Instant takeaways: WSU finds its QB, but is still lacking identity in Apple Cup loss
Washington State never led during the 117th Apple Cup. The Cougars had few answers for Washington’s offense. WSU showed some encouraging signs with Zevi Eckhaus under center, and at one point in the second half it seemed like the Cougs might rally and make it a tight game late, but the underdogs from Pullman faded in the fourth quarter and absorbed a 59-24 loss Saturday at Gesa Field to their arch rivals from the west side.
Huskies find faults in WSU defense
UW sliced through WSU’s defense from start to finish.
In fact, the Cougars didn’t make a stop. The Huskies scored on each of their eight possessions, and never needed more than 5 minutes to drive down the field.
UW connected on 17 “big” plays – passing plays of 15 or more yards and rushes of 10 or more yards.
WSU struggled mightily to contain UW quarterback Demond Williams Jr. when he scrambled, and the Cougs’ open-field tackling against UW tailback Jonah Coleman left much to be desired.
If there’s one positive to note, it’s that WSU recorded three sacks and seven tackles for loss, but UW didn’t have trouble making up for those negative plays.
The Huskies recorded 471 total yards, and they probably would have had more if not gifted with a pick-6 and a short field on a botched onside kick attempt.
Eckhaus is WSU’s QB
The senior had a nightmarish fourth quarter, tossing an interception that was returned for a touchdown and following that up with a lost fumble on his next snap. But it seems apparent that Eckhaus is WSU’s best option going forward – as was most fans’ expectation this preseason.
For three quarters, Eckhaus showed the maturity and poise that would be expected from a fifth-year collegian. He looked calm, on time with his reads and in command of the offense. Eckhaus showed versatility, accuracy, confidence and awareness. During a two-possession stretch, he completed 10 straight passes with two TDs, cutting the Cougars deficit to 31-24 late in the third quarter on a 1-yard plunge.
Eckhaus had completed 22 of 25 passes before WSU’s fourth-quarter meltdown. He looked timely on short and intermediate routes, and was unafraid to launch it downfield – he exhibited the kind of downfield spark WSU’s passing offense had been missing on his play of the day, an off-balance, 48-yard strike to Josh Meredith midway through the third quarter.
Eckhaus finished 25 of 36 for 277 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions – pressure in the backfield contributed to those picks. He looked stellar for three quarters and fell apart late, but what Eckhaus showed should be proof enough that he’s the one for the job.
Cougars’ identity still a mystery
A few weeks ago, WSU fans thought defense might be the team’s strength. Washington made defense look like the Cougars’ weakness on Saturday.
Before the season, the Cougs expected the rushing game to be key to their success. So far, WSU is one of the least-productive rushing teams in the country, and the Apple Cup was yet another blemish on that record. WSU netted just 27 yards on 28 carries.
Could the Cougars shift to more of a QB-focused identity? After all, QB play is what WSU has been known for most in recent history. Maybe it’s time to go back to that and roll the dice with Eckhaus in his final year.
WSU did lean heavily on Eckhaus throughout the Apple Cup, and it worked for a while. He was essentially the face of the team when things were going right.
The Cougs came into their first year under coach Jimmy Rogers expecting to trend away from their history as an Air Raid, QB-led program. Maybe that’ll turn out to be their strength again.
For now, questions and concerns abound. The defensive miscues were alarming, and the late-game meltdown was brutal. But it wasn’t all negative for the Cougs in a game that was closer than the score indicated. It could have snowballed, but they got to within one score in the third quarter. It wound up being a big loss, but for three quarters, WSU didn’t play like a 20-point underdog.