Taking a look at WSU’s struggles on defense and what could be behind them

PULLMAN — Jake Dickert may not be a perfect coach, but he does keep up. In his third full season as Washington State’s head man, Dickert likes to pride himself on staying fresh, on staying on top of the ways the game is changing.

As his WSU team prepares for a road contest against Fresno State this weekend, Dickert understands one thing about the Bulldogs, among others: As much as the Cougars’ defense works to improve, works to study FSU’s tendencies, it might be for naught.

That’s because Fresno State, Dickert said, is a lot like many teams in college football these days. The Bulldogs evolve as they go. They might come out in a formation the Cougs recognize, but the play call might be completely different than what they’ve run out of it during their previous five games. Whatever WSU prepares for, Fresno State might have something else up its sleeve.

To Dickert, that’s why his team must improve in one area, which he thinks is behind much of WSU’s struggles on defense this fall: Communication.

“You gotta be able to adjust on your feet quickly,” Dickert said. “That’s what makes great coaching, in my opinion — to have the guys prepared and ready to go out there and adjust and attack. Right now, we’re on our heels a little bit, thinking. We need to get in a forward positive stance, attacking these guys and going out there and playing to the level I still believe our defense is capable of playing. But it starts with communication.”

Without being on the WSU sideline during games, it may be impossible to know the extent to which communication issues have impacted the Cougs’ defense. What’s clear is this: WSU may be 4-1 on the season, but its defensive problems are real.

By now, we know about the Cougs’ tackling issues, but here’s a refresher: They remain Pro Football Focus’ second-worst-graded tackling team in the country, with a figure of 34.0. WSU has missed 85 tackles this season, second only to Akron, which has whiffed on 96 — and the Zips have played one more game than the Cougars.

But under second-year defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding, WSU’s issues run far deeper. Here is how the Cougs stack up nationally in a few defensive metrics.

• Passing yards/game: 292, No. 127 of 133 FBS teams

• Rushing yards/game: 176, No. 102

• Passing yards/completion: 11.42, No. 127

• Sacks: 5, tied for No. 116

• Third-down conversion percentage: 43%, No. 100

• Fourth-down conversion percentage: 43%, tied for No. 34

Individually, several Cougs are also on the wrong end of a few trends.

WSU linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah, a third-year sophomore, is also tied for second nationally with 14 missed tackles. Among defenders with 200-plus snaps, he is PFF’s sixth-worst-graded tackler.

Nickelback Kapena Gushiken, who was nicked up in WSU’s last game but should be good to go for this weekend, has allowed 27 receptions, second-most in the country. That has come on 42 targets, meaning he has permitted receptions on 64% of chances, second-highest among defenders to be targeted 40-plus times.

Safety Tyson Durant has permitted three touchdowns, making him one of 40 defenders nationwide to allow three or more scores this season. He hasn’t been all bad this season — he’s the only Coug with three pass breakups — but he has found himself out of position on several occasions, letting opponents find the end zone.

So what’s behind all those issues? For his part, Dickert likes to place defensive problems into three categories: Schematic, which has to do with the looks the Cougs are putting on the field. Personnel, which involves coaches pondering if they have the right guys on the field. And technique, which is all about players operating with the right fundamentals.

“The Boise State game,” Dickert said, “wasn’t as much schematic. It was technique, it was finished. It was a little bit of effort, which was extremely disappointing. So we all took a hard look at that.”

WSU may be able to solve some personnel issues this weekend. Cornerback Jamorri Colson, who has been out since the end of fall camp with a broken jaw, will make his season debut against Fresno State. The Cougs are getting back a projected starter, getting rest for redshirt freshman cornerback Ethan O’Connor, who has grabbed two interceptions, but he’s also been targeted by opposing offenses, often to success.

But on defense, nobody else is coming to save the Cougs. It’s particularly true among their edge rushers, who have supplied just five sacks — which Dickert said “is not anywhere near where you gotta be able to play in a four-down front.”

This part of WSU’s defense is a little tricky. The Cougars have generated plenty of pressure. Transfer Syrus Webster has supplied 16 pressures, No. 46 nationally. But he’s one of only four players in the country with that many pressures and no sacks to show for it.

That trend covers the entirety of the Cougs’ pass rush, which has produced just two sacks in the last three games. WSU’s leader in the sack department is fourth-year junior Raam Stevenson, who has two. He went down early in WSU’s loss to Boise State with a concussion, Dickert said, but he should also be able to play this weekend against Fresno State.

To Dickert, what’s holding the Cougs back from finishing pressures with sacks has to do with his guys’ approach. Too often, he thinks, rushers are trying to crush the pocket with brute force — instead of utilizing their speed and stepping around offensive linemen.

“I think we do have a couple good speed rushers too,” Dickert said, “that can run a rim and win an edge and dip and lean his shoulder, and point the toe. Some of it is technique and understanding.”

WSU has authored more promising moments on defense, though. The Cougs have made two game-sealing stops: Veteran linebacker Kyle Thornton surged in for the game-winning tackle in last month’s Apple Cup, and sixth-year edge rusher Quinn Roff iced WSU’s double-overtime win over San Jose State with a forced fumble on former WSU QB Emmett Brown.

The Cougs have just struggled in the plays in between.