Washington State Cougars: 5 Big Questions Before Cal
Ed Stein
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Last week, the Washington State Cougars began Pac-12 play with a 44-41 loss to Oregon. Here are five questions WSU needs to answer this week.
Last week the Washington State Cougars lost their Pac-12 opener to Oregon in a 44-41 shootout. The Cougs host California on Saturday at Martin Stadium. Here are our weekly questions WSU has to answer during this week’s practices.
1 – Which direction will the team go?
When a team is winning, it’s very easy to overlook issues or brush things aside. With the Washington State Cougars’ first loss of 2022, the team comes to a fork in the road.
There are two ways this can go. They can take losing to Oregon in stride, not like it, but accept it, and grow as a team to overcome this adversity.
Or the loss can be their excuse to be mediocre. Maybe they don’t try as hard during the weekly grind of practice, let the details slip, or become complacent.
In other words, how the Cougs handle last Saturday’s game is a character check. The coaches will find out in practice this week about this team’s maturity.
2 – Can the Cougs play four quarters?
Last weekend, Washington State was in a 10-round heavyweight slugfest. They went blow-for-blow with one of the top college football programs in the country.
Unfortunately, by the final round, the Cougs punched themselves out. It’s not the first time they’ve slipped in the final minutes.
Whether it’s intensity, mental focus, or conditioning, something has to change. Only a third of the way through this season, it’s better to address this issue now than kick the can down the road.
3 – Is it time to make some changes to the running game?
Game by game, it’s becoming obvious that Nakia Watson isn’t the answer as a lead running back. That’s not to say he doesn’t do some positive things on the field.
When Watson has some space to work with, he does nice things. He’s done a fine job on screen, and short passes to pick up yards. That’s an important feature of the Air Raid Offense.
On the other hand, he’s got to be able to take a handoff and make a play. Otherwise, defenses can (and have) take a man out of the box to defend the Washington State Cougars’ wide receivers.
It may not be all Watson’s fault; the offensive line also has to do its job. But it’s obvious this dynamic isn’t working.
4 – Will the Cougars coaches use Oregon as a measuring stick?
If nothing else, Saturday’s loss should show the Washington State coaches the gap between their team and one of the Pac-12’s best. They have to handle this difference on two fronts.
First, is to raise the expectation levels and competency of the players they have. The second is a little harder and takes longer. It’s on the coaching staff to raise the team’s overall talent level, especially the Cougs depth.
5 – How does the Cougars’ defense dial up the pressure?
There is no gentle way to put it; Oregon quarterback Bo Nix shredded the Washington State Cougars’ defense. It started in the trenches. Wazzu got virtually no pressure on Nix, who threw for 428 yards.
The D had no sacks, 6 hurries, and 3 quarterback hits. As a result, Nix had time to pick out his receivers. WSU’s secondary was burned out by the end.
The Cougs weren’t much better against the run, either. UO ran for 5.8 yards per carry, totaling 178 rushing yards. Impact players like Brennan Jackson, Ron Stone, and Daiyan Henley were mostly non-factors.
Every team left on WSU’s schedule is going to watch the film and use it as a blueprint to stop the Washington State Cougars’ defensive front. By game time, California’s coaching staff will have a plan to take advantage and give their quarterback Jack Plummer time to throw.
Related Story: Takeaways from Cougs’ loss to Oregon
What questions do you have about the Washington State Cougars before their Pac-12 opener against Oregon this week? Let us know in the comments section below.