Two-minute drill: Washington State’s keys to victory against San Diego State
PULLMAN – Here is what to watch for when Washington State visits San Diego State on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS Sports.
When SDSU has the ball …
The Aztecs’ offensive leader is true freshman quarterback Danny O’Neil, who has completed 87 of 140 passes (62%) for 1,045 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He isn’t much of a threat to run, totaling just 89 rushing yards on 19 attempts this season, so WSU can likely rely on him being a pocket passer.
The good news for the Cougars is that they are figuring some things out with their pass rush, which was mostly invisible during the first five games of the season.
Since they dispatched Fresno State and Hawaii the past two weeks, they’ve been more creative with their blitz packages, which has disrupted quarterbacks in meaningful ways.
The culprits have been the usuals, from defensive tackles David Gusta and Ansel Din-Mbuh to edge rushers Andrew Edson and Raam Stevenson, but they’ve also recently received a boost from Parker McKenna and Keith Brown, two backup linebackers. When defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding has called for blitzes with those two involved, good things have usually followed.
“I think it’s just an acknowledgment that we can’t just play two guys,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said, referring to starting linebackers Kyle Thornton and Buddah Al-Uqdah. “When you go saying, ‘Hey, you guys are gonna get 15 to 20 reps a game,’ they’ve come out here in practice and earned their way. You gotta do it on game day, too. So I think early on, two new players to our system, they were just a little hesitant at first, and I think now finally, (we’re) seeing them cutting it loose.”
The kind of success WSU’s pass rush has on O’Neil will depend on how the Cougars fare against the Aztecs’ offensive line, which has yielded six sacks, including two apiece from center Brayden Bryant and guard Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli, plus one each from tackles Nate Williams and Christian Jones.
When that group has given up pressures, O’Neil has noticed. When he’s been kept clean, per Pro Football Focus data, he’s connected on 72 of 101 passes (65%) for six touchdowns and no interceptions. Meanwhile, under pressure, he’s completed just 15 of 40 passes (35%) for 172 yards and one pick. He’s also averaging a couple of yards fewer on his passes in those situations.
WSU cornerbacks Steve Hall, Ethan O’Connor and Jamorri Colson will also need to keep an eye on SDSU’s top receivers, who have been Ja’Shaun Poke and Louis Brown IV, the latter of whom WSU faced at Colorado State the previous two seasons.
When Washington State has the ball …
WSU’s success or failure on offense might hinge on the way its offensive line fares. The Cougars will have to tangle with Aztecs edge rusher Trey White, who is tied for the national lead with 11 sacks, and he also has 27 pressures. Just a redshirt sophomore, White has used his 6-foot-2 frame to overcome many tackles this season.
That puts the onus on WSU tackles Fa’alili Fa’amoe and Esa Pole to protect quarterback John Mateer, ensuring he can put up the kind of outing he did last week against Hawaii. Pole has had one of the single-best outings of any offensive linemen this season, not allowing a sack all season, but Fa’amoe has seen mixed results. Since a knee injury allowed him to rejoin the starting lineup full time two weeks ago against Fresno State, Fa’amoe has allowed one sack, which came last week.
“They’re doing a good job of creating one-on-ones for (White). He’s a high-motor individual,” Dickert said. “He’s a hard-charger, and he’s done a good job getting the quarterback down, which sometimes, you can be free to the quarterback – it’s the hardest thing to do in football is to get them down, and they’ve been great.”
WSU’s receivers would also do well to help out in that department.
Much of the reason why Mateer enjoyed his best showing of the season last week was because he simplified his game, getting the ball out quicker and making shorter throws, allowing the Cougars’ wideouts to make plays in space. They did that to their heart’s content, and WSU’s offense finished with 42 points.
To do the same against San Diego State, WSU wideouts like Kyle Williams, Kris Hutson and Carlos Hernandez might be facing a stiffer challenge. The Aztecs’ coverage unit ranks No. 18 nationwide, per PFF, and it has grabbed six interceptions, including from top cornerbacks Chris Johnson and Bryce Phillips.
But the Cougars’ receivers are averaging 7.4 yards after catch per reception, still one of the best marks in the country. Hutson, Hernandez and tight end Cooper Mathers all tallied 30-plus YAC against Hawaii last week. They’ll be going up against an SDSU defense that’s permitting 10.6 YAC per catch – so they might enjoy an even better day on that front.
Either way, WSU will need a little more from its rushing attack, which totaled 123 yards on 37 carries last week, an average rush of just 3.3 yards. If the Cougars want to improve in that way, they will likely need more from their running backs, namely starter Wayshawn Parker. As opponents key in on Mateer and his running ability, it’s given more opportunities to WSU’s tailbacks.