Things are different in Pullman this season.  

Former Washington State head coach Mike Leach left the program in January to coach Mississippi State, taking over for current Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. Unlike any other coach in the Pac-12, Leach gave a unique identity and offensive philosophy to the team. The Cougars will miss him in his absence. 

“I loved Washington State, but I am excited for my next chapter in the SEC,” Leach said. 

The aggressive “air raid” play style, for which Leach is known for, is predicated on throwing the ball on every down and rarely relying on the run game. This play style has plenty of critics, but his impact on the program is undeniable. In his eight years, Leach had a 55-47 record at the helm, leading the program to five straight bowl games. Last season was disappointing for Washington State as they went 6-7 and lost in the Cheez-It Bowl to Air Force. 

Former Hawaii head coach Nick Rolovich fills Leach’s vacancy this season. Rolovich has a tough job ahead of him as he offers his own style to the team, without sacrificing the relative success of the Leach years. In his first  game with the Cougars, Rolovich earned a 38-28 win over Oregon State on Saturday.

Washington State is in the midst of transitioning from the air raid to a run and gun style. Rolovich’s new system looks to  utilize receiver motion on the line of scrimmage to create mismatches, giving the quarterback a chance to exploit opponent weaknesses. 

Rolovich also brings a new quarterback, Jayden De Laura, the first true freshman quarterback starter in Washington State history. In the recent past, Leach’s air raid offense produced now-NFL starting quarterback Gardner Minshew.  It remains to be seen if De Laura will follow in his footsteps. 

In his first start against Oregon State last week, De Laura threw for 227 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Cougars jumped out to a big lead against the Beavers, but they also allowed Oregon State to close the deficit to 31-28 in the fourth quarter.

However, this is not the full story. This was impressive considering the team was without 32 players last week. The most notable absence was running back Max Borghi who is primed to be a big contributor this season. The university has not disclosed why these players were not able to play since the school has not reported any positive COVID-19 tests. 

Assuming Washington State will play their starting lineup against Oregon on Saturday, one thing to watch for is the battle between the Cougar’s offensive line and the Duck’s defensive line. Liam Ryan, Josh Watson and Abraham Lucas are experienced and adept pass blockers. They will be challenged by Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jordan Scott. If Oregon’s defense can provide a strong pass rush, it will be a long night for De Laura.  

Washington State is in rebuild mode this season, but with the margin of error so low for Oregon this season, the Ducks cannot afford to take any opponent lightly.