Cougars’ offense comes to life with ‘cleaner’ outing on Day 10 of WSU fall camp
PULLMAN – The hit sounded more like a clap of thunder, a blistering takedown from Washington State linebacker Parker McKenna, who delivered a vicious hit on running back Angel Johnson.
As McKenna rolled over and rose to his feet, the linebacker took a second to appreciate the tackle. On the sideline a few feet away, his teammates roared their approval, adding more chaos to a scorching hot afternoon on Rogers Practice Field, the site of Day 10 of WSU fall camp.
Just one problem for McKenna.
“We’re not live,” WSU coach Jimmy Rogers said.
In other words, the Cougars were not wearing full pads, meaning McKenna didn’t have the green light to make a full tackle. That didn’t stop him from doing just that. Some 20 minutes later, that prompted Rogers to reiterate the message that he and other coaches have passed on to players: We want energy, want competitiveness, but not at the risk of injury.
“The same thing that happened a week ago where it led to a fight,” Rogers said. “So great play, great call, great execution, but we gotta take care of each other.”
The way Rogers saw it, McKenna’s brutal tackle did something to make up for a flat day from the Cougars’ defense, which lagged behind their counterparts on offense. On what Rogers called “one of the cleaner days” from WSU’s offense, quarterback Zevi Eckhaus completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Leon Neal and wideout Branden Ganashamoorthy found the end zone, as did tight end Peyton Read and running back Kirby Vorhees, the latter on a swing pass.
It was likely a welcome sight for Rogers and offensive coordinator Danny Freund, whose unit was on the wrong end of the Cougars’ defensive line’s domination on Friday. It was the second time that group had enjoyed such an outing. With a few new faces on WSU’s offensive line, plus with returner Zevi Eckhaus leading what remains a four-way quarterback battle, perhaps it was fair to wonder about the Cougs’ offense.
Not the case on Monday. Perhaps most promising for that group: Johnson showed durability with a slew of short runs, and he displayed an improved ability to catch swing passes and turn them into longer gains, a crucial ability as he locks down WSU’s starting running back duties. Now that he’s back in earnest, recovered from surgery to repair an ankle injury in the spring, he’s rounding out his game.
“That was maybe the one thing that he could have done on his own without being able to run in the spring,” Rogers said. “Feeling more comfortable on swing throws, and basic type concepts, to where he’s running the angles and just becoming a better, more consistent pass-catcher.”
Listed at 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds, Johnson won’t be the only running back lining up in WSU’s backfield this fall. Those honors will also go to Vorhees, another transfer from South Dakota State, and to third-year sophomore Leo Pulalasi, a returner. And playing a rotation of running backs like that is no slight to Johnson, Rogers pointed out.
He referenced last year’s SDSU team, whose top running back was Amar Johnson, who scored in the Green Bay Packers’ preseason opener Sunday night. If not for him, Angel Johnson would have been the Jackrabbits’ primary running back. In previous years, SDSU enjoyed the services of running backs like Isaiah Davis and Pierce Strong, both of whom are also in the NFL, making their understudies wait an extra year before blossoming themselves.
“When you have a running back by committee,” Rogers said, “you’re able to stay healthy and be great collectively. It can’t be a selfish attitude, or you can’t have ego to it, and in that, you gotta find the right kid that fits your program, that wants to be a part of something special, not just his stats.”
Rogers feels confident he has that in Johnson, in Vorhees, in Pulalasi. He also feels confident he has it in McKenna, who vaulted himself into a spot with the first team in Monday’s practice, perhaps foreshadowing a role come the season. The Cougs’ top group will likely feature returner Keith Brown and SDSU transfer Caleb Francl, maybe even redshirt freshman Anthony Palano.
A former transfer from FCS Portland State, McKenna played his first season for WSU last season. This fall, he’s looking more and more like a starter for the Cougars, who could use his experience – and his hard hits.
“Parker has done a great job of learning the defense,” Rogers said. “He’s rolling with the ones right now, and he’s done a good job of executing, and he’s one of our most physical players on defense. When you play with great effort and have physicality, you somehow always end up with an opportunity to make a difference on the team. And that he’s done so far.”