Washington Huskies Defense Prepared For Unknown of Washington State Cougars

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Washington Huskies defensive coordinator Ryan Walters speaks to the media at a weekly news conference Tuesday at Husky Stadium in Seattle. | Teren Kowatsch/Roundtable Sports

SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies football team is days away from the beginning of its season, which will kick off with the Apple Cup against the Washington State Cougars at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

The Huskies took last year's Apple Cup against the Cougars 59-24 at the latter's home turf at Gesa Field in Pullman, Wash., but this year's WSU squad will be much different than the one UW faced last season.

Cougars head coach Kirby Moore will be in his first year leading the program. Washington does have familiarity with Washington State's quarterback, Caden Pinnick, but he'll have a much different surrounding cast then he did last year when he played for UC Davis, and lost to the Huskies 70-10.

Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters acknowledged both Pinnick's ability and the unknowns for his defense going into the Apple Cup against the revamped Cougars roster.

However, through both his defense's familiarity with his system (this year will be Walters' second with the program in his current role) and being tested by the UW offense in the offseason, the former safety is confident his unit is prepared.

"I think we're as prepared as we will be," Walters said in a weekly news conference Tuesday. "(Head coach Jedd Fisch) and the offensive staff have thrown everything at us from spring ball to the fall camp. And it's definitely given us a good starting point on how to defend and attack multiple personnel groupings, multiple formations, different shift, different motions, run schemes, pass schemes. … We've seen everything. I think that is definitely advantageous from a defensive coordinator's standpoint."

As for what Walters and the Huskies defense will face in Moore's offense, it might be more faster-paced than UW is used to in previous seasons.

In Fisch's first year as head coach in 2024, which saw Washington State come into Lumen Field in Seattle and upset Washington 24-19, Jake Dickert, a defensive-minded coach, was leading the Cougs.

Last season, Jimmy Rogers, another defensive mind, was head coach. Dickert is now in the same position at Wake Forest and Rogers is head coach at Iowa State.

Moore took the head job with Washington State after a three-season stint as the offensive coordinator of the Missouri Tigers. Under his coaching, the Tigers offense ranked ninth, 20th and 44th in the country in points per game.

"In pursuit of Kirby Moore's vision the WSU offense is fitted as an up-tempo balanced attack," The Lewiston Tribune's WSU beat writer Sam Taylor said in a quote to Roundtable Sports. "With a stable of running backs and quick pass catchers, the Cougars will likely aim for balance. However, the WSU defense has proven to be a thorn in their side throughout spring ball and fall camp. What exactly that means remains to be seen."

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