Two-minute drill: No. 13 Washington State’s keys to victory against UCLA
LOS ANGELES – Here’s what to watch for when No. 13 Washington State visits UCLA on Saturday afternoon.
When UCLA has the ball
UCLA’s defense will be the best Washington State has faced this season, which means there might be more pressure on the Cougars’ defense . They’ll face true freshman quarterback Dante Moore, who has played uneven through four games, and playmakers like running back Carson Steele and wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant.
In coverage, Washington State’s secondary will need to keep an eye on Sturdivant, by far Moore’s favorite target. This season, he’s made 12 catches for 279 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been particularly dangerous on deep passes, too, hauling in five receptions of 20-plus yards, two for touchdowns.
Sturdivant has been far less effective on shorter routes, though. He’s made just two catches on receptions of 9 yards or less. He’s dropped one of those targets. If the Cougars can keep Sturdivant in front of them, they might be in business.
“They’ve got a great receiver on the outside,” WSU head coach Jake Dickert said, “and very unique schemes, I mean, very unique schemes, and week to week, it changes quite a bit. And I think it’s well-documented how hard it is to go down in L.A. and win – and how hard it will be in general winning in this league on the road.”
The Cougars can make things tough on Sturdivant and UCLA’s offense, though, by getting pressure on Moore. According to Pro Football Focus, when Moore has been blitzed or come under pressure, he’s 25 for 60 (42%) passing for 539 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. PFF has tagged him for six turnover-worthy plays in those situations, which demonstrates that blitzing him gives teams an even better chance.
As always for WSU, those responsibilities will go to edges Brennan Jackson and Ron Stone Jr., plus interior linemen Nusi Malani and David Gusta. They get the task of attacking UCLA’s offensive line of left tackle Khadere Kounta, left guard Spencer Holstege, center Duke Clemens, right guard Jake Wiley and right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio.
On paper, it looks like Stone will match up well with the 6-foot-6 Kounta, who turned in a forgettable outing against Utah, allowing one sack and three quarterback pressures. On the other side, DiGiorgio allowed one hurry and one hit, which might open the door for Jackson to play well.
When Washington State has the ball
How will quarterback Cameron Ward treat UCLA’s defense? He has the arm and he has the receivers. It might come down to how his offensive line holds up against one of the best pass rushes in the country.
The head of the line is senior Laiatu Latu, a 6-5 edge who has totaled four sacks and 11 hurries.
“The Latu kid is a problem,” Dickert said. “Most people have him in the top half of the first round (of the NFL draft).”
Latu’s performances have tailed off in recent weeks. He opened the season by registering three sacks in UCLA’s win over Coastal Carolina, but for different reasons, his numbers have dipped. In the Bruins’ loss to Utah, Latu managed two quarterback hurries, but nothing else.
Several factors could be to blame. Utah remains one of the country’s best teams. Latu recorded just one pressure in his team’s romp over North Carolina Central, but that game got out of hand quickly. Whatever the reason, the Cougars’ tackles will have a real challenge on their hands.
Those would be left tackle Esa Pole and right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe, who have yet to face an edge of Latu’s caliber this fall. Pole turned in a great outing against Oregon State, permitting just one pressure. Fa’amoe had a more forgettable outing, allowing one sack and one hurry on Ward.
Taking the spotlight, Cougars left guard Christian Hilborn is having the best season of his WSU career. This year, he’s graded as PFF’s eighth-best pass-blocker in the country. He has allowed two total pressures in four games. He is easily the strength of the Cougars’ offensive line.
Together, though, the unit will need to give Ward time to throw to receivers like Josh Kelly and Kyle Williams, who put up big games their last times out, and maybe even open up running lanes for tailbacks Nakia Watson and Jaylen Jenkins.
Four games into the season, the Cougars have struggled with run blocking, a big reason why their running game has left so much to be desired. Watson had his best game of the season against Oregon State with eight carries for 46 yards.
In that way, it’s no coincidence WSU’s offensive line has turned in a subpar run-blocking showing. On that front, PFF’s highest-graded WSU offensive lineman is Christy Nkanu, a backup. Together, the Cougars have graded at 56.3, last in the Pac-12.
Ward has been good enough to mitigate that issue, but whether that is sustainable remains to be seen. One way or another, WSU might find out against UCLA.