WSU’s offensive growing pains are starting to show

Let’s face it. Washington State’s offense is experiencing some growing pains. It just took a while for them to show.

When the Cougars were beating then-No. 19 Wisconsin and nearly upsetting No. 8 Oregon en route to a 4-1 start, it was easy to forget this is a team missing most of its major contributors from last year’s 7-6 team.

“Could this year’s squad be even better?” we asked ourselves. It sure looked like it might be.

But that was before WSU’s current stretch of three straight losses, dropping four of its past five and bringing its record to 4-4 on the season and 1-4 in Pac-12 Conference play.

Suddenly, the impact of all those departures is starting to show.

So where are they now?

Former top lineman Abraham Lucas is pulling top grades as the starting right tackle for the surging Seahawks in the NFL.

With Lucas and three other starting linemen departed, WSU has allowed 30 sacks this season, which ranks tied for No. 123 out of 131 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

WSU’s top wide receivers from last year are also playing football professionally — Calvin Jackson on the Dolphins’ practice squad in the NFL and Travell Harris with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.

Gone too are running backs Max Borghi and Deon McIntosh as is quarterback Jayden de Laura, who is second in the Pac-12 in passing (331.8 yards per game) with his new team, Arizona.

In total, the Cougars are missing eight offensive starters and more than a dozen key contributors from 2021.

Throw in injuries to veteran wide Renard Bell and running backs Nakia Watson and Jaylen Jenkins, and it’s no wonder WSU sits tied for ninth in the conference in points per game with 23.6.

In his weekly news conference Monday, WSU coach Jake Dickert compared the offensive growing pains to the team’s defensive struggles in 2020 in his first year as defensive coordinator.

“There’s a new scheme, you’ve gotta establish new effort levels, new expectations and new deals,” Dickert said. “And that’s where we’re at right now on offense.”

If the season ended today, the Cougars would have their lowest scoring total since it averaged 20.2 points per game in 2012.

Some might recall that was the first season of coach Mike Leach’s successful eight-year tenure in Pullman.

So, surely, we can cut Dickert and first-year offensive coordinator Eric Morris some slack. As Dickert says, it’s not time to panic yet.

The “Coug Raid” is still trying to find its groove. When that happens is yet to be seen.

“Have we fallen short of what we’re capable of? Yes,” Dickert said. “But we’re not going to panic. We’re going to keep believing and we’re going to stay the course.”

That’s the right mantra to have, but in the impatient world of college football, it’s easier said than done.

Wiebe may be contacted at (208) 848-2260, swiebe@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @StephanSports.