Sep. 14—PULLMAN — Washington State wide receiver Tony Freeman has played his final snap of the season.
Freeman is expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, coach Kirby Moore said Monday, dealing a costly blow to the Cougars ' receiving and kick return departments. A senior and a team captain, the speedy Freeman was expected to be his team's top option on both fronts.
Freeman's injury happened during WSU's season-opening loss to rival Washington on Sept. 6. Freeman played just 10 snaps before going down with his injury, going to the locker room and returning in street clothes.
WSU's medical staff is still determining Freeman's surgery date, Moore said, adding that it's possible Freeman returns for an extra season next fall. But that much is unclear at this point.
A year ago, Freeman started seven of 13 games, reeling in 54 passes for 590 yards and three touchdowns. In the punt return department, he also recorded an average punt return of 17.3 yards, the sixth-best mark nationwide and a WSU single-season record. He also set a program record with 415 punt return yards on the season.
Freeman's absence figures to be another tough development for WSU's offense, which ranks last nationally in total offense (408 yards) and points per game (8.5). In the Cougars' loss to Kansas State on Saturday, their offense went scoreless for the first time since a a blowout loss to Arizona State in 2010, when Paul Wulff was head coach.
That's a key reason behind the Cougars' 0-2 start to the season, the program's first since 2016. On Saturday, quarterback Caden Pinnick passed for just 65 yards, becoming the first WSU signal-caller since Jeff Tuel registered fewer than 100 passing yards in 2010.
A quick slot receiver, Freeman's absence figures to push other WSU receivers into the spotlight. In Saturday's game, Cougar wideouts Daniel Blood and Darrius Clemons combined for just 41 yards on five catches. Transfer receiver Tank Hawkins , who started the game but played only one snap, could wind up in a bigger role as well.
WSU could also ask a bit more from veteran receiver Branden Ganashamoorthy, who caught one pass for 11 yards against K-State. That was the Cougs' first third-down conversion of the season.
"Darrius made a couple plays there. BG's stepped in," Moore said. "We gotta find ways to get them the ball. D-Blood first game, I think, didn't get as many there in the second game. And then Jordan Dees and Tank Hawkins gotta find roles and find opportunities as we progress here."
Other injury updates
In other injury news, WSU starting cornerbacks Khamari Terrell and Jalil Tucker are expected to be available for Saturday's game against FCS Duquesne, Moore said. Terrell didn't travel to Kansas State due to a concussion he suffered during practice last week, Moore said, while Tucker traveled but watched from the sideline in street clothes.
Those two absences cost the Cougars' defense, which surrendered 487 total yards to the Wildcats, including 192 passing from quarterback Avery Johnson and another 295 rushing. WSU's replacements on defense were Kai Rapolla and Jamarey Smith, the latter of whom moved from nickel to cornerback. Rapolla allowed four catches on five targets, according to Pro Football Focus, while Smith permitted just one catch on five targets.
It was a bit of a slow game for Rapolla, who finished with an overall PFF defense grade of just 52.2, so Terrell and Tucker's returns should boost WSU's defense. Tucker got hurt in the Apple Cup, when he went airborne to break up a tipped pass and a UW defender tackled him at the knees.
—WSU defensive ends Michael Hughes and Malachi Wrice are expected to miss Saturday's game nursing their own injuries, Moore said. Hughes, who didn't play against K-State, is expected to miss a couple weeks with a leg injury, while Wrice is considered week-to-week.
Both Hughes and Wrice are backups, but their absences could loom large for WSU, who has two stars at that position in Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk. But now the Cougars' depth will be tested. It's possible the Cougs ask more from defensive ends like Ben Beatty and Fernanco Lecuona (20 snaps apiece against K-State), plus Arizona transfer Eduwa Okundaye, who played 11 snaps in Manhattan.
"All those guys, we gotta rotate and be fresh up front," Moore said, "and that's gonna be important."
Thomas named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the WeekIn Saturday's game, Jaylen Thomas delivered two interceptions, including a 50-yard pick-six going into halftime. That helped him earn Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors, according to a Monday release.
He's the first WSU player with multiple interceptions in a game since Sam Lockett III had two against Arizona in November 2022. He's also the first Cougar defender to record multiple interceptions with at least one returned for touchdown since Armani Marsh in the 2021 Apple Cup.
Thomas also became the first WSU player to post a pick-six since former linebacker Taariq Al-Uqdah did so in 2024 against Oregon State.
"I love Jaylen Thomas, just working with him on a daily basis," Moore said. Obviously, coach (Greg) Burns had experience with him in the past (at San Jose State ). He's a student of the game. He works his tail off. He's up on the fifth floor multiple hours outside of the players' hours, meeting with coach Burns, talking with coach (Trent) Bray, and I think that's shown up on the field."
