Washington State straight up clobbered Duquesne with a massive 48-7 rout on Saturday, but don’t let that final score fool ya, Cougar Nation. This wasn’t some start-to-finish cakewalk where everything just clicked. Oh no, this was a real tale of two halves, baby, and what happened after the break is what’s got everyone buzzing in Pullman and beyond.
Pinnick Explodes, Offense Simplifies
The biggest eye-opener? Quarterback Caden Pinnick’s second-half explosion was *bonkers*, absolutely next-level stuff. Remember the Kansas State game? All those frustrating missed opportunities, sticking with inside runs even when receivers had massive cushions outside? Yeah, that was a headache and a half. Well, against Duquesne, WSU didn’t just fix that mess, they blew it up. Pinnick was out there, sharp as a tack, actively looking for those quick, easy passes.
He hit Branden Ganashamoorthy for an easy pitch-and-catch when the defender backed off. Then, on a crucial third down, Ganashamoorthy ran a clear-out route, making tons of room for Daniel Blood to haul in an easy catch. And Darrius Clemons got his own similar connection later in the second quarter. This isn’t just some hypothetical offensive adjustment, folks, this is real-time, in-game execution paying off huge. The dude even threw a bad pick on his first pass of the game, and still ended up with a ridiculous Pro Football Focus passing grade of 90.7! That’s the third-best mark in all of college football for Week 3! After that early stumble, Pinnick just locked in, completing an incredible 7 of 8 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Talk about a sharp response from your signal-caller, plain and simple. That’s the kind of leadership you love to see.
Ground Game Unleashed, Moore’s Vision Emerges
But hold up, it wasn’t just the air attack getting spicy. The ground game? Absolutely went off like a rocket! Running backs Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees both smashed through the 100-yard mark individually. You gotta go all the way back to 2005 to find the last time two Cougar running backs hit that milestone in one single game. Think about that for a second. That’s a massive, extraordinary development for this team.
As a team, WSU racked up a staggering 316 rushing yards in total. That’s their highest team total in a single game since way back in 2006! This ain’t your grandpa’s Air Raid offense anymore, is it? It’s a whole new ball game. We even saw coach Kirby Moore on the sideline carrying what looked to be a playsheet, something he hadn’t done in the Cougars’ first two games of the year. He’s calling playcalling duties a “collaborative effort,” and hey, that’s fine. But that kind of rushing output, that newfound offensive balance and versatility? That tells you everything about the evolving vision he’s got for this offense, and it’s exciting as hell.
So, after starting a bit sluggish, nursing just a 14-7 lead into halftime, and then slamming the door shut with a dominant 34-0 second-half clinic, WSU got exactly what they needed. They absolutely dominated when they were expected to, sure, but more importantly, they showed some serious grit, crucial adaptability, and an exciting new dimension to their offense in doing it. This team just unlocked some serious, serious potential, and it’s gonna be absolutely fascinating to see how they build on this momentum moving forward into the rest of the season. What kind of show are they going to put on next? I can’t wait to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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