So much went right for WSU football in their big 38-35 win over the Oregon State Beavers. That is not to say that it was the perfect night. Early in the game, Lincoln Victor went down with an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game and left him in crutches.
Lincoln Victor in crutches on the sideline after getting injured early against Oregon State, Sept. 23, in Pullman, Wash.
In the absence of the receiver who led the team through the first three weeks of the season, two transfers took over and had career performances against the Beavers that propelled the team to victory.
Kyle Williams started with a huge 63-yard receiving TD on just the second play from scrimmage. He ran straight down the seam and QB Cam Ward perfectly placed the pass to hit him in stride for an easy score to set the tone.
WSU football player Kyle Willams catches the ball for the first touchdown of the game during an NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, September 23, 2023 in Pullman, Wash.
Kyle Williams runs into the end zone to score in the first quarter against Oregon State, Sept. 23, in Pullman, Wash.
While Williams got it started, his teammate Josh Kelly set the bar in the stratosphere with a one-handed catch in the first quarter that impressed all 33,000 people in Martin Stadium and the millions that saw it live and on social media in the coming days.
Josh Kelly makes a miraculous one-handed catch with a defender grabbing onto his jersey in the first quarter against Oregon State, Sept. 23, in Pullman, Wash.
“Once I pulled in [the first one-handed catch] I just felt like it was time to go,” Kelly said.
Ward kept going back to the duo whenever the offense needed a spark, with the two accounting for 15 of his 28 completions on the day. While losing Victor will hurt, it was proven that even against a good team, the two of them can manage a full offensive load.
“Just incredible what they went out there and did and the [yards after catch] that they had was phenomenal,” head coach Jake Dickert said.
Kelly finished with eight receptions for 159 yards and three TDs, averaging 19.9 yards a reception and putting up 51 yards after receiving the ball. Williams, on the other hand, had seven receptions for 174 yards and a score, averaging 24.9 yards a reception and adding 62 yards after the catch.
Most impressive for Williams was his 100% completion on targets, grabbing all seven balls that Ward threw his way.
“All you gotta do is put it in their vicinity and they’re gonna come down with it,” Ward said.
After his first one-handed catch, the highlight plays never really stopped for Kelly. Another one-handed grab for a TD and a spin move that put four Oregon State defenders into their own little huddle made his night certainly memorable.
The memory was especially sweet as his family attended the game and he got to share a moment with them as fans rushed the field.
While Victor is the leading receiver still at 342 yards, Kelly’s 336 and Williams’ 301 are not far behind. While they cannot completely replace Victor’s production while he is sidelined, they will need to step up and have consistently good performances like their ones against the Beavers if the Cougs want to continue to have the success they have had to open 2023.
For their performances in week four, the duo earned the Shrine Bowl’s Breakout Co-Offensive Players of the Week.
