In true Mike Leach fashion, dueling air raid attacks are set to square off this Saturday as WSU (1-0) takes on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0) at Gesa Field.
The two teams put up a combined 122 points in week one, both surpassing the 50-point mark. Wazzu rolled Portland State 70-30, getting the starters out early, while TTU beat Arizona Christian University 52-51 in an unexpected overtime nailbiter at home.
The two schools have played each other just twice all-time in 1963 and ’64. The last matchup between the schools was a 28-10 TTU victory, one WSU hopes to avenge.
This game is extra special as Mike Leach along with four other legends will be inducted into the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Leach, the modern creator of the air raid offense, is already in the TTU Hall of Fame, and coached for both teams, leading them both to some of the most success in their respective program’s history.
To add to the magnitude of the contest, the two teams dueling offensive coordinators worked together at Western Kentucky in 2022, with TTU’s Zach Kittley mentoring WSU’s Ben Arbuckle.
Also returning to the Palouse is former two-time offensive line coach Clay McGuire, who is in his third stint with TTU. Lastly, and perhaps the most known to fans returning is wide receiver Josh Kelly, who had a breakout season with WSU a season ago and now leads a dangerous Red Raider offense.
“Josh Kelly is the spark of this offense,” TTU head coach Joey McGuire said. “Josh Kelly is the one that gets things going.”
Kelly had a career-high 10 catches in week one racking up 156 receiving yards and a touchdown in his TTU debut. Along with Kelly is one of the most dangerous and productive running backs in all of college football, Tahj Brooks.
“[Brooks] is going to be the best all-time rusher in Texas Tech football history. I don’t know their history per se, but I imagine that’s pretty good,” WSU head coach Jake Dickert said.
Brooks picked up 153 yards on the ground in week one with a touchdown on 27 carries, accounting for all but five of his team’s rushing attempts. With his performance, the 5th-year senior Brooks is only 1,014 rushing yards away from the TTU all-time record. Brooks ran for 1,443 in 2023.
With such a heavy workload comes wear and tear, and Brooks is listed as questionable for the game Saturday with an arm injury. The difference between his playing could be night and day for the Cougar defense.
Leading the explosive playmakers on the TTU offense is junior quarterback Behren Morton, who threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns in week one. The Red Raiders offense is potent, and after the struggles defensively in week one, WSU is ready to adjust.
“They’re high-powered. I believe at the end of the day Texas Tech’s offense will be top-10 in the country. Since they went to [Morton] last year it clicked,” Dickert said. “But we got the right men in the room [defensively]. They want to get better. They saw things on tape they didn’t like, and they know they’re correctable.”
While the matchup looks like a shootout on paper, Wazzu wide receiver Tre Shackelford and linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah have other thoughts.
“I don’t think so, our defense is gonna step up and play,” Shackelford said.
“No,” Al-Uqdah said when asked if he expects a shootout.
The Cougar offense on the other hand also had a big week with QB John Mateer throwing for 325 yards and five touchdowns on just 11 passes, helping provide for two 100-yard receivers. They also had great contributions on the ground, with Mateer rushing for a touchdown and freshman RB Wayshawn Parker scoring two as well.
Perhaps the most important thing the Cougs did a week ago was not allow a sack and Texas Tech’s defense was unable to sack ACU QB Maverick McIvor in week one. The reason for both was time.
McIvor got rid of the ball in 2.45 seconds per play against TTU, which head coach McGuire said results in an expected sack approximately every 90 plays. Mateer in week one got the ball out in 2.25 seconds, something that can work to the Coug’s advantage with several speed threats on the team.
Defensively TTU was outgained by ACU and allowed McIvor to throw for 506 yards and three touchdowns in an air raid offense similar to WSU’s.
The Red Raider defense is also significantly banged up, especially at outside linebacker with key contributors like Joseph Adedire and Dylan Spencer out for the season while Charles Esters is still out from an injury he missed week one with. Harvey Dyson, who started at OLB in week one for TTU, is listed as questionable going into week two with a foot injury, potentially hurting the position even more.
Outside of outside linebacker starting safety CJ Baskerville is questionable with a shoulder injury while starting nose tackle Quincy Ledet Jr. is questionable with a knee injury. Lastly, TTU’s top corner Bralyn Lux who was a late scratch in week one is expected to play but is questionable with a thigh injury, a potential crucial returner.
The Cougs enter the week mostly clean on the injury report outside of cornerback Jamorri Colson who is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a broken jaw that held him out of week one. Redshirt freshman Ethan O’Connor will once again fill that role. Behind him graduate transfer corner Jerrae Williams who transferred in from UNLV is questionable, Dickert said.
Senior punter Nick Haberer is a game-time decision, Dickert said, and in his place like in week one would be senior kicker Dean Janikowski filling the role. Lastly, right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe is still out recovering from knee surgery but is expected to return next week vs the University of Washington.
The often unsung aspect of any football game is special teams, and both teams feel they have an advantage in that area. For WSU, kick returner Leyton Smithson was one of a rarified group of players in the NCAA to reach a 21 mph sprint speed last season when he returned a kick for a touchdown against Colorado in week 12.
On the TTU side, kick returner Drae McCray is one of the most productive in the nation, returning three kicks for 165 yards to lead the nation in week one with a long of 74. In 2023 McCrae was 10th in total kick returns (26) and yards per return (27.6) but was third in total kick return yards (717).
To combat McCrae, who also happens to be best friends with Shackelford, he said, WSU will utilize their own weapon in kickoff specialist Ryan Harris, a transfer from San Diego Mesa College. Harris, a sophomore, booted seven of 11 kickoffs through the back of the endzone for touchbacks in week one.
“They have a weapon in their return game and we have a weapon in Ryan Harris. Their return unit has been one of the best in the country so you gotta have a calculated plan to combat that, but our plan is to go out there and let Ryan bomb the ball out the back of the endzone,” Dickert said.
Beyond just the challenge of the opponent, WSU is faced with the pressure of the national spotlight. The game is being broadcast on FOX in the 7 p.m. primetime window, and all eyes will be on the Cougs and Red Raiders Saturday. Despite the pressure portrayed by the media, WSU does not talk about it, Dickert said.
“It’s a faceless opponent, and it’s our second opportunity of the season to prove who we want to be as a football team, that’s going to be our focus,” Dickert said. “We train in the dark so in those moments in the spotlight we’re conditioned to do what we’re trained to do, period.”
Although the odds currently favor WSU, many may feel like the Cougs are an underdog coming in following the collapse of the Pac-12 in the offseason with a Big 12 opponent coming in. The mentality on the team, however, is never to be an underdog, Al-Uqdah said.
“I feel like there is definitely something to prove. Do I feel like we’re underdogs? No. I would never feel like that. Yea naw, heck nah,” Al-Uqdah said.
The game measures up to the Wisconsin matchup the previous two years as a week two litmus test for the squad, and Dickert hopes the starters come out extra fresh after resting the second half of last week’s blowout win.
It is a matchup quintessential to both team’s reputation and early season start, and a chance to see which offense might honor the legend of Mike Leach the most.
