Start of Kirby Moore era marred by uneven play, missed opportunities | TV take

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Sep. 6—The Kirby Moore era started well. For one offensive play. Actually two. After that? It was up and down. Ultimately, though, as down as possible.

Why? Because the University of Washington earned a 24-10 win Sunday before 71,056 packed into Husky Stadium.

The first Apple Cup to open a season featured missed opportunities, missed field goals and missed calls — by everyone. Even, occasionally, by the trio that brought the game into our homes on NBC.

In the end, Paul Burmeister, Yogi Roth and Zora Stephenson performed more like Washington and delivered a winning effort in a game that dragged along until the final quarter.

What they saw

—Like the game, the broadcast trio started a bit slowly. Burmeister opened by calling the venue " one of the best settings in all of college football." That probably didn't enthrall the hosts, who refer to their edifice on the banks of Lake Washington in advertisements as "the greatest setting in college football."

And when the former Iowa quarterback referred to the Apple Cup as a game that features two teams " ready for their most hated rival to kick off their season." Cougar fans? Yep, they feel that way. Most Huskies? They see the school in Eugene filling that role.

—It got better though. Even if it seemed for most of the game Washington State's offense reached its zenith in its first drive, one of two that ended in a long missed field goal.

Caden Pinnick, making his first start as a Cougar but his second in Husky Stadium, fooled the UW defense on the game's first play, a 25-yard keeper down the sideline. The next play was an 11-yard dart to Daniel Blood.

The next 54 plays? A total of 206 yards. Much of it — 62 yards, culminated by Pinnick's 11-yard keeper — came on the one touchdown drive, sandwiching the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters.

Then again, it's not easy to win the Apple Cup when your offensive line is dominated by their defensive counterparts. As has been the case often in the past 15 years or so. Entering the final quarter, the Husky front had posted eight tackles for loss. Three sacks. Held the Cougs to 2.5 yards per carry.

Pinnick, who threw for just 50 yards when he led UC Davis into the stadium a year ago, more than doubled that with 142 — on 45 attempts. But he still was just 8-of-15 passing for 85 yards after three quarters.

So changes were made. The passing game got shorter. And the running game was all Pinnick.

"Again, it's (offensive coordinator) Matt Miller saying we can't really protect," Roth said. "But can we get the ball out, nice job right there of finding a quick outlet to move the chains."

And Pinnick took over.

"You've got to keep your eyes on Caden Pinnick," Roth said as WSU drove in the fourth before Jack Stevens' 42-yard field goal that cut the lead to seven. Smart. Pinnick accounted for 156 of WSU's 242 yards.

—The Cougar defense was almost as good as UW's. Almost. Though that shouldn't be much of a surprise if you've been paying attention since practice began. The WSU defense dominated almost every day. And, except for a second-quarter Demond Williams Jr. run from 5 yards out, capping a drive that began at WSU's 21 after Pinnick's first of two interceptions, it did the same to the Huskies. Until three plays late.

"This defense is just impressive," Roth said of the Cougars.

Pretty much. Until it needed to make one play to give the offense a chance. Third-and-9. Two minutes, 54 seconds left. UW at its 33. Williams has to scramble to escape pressure. Jeremiah Bernard hems him in at the 35. DJ Warner closes. So does Linus Zunk. All miss. Williams runs for 21 yards. Game over. Well, for sure two plays later, one a 35-yard pass to Chris Lawson and the other an 11-yard scoring run from Jayden Limar.

—The Huskies helped the Cougars stay in the game, despite Wazzu's three turnovers. UW committed 12 penalties for 130 yards, including a fourth-quarter targeting call that survived a lengthy review. That call negated a fumble by Pinnick and a long UW return. And kept the Cougars' second scoring drive alive.

What we saw

—Adding injury to the insult of a rivalry game loss is not unusual. But it rarely hurts as much, or seems as poignant, as what happened to Tony Freeman.

WSU's senior wide receiver, who stayed loyal through the coaching changeover, seemed to stumble and fall on a first quarter pass route.

Freeman didn't get up. Until he was helped by the Washington State medical staff. He went to the medical tent. Then the locker room. And then returned to the sidelines.

Where the NBC camera caught a touching scene.

It showed, from behind, Freeman standing to the right of long-time Cougar orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ed Tingstad, who once wore the same uniform. Freeman, supported by crutches and his right knee encased in ice, leaned toward Tingstad.

Tingstad reached out with his right arm and put it around Freeman just as the broadcast was cutting back to the game.

Freeman, called doubtful by sideline reporter Zora Stephenson, did not return.

—Speaking of Stephenson, she exhibited why such a position can be worthwhile as UW left the field at halftime.

Right after the Cougars' goal-line stand, when Keith Brown and the defensive line stuffed the Huskies at the 1-yard line as time expired.

Stephenson asked about the play. UW coach Jedd Fisch, who NBC showed — more than once — throwing his headset after Brown's bear hug, had an opportunity to share his thoughts.

"I'm not very happy about it," Fisch said. "We had a half-a-yard to gain. If we can't get a half-a-yard, we don't deserve to get in the end zone."

And what do they have to do in the second half?

"We gotta run the ball a lot better than we're running the ball," Fisch continued. "We gotta hit passes that we are not hitting. We gotta continue to play great defense but we gotta score some points. It's embarrassing right now."

How did the Huskies start the second half? By being flagged. With a delay-of-game penalty.

Roth offered the verbal equivalent of rolling his eyes.

Just like everyone watching most of the game.

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