WSU notebook: Offensive line back in flux, Quinn Roff’s status uncertain and more

PULLMAN – Washington State’s offensive line is back in flux.

On Saturday, when WSU came out of the locker room for the second half of a narrow win over San Diego State, the Cougars’ offense made a change. At left guard, they swapped out starter Christian Hilborn for backup Rod Tialavea, sticking with that change for the remainder of the game.

That decision, WSU coach Jake Dickert said on Wednesday, was about performance.

“We gotta still find the best five, and if we feel one of them’s not performing, we’ll not be afraid to make that switch,” Dickert said. “And our guys know that. So that’s a challenge to Christian. He responded today (in practice). He’s responded in the meeting room. He took ownership for it like a mature competitor does, and he’s ready to compete.”

No. 22 WSU will continue to evaluate its personnel on the offensive line, Dickert said, indicating Hilborn could rejoin the starting lineup for the Cougars’ next game, at home against Utah State on Nov. 9.

Per Pro Football Focus data, Tialavea finished with an overall grade of 61.9, Hilborn with 57.8. On the pass-blocking front, Tialavea had a figure of 77.8 and Hilborn was at 84.6 – his best such grade of the season. In run blocking, Tialavea turned in a grade of 58.1 and Hilborn was at 52.9.

The Cougars’ offensive line hasn’t enjoyed much stability this season. WSU right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe missed the first three games of the season with a knee injury, then began rotating in for the next two games, a win over San Jose State (25 snaps) and a loss to Boise State (46 snaps). When Fa’amoe was out, Hilborn played right tackle, and when he was in, Hilborn went out and Tialavea played left guard.

In the week leading up to WSU’s 25-17 road win over Fresno State, Dickert said the team was ready to make Fa’amoe the full-time starter at right tackle and stop rotating personnel.

The starting offensive line against Fresno State and Hawaii was left tackle Esa Pole, left guard Hilborn, center Devin Kylany, right guard Brock Dieu and right tackle Fa’amoe.

Those five played every offensive snap in the first half against San Diego State – but when the second half arrived, things began to change.

Roff’s status uncertain

WSU edge rusher Quinn Roff, who played only four snaps on Saturday before leaving with an injury, is “hopeful” to return against Utah State, Dickert said. Roff came back out to the sideline with his foot in a boot, wearing street clothes.

Roff has had a rough go on the injury front the past two seasons. Last year, in WSU’s win over then-No. 19 Wisconsin, Roff left early with an arm injury that sidelined him for the next three games. He returned for one game, then missed the next two with what Dickert called a “medical emergency.” Roff played the final three games of the season, giving him 92 snaps in six games.

This season , Roff missed WSU’s win over Fresno State with a rib cage injury, which cast into some doubt his status for this game against San Diego State. Roff played, in his hometown no less, but only four snaps before he hurt his foot.

If Roff does miss time, expect other Cougars edges to get more snaps, including Nusi Malani, Isaac Terrell and Raam Stevenson.

Cougs back in win column in crunch time

A season ago, WSU lost three games by one score. On five occasions, including in an Apple Cup loss to rival Washington, the Cougars had the ball with less than 3 minutes to go – and failed to take the lead each time.

This year, WSU has prevailed in several of those scenarios, most recently erasing a two-score deficit in the fourth quarter to beat SDSU 29-26. The Cougars also trailed in the fourth quarter against UW, San Jose State and Fresno State, rallying to win all three .

“What I like to say is losing taught us how to win. We had to go through that,” Dickert said. “You gotta learn from that. When you go through something hard, you have to respond, and I think this team has responded.

“So I don’t compare this (season) to then. I just think going through those hard moments last year, not getting it done – and then doing it early in the season just planted a seed of belief that we’re never out of it, and we can always figure this out.”