In nonconference finale against Northern Colorado, WSU gets chance to kickstart run game

PULLMAN – Through two games this fall, Washington State’s offense has shown multiple positive signs.

“I think it just shows the mindset of the offense,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said last week, after his team upset Wisconsin. “And I thought (quarterback Cameron Ward) did a good job finding different ways. We had some success going empty a little bit. But when it was gut check time, Cam Ward, we put it in his hands and he made the dang plays.”

Ward, who has 663 passing yards, ranks 13th in the country. His receivers have proven sure-handed and elusive in the open field. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle may only be 27 years old, but he’s operated with the acumen of a coordinator with twice the experience .

When No. 23 WSU hosts Northern Colorado this weekend, though, the Cougars will get a chance to sharpen their run game – one part of their offense that has struggled.

After two games, Ward is Washington State’s leading rusher . He’s quick, and he had a knack for scrambling at the right times, but nobody on the Cougars’ coaching staff wants Ward to be their top rusher. They would rather those honors go to their running backs, Nakia Watson and Jaylen Jenkins, so that Ward can narrow his focus to passing.

There hasn’t been much opportunity. On Sept. 2, in WSU’s season-opening win over Colorado State, Watson and Jenkins teamed up for 14 carries for 26 yards. Last week against Wisconsin, they managed just 13 attempts for 36 yards. Add those up and you get 27 carries for 62 yards. That comes out to an average of 2.3 yards per rush.

Part of the problem is the Cougars’ approach on offense. They have assembled personnel to fit their Air Raid offense and WSU’s offensive linemen are far better at pass-protecting than run blocking.

In the first two games of the season, the Cougars have mitigated the issue by passing. Ward has carried his team’s offense, which has been a strength thanks to receivers like Lincoln Victor, Kyle Williams, and tight ends like Cooper Mathers and Billy Riviere III. They want to pass. They have been largely successful.

“I think eventually, through that tough Pac-12 slate that we talked about, you cannot be one-dimensional,” Dickert said.

That’s why it’s important for the Cougars to find another dimension to their offense on Saturday. Northern Colorado appears to be a team that will give Washington State a chance to carve open running lanes for Watson and Jenkins and allow them to find some rhythm.

The Bears (0-2), of the Football Championship Subdivision’s Big Sky Conference, have shown as much through their first two games of the season. Under first-year head coach Ed Lamb, the former special teams coordinator at Brigham Young, Northern Colorado has allowed rushing totals of 268 yards in a 31-11 loss to Abilene Christian, and 235 yards in a 42-7 setback to Incarnate Word, ranked No. 10 in the FCS.

The Bears have had just two sacks this season. Their defense has yielded an average of 251 rushing yards per game. They’ve given up six rushing touchdowns. That could well change on Saturday, but this projects as a chance for the Cougars’ offensive line and running backs to get back on track.

“We can perceive our opponent a certain way,” Dickert said, “but really good teams go out there and attack it and live to a standard. And best is our standard around here. So that’s how we’re gonna attack an aggressive week of practice. We have a lot to get better at. We’re gonna respect Northern Colorado to come in here, and they wanna get the win, and we’ve gotta go show who we are – and do it for 60 minutes.”

Washington State will be down a player on offense after receiver DT Sheffield left the program on Monday. In his place will be Isaiah Hamilton, a transfer from San Jose State, and he’ll get a chance to make his first receptions of the season.

As important as that will be for the Cougars, perhaps more important will be kicking their rushing attack into gear. While Washington State has been fairly balanced on offense (passing on 55% of its plays and rushing on 44%), it’s only managed 2.5 yards per rush. The Cougars have four rushing touchdowns, but they scored two from 1 yard out.

If they can get creative on offense and pave the way for Watson and Jenkins to find rhythm, their offense will become more difficult to predict. Washington State has found ways around that , but when No. 16 Oregon State comes to Pullman on Sept. 23, the Cougars may not have such an easy time leaning on the pass.

This is the perfect chance for them to balance things out.

“I think we do have a mature team,” Dickert said, “and I think after a big win, are you still hungry? Are you full? I know I digested that win and I’m starving again. So they need to be the same way. That’s what good teams do. And like I said, this is another step in our journey, and we need to make sure we take it that way.”