Washington State’s Cameron Ward seems to throw throughout a sport towards Oregon State on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Corvallis, Ore. The Utes are totally conscious of what a weapon the Cougars’ QB is. Mark Ylen, Related Press
Washington State coach Jake Dickert, middle, and his staff sing the varsity struggle track after a sport towards Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Pullman, Wash. The Cougars host the Utes Thursday evening in Pullman. Younger Kwak, Related Press
Whereas Utah did knock off USC in its most up-to-date outing earlier than a bye week, it’s not misplaced on the Utes that they surrendered 42 factors and 556 yards within the course of.
And it simply so occurs that No. 14 Utah’s subsequent sport, Thursday (8 p.m. MDT, FS1) at Martin Stadium, is towards a Washington State staff that has some similarities to USC.
“He’s sort of Caleb Williams. They’re each elusive. He has an ideal arm, too. He retains their offense alive. He scrambles quite a bit. He makes nice performs, good selections.” — Utah defensive lineman Junior Tafuna of WSU quarterback Cam Ward
This week, coach Kyle Whittingham and a number of other gamers in contrast WSU’s up-tempo offense to USC — and Cougars quarterback Cameron Ward to Trojans QB Caleb Williams.
“Offensively, they’re similar to the scheme we noticed towards the Trojans … which I don’t know if that’s an excellent factor or a foul factor for us,” Whittingham stated. “There’s a whole lot of carryover. … It is going to be a take a look at for our secondary.”
“They’re each tempo groups,” defensive lineman Junior Tafuna stated of USC and WSU. “Taking part in USC undoubtedly helps us due to how briskly they transfer on the ball, how briskly they get their performs off. USC actually prepped us for this sport.”
Ward, a switch from Incarnate Phrase, is a dual-threat quarterback. He’s accomplished 175 of 275 passes for 1,962 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
“He’s similar to what we noticed towards (USC). He’s received a giant arm and he can lengthen the performs. He’s laborious to sack,” Whittingham stated of Ward. “This man could be very related and he can get himself out of jams. He does a pleasant job throwing the ball, near 300 a sport.”
Mentioned Tafuna of Ward: “He’s sort of Caleb Williams. They’re each elusive. He has an ideal arm, too. He retains their offense alive. He scrambles quite a bit. He makes nice performs, good selections.”
Defensive lineman Jonah Elliss agreed.
“He’s much like (Williams). He’s elusive. It’s laborious to get him down. I don’t assume he’s as robust within the decrease physique so after we’ve received him I feel we’ll be capable of get him down,” he stated. “Whereas USC’s quarterback, you get him and he’d throw guys off. He’s actually much like a whole lot of these athletic quarterbacks.”
Nevertheless, the Cougars have scored solely 24 factors of their final two video games, together with a 24-10 loss at Oregon State on Oct. 15 earlier than their bye week.
In the meantime, the offensive line is in flux and WSU is in search of playmakers to step up.
Coach Jake Dickert is relying on large receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, a 6-foot-3, 204-pound sophomore who has caught 28 passes for a team-high 359 yards and 4 touchdowns, to provide extra by lining up extra within the slot.
“We have to try to discover a technique to get our playmakers the ball as a lot as doable,” Dickert stated. “That’s what we’re attempting to do, shifting Strib in. However I feel there’s additionally a scheme emphasis of getting a giant physique in there. So we are able to work extra of the center of the sector and we are able to work extra down the sector within the seam.”
Washington State coach Jake Dickert, middle, and his staff sing the varsity struggle track after a sport towards Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Pullman, Wash. The Cougars host the Utes Thursday evening in Pullman.
Younger Kwak, Related Press
For Utah’s protection, one of many priorities is to get strain on Ward, prefer it did towards USC’s Williams within the second half. The Utes sacked Williams 3 times over the ultimate half-hour.
“The most important factor is to get after the quarterback. I feel that’s what occurred within the second half towards USC,” Tafuna stated. “That’s what we have to take into this sport as a defensive entrance — to get after the quarterback. He’s the center of their offense. If we get after him, it needs to be an excellent day for us, an excellent day for Utah soccer.”
Elliss stated WSU will attempt to wear down the Ute protection.
“They’re an explosive offense. They’re going to attempt to get us drained after which attempt to get massive performs off of that,” he stated. “We’ve simply received to be ready for that. They’re a fast-paced offense. Similar to USC, we’re going to must preserve tempo with that. That’s one thing we struggled with so we’ve been engaged on it quite a bit in apply.”
Tafuna added that there’s been an emphasis on forcing turnovers and getting “the ball again for our offense.”
Utah’s protection struggled within the first half towards USC earlier than simplifying the playbook and rallying at intermission. The Utes stiffened within the second half, permitting simply 14 factors.
“Our offense was rolling. Within the locker room, as a protection, a whole lot of the leaders stepped up and had been like, ‘If we don’t pull our weight, we’re not going to make it,’” Elliss recalled. “Our playbook this week is a bit of bit smaller. … Within the warmth of the second, we had been messing it up. We shortened the playbook this week and I feel will probably be actually good.”
Utah is hoping its second-half efficiency will carry over to each halves Thursday evening in Pullman.
“The bye week was actually good for us. It was a 10-day relaxation,” Elliss stated. “A giant win like that, the entire stadium storming the sector, it’s a sense that you just love and wish to preserve repeating. Though we’re away, we’re nonetheless attempting to get that feeling of profitable and dominating.”
As for Washington State, Dickert desires to see his staff bounce again robust towards Utah.
“It’s disappointing heading into the bye week (with a loss), as a substitute of … having some momentum,” he stated after the setback at OSU. “I instructed them, ‘It doesn’t get simpler.’ It’s very easy to be dedicated to the method when all the things goes proper. Now, we’re going to disclose who all of us are.”
Utes on the air
No. 14 Utah (5-2, 3-1)
at Washington State (4-3, 1-3)
Thursday, 8 p.m. MDT
Martin Stadium
TV: FS1
Radio: ESPN 700