Kirby Moore: New WSU QB ‘very decisive’ in debut

The WSU Cougars face a tall task this weekend when they host 21st-ranked Boise State on Saturday trying to avoid clinching a losing season.

The Broncos have won five straight heading into the matchup, which will be just the second start of Cougars redshirt freshman quarterback Owen Eshelman’s career.

First-year WSU head coach Kirby Moore previewed the matchup and shared what he saw from Eshelman is his first start when he joined former Cougars wide receiver Michael Bumpus for the latest edition of Cougs Weekly during Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

‘He was very decisive’

Though he would have preferred the performance to result in a win, Moore liked what he saw from Eshelman against an Oregon State squad that remained unbeaten in Pac-12 play with its 48-30 victory over WSU.

Eshelman went 32-of-49 passing for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding a game-high 136 rushing yards and one TD with his legs.

After opening the game with four first-quarter punts, Eshelman and the WSU offense put up all 30 of their points from the second quarter on.

“I thought he got better as the game went on,” Moore said. “There was a couple there early where he’s probably a little bit amped up and just not on the same page with the receivers, then he settled down. I thought he was very decisive just with the throws, the scrambles, very good communication with (me) between series and with the players. And he’s got to continue to get better.”

Moore shared some additional praise for how Eshelman attacked the game film afterwards.

“I think his work habits after the game in terms of watching the film on the bus and then even (Monday) morning he was in here at 6:30 finishing up some things from Oregon State and moving on to Boise, that’s what you want to see,” Moore said.

The tall task ahead

After facing the Beavers last week, the 1-6 Cougars take on the other team that is still unbeaten in Pac-12 play this week in the Broncos.

Boise State is led by strong rushing attack on offense that ranks ninth in the country at 234.5 yards per game. It’s helped the Broncos lead the nation with a 36:08 average time of possession.

Broncos running back Dylan Riley is fourth in the nation with 835 rushing yards and is averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Sire Gaines as has added another 354 yards on 66 carries. The duo has combined for nine rushing TDs.

“There’s almost a little bit of an Army feel there with the run game and the two backs,” Moore said. “And the quarterback’s played a ton of football. He makes a ton of really good decisions, gets them in the right checks from a run-game standpoint, takes care of the ball.”

Boise State’s defense has also played well this year, second in the Pac-12 in average points allowed (22.3) and third in average yards allowed (368.2).

“Defensively, they’re really aggressive,” Moore said. “And so with that, sometimes they get people off the field fast and you’ve maybe gone a whole quarter with a possession or two. And that’s where they kind of shorten the game and they play their style, they play it really well.”

Hear the full conversation with WSU Cougars head coach Kirby Moore on Cougs Weekly at this link or watch the video at the top of this post. Cougs Weekly airs every Tuesday during Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. 

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