The running back room at WSU is the kind of problem every coach wants, and every fan loves to argue about. Three guys, one football, and a first-year coach in Kirby Moore who has to figure out who gets the rock. Our take? The split reps are probably the smartest move right now, and that is not a cop-out. It is a strategy.
This feels a lot like the Seattle Weekend: Games, Fun, and Cougar Adventures planning we do before a big trip. You map out the route, budget the time, and leave room for a detour if something looks better along the way. Moore is doing the same thing with his backfield. He has three distinct options, and forcing a single starter before the season settles into a rhythm could stunt the whole offense. Splitting carries keeps everyone fresh, keeps defenses guessing, and buys the staff real game footage to make a smarter call by mid-October. For us fans, that means we should stop demanding a clear number one in week one and start watching how each back handles a specific down-and-distance situation. That is where the answer actually shows up.
There is also something honest about Moore not pretending he has it all figured out. That aligns with our take on the Subsidies for stay-at-home parents deserve a closer look, not just a hot take piece, where we argued that complex situations need patience, not snap judgments. A backfield with three capable guys is a good problem, but it is still a problem that requires observation. You do not hand the keys to one player just because he had a nice spring scrimmage. You let the fall games reveal who protects the quarterback best on third down, who falls forward for the extra yard, and who holds onto the ball when the defense knows it is coming. That is the kind of learning-by-doing we respect around here. It is not flashy, but it is real.
The one thing to watch? How Moore handles the fourth quarter of a close game. That is where the rotation gets tested. If he keeps rotating even when the pressure is on, he is committed to the long game. If he suddenly leans on one guy for three straight drives, we will know the competition is over. Either way, we get to find out together. Bet on the process, and let the rock land where it lands.
