Aug. 11—PULLMAN — When it's at its best, when players are zigging and zagging and swimming and powering through, Washington State's defensive line can look like a tidal wave. The Cougars can overwhelm anyone in their way, offensive linemen from the first or second team, tight ends staying in for extra protection, poor running backs trying their best to chip block to buy their quarterback a half-second of time.
They come crashing from all angles. Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk from the edges, Paul Hutson and Kaden Beatty and Jirah Leaupepetele from the interior, all surging forward to crash toward the quarterback like a tsunami leveling a city square. It isn't so much about if they'll force the offense into a mistake. It's more about when.
That group made its presence felt in Tuesday's fall camp practice, WSU's fifth of the slate, terrorizing all manner of offensive counterparts in the second half of practice, which unfolded at Gesa Field. Highlights belonged to all kinds of linemen: Leaupepetele beat his matchup to stack up several inside runs, as did fellow lineman Malachi Wrice, and on one sequence, a sea of Cougars converged to drive running back Leo Pulalasi backward for a loss.
And that's to say nothing of one succession of plays in particular. On three straight plays in 11-on-11 settings, quarterback Julian Dugger took three straight sacks: one from cornerback Ishmael Gibbs, who cashed in on a well-designed cornerback blitz; one from emerging defensive tackle Josh Wedel; and one from redshirt freshman defensive tackle Malijah Tucker. Each defender beat his matchups up front to surge into the backfield for simulated tackles.
It was by far the best day of fall camp for WSU's defensive front, which might be the deepest position on the team. On Tuesday, the Cougars got big plays from Leaupepetele, Wrice, Wedel and Tucker, but as camp unfolds and the season approaches, they've gotten the same from Hutson, SMU transfer Damarjhe Lewis, Balaam Miller and others.
#camp #plays #wrice
They come crashing from all angles. Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk from the edges, Paul Hutson and Kaden Beatty and Jirah Leaupepetele from the interior, all surging forward to crash toward the quarterback like a tsunami leveling a city square. It isn't so much about if they'll force the offense into a mistake. It's more about when.
That group made its presence felt in Tuesday's fall camp practice, WSU's fifth of the slate, terrorizing all manner of offensive counterparts in the second half of practice, which unfolded at Gesa Field. Highlights belonged to all kinds of linemen: Leaupepetele beat his matchup to stack up several inside runs, as did fellow lineman Malachi Wrice, and on one sequence, a sea of Cougars converged to drive running back Leo Pulalasi backward for a loss.
And that's to say nothing of one succession of plays in particular. On three straight plays in 11-on-11 settings, quarterback Julian Dugger took three straight sacks: one from cornerback Ishmael Gibbs, who cashed in on a well-designed cornerback blitz; one from emerging defensive tackle Josh Wedel; and one from redshirt freshman defensive tackle Malijah Tucker. Each defender beat his matchups up front to surge into the backfield for simulated tackles.
It was by far the best day of fall camp for WSU's defensive front, which might be the deepest position on the team. On Tuesday, the Cougars got big plays from Leaupepetele, Wrice, Wedel and Tucker, but as camp unfolds and the season approaches, they've gotten the same from Hutson, SMU transfer Damarjhe Lewis, Balaam Miller and others.
#camp #plays #wrice
2 months ago
