In loss to UCLA, WSU’s secondary shows why it’s so valuable to the team
PASADENA, Calif. – The meaning of the moment lived on the face of Kapena Gushiken, who unleashed a scream in the end zone, taking his Washington State team’s poor showing to that point and erasing it with an 88-yard interception return.
As he jogged back to the sideline, Gushiken exchanged handshakes with his fellow Cougars, who took a 10-9 lead on UCLA with the touchdown. As halftime approached in Saturday’s road game, the visitors had momentum, all because Gushiken read a pass perfectly and outran anyone who attempted to keep him out of the end zone.
“I think it helped our offense kind of realize that we have a chance,” Gushiken. “Like, it gave them some momentum coming out.”
Washington State could not capitalize in a 25-17 loss. What Gushiken helped make clear, though, is the Cougars’ secondary has become the strength of the defense.
Gushiken had the game of his life with three tackles, one pass breakup and the interception. He laid out a Bruins receiver in the flat. On the next play, he sacked UCLA quarterback Dante Moore.
His teammates in the secondary were all over Spieker Field. Safety Jaden Hicks led the team in tackles with 12, including two for loss. Fellow safety Sam Lockett had one interception, plus nine tackles, one-half sack and one-half tackle for loss. Jackson Lataimua had seven tackles, one for loss, and cornerback Chau Smith-Wade made two crucial pass-breakups.
Together, WSU’s defensive backs have blossomed into some of the best in the Pac-12. In the Cougars’ opener, Hicks had a pick-six, and his ability to do so is a huge reason why NFL scouts are watching him. In WSU’s win over Oregon State on Sept. 23, Lockett came down with a tipped pass, and he’s still one of the team’s leaders in tackles this fall.
There are real stars in the Cougars’ secondary, and the numbers may not illustrate the full picture – through four games, they were giving up 251 passing yards per game – but they’ve been excellent for what their team needs. Washington State’s offense, Saturday’s loss aside, has been effective. So its defense can swing games by forcing a turnover here, a huge play there.
Through five games, the Cougars have done that and more. Two pick-sixes in five games have been a big reason. So has the performance of Smith-Wade, who has provided such a sturdy presence at cornerback that he hasn’t received much press – which is about the best compliment a cornerback can receive.
Through the first four games of the season, Smith-Wade had garnered a PFF coverage grade of 75.3, second best on the team. He has yielded 10 catches on 21 targets. He has yet to make an interception, but he’s dropped two opportunities to do so. He has not allowed a touchdown this season.
Hicks has been tremendous, but he’s been louder about it. He has three sacks this season, including key ones in back-to-back games, first against Oregon State and Saturday against UCLA. He’s smart and athletic enough to know when to leverage one or the other.
The Cougars will only enjoy these outings, though, if they win. They failed on that front on Saturday. They were dealt forgettable hands, thanks to the four turnovers their offense lost, which tired them out in the long run.
“Every time we get put in those situations as a defense,” Gushiken said, “I think we push hard to overcome adversity.”
“It gave us a big lift,” Ward said of Gushiken’s pick-six. “It took a weight off the offense a whole’s shoulders, just because we know we weren’t playing well at the time. Kapena on defense making a big-time stop for us, getting that pick-six – it just really got us more energized, more ready to get back out for the third.”
Washington State’s offense couldn’t capitalize on that opportunity. But the Cougars’ defense provided it, and the more they play, the more they prove they can keep doing so.