After finishing the 2024 regular season on a three-game losing streak, spirits around Cougar Nation may not be high. Regardless, the vicious cycle of college football rolls on, with the potential for excitement and anguish on the horizon.
With the regular season in the books, WSU now awaits to learn when and where its upcoming bowl game will be, and who the opponent will be. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports currently has WSU projected to play Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 27.
The matchup would certainly be a marquee, facing an SEC opponent which would have been in the SEC Championship game had it won its season finale. The full slate of bowl games will be announced Dec. 8.
Outside of just learning where, when and who the Cougs will play, the question arises of what internal turmoil may unfold before the game. In 2022, the Cougs’ top four wide receivers and top three linebackers all opted out before playing Fresno State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, due to the transfer portal, injuries and entering the NFL Draft.
Following a rough finish, and with the current state of the Pac-12 conference, there is certainly the potential for movement to occur among the Cougar roster once again. Also noteworthy, the 2023-24 transfer portal set a new college football record, with 3,843 players entering the portal, surpassing the previous record in 2022-23.
If the trend continues, this year’s portal should be even more active than ever before. Many Cougs could enter the portal this offseason, but a few names stand out above others.
The first is obvious, quarterback John Mateer. Mateer threw 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns, rushing for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, setting multiple Cougar records and earning national attention, much like Cam Ward a year ago. Should the rumors of potential seven-figure NIL offers be true, Mateer could be parting ways with Pullman this offseason.
Next is senior wide receiver Kris Hutson. Despite being a senior, Hutson has another year of eligibility, and Mateer’s decision could play a role. Hutson was second on the team with 54 catches for 683 yards, also reeling in two touchdown grabs.
A former four-star recruit and Oregon Duck, the shifty pass catcher may look elsewhere following a breakout season.
Defensively the biggest name to watch for is cornerback Ethan O’Connor. In his first year starting as a redshirt freshman, O’Connor had four interceptions and eight passes defended, including a pick-six.
With three years of remaining eligibility, he is one to monitor, considering he was once committed to UCLA, and had 17 Division I FBS offers out of high schools including schools like Georgia, Alabama and Penn State.
Two other defensive names to monitor are redshirt sophomore linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah and sophomore defensive tackle Ansel Din Mbuh.
Al-Uqdah led the Cougs with 76 tackles, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He also has the second most interceptions on the team with three, including one pick-six and two passes defended. He was the Cougars’ main turnover-forcing machine and a special blend of talent and athleticism.
Din Mbuh took a massive leap in year two, leading the team with six sacks, including a three-sack game vs San Diego State. He also had 24 total tackles. With multiple years of eligibility left, showcasing elite pass rush from the interior and rapid growth, Din Mbuh could be another highly touted name on the market.
While any player could leave for any number of reasons, these five are the most likely to do so for skill. Because of their talent, teams could come offering NIL deals or the players may wish for more national representation in a different market and so on.
With the graduation of 17 seniors, and other players potentially hitting the portal, the Cougs will get an influx of new talent on Cougar National Signing Day Wednesday. As of now, WSU’s 2025 recruiting class ranks 66th in the nation with 21 verbal commits, per 247sports.
Crazy things can happen on signing days, players can flip their commitment. The maximum number of scholarships allowed is 25 per recruiting class, and the goal is usually to use them all. Keep an eye out Wednesday for potential flips, or players to sign that are not currently committed.
With so much set to unfold in the coming weeks, perhaps the biggest developments will come from the coaching staff and the conference.
WSU and the other seven current Pac-12 members need to find a minimum of one more school to join with a football program to make the league eligible for 2026. Also, paired with Octagon, the conference needs to finalize a new media rights deal for the years to come.
As for the coaching staff, the first domino has already fallen, with defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding being let go. More moves could soon follow after a poor defensive season and end-of-year collapse.
The biggest names to watch are head coach Jake Dickert and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
It was rumored Dickert had an offer from Michigan State a year ago before the Cougs fell apart and MSU hired Oregon State’s Jonathan Smith. If Dickert were to go elsewhere, the roster would likely fall apart.
There is no current evidence to believe Dickert would leave, but in today’s college football landscape, anything is possible.
As for Arbuckle, he again coached an elite QB, adding Mateer to the list that features Cam Ward and Austin Reed at Western Kentucky, who played for the Chicago Bears in the 2024 preseason.
He would likely be the top head coaching option should Dickert leave, or potentially a top candidate elsewhere. Even despite the offense grinding to a halt in the season finale, he may also get looks in the same role from bigger schools.
All of this is to say that this offseason has the potential to be a wild one. Should the coaching staff stick together, and the majority of the roster return, the Cougs could have excellent continuity heading into 2025.
There are 14 offensive and defensive starters with decisions to make, even more depth pieces and the coaching staff to top it off.
As bowl season and the offseason get underway, be alert, anything could happen.
