Wazzu welcomes Mountain West’s best passing attack

The Apple Cup trophy is back in Pullman and Washington State is undefeated.

In any other year, that would likely mean the Cougs would be suiting up for a 70-degree bowl game after a historic season. This year, it means Washington State is a quarter of the way through the season and will play a 70-degree September game in Pullman after a 3-0 start that includes two Power Four wins.

With the Apple Cup secured, the Cougs set their sights on a Friday night bout with San Jose State of the Mountain West at 7 p.m. today at Gesa Field in Pullman. The CW Network will broadcast the game.

Following WSU’s wild 24-19 Apple Cup win over rival Washington in Seattle, the Cougs have a lot of reasons to be on cloud nine. With pundits projecting and fans dreaming of an unprecedented College Football Playoff berth, WSU has a long way to go to get there, just three games into an already historic season.

To get where it wants to go, Wazzu needs to avoid the “trap game,” look out for a prolific San Jose State offense led by a familiar face and establish a stronger passing attack.

Avoiding the “trap game”

It’s the classic sports trope. Emboldened by an extraordinary win the week before, a perceived lesser opponent catches the recently victorious, projected winner lacking and just as soon as fans can dream of meaningful December football, so too can those dreams descend into nightmares. Just look at how the 2023 Cougs played after starting 4-0. Spoiler alert: they lost their next six games.

WSU coach Jake Dickert said he will learn what kind of competitors are on his team after today’s game.

“Great teams play nameless, faceless opponents and just live to their standard,” Dickert said. “That’s the message for our guys. What type of competitors do we have at nature? In our heart, in our minds? It’ll show up on Friday night.”

Senior receiver Kris Hutson said he has no problem with the short week and one less day to prepare for an opponent. He also understands the magnitude of playing another undefeated team in Week 4 of the season, even if the Cougs are 12-point favorites.

“We got to come in with the right mindset,” Hutson said. “We can’t come in here and think that they’re just going to lay down just because they’re in the Mountain West. That don’t mean nothing. Every opponent is going to play hard.”

WSU starting right guard Brock Dieu said he has a “next-play mentality.”

“‘Hungry and humble’ is what my offensive line coach in high school used to tell me,” Dieu said. “And he texts me that every week.”

Scouting San Jose State

The Spartans are led by a familiar face. WSU’s 2023 third-string quarterback Emmett Brown transferred to San Jose State in the offseason and thus far has impressed, completing 63-of-104 passes for 929 yards, nine TDs and one interception.

Dickert said Brown was eager to play and exhibited the quickest release among WSU’s top QBs last season — a group that included Mateer and current Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who is a Heisman Trophy frontrunner this season.

“You look at our ... quarterback room from last year. One’s the Heisman favorite, one’s the biggest sensation on the West Coast, and one has thrown for almost 1,000 yards. Pretty cool. That’s a good evaluation. Good job, (WSU general manager Rob) Schlaeger. We’re proud of that.”

The Spartans are 3-0 following a three-score win over Sacramento State, a 17-7 takedown of Air Force and a 21-point win over Kennesaw State. WSU is by far the toughest test the Spartans have faced to date, but they have passed their previous exams with flying colors.

Brown has a 60% completion rate on the season, the highlights of which include a 58-yard touchdown pass to beat Air Force and a 355-yard performance against Kennesaw State last week.

“I’m proud of him. I’d like for him to take a week break on that, but it’s cool to see he’s an ultimate competitor,” Dickert said with a chuckle. “He wants to play, and I’m glad to see him getting a chance to do that.”

Brown’s favorite target is senior wide receiver Nick Nash who has 485 yards and six TDs through three games.

The Brown-Nash connection has spearheaded the Spartans’ No. 23 passing offense in the nation and best in the Mountain West.

Receiver Justin Lockhart has 11 catches for 192 yards and two TDs and running backs Floyd Chalk IV and Jabari Bates have combined for 224 yards and two TDs for a Trojan team which has averaged 313.7 passing yards and 58.3 rushing yards per game.

“It’s explosive, absolutely explosive,” WSU defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding said. “I think they push the ball downfield. They do it in a couple different ways, whether it’s drop-back pass or (run-pass-option). I think they have a really good set of receivers, and they do a good job protecting them. It’s a new challenge. It’s 100% a new challenge.”

Dickert said San Jose State’s defense will play a fast and aggressive style of football. The ability to get across the line of scrimmage and get in the QB’s face has led the Spartans to 10 takeaways through three games.

Junior linebacker Jordan Pollard leads the Trojan defense with 37 tackles, one sack and one pick.

“This is the Bay Area’s best team over the last four or five years,” Dickert said. “There’s no question about it.”

Establishing a stronger passing attack

While the Cougs are undefeated with two Power Four wins over the Big 12’s Texas Tech and in-state rival UW of the Big Ten, they have not recreated the scorching passing performance they had in their season opener versus Portland State.

Mateer passed for 352 yards versus the Vikings, thanks in large part to receivers gaining nearly 200 yards after the catch, including a blistering 105 yards after the catch from senior receiver Kyle Williams.

Dickert said that Williams is playing at about 70% after getting banged up through the first three games.

Williams is one of the most productive active receivers in college football with a catch in each of his 40 career games between UNLV and WSU. Against Texas Tech, that streak was in jeopardy before he caught a pass that bounced off a defender’s arm and reeled it in for a touchdown in the left corner of the end zone in the second quarter of WSU’s 37-16 win. That was his lone catch of the game.

Against UW, Williams made three catches for 22 yards, but drew multiple offensive pass interference calls as the Huskies covered him tightly.

Williams’ talent alone makes him an immediate difference maker. The key for the Cougs is putting him in a position to make plays.

Facing a Texas Tech defense that rushed three and dropped eight, Mateer ran out of options in the passing game and opted to run the ball himself. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has taken Mateer’s strengths and ran with them, drawing up plenty of designed quarterback runs for the first-time collegiate starter.

Mateer ran twice versus Portland State, once for a big first down gain of 15 yards and again for a 40-yard touchdown.

Against Texas Tech, he ran for a WSU QB record 197 yards on 21 attempts while completing 9-of-19 passes for 115 yards.

He found more success vs. UW with 245 yards on 17-of-34 passes, but still racked up 62 yards on the ground, including two rushing TDs of 23 and 25 yards each.

Mateer made measured progress in that he put together the best opening drive of his young career, completing 4-of-6 passes for over 60 yards against the Huskies.

WSU will see team captain Fa’alili Fa’amoe return to the field after missing the first three games of the season. Fa’amoe started 12 games last year and was named to the Outland and Lombardi Award watch lists over the summer. With Fa’amoe back on the line, Mateer may have more space and more time to feed playmakers such as Williams.

Extra points

WSU’s all-time record versus San Jose State is 8-4-1. Their first meeting was a 13-13 tie on Nov. 12, 1955. Their last meeting was a 31-0 WSU win on Sept. 8, 2018.

Dickert said team captain Fa’alili Fa’amoe will return to the Cougars’ offensive line. The fourth-year junior from Pago Pago, American Samoa started all 12 games at right tackle last season after making the switch from defensive to offensive line. Fa’amoe is on several award watch lists and projects as one of WSU’s best offensive players. With Fa’amoe’s return to RT, fourth-year junior Christian Hilborn will most likely return to his natural position of left guard with fifth-year junior Rodrick Tialavea most likely going to the bench. WSU has not announced a specific O-line lineup.

Defensive back Jerrae Williams underwent season-ending surgery last week, Dickert announced Monday.

Wide receiver Carlos Hernandez and defensive back Jamorri Colson will not play this week as they continue to recover from their respective injuries suffered during fall camp.

The basics

What: WSU vs. San Jose State

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Gesa Field, Pullman

TV: The CW

Radio: KHTR (104.3 FM), Pullman; KHTR-2 (103.9 FM), Lewiston

Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2268, staylor@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @Sam_C_Taylor.