a bronze likeness of him in that familiar stance will greet fans heading into the stadium. It's a permanent spot for a guy who never chased the spotlight but earned it anyway. This isn't the first time the university has made space to honor its own. If you haven't already, check out our piece on the 1985 Coug cross country team getting its Hall of Fame moment. Different sport, same feeling, these are the stories that remind you what Pullman produces. Not just athletes. People you'd want to have a beer with. Olerud's statue is a good call. It's specific. It's earned. And it's a reminder that the best Cougs don't need a press release to be legends. They just need a spot to stand. Go Cougs.
Cindy Fredrick's Hall of Fame speech is one every Coug should hear
Cindy Fredrick stood at that podium and did what too few Hall of Fame speeches do: she made you feel something. Not the polished, thank-everyone-by-name kind of thing. She talked about the work. The grind. The players who showed up when nobody was watching. For anyone who has ever worn the crimson, it lands like a punch to the chest, the good kind. This isn't a speech you stream for background noise. It is one you sit down for. Fredrick built something real in Pullman, and hearing her tell it reminds you why Cougar sports matter beyond the scoreboard. She coached through the hard years. She won when it counted. And she did it with a kind of grit that doesn't make the highlight reels. If you want the full picture of where this program has been and where it is going, read our breakdown of how Cougar Soccer bounced back after the Texas State loss. Coach Citowicki laid out what is next, and it pairs well with hearing Fredrick's foundation for it all. Go Cougs.
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One bad snap cost the Cougs a chance at an upset in Boise
One bad snap. That's all it took. Owen Eshelman and Kirby Vorhees got their wires crossed on a simple route, and the ball landed in a Boise State linebacker's hands. Just like that, a tied game turned into a 31-10 loss. It stings because the Cougs were right there. For three quarters, WSU's defense held firm against one of the best rushing teams in the country, bottling up Dylan Riley until the fourth quarter finally broke them. The offense, though? Stuck in the mud all day. Eshelman had some nice moments with his legs, but the downfield passing game was missing, and the running backs combined for 20 yards on 10 carries. That's not going to beat anyone, let alone a ranked team. Kirby Moore's first season is officially a lost one at 1-7, and the postseason is gone. But here's the thing: a month ago, a tied game in the fourth quarter against Boise State felt impossible. The Cougs aren't good, but they're less bad than they were. That's not a victory lap, but it's something. For more on how that pick unfolded, check out "Moore's sideline bench talks get real after WSU's bowl hopes vanish." Go Cougs.
Moore's sideline bench talks get real after WSU's bowl hopes vanish
Kirby Moore sat Owen Eshelman down on a sideline bench seconds after the interception. Not later. Not in the film room. Right there, while the game was still happening. That's the kind of moment that tells you where a season has gone. Washington State just lost 31-10 to Boise State. Bowl hopes are dead. First time since 2010 the Cougs have been eliminated before November. Moore's offense gave up four sacks. The running backs combined for 20 yards on 10 carries. That's not a bad night. That's a pattern. The offensive line was recruited for an Air Raid system. They're being asked to win third-and-1. It isn't working. Moore knows it. He said the miscommunication on that pick starts with him. Fair enough. But he's also the guy who waited too long to make the switch at quarterback, and those missed wins are gone. What's left is four games and 14 seniors. No bowl to sell. No national relevance. Just pride and a coaching staff that has to find a way to get something out of nothing. Eshelman talked after the game about standards and what gets revealed when things go wrong. That's the right thing to say. The question is whether Moore can coach him into a couple wins before it's over. For a deeper look at how Boise broke the dam, read "The long run that broke the dam: WSU defense gasps after Boise's 72-yard dagger." 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.
Kirby Moore breaks down the Boise State game without the coachspeak
Kirby Moore walked into that postgame room and did something rare for a coordinator: he talked like a human being. No coachspeak. No "we just need to execute better" nonsense. He broke down the Boise State game with the kind of honesty that makes you want to run through a wall for the guy, even if you're just reading it on a screen. Moore got specific about what worked and what didn't. When the Cougs punched back with that Vorhees touchdown to knot it up 7-7 at the half, he explained the adjustments that made it happen. And when Boise State took the lead back on a short field goal after Madsen drove them into the red zone, Moore didn't sugarcoat the defensive breakdowns. He called it what it was. That's refreshing. We already covered the broader picture in "Boise State got the win, but the Cougs didn't back down," and this breakdown fits right alongside it. Moore's film-room clarity gives you the why behind that fight. If you want to understand how the Cougs held their ground against a top-25 team, start here. This is the kind of football talk you'd have at the bar on College Hill, not in a press conference. Go Cougs.
Lee Blakeney's Hall of Fame speech is worth the watch, Cougs
Lee Blakeney didn't just give a Hall of Fame speech. He gave a masterclass in what it means to be a Coug, and you should stop what you're doing to watch it. The man has been around the block, coached under Don James, spent decades in the game, and when he got the call, he didn't rattle off a list of wins. He talked about the people. The ones who stayed late. The ones who believed before there was proof. That's the stuff that hits different when you've spent time in Pullman. We ran Cindy Fredrick's Hall of Fame speech earlier this year, and if you liked that one, this is the same kind of honest, no-script emotion. Blakeney doesn't perform. He just tells you what he saw, and you can hear the gravel in his voice from all those years on the sideline. It's worth every second. Go Cougs.
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Cougs answer Boise State's punch with a Vorhees touchdown, 7-7 at the half
Kirby Vorhees punched it in from a yard out, and just like that, the Cougs were even with Boise State at the half. 7-7. Martin Stadium had something to yell about. Owen Eshelman found Daniel Blood for 13 yards to set it up, and Vorhees finished the job. That drive answered Boise State's opening punch, Sire Gaines up the middle for nine yards on a 33-yard Maddux Madsen setup. The Broncos answered back with a field goal as time expired, taking a 10-7 lead into the locker room. This is the spot. WSU came in needing its most complete game of the season. A 1-6 record. Bowl eligibility on the line. A 13½-point underdog at home. First-year head coach Kirby Moore facing his old team, the one he starred for alongside his brother Kellen. The Broncos are on a five-game win streak, the presumptive Pac-12 favorites, and their offense has spent more time on the field than anyone in the country. None of that matters in the second half. What matters is whether the Cougs can finish a drive and stop one. For more on how the team got here, check out our preview on Terrell saying run his way and Boise State will find out. It sets the table for what the second half has to deliver. Go Cougs.
Coug Soccer Coach Citowicki Breaks Down the Win Over SDSU
There's a moment in every soccer game that tells you which side wants it more. For Coug Soccer in San Diego, that moment came early, and the team never looked back. Head coach Citowicki broke down the win over SDSU with the kind of directness you'd expect from a guy who has watched his squad grind through travel and a tough schedule. He didn't sugarcoat the slow parts, but he made it clear: this team is figuring out how to finish. The Cougs went on the road and got the job done. That's not always a given in early-season non-conference play, especially when you're asking a young roster to block out the noise and execute. Citowicki pointed to the defensive shape holding up under pressure and a few individual performances that turned the tide. He didn't name names in the breakdown we saw, but the message was for the whole room: trust the work. This is the kind of win that matters beyond the box score. It builds something you can carry into a brutal conference slate. For more on how the Cougs got it done in San Diego, check out our earlier piece, "Cougar Soccer gets the job done in San Diego, win highlights inside." It pairs well with the conversation Citowicki started here. Go Cougs.
Cougar Soccer gets the job done in San Diego, win highlights inside
San Diego was good to Cougar Soccer, and the team made sure to return the favor. The kind of trip where you get the result and the weather, and nobody has to manufacture a silver lining on the bus back north. Details on exactly how they got it done are inside, but the short version is that WSU showed up, handled business, and left with a win that keeps the momentum rolling. It is a nice contrast to the kind of week the football team is staring down. If you want to see what a fully prepared test looks like, the breakdown on Boise State's offense is worth your time before Saturday. That piece gets into the specific problems WSU's defense hasn't solved yet, and it does not sugarcoat the math. Thirteen-and-a-half-point underdogs is a number that gets your attention. The Cougs will need something they have not shown all season to flip that line. But that is Saturday. Today, the soccer team gets the headline, and they earned it. Clean, professional, and no drama. That is how you build a season. Go Cougs.
Terrell says run his way and Boise State will find out
Khamari Terrell said something this week that every Coug with a working set of ears should have sat up straight to hear. He basically told Boise State they can run his way if they want, but they're not going to like what they find. That's the kind of talk we like around here, because it means he gets the assignment. And the assignment is simple: wrap up Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines, or this Saturday gets long fast. The Cougs missed 18 tackles last weekend against Oregon State. You don't do that against a team that leads the country in time of possession and expect to win. Boise State's offense has been on the field 220 minutes this season, which is tops in the nation. That's not an accident. That's a plan. They want to wear you out, and then let Riley and Gaines bounce it outside where they're averaging nearly five yards a carry. Here's what I'm watching: the secondary. Jalil Tucker, Jaylen Thomas, Jeremiah Bernard, those are the names that matter. Thomas leads the team in missed tackles. Bernard is right behind him. Some of that is just volume, but against this backfield, volume is no excuse. The Cougs have been good up the middle all year. If that holds, the Broncos will have to test the edges. That's where Terrell and company get their chance to prove him right.
Boise State's offense is the test WSU's D hasn't passed yet
All season, Washington State's defense has been a little tricky to parse. On one hand, the Cougars have excelled in tough spots, jumping into action after short fields thanks to offensive turnovers. The pass rush has been above average. So has the tackling. But when you're playing No. 21 Boise State, above average won't fly. That's why we're picking WSU to fall Saturday afternoon in Pullman. The Cougars are tasked with doing something only Oregon has done this season: slow down tailbacks Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines. Riley ranks second in the country with 139 rushing yards per game. Gaines has cleared the century mark in each of his last two. Complicating matters is Boise State's average time of possession: 36 minutes, which leads the entire country. That puts serious strain on the defense, especially if the offense commits a turnover. New quarterback Owen Eshelman did well to avoid that in meaningful settings last weekend in his first start. It's a lot to ask out of this WSU team, and there's no shame in losing to this Boise State squad. But the Cougars will have to look elsewhere for their first FBS win of the season. Final score: Boise State 30, WSU 20. If you need a break from the defensive math, go check out how Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs broke down 2026 WBB at Media Day. That squad is still the top of the West, and it's a better kind of stress. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore knows how to pronounce Boise, and how to beat them
Kirby Moore knows how to pronounce Boise. The Washington State coach spent his playing days at Boise State, so he's heard plenty of Idahoans correct the Z-sound newcomers reach for. Now he's bringing his Cougs, 1-6 and still searching for their first FBS win under him, against the No. 21 Broncos for homecoming. That's a full-circle moment that probably stings a little if you're competitive. The good news: Owen Eshelman looked like a different offense last week against Oregon State. Nearly 300 yards passing, two touchdowns through the air, one on the ground. The bad news: Boise State's rushing attack ranks eighth in the country, and the Broncos have a running back averaging 139 yards per game. WSU's defense is going to have to tackle, and tackle well, to give Eshelman a chance. The receiver room is thin. Tony Freeman is out for the year. Darrius Clemons is doubtful. That leaves Branden Ganashamoorthy, Daniel Blood, and Tank Hawkins carrying the load, with two guys who've barely played all season ready to spell them. It's not ideal against a ranked team. Mathematically, bowl eligibility is still possible. Realistically, it would take five straight wins. That's asking a lot from a team that hasn't shown it can string one together yet. But the quarterback change gave fans something to text about. If Eshelman repeats that performance, maybe the Cougs make it interesting.
Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs break down 2026 WBB at Media Day
Kamie Ethridge stood at the podium at Media Day and talked about the 2026 team like someone who has seen enough to know what she has. That is the part that sticks. Not the hype. The honesty. She broke down where the Coug women are, and where they need to go, and she did not waste words doing it. This is a team that has earned the right to be direct. They have held steady at No. 13 in the national rankings, still the top of the West. That is not an accident. That is a program that has built something real in Pullman, the kind of thing you feel when you walk into Beasley and see the same faces in the stands year after year. Ethridge is not selling anything. She is telling you what she sees. That is the difference between a press conference and a conversation with another Coug. If you want to stay in the weeds on where this program sits nationally, we have you covered with "Coug Women Hold Steady at No. 13, Still Top of the West." It is a good companion piece for a long winter afternoon. For now, take Ethridge at her word. This team is not done. Go Cougs.