PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State opens Pac-12 play Saturday night against Fresno State, and the matchup carries some extra meaning for a pair of Cougars.<\/p>\n
Head coach Kirby Moore spent the 2017 season as a graduate assistant at Fresno State under then-head coach Jeff Tedford. Moore also worked alongside Kalen DeBoer, who was the Bulldogs\u2019 offensive coordinator at the time.<\/p>\n
Fresno State was coming off a 1-11 season before Moore arrived. The Bulldogs went 10-4 in his first season there.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust learning from him on offense,\u201d Moore said of his time with Tedford. \u201cFresno was coming off a 1-11 season. And then Jeff just instilling that belief in the players. And we ended up going 10-4 that year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, Moore will return to face his former program as WSU\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n
The game is even more personal for defensive lineman Jirah Leaupepetele.<\/p>\n
Leaupepetele transferred to Washington State from Eastern Washington and will face his younger brother, who plays for Fresno State. It will be the first time the brothers have played against each other after previously sharing the field in high school.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as the schedule came out, that\u2019s when the smack started talking,\u201d Leaupepetele said.<\/p>\n
The family is expected to be in attendance Saturday night, and Leaupepetele already has a preference for which colors they should wear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey better be wearing 98 and crimson and gray,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the family connection, Leaupepetele said the matchup will have to be treated like any other game once the Cougars take the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust got to take it as any other opponent,\u201d he said. \u201cPrepare the same way I would as if it was anyone else. Win my one-on-ones, win my matchups, and do what I can to help the team win. At the end of the day, he\u2019s still my little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cougars enter conference play at 1-3 following Saturday\u2019s loss to Arizona. Moore said the start of Pac-12 play gives his team a clean slate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a clean slate,\u201d Moore said. \u201cOur guys are battle-tested. They\u2019ve played great competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
WSU and Fresno State kick off Saturday night at 6:30 at Gesa Field.<\/p>\n
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