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Looks like Connor Halliday remains the Cougars' starting QB

A quarterback controversy might be brewing at Washington State.

William Mancebo - Getty Images

The Washington State Cougars are looking like they will be sticking with Connor Halliday as their starting quarterback, which Jeff Nusser at Coug Center writes should be a good thing for the program.

Backup Jeff Tuel played well on Saturday after Halliday left with an injury, finishing 4-for-4 for 62 yards. Halliday was 33-for-60 performance for 348 yards with one touchdown and one interception before leaving the game. Was Tuel's effort enough to push Halliday into the backseat?

Here is Nusser with the commentary:

Leach said after the game that he was pleased with Halliday...Given the strides Halliday made against such a strong opponent, it's reasonable to assume he'll keep making those strides going forward.

And if that's reasonable to assume, the difference between Tuel and Halliday in terms of expected outcomes the rest of the season is probably negligible. And if that's probably negligible ... it really makes sense to stick with Halliday, both from in terms of potential long-range gains and short-term continuity. There's simply no making up for the time that Tuel has lost, and with only about half the season to go, switching back to him and living with the inevitable re-adjustment probably just doesn't make a lot of sense.

The Cougars head to Corvallis to take on No. 14 Oregon State this weekend, looking to make a statement against a ranked opponent in a hostile environment. Much of that will rest of the shoulders of WSU's quarterback, who likely will be Halliday barring any more injuries.