WSU is one of two teams nationally without an interception. How important is that for the Cougars to change?

PULLMAN – A throng of thousands of fans shuddered a collective sigh.

Ohhhhhh.

The early afternoon sun was shining on Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, where Washington State safety Tucker Large had just snared an interception, putting his Cougars in position to take an even bigger lead on Ole Miss, a top-five team in this Oct. 11 matchup. Large spun the ball onto the turf. Pounded his chest a few times.

That’s about when Large and his WSU teammates turned around to look at the other side of the field, where Ole Miss players were pointing to the officials. They had thrown a flag earlier in the play, hitting cornerback Jamorri Colson with a holding penalty. No interception. Rebels ball.

Fast forward two weeks and after seven games, the Cougars have yet to record an interception. They are one of only two teams nationwide to fit that description, joining Florida Atlantic, which is also 3-4. Large’s play is the closest WSU has come to picking a ball off. Somehow, across seven games, the Cougs haven’t even lucked into picking one off.

“Obviously we haven’t come up with an interception yet,” Large said after his team’s road loss to Virginia last weekend, “but when you start pressing the issue of trying to get an interception and not doing your job and stuff, I think that’s where you get caught in just not being right on the field.

“We know we’re gonna have some come our way. We just haven’t really had any opportunity. I mean, we have opportunities to make some. We just gotta go out there and finish that play. We’ll be better throughout the season.”

Large and the Cougs did have one chance to pick off a pass in that loss to UVA. It came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Still down two scores, Cavalier quarterback Chandler Morris rolled out and unfurled a dangerous pass toward the sideline, where two WSU defenders were lurking. Cornerback Colby Humphrey leapt up for the throw – but he mistimed his jump a tad, allowing UVA receiver Jahmal Edrine to haul it in, preserving a drive that ended in a touchdown.

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On some level, this trend borders on bizarre. The Cougars are only allowing 190 passing yards per game, which ranks No. 35 nationwide. That mark is better than several top-25 teams, including Texas A&M, Miami, Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Texas, Ole Miss, the list goes on. For the most part, WSU’s coverage unit has looked excellent.

A year ago, the WSU defenders who patrol this secondary had far better luck in this department. At FCS South Dakota State, safety Matt Durrance totaled three interceptions. Large posted two. Cornerback Colby Humphrey also snagged one. Before they were Cougars, these Jackrabbits had fewer issues generating turnovers through the air.

But the Cougs still have yet to pick off a pass. What gives?

Part of the problem involves the way WSU’s opponents have been throwing the ball. Last weekend, Morris threw nearly half his passes either behind the line of scrimmage or less than 10 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. Those kinds of quick passes don’t give Cougar defenders many chances to pick them off.

The week prior, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss did some of the same. He threw exactly half of his 28 passes behind the line of scrimmage or fewer than 10 yards downfield.

What’s the importance of WSU breaking this trend? Last season, only one of the 16 teams to record five or fewer interceptions made a bowl game. To reach that mark, the Cougs would have to average one pick in each of their final five regular-season games.

Is that possible? The Cougs’ next opponent is Toledo, which is quarterbacked by senior Tucker Gleason, who has tossed four interceptions this fall. After that, WSU will take on one-win Oregon State, which has pivoted away from quarterback Maalik Murphy, who had thrown eight picks in seven games. The Beavers are now rolling with Gabarri Johnson, who had one pass picked off in his group’s first win of the season last weekend, which came over Lafayette.

“It’s important,” WSU linebacker Caleb Francl said, “but also stopping people on fourth down, getting turnovers, forced fumbles, turnovers, stuff like that. Interceptions, they just haven’t really gone our way. We haven’t really had many opportunities. I mean, we did have one opportunity this last game. It’s a game of inches. Barely missed it. They’ll come eventually.”