PULLMAN — Don’t expect an announcement on Washington State’s starting quarterback before the new season starts.
That’s the word from WSU coach Jimmy Rogers, who said after Thursday’s fall camp practice that he will not publicly announce his decision on a starting QB before the Cougars’ season-opener against Idaho on Aug. 30.
Returner Zevi Eckhaus is the likely front-runner in the Cougars’ four-way competition, which also features fellow returner Jaxon Potter and transfers Julian Dugger and Ajani Sheppard.
“You guys won’t know. I’m not gonna tell you,” Rogers told reporters after Thursday’s practice, the Cougars’ penultimate of fall camp. “You’ll see it on game day. There’s a battle continuing to happen. Proud of the guys as far as their maturity of how they’ve handled it. We’ll see how it shakes.”
Rogers and coaches have played details on the race close to the vest, protecting every competitive advantage they can. But Rogers and offensive coordinator Danny Freund have made it clear they’re looking for a QB who checks a few boxes: commands the huddle, makes the right reads, avoids turnovers, shows mobility. Their QBs at their previous stop, South Dakota State, have usually been of the dual-threat mold.
Eckhaus might not come by the dual-threat style naturally, but he has enjoyed a sterling fall camp because he’s made meaningful strides in his mobility. In an earlier practice, he used a live rep — where defenders could tackle him in earnest — to burst up a seam and score a touchdown of some 65 yards.
That’s one area Freund mentioned he would like to see Eckhaus improve; and by all indications in practice, Eckhaus has obliged. He likely has the best arm of the quartet of quarterbacks, and he certainly has the most experience, which is why he’s trending toward landing the starting spot.
But it remains a true battle, with the other three candidates right there in the mix.
Injury update on senior safety
WSU safety Cale Reeder, a veteran transfer from South Dakota State and shoo-in for a starting role this season, has missed the past handful of practices. He was seen on crutches at Wednesday’s media day as well as at Thursday’s practice.
Rogers said he expects Reeder to return in the next two weeks, which would put him on track to play in the Cougars’ season-opener.
“He has a slight issue with his knee and we’re kind of monitoring him and trying to take care of his body more than anything,” Rogers said. “But we expect him to be ready to go here in the next two weeks.”
Reeder missed the entirety of WSU’s spring practice slate with a different injury, this one to the pectoral region, which he suffered last season. In the fall camp practice he’s missed, before he was seen on crutches, he wore a jersey and shorts, standing off to the side with other teams.
More scuffles in Thursday’s practice
In the second half of WSU’s practice, a trend that began earlier in fall camp resurfaced: A few Cougars got involved in skirmishes, including offensive linemen Christian Hilborn and Sone Falealo. The list also includes Eckhaus, who was shoved by transfer defensive end Malaki Ta’ase, leading Eckhaus to shove a different teammate, whose identity was unclear from the media’s viewpoint.
That prompted Rogers to pause practice and lead the team in a set of 20 up-downs, followed by a short address to the team. Practice resumed after that.
It was hardly the first time WSU players have tangled with each other during this fall camp. In earlier practices, players such as Keith Brown and wide receiver Jeremiah Noga engaged in minor fracases, and several more players have unleashed trash talk and good-natured chirping back and forth.
On this front, WSU coaches have tried to walk a fine line: They encourage energy, push for competitiveness, but they draw a line at fighting each other.
“When they’re out here dying for a spot, and you make it extremely competitive, the emotions get the best of us at times,” Rogers said. “More than anything, it’s a teachable moment to reflect on how you are in that moment and learn from that just as much as you learn from the scheme. So I think there’s ability to grow in all of these things.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
