Preview: Cougs square off with struggling Oregon State in Pullman
What: Oregon State (1-2) at No. 21 Washington State (2-0)
Where: Martin Stadium (32,952), Pullman, Wash.
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2:30 p.m. PT
TV/Radio: Pac-12 Network (Roxy Bernstein, Anthony Herron, Lewis Johnson); Washington State IMG Sports Network (Matt Chazanow, Jason Gesser, Bob Robertson, Jessamyn McIntyre).
Washington State looks to keep moving up the national rankings when the Cougars open the Pac-12 Conference slate hosting Oregon State at Martin Stadium Saturday afternoon. It is the third of five straight home games to start the 2017 season.
SERIES HISTORY: Washington State leads the all-time series with Oregon State, 51-47-3 and have claimed the last three meetings, including a pair of comeback wins in Corvallis (2014, 2016) and a 52-31 victory in Pullman in 2015. WSU owns a 24-19-2 mark against OSU in Pullman. Head coach Mike Leach has gone 3-2 against the Beavers in his five seasons at Washington State.
FALK WILL START AT QB: Within a few weeks, Luke Falk will become the Pac-12’s all-time passing leader. So, it was no surprise Mike Leash confirmed earlier this week Falk will remain the starting QB for WSU even though he struggled against Boise State and backup Tyler Hilinski helped lead the Cougs to a dramatic come-from-behind triple OT victory over Boise State, 47-44.
Through two games, Falk has completed 78.1 percent of his passes (57-73) for 504 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is the NCAA's active leader in career passing yards (11,397), TD passes (92) and passing yards per game (345.4). Falk has also been an Oregon State killer. In three career starts against the Beavers, Falk is 3-0 with 16 TD passes, 2 INT and an average of 431.0 passing yards per game.
FALK BY THE NUMBERS: Here is where Luke Falk stacks up on the Washington State and Pac-12 career statistical lists:
-- Owns WSU record with 11,397 career passing yards;
-- Owns WSU record with 11,141 yards of total offense;
-- Needs 2,203 passing yards to break Sean Mannion's (OSU) Pac-12 passing record (13,600);
-- His 1,104 career completions are second-most in Pac-12 history, trailing OSU's Sean Mannion (1,187);
-- Owns WSU record with 92 career touchdown passes, 5th-most in Pac-12 history;
-- Needs 24 TD passes to break Matt Barkley's (USC) Pac-12 record of 116;
-- Has 24 career 300-yard games, most in WSU history, including 10 400-yard efforts;
-- Has 19 wins in 30 career starts, 2nd-most by a Cougar QB (Jason Gesser - 24);
-- Led 6 fourth-quarter comeback wins in his career, including one in 2016 at Oregon State.
RUNNING BACKS MUST IMPROVE: Washington State has one of the deepest running back corps in the Pac-12, but Mike Leach said this week the unit did not play well in the Boise State game when Cougar running backs combined for 54 net yards on 19 carries, an average of just 2.84 yards per carry. After two games, Jamal Morrow leads the Cougars with 111 rushing yards on 14 carries, while James Williams is second with 76 rushing yards. Williams also leads WSU in receptions with 23 in two games. According to Pro Football Focus, no runningback nationally has forced more missed tackles on receptions through 2 weeks than Williams.
BEAVERS DEFENSE HAS STRUGGLED: The news for The Oregon State defense went from bad to worse this week when head coach Gary Andersen revealed starting cornerbacks Xavier Coleman and Dwayne Williams would miss the Washington State game with injuries. Another cornerback (Jaydon Grant) is listed as doubtful. Oregon State has allowed 483.7 yards per game, including 245.0 yards on the ground. The Beavers have allowed 30 or more points in each of the first three games, including 58 to Colorado State and 48 to Minnesota.
The Beavers have been outscored 88-28 in the second half. Opponents are averaging 26.7 first downs per game (worst in Pac-12) and converting 52.5 percent of third down opportunities (21-40). As a result, opponents are dominating time of possession, holding the ball for an average of 36:19 per game. Finally, Oregon State has ZERO sacks in 3 games. True freshman safety David Morris had a team-high 17 tackles against Minnesota last week, most by an Oregon State player in a single game since 2010.
ANOTHER STARTING QB FOR OREGON STATE: Why is Oregon State 7-20 in Gary Andersen’s first three seasons in Corvallis? A key reason is the failure to settle on one quarterback. The latest contender is JUCO transfer Juke Luton, who began his career at Idaho before spending the 2016 season at Ventura Community College. He is from Marysville, WA., where he was named an all-state pitcher and outfielder for Marysville-Pilchuck High School. In three games as OSU’s starting QB, Luton has completed 61 percent of his passes (61-100) for 674 yards and 4 TDs with 4 INT. Luton and the OSU offense must cut down on turnovers. They have committed 10 in the first three games, including six fumbles lost.
PELLUER, COUGS DEFENSE OFF TO GOOD START: WSU linebacker Peyton Pelluer was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week after making a team-high 14 tackles and keying a stunning fourth-quarter comeback with his 36-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Cougars 47-44 triple overtime win over Boise State last Saturday. Pelluer’s 14 stops marked his eighth career double-digit tackle effort. A native of Sammamish, Wash., Pelluer led a Cougs defense that forced four turnovers and scored two touchdowns (Robert Taylor 7-yard fumble return for TD) for the first time since 2013. WIL LB Isaac Dotson made a career-high 10 tackles against Boise. DL Hercules Mata'afa owns 30 career tackles for loss, most among all active Pac-12 players. Here are the statistical leaders for the WSU defense going into Week 3:
Tackles: Peyton Pelluer (19)
Tackles For Loss: Hercules Mata’afa (5.5)
Sacks: Frankie Luvu (2.5)
Interceptions: Peyton Pelluer, Jalen Thompson (1)
Pass Breakups: Peyton Pelluer, Jalen Thompson (1)
QB Hurries: Nnamdi Oguayo (2)
Fumble Recoveries; Three tied with 1
Forced Fumbles: Hercules Mata’afa, Marcellua Pippins (1)
THREE PUNTERS FOR COUGS: Through two games, WSU special teams coordinator Eric Mele has utilized three different punters – Kyle Sweet (6 punts), Erik Powell (2) and Mitchell Cox (2). The Cougs are averaging 42.5 yards on 10 punts. The longest punt has been Sweet’s 55-yarder. Five of the 10 punts have landed inside the 20-yard line.
NOTES
-- After forcing four turnovers from Boise State, WSU now has a 14-3 record when forcing multiple turnovers under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who joined the program in 2015.
-- Placekicker Erik Powell is fifth in WSU history with 34 career field goals and 3rd in FG percentage at 69.4 pct.
-- Washington State has had 19 players debut for the Cougs in the first two weeks of the season. Overall, 14 freshmen have made their first career appearance, including four true freshmen - Jamire Calvin (WR), George Hicks III (CB), Tay Martin (WR) and Zaire Webb (ST).
-- Sophomore WR Isaiah Johnson-Mack collected a career high eight receptions for 81 yards in last Saturday’s triple OT win over Boise State, while Tavares Martin Jr. added eight for 66 yards. Both receivers were high school teammates at Dwyer High School in Belle Glade, Fla. In addition. RFr. WR Renard Bell made seven catches for a team-high 107 yards for his first 100-yard receiving game while true freshman Jamire Calvin caught a 17-yard touchdown that jumpstarted the incredible fourth-quarter comeback.
-- Offensive Line Bone Awards for the Cougars O-Line: Montana State - B.J. Salmonson; Boise State - Cole Madison.
-- Oregon State safeties coach John Rushing played defensive back for Washington State, lettering from 1991-94. He holds the WSU record for career starts with 46 and was a Sporting News All-American in 1991 and 1992. He ended his career with 343 tackles, fifth most in Cougar history. Rushing spent 2009-15 with the Green Bay Packers of the NFL, working in a variety of roles. He spent last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
-- One category Oregon State his succeeded is red zone offense. The Beavers are one of 35 teams - five in the Pac-12 - nationally that has scored on every trip into the red zone this season. OSU has been in the red zone seven times, scoring six touchdowns and a field goal.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB – Luke Falk (Hilinski)
RB – Jamal Morrow (Williams OR 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)
WEEK 3 PAC-12 SCHEDULE (Sept. 15-17)
Fri., Sept. 15
Arizona at UTEP, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 16
UCLA at Memphis, 9 a.m. (ABC)
Northern Colorado at Colorado, 11 a.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Oregon State at Washington State, 2:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Oregon at Wyoming, 4 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Arizona State at Texas Tech, 5 p.m. (FSN)
Texas at USC, 5:30 p.m. (Fox)
Fresno State at Washington, 6:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
San Jose State at Utah, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Ole Miss at California, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Stanford at San Diego State, 7:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
(All Times Pacific)
