Editor’s Note: This is the seventh of 11 Pac-12 football 2023 team previews — one for each of Arizona’s conference brethren. Today: Washington State (7-6 overall, 4-5 Pac-12 a year ago). The Cougars were picked to finish seventh in the conference’s preseason media poll.
PULLMAN, Wash. — The past two seasons have been a whirlwind for Jake Dickert and the entire Washington State program.
Coaching changes. Conference changes. It’s felt like nonstop waves hitting the Cougars.
“We’ve been through a lot of situations, we’ve navigated a lot of different things,” Dickert said. “Look at my tenure here. Washington State can thrive.”
Washington State defensive end Brennan Jackson (80) tackles Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee during the second half of last year's game.
Dickert is beginning his second full season in charge at Washington State, looking for the near-misses from last season to turn into victories.
His first full season as a head coach was a mixed bag of success, struggles, and ultimately a disappointing finish after a blowout loss to rival Washington and a bowl game flop against Fresno State. There were the highs of winning at Wisconsin and the lows of narrow home losses to Oregon and Utah.
“I think we learned from Year 1. I’ve learned a lot as a head coach in Year 1 to Year 2 how to run a program,” Dickert said. “I think those are the things that you’re really going to see as we go throughout this season.”
The Cougars have stability on the field in some key spots that they’re hoping can lead to a better record than last season’s 7-6 mark.
Washington State brings back starting quarterback Cam Ward, starting running back Nakia Watson and two of the best pass rushers in the league in Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson. But beyond those stars are questions at wide receiver, on the offensive line and in the back seven of the defense.
One thing that remains is the chip the Cougars carry.
“We feel like nobody wants the Cougs to win. We’re all we got, we’re all we need,” Stone said. “As long as we have each other and we can rely on ourselves, we’re going to be facing so many different obstacles. It’s us versus the world, basically.”
Buckle up
Ben Arbuckle arrived at Washington State this offseason with expectations that don’t normally accompany a 27-year-old offensive coordinator. The Cougars are hoping Arbuckle can unlock even more potential in the Washington State offense.
Arbuckle was the offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky last season when the Hilltoppers ranked sixth in the country in total offense and 15th in scoring offense. QB Austin Reed led the country in yards passing and was third in TD passes.
“The one thing Coach Arbuckle has done from the moment he stepped in our building was just inject life into our offense,” Dickert said.
Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward answers questions at the Pac-12 media day in July. Ward is expected to put up big numbers for the Cougars in 2023.
Ward’s next chapter
Washington State hoped Ward would be the next quarterback in the lineage of passers who put up huge numbers that led to wins. The numbers were there — he threw for 3,231 yards and 23 touchdowns — but the success didn’t follow. Ward also had too many times where he made poor decisions with the ball or tried to make a play and ended up taking a sack. He was sacked 46 times last season.
If Ward is to improve in the passing game, it will come with an almost entirely new group of pass catchers. None of the top three receivers from last season returned.
“Coach Arbuckle, we see eye to eye. The first thing we implemented is what I need to work on as a leader, quarterback,” Ward said. “I’ve changed tremendously since last season.”
Rush pairing
While most of their defense remains a question, the Cougars do have two of the best defensive ends in the conference in Stone and Jackson. They were second-team all-Pac-12 selections last season and named preseason second-team all-Pac-12 going into this year.
Stone had 34 tackles and two sacks last season, while Jackson contributed 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and six sacks. Washington State will need the pair to be as disruptive as possible to make up for concerns about depth at linebacker after the graduation of first-team all-Pac-12 selection Deiyan Henley.
Road ahead
After opening at Colorado State, the Cougars will return home to host No. 19 Wisconsin in the first nonconference matchup with a Power Five program in Pullman in 25 years. Washington State will open conference play at home on Sept. 23 against No. 18 Oregon State and, thanks to opponent rotation, the Cougars will avoid matchups against No. 6 USC and No. 14 Utah. The Cougars will close the season with 10th-ranked Washington in what is likely the final Apple Cup with both teams in the same conference.
With two weeks until the season opener, Arizona held its "First Look" scrimmage on Saturday at Arizona Stadium. (Video by Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star)
