WSU football notebook: Another QB battle in store, several Cougars to miss spring with injuries and special teams notes
Mar. 25—PULLMAN — From coaching stop to coaching stop, from the West Coast to the Midwest, Kirby Moore has learned what he values most in quarterback play. He's learned from all manner of head coaches, all of whom have received shoutouts from Washington State's new head coach in his first few months on the job, all of whom have colored the new Cougar head man's approach.
Over those years, Moore has established a few criteria above all for his quarterbacks: Completion percentage and taking care of the football. "And explosive plays," Moore said. "So those are things we're going to be tracking every day.
" As WSU prepares to kick off spring practice, beginning with Thursday's opener at the Taylor Sports Complex, Moore won't just be looking for those qualities from Cougar quarterbacks Caden Pinnick, Owen Eshelman and Julian Dugger. He'll be looking to see who wields them the best. It'll be WSU's third straight year hosting a QB battle.
Two years ago, the winner was John Mateer. Last year, the honors went to Jaxon Potter, who later lost his spot to Zevi Eckhaus. Who will take the reins in Moore's debut season in Pullman?
That much may not be determined until this fall — "I am in no hurry for that to happen," Moore said — but if you created a list of intriguing developments to come from WSU's spring ball slate, the QB situation may live at the top, no matter which way it goes. Pinnick has by far the most experience, last fall completing 70% of his passes for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns against 10 interceptions for FCS UC Davis, winning Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors. But to earn starting duties for Washington State, Moore says, he'll have to beat out Dugger and Eshelman, neither of whom have extensive experience at the college level.
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