Preview: Cougs host winless Nevada seeking 4th straight win to start season
What: Nevada (0-3) at No. 18 Washington State (3-0)
Where: Martin Stadium (32,952), Pullman, Wash.
When: Saturday, Sept. 23, 3 p.m. PT
TV/Radio: Pac-12 Network (Ted Robinson, Yogi Roth, Jill Savage); Washington State IMG Sports Network (Matt Chazanow, Jason Gesser, Bob Robertson, Jessamyn McIntyre).
After opening the Pac-12 schedule last week with a big win over Oregon State, No. 18 Washington State plays its final non-conference game of the season Saturday by hosting the struggling Nevada Wolfpack at Martin Stadium. It’s the fourth of a season-opening five game homestand. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network.
SERIES HISTORY: Washington State leads the all-time series with Nevada 2-1 and are hosting the Wolfpack in Pullman for the first time ever. The Cougars claimed the first two meetings - 2002 in Seattle and 2005 in Reno before Nevada won the 2014 matchup, 24-13 in Reno. In the 2014 game, senior QB Luke Falk made his collegiate debut, appearing for one play (a handoff) after Connor Halliday had to sit out one play after his helmet came off.
WSU-NEVADA CONNECTIONS RUN DEEP: Washington State has a number of coaches and football staff members who previously worked at Nevada: Linebackers coach Ken Wilson (24 seasons), running backs coach Jim Mastro (11 seasons), outside receivers coach Derek Sage (2 seasons as GA), head strength and conditioning coach Jason Loscalzo (2 seasons) and head football athletic trainer Andy Mutnan (5 seasons). In addition, assistant athletic trainer Spencer Hiett attended Nevada.
On the other side, Nevada has two players on its roster that previously played for the Cougars: Junior WR/KR Kaleb Fossum played two seasons for the Cougars, mainly as a returner, and junior OL Sean Krepsz was at WSU his freshman year before transferring to a JUCO and then signing with the Wolfpack. Fossum was a crowd favorite in Pullman and is best remembered for a long punt return for a TD against Cal. However, he won’t play Saturday because he suffered a dislocated knee in the season opener at Northwestern and is indefinitely sidelined.
FALK BY THE NUMBERS: After throwing for six touchdown passes against Oregon State, Luke Falk is the nation’s active leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns while his 346.9 passing yards per game average is currently fifth-best in NCAA FBS history. Here is where he stands in several statistical categories:
11,793 - Owns WSU record for career passing yards;
11,521 - Owns WSU record for total offense;
1,808 - Needs 1,808 passing yards to break Sean Mannion’s (OSU) Pac-12 passing record (13,600);
1,141 - Career completions (second-most in Pac-12 history, trailing OSU’s Sean Mannion (1,187);
98 - Owns WSU record for touchdown passes (4th-most in Pac-12 history)
25 - Career 300-yard games, most in WSU history
20 - In 31 career starts, Falk owns 20 wins, 2nd-most by a Cougar QB (Jason Gesser - 24).
19 - Needs 19 TD passes to break Matt Barkley’s (USC) Pac-12 record of 116.
DEFENSE AVERAGNG 2+ TURNOVERS PER GAME: If there is one tried and true statistic for Washington State, it’s this one: When the Cougs force two or more turnovers in a game, they usually win. In fact, WSU is 15-3 under DC Alex Grinch over the past three seasons when they get 2+ turnovers. So far in 2017, WSU has seven takeaways in the first three games including four against Boise State, two that were returned for touchdowns.
NEVADA STARTS TRUE FRESHMAN QB: The Wolf Pack started true freshman Kaymen Cureton at quarterback in the Week 3 loss to Idaho State, the first true freshman to start for the Wolf Pack since David Neill in 1998. Cureton completed 19-of-33 passes for 205 yards and three TD passes in his first start, the first Nevada QB to throw for three TDs since the New Mexico game last season.
ANOTHER TRUE FRESHMAN AT WR: In addition to Cureton, Nevada true freshman WR McLane Mannix has had a very good start to his career. He turned some heads in the season opener at Northwestern, racking up 76 yards on just two catches. He has since followed that up with two even more impressive outings. The Texas native caught six passes against Toledo, including a 75-yard touchdown reception, and added seven grabs last Saturday against Idaho State.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Here are the statistical leaders for the WSU defense going into Week 3:
Tackles: Jalen Thompson (24)
Tackles For Loss: Hercules Mata’afa (5.5)
Sacks: Frankie Luvu (2.5)
Interceptions: Peyton Pelluer, Jalen Thompson (1)
Pass Breakups: Jalen Thompson (2)
QB Hurries: Nnamdi Oguayo (3)
Fumble Recoveries: Frankie Luvu (2)
Forced Fumbles: Marcellus Pippins (2)
NOTES
-- WSU has 3 defensive touchdowns this season, tied for 2nd-most in FBS and the most by the Cougars since 2013 (5). WSU owns an 15-3 record when forcing multiple turnovers under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
--- Through three games, the WSU running backs have combined for two rushing touchdowns, four receiving touchdowns and 612 yards of total offense.
-- Offensive Line Bone Awards for the Cougars O-Line: Montana State - B.J. Salmonson; Boise State - Cole Madison; Oregon State – Cole Madison.
-- WSU will induct six individuals and a team into its Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. The induction dinner is Friday in Spokane and the class will be recognized at the halftime on Saturday. The 2017 Class: Dominique Arnold, Track & Field; Sue Durrant, Coach (Women’s Basketball, Volleyball); Mike Kinkade, Baseball; Marcia Miles, Basketball; Diana Pickler, Track & Field; Paul Sorensen, Football; 1968 Men’s Track & Field Team.
-- Nevada coach Jay Norvell has spared on the gridiron with Mike Leach before, albeit as an assistant. Norvell coached at Nebraska from 2004-06 when the Cornhuskers were still a member of the Big 12 and at Oklahoma from 2008-14.
-- Nevada’s kick return units have been solid so far this season. The Wolfpack have averaged 24.08 yards per kick return through three games, which ranks in the top 40 in the nation and fourth in the Mountain West. Vosean Crumbie’s 25.5 yards per kick return rank 33rd in the country and third in the conference.
-- The Wolfpack run defense ranked near the bottom of the nation in run defense in 2016, giving up an average of 6.1 yards per rush. Through three games, Nevada’s run defense has been a bright spot so far this season. The Pack is surrendering an average of 3.2 yards per rush through the first three games and held Northwestern and Toledo’s top rushers to just over 100 yards.
-- Senior WR Wyatt Demps has been one of the Wolf Pack’s top targets through the first three games of the season. He leads the team with 16 receptions and is averaging 12.0 yards per catch. He is tied with true freshman McLane Mannix for the team lead in touchdown receptions (3).
WASHINGTON STATE DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB – Luke Falk (Hilinski)
RB – Jamal Morrow OR James Williams (Wicks OR Harrington)
X WR – Tavares Martin Jr. (Dimry, Tay Martin)
Y WR – Kyle Sweet (Calvin)
H WR – Renard Bell (Arconado)
Z WR – Isaiah Johnson-Mack (Patmon)
LT – Andre Dillard (Ryan)
LG – Cody O’Connell (Bigge-Duren)
C – Fred Mauigoa (Osur-Meyers)
RG – Salmonson (Valencia)
RT – Cole Madison (Watson)
DEFENSE
DE – Nnamdi Oguayo (Moore)
NT – Daniel Ekuale (McBroom)
DT – Hercules Mata’afa (Tago OR Fernandez)
RUSH – Frankie Luvu OR Dylan Hanser OR Chima Onyeukwu
WIL – Isaac Dotson (Woods)
MIKE – Peyton Pelluer (Nate DeRider)*
NICKEL – Hunter Dale OR Kirkland Parker
CB – Darrien Molton (Hicks III)
FS – Robert Taylor (Thomas)
SS – Jalen Thompson (Harper)
CB – Marcellus Pippins (Strong)
* WSU still lists Peyton Pelluer as starting MLB but his family acknowledges he suffered a season-ending foot injury last week vs. Oregon State. DeRider is the likely starter or the Cougs could shift Isaac Dotson to MLB.
WEEK 4 PAC-12 SCHEDULE (Sept. 22-23)
Fri., Sept. 22
Utah at Arizona, 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sat. Sept. 23
USC at California, 1:30 p.m. (ABC)
Nevada at Washington State, 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Washington at Colorado, 8 p.m. (FS1)
Oregon at Arizona State, 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
UCLA at Stanford, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
(All Times Mountain)
