To take down No. 25 Boise State, WSU will have to find a way to slow down RB Ashton Jeanty

Sep. 27—PULLMAN — One question will go a long way in determining the outcome of Washington State’s road test against No. 25 Boise State Saturday evening:

What do you emphasize in tackling to bring down Ashton Jeanty?

“The best tackle is any tackle,” WSU safeties and nickels coach Jordan Malone said. “Hold on for dear life.”

Malone was mostly kidding, explaining the Cougars spent much of this week’s practice working on tackling to slow down Jeanty, one of the best running backs — if not the best — in the country. There’s a lot that goes into that effort, and through three games, none of BSU’s opponents has found a formula that works well.

To take down Boise State on the Broncos’ blue turf, Washington State may have to become the first team to do so.

It’s the Cougars’ first game of the Pac-12/Mountain West scheduling agreement, which the conferences struck to provide games this season for WSU and Oregon State, the two schools left behind by the departing 10 members.

At the least, the Cougars will be a little more rested than usual. On Sept. 20, WSU outlasted visiting San Jose State 54-52 in double overtime on quarterback John Mateer’s winning 2-point conversion and edge rusher Quinn Roff’s strip sack on the Spartans’ ensuing 2-point try. It helped WSU move to 4-0 for the second straight season.

This is about the time of year when the Cougars’ 2023 season went sideways, a six-game losing streak that sent them home without a bowl game appearance for the first time since 2014, COVID-19 year notwithstanding.

To avoid a similar fate this year will start with taking down BSU, a game that will have significant implications for both teams’ chances at making the College Football Playoff, which has 12 spots.

The Cougars and Broncos will likely be vying for one of seven at-large spots. While a loss wouldn’t necessarily knock…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/down-no-25-boise-state-020300051.html

Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Publish date : 2024-09-28 02:03:00

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