Two-minute drill: Washington State’s keys to victory in season-opener against Portland State

PULLMAN – Here is what to watch for when Washington State opens its season against Portland State on Saturday in Pullman.

When Portland State has the ball …

For WSU’s defense, all eyes will be on Portland State quarterback Dante Chachere, who is entering his third year as Vikings starter. He’s a dual-threat quarterback, and with more than 1,300 career rushing yards to his name, it’s clear the Cougars will need to contain him on the ground.

“(No.) 15 is a unique talent,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said, referring to Chachere. “You can see in the Oregon game (last season) how much he plays off script. They really neutralized Oregon with the option, which can be a whole different deal, unbalanced formations, trick plays. They try to get the defense on their heels, really in everything that they do.”

Chachere had six carries for 53 yards, but Portland State fell to Oregon 81-7 in that game.

The other key cog in the Vikings’ offensive attack is running back Quincy Craig, a sophomore. Last season, he had six touchdowns (three rushing, three receiving) and he was leading the Big Sky Conference in all-purpose yardage with 124 yards per game before an injury ended his season after six games. WSU would also do well to contain running back Christian Grubb, who started his career at UCLA before transferring to Portland State for the 2023 season.

The Vikings also finished last season second in the Big Sky in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades, indicating they rely heavily on that part of their offense. But they also ranked ninth and 10th, respectively, in pass blocking and run blocking, perhaps opening up an advantage for the Cougs. If WSU can disrupt things at the line of scrimmage, it will put itself in even better position, which puts the onus on WSU defenders such as tackle David Gusta and edges such as Nusi Malani and Andrew Edson.

Also worth monitoring will be how WSU cornerbacks Steve Hall and Ethan O’Connor fare against PSU receivers Branden Alvarez and Terence Loville, both of whom transferred from San Jose State. Hall and O’Connor are relatively inexperienced at this level, so if they can limit the Vikings’ receivers, they’ll head into Week 2 with some momentum.

When Washington State has the ball …

Redshirt sophomore John Mateer will make his debut as Cougars starter. How will offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle use him? How will he get the most out of Mateer on the ground, where even as a backup he showed some meaningful potential?

More to the point, how will Mateer fare with his decision-making? That’s a key reason he won the job over FCS Bryant transfer Zevi Eckhaus. Arbuckle and Dickert will trust Mateer with a lot, including the ability to change the play at the line of scrimmage. Between his decision-making and his throws, Mateer will have a lot on his plate at the helm of the offense.

First, he’ll need time to throw, which is up to the Cougars’ offensive line. A season ago, WSU ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in PFF’s pass blocking grades, but that group is introducing new faces in center Devin Kylany and left guard Rod Tialavea, who is filling in until veteran Fa’alili Fa’amoe can return from his knee injury. They’ll be tasked with holding off young PSU DTs such as Slade Shufelt and Kennedy Freeman.

It will also be the Cougars’ first opportunity to kick-start its rushing attack, which was hardly a threat last season, in part because their offensive line didn’t consistently run-block well. This fall, WSU has four running backs in the mix – redshirt sophomore Leo Pulalasi, true freshman Wayshawn Parker, redshirt sophomore Djouvensky Schlenbaker and redshirt junior Dylan Paine, a walk-on.

Washington State may not want to draw too many conclusions from a season opener against an FCS foe – there’s a reason the Cougs are favored by multiple touchdowns – but the club is running out of time to establish a pecking order at running back. Showdowns against Texas Tech and Washington loom, and WSU may not be able to afford to take too much time on that front.

The same is true for WSU’s wide receivers, a new-look group that will be squaring off with PSU defenders such as senior cornerback Tyreese Shakir and safety Michael Hurst. The Cougars know what they have in top returner Kyle Williams. They’ll see how transfers such as Kris Hutson, Tre Shackelford and Kyle Maxwell acquit themselves in their first action as Cougs.

That will tell us how Saturday’s game might unfold – but also a little about the big nonconference foes coming up on WSU’s schedule soon.