Washington State Football: Keys to Victory vs. Hawaii

Jared Miller | Oct 18, 2024

Aug 31, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Brayden Schager (13) makes a pass against the UCLA Bruins during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

In this story:

The Cougars will clash with the Rainbow Warriors in Martin Stadium this Saturday.

A 6-1 start, which would be the best for Washington State in six years, is well within reach but to get there the Cougs will have to go through Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors make a swing through the Pacific Northwest this weekend on the heels of back-to-back losses at San Diego State and vs. Boise State respectively. In order to avoid what would be an upset on their own field, here's what WSU needs to do on Saturday afternoon...

Don't Let Schager Get Hot

Washington State's defense needs to find ways to keep Hawaii QB Brayden Schager off-rhythm and out of sync because, when teams let him get rolling, that's when trouble starts. Schager has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game this year but has had some really big performances when the defense isn't up to snuff. Against FCS Northern Iowa he threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns while going for 272 and three more a week later against San Diego State.

One thing that has been Schager's Achilles Heel thus far in 2024, though, has been interceptions of which he's thrown six. If Cougar defenders like edge rusher Andrew Edson and linebacker Kyle Thornton can get consistent pressure then mistakes in the passing game may soon be to follow. Washington State's defense has picked off eight passes this year and getting Schager off his groove could certainly lead to more.

Mix it Up on Offense

A healthy mix of run and pass will go a long way for the Cougars in this one and they are pretty solid at both. The WSU offense is currently averaging 277 passing yards per outing and running for 185. Those numbers are both well above what Hawaii is giving up on a per game basis right now and if the Cougars can stay two-dimensional throughout the course of this contest then their odds of winning will stay pretty high.

John Mateer will, of course, be the engine that makes this happen both through the air and on the ground. Washington State's sophomore signal caller is leading the team with 499 rushing yards and six touchdowns while also passing for 1,601 yards and 13 more scores. Diversified play design for Mateer and the offense should keep Hawaii's defense on its toes.

Complete Drives

For all their struggles this year, one thing Hawaii's defense has been solid at is keeping their opposition out of the end zone once they reach the red zone. Opponents are 10-for-21 against the Rainbow Warriors when it comes to scoring touchdowns from inside the 20. It means that A) teams are scoring a lot of long TDs and that B) Washington State will need to be sound when they find themselves that deep in enemy territory. Settling for field goals is not a formula for winning.

Mateer and company cannot afford to peter out in the red zone and, if they stick to what's worked so far this season, that shouldn't be an issue. The WSU offense has scored 16 red zone touchdowns this fall, many of which have come on the back of Mateer himself as well as running back Wayshawn Parker. The Cougars like to run the ball down close to the goal line and Hawaii has allowed seven rushing scores this year. Simply put, the Cougs don't need to fix what isn't broken when it comes to capping off drives.

More Reading Material From On SI