Could WSU backup QB John Mateer aid the Cougs’ ailing running game?

PULLMAN – By now, No. 19 Washington State’s ailing run game is well-documented. The Cougars can’t get their running backs going, and behind an offensive line that is struggling in the run-blocking department, their offense teeters on the edge of one-dimensional.

Head coach Jake Dickert has stressed physical play as the answer. Running back Nakia Watson has mentioned communication. So far, nothing has unlocked that part of the offense.

But maybe the answer could be installing more plays for backup quarterback John Mateer.

In Washington State’s loss to UCLA on Saturday, the possibility seemed to exist. The Bruins recognized the Cougars had all but abandoned the run game, so they rushed three and dropped eight into coverage, blanketing WSU’s wide receivers and getting pressure – but that left open the middle of the field.

That’s where redshirt freshman Mateer has thrived in his limited opportunities this fall. When he’s entered games, he has usually taken quarterback keepers up the middle, using his speed for big plays on the ground, which has forced defenses to cover that part of the field. Mateer tests defenses because he’s speedier than starting quarterback Cameron Ward.

“Mateer is different,” cornerbacks coach Ray Brown said. “Mateer is athletic. He can run.”

As they prepare for Saturday’s homecoming with Arizona, the Cougars are looking for new ways to spark their rushing attack, which has averaged 104.6 yards per game – 10th in the Pac-12. Tailbacks Watson and Jaylen Jenkins have not totaled more than 45 rushing yards in a game this season, and after five games, that becomes a decent sample size.

WSU’s other problem comes on the run-blocking front. Pro Football Focus has assigned the Cougars a grade of 53.6, 11th in the Pac-12. The players running the ball haven’t always been the problem as much as the ones blocking for them.

Still, the Cougars have other options to explore, including Mateer, who isn’t just a backup quarterback. WSU has used his athleticism in real ways.

In WSU’s win over Oregon State on Sept. 23, Mateer carried three times for 15 yards. He also caught a pass from Ward. It’s clear coaches – offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle in particular – see him as more than a backup.

“John’s always gonna have a certain menu of plays,” Dickert said. “A game like last game, we’re struggling a little bit. We didn’t get quite to his menu of stuff. And he’ll always have a bunch of different things. So we’ll kind of see what John’s packages (are) each week. It’s always gonna involve some runs, some throws, and some two-QB stuff. So we’ll see kind of how it evolves.”

Against UCLA, Mateer’s only action came late in the third quarter. The Cougars faced a third-and-9 in their territory. Ward split out like a wide receiver. Mateer took a shotgun snap and threw a 7-yard screen to receiver Josh Kelly. The visitors punted.

Most every other time, Ward dropped back and saw eight defenders in coverage. His offensive line languished against UCLA’s overwhelming pass rush, leaving him little time to throw, forcing him to scramble and throw it away.

Dickert and his assistants must wonder: Did UCLA draw up a blueprint that other WSU opponents might use? Or could the Bruins only use their plan because they have personnel other teams don’t?

“I think a lot of people will try to replicate what UCLA did,” Dickert said. “Obviously, they had a lot of success. I don’t know if (other teams) have those guys, right? So there’s a blend of that, of what each team needs to do to be successful. I will tell you what about this Arizona defense – they’re playing hard and hungry. They’re playing physical at the line of scrimmage, and they’re playing attacking.”

If the Wildcats try to duplicate the Bruins’ approach, they might set themselves up for rushes from Mateer, who is PFF’s highest-graded Washington State rusher this season.

His numbers are a bit skewed because he’s had fewer attempts, but here are some stats:

• 2.91 yards after contact per attempt, tops on the team among players with 10-plus snaps;

• Five missed tackles on rushes, only one behind Watson;

• Three rushes of 10-plus yards, best on the team besides Ward.

According to Dickert, using Mateer more might depend on what defenses WSU faces moving forward.

“It’s hard,” Dickert said. “We kind of condense some things – we only have a certain amount of plays for John. So it isn’t like, ‘Hey, we know they’re gonna be in three-down.’ John comes in, I guarantee you they’re not gonna be in three-down. So there’s a lot of different things that go into that.”

Opponents know the Cougars want to run it, not throw it, with Mateer. Those results have been twofold: Mateer has made the most of his chances, juking defenders and bursting upfield for nice gains, and his presence has forced defenses to honor the middle of the field, which opens up things for the rest of the Cougars’ offense.

That has been the missing piece to WSU’s offense: the threat of the run. The Cougars haven’t achieved that yet. The answer might be Mateer.