A brand new head coach with a brand new offensive system on one side versus an established quarterback and head coach on the other side. How do these two very different offenses compare heading into the 114th edition of the Apple Cup?
Washington Offense
It is hard to find any holes among the Huskies’ starting 11 in 2026 . Washington returns six starters from a year ago and plugs in two transfers with starting experience (wide receiver Christian Moss and center Kolt Dietrich). Round out the starting 11 are right guard Champ Taulealea, running back Quaid Carr, and freshman left tackle Kodi Greene.
Despite the portal additions and new starters, Washington lost two key position players from a season ago who both had monster performances against Washington State. Running back Jonah Coleman totaled 163 yards and three scores while wide receiver Denzel Boston snagged six passes for 107 yards and two scores.
Instead of relying on two stars to carry the load, the 2026 iteration of the Washington offense will operate more on a by-committee style.
PROMISSING PASSING GAME
In the passing game, second-year receiver Dezmen Roebuck will be Demond Williams Jr.’s go-to target. As a freshman, Roebuck was second on the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Along with Moss, Washington also sees the return of fourth year receiver Rashid Williams. Williams was slated to have a breakout campaign in 2025, but an injury sidelined the receiver for most of the season, only appearing in two games.
“I don’t think any of [the receivers] got as strong this off season as Rashid did, so I think his confidence is blossoming because of the work that he put in,” Washington receivers coach Kevin Cummings said.
Junior tight end Decker DeGraff returns as one of Williams’ top targets, but will see his time split with surprise second-year player Baron Naone. Naone appeared in seven games in 2025 and failed to record a catch; however, a strong fall camp saw the 6-4, 240-pound tight end emerge as another potential threat for Williams.
“[Baron] has had a fantastic camp, he’s caught the ball well, blocked exceptionally well, gotten bigger, really attacked the off-season,” UW head coach Jedd Fisch said. “I think he and Decker are going to split most of the reps all game and all season.”
Without Coleman to carry the bulk of the work-load, Washington will rely on three backs for production on the ground. Another fall camp standout, Carr won the starting job over veterans Trey Cooley and Oregon transfer Jayden Limar. All three running backs will see time on Sunday, giving the WSU defense different looks and challenges.
IMPROVED UP FRONT
Finally, the UW offensive line should appear much improved from a year ago on Sunday. Greene and sophomore John Mills provide as good of a left side of the line as you’ll see in college football, while Drew Azzopardi and Taulealea provide massive size on the right side. The only true question mark is the center position. This will be Dietrich’s first collegiate game at center after taking over for the injured Landen Hatchett.
Washington State Offense
Another head coach departure led to another complete overhaul for the Cougars, but first-year head coach Kirby Moore has done his best to keep Washington State competitive on Sunday.
The former Missouri Offensive Coordinator’s biggest splash of the offseason was picking up former UC Davis and Big Sky freshman of the Year, quarterback Caden Pinnick. Pinnick faced UW in 2025 in a 70-10 belting at UC Davis, but the dynamic signal caller should make a much larger impact in 2026 with an improved supporting cast.
“I told the offensive guys earlier in the week, you are not playing Caden Pinnick at UC Davis,” Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said. “This is a new system, a [new] team, and we really only saw him for a half last year, so it’s a completely different player when you’re surrounded by a different environment.”
Pinnick threw for over 3000 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025 while also rushing for over 400 yards. It will be paramount for the Washington defense to keep Pinnick in the pocket and minimize time for the QB to improvise on the run.
Pinnick’s safety valve, much like UW, will be slot receiver Tony Freeman. Freeman hauled in 54 receptions for 590 yards and three scores in 2025. Florida transfer receiver Tank Hawkins should also provide an explosive presence on the perimeter.
Junior running back Kirby Vorhees will carry much of the load on the ground for the Cougars. Vorhees rushed for 576 yards and five scores in 2025 for WSU. On the offensive line, Washington State features two returning starters, both on the left side of the line. Tackle Ashton Tripp and guard Jonny Lester. The other three line positions will be filled by three returners who will look to take a jump in production from 2025, leaving 60% of the WSU line with a big question mark heading into Sunday.
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