Washington State's offense is showing progress, but its defense remains a problem

Owen Eshelman keeps the Cougars competitive against San Diego State, but familiar defensive issues continue to surface

Oct 24, 2026; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Owen Eshelman (17). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What would have seemed like ridiculous spitballing a few weeks ago - the question now doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Is Washington State University’s offense emerging as the better unit on this team?

Although redshirt freshman quarterback Owen Eshelman threw an interception in a third consecutive game, he did lead the offense to a pair of touchdowns in the first half - one on his own 4-yard scramble and the second on Kirby Vorhees’ 2-yard run.

San Diego State held a 17-14 halftime lead.

Eshelman completed 16 of 20 passes for 161 yards and is on pace for a single-game career high in passing yards. He added 34 rushing yards as the offense finished with 215 total yards, crossing midfield on its first four drives.

But first-year WSU coach Kirby Moore was visibly unsettled by what his defense had surrendered, especially in the run game, as the Aztecs’ tailback Javion Kinnard scored on touchdown runs of 9 and 10 yards.

And just like in the fourth quarter of the Cougars’ 31-10 loss last week to Boise State in Pullman, the defense’s run fits have been disastrous. The SDSU tandem of Lucky Sutton and Kinnard combined for 129 first-half yards.

“We’ve got to do a better job leveraging blocks,” Moore said in a television interview at halftime.

It has been an issue since the start of the game. On SDSU’s second play, cornerback Khamri Terrell lost outside containment, and Sutton ripped off a 43-yard run.

On Kinnard’s 9-yard score to cap SDSU’s opening series, he made safety Jeremiah Bernard at the line of scrimmage and scooted into the end zone.

Last week, Boise State’s Dylan Riley had touchdown runs of 72 and 33 yards in the fourth quarter alone to break open a close game.

LOCAL PRODUCT CATCHES FIRST PASS

In an interview with WSU Cougars on SI last week, Caleb Northcroft, a Pullman High School product who accepted a preferred walk-on spot late this summer after playing last season at NCAA D3’s Whitworth College, said he felt he was getting closer to seeing the field for the first time.

And he did Saturday in the first half, making his first WSU reception - an 11-yarder from Eshelman - with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Northcroft’s father, Marty, was a starting defensive lineman at WSU in the mid-1990s, and worked many years in the school’s athletic department.

OFFENSIVE LINE REMAINS SAME

There was some indication from Moore that there might be personnel changes along the offensive line heading into this weekend’s game - but the Cougars rolled out their usual starting five - Ashton Tripp at left tackle, Jonny Lester at left guard, Noah Dunham and center, Nick Bakken at right guard and Jaylin Caldwell at right tackle.