Cougs Weekly: WSU Cougars making strides on defense

The WSU Cougars may be coming off another loss, but their showing against No. 20 Boise State in a 31-10 loss last Saturday was encouraging.

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The Cougars went into the fourth quarter tied 10-10 with the Broncos, which was especially a good sign for the Wazzu defense considering Boise State has scored 27 points or more in all seven of its games this season, including at least 31 points in each of the last six.

Strides on defense is definitely being noticed by WSU fans.

“Every time I talk to random people about the Cougs, the first thing they say is that they think our defense is moving in the right direction,” said Michael Bumpus, a former standout WSU wide receiver and current Seattle Sports host.

Bumpus was setting up a question for Seattle Sports’ Cougs Weekly with WSU football coach Kirby Moore, as he then asked Moore about the defense’s improving play.

“I think the energy and effort is contagious that those guys play with up front,” Moore said, “just the swarming to the football, the pressure that they put on opponents. And with that, creating negative plays. … Especially within the tackle box there, there’s a lot of guys swarming to the football and doing a really good job of playing for each other.”

Moore shouted out a few defensive players in particular for their development this season.

“Some of those linebackers, Isaiah Hung is a younger guy who’s really progressed. I think D-line wise, Josh Wedel is a guy who wasn’t playing early in the season (and) he’s a guy who’s progressed. And then Jamarey Smith, he’s just been plug and play, whether he’s been playing nickel (cornerback), playing safety, playing corner.”

The WSU Cougars (1-7 overall, 0-4 Pac-12) will continue play at 4 p.m. Saturday on the road against San Diego State (3-5, 2-2). Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 2 with the pregame show.

Catch The Kirby Moore Show on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy at 12:30 p.m. each Tuesday during the football season, as well as on demand in podcast or video form here on SeattleSports.com.

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