Just as reports initially released that WSU had hired South Dakota State’s Jesse Bobbit as the team’s new defensive coordinator, Bobbit and the Cougar defense received more good news. Defensive tackle Bryson Lamb withdrew from the portal on Jan. 3 according to 247 sports, a huge boost for an already thin defense.
Lamb began his career buried on the Cougs’ depth chart, but worked his way up to holding a crucial role in the defensive line rotation throughout this season.
The redshirt sophomore walked on in 2022 after only receiving an offer from the Colorado School of Mines. After redshirting that season, Lamb saw action in just two games in 2023 against Northern Colorado and Arizona State but was named WSU Scout Team Player of the Week against Northern Colorado. Lamb’s big break came this most recent season where his role elevated and he was rewarded for his improved performance.
Before WSU’s matchup against Fresno State, the Cougar football account posted a video on X showing now former head coach Jake Dickert surprising Lamb with a full football scholarship where Lamb was then surrounded by excited teammates celebrating him. It was Lamb’s big moment, capping off a couple years worth of work to get into the position he is in now. Lamb had recorded 133 snaps while playing in all six of the team’s games. He had also contributed to the special teams unit.
Lamb made several key plays throughout the Cougs season, helping them to an 8-5 record just a year after the team finished 5-7. The Cougs also made a jump in turnovers gained on defense, forcing 23 this season versus 15 in the previous year. Lamb made stops against Washington in the Apple Cup, No. 25 Boise State and made his first career start in the Holiday Bowl against No. 21 Syracuse. He also recorded a season-high five tackles against Portland State and New Mexico. The Bellingham native finished the season with 18 tackles and one fumble recovery.
After losing key defensive line pieces like Khalil Laufau (Houston), Ansel Din-Mbuh (TCU) and David Gusta (Kentucky), Lamb’s return shores up the new defense under Bobbit as well as a stream of SDSU transfers. The Cougs announced commitments from linemen Max Baloun and JR Lecuona on X among a variety of other defensive players as Bobbit rebuilds a gutted defensive depth chart. Bobbit’s defense is nearing a point of solidification, but some more potential under-the-radar transfer moves could be made in the near future.
Bobbit and new head coach Jimmy Rogers will also likely begin to look forward to the future as well, as Rogers recently landed his first prep recruit at WSU in linebacker Isaiah Hung, who was originally committed to SDSU.
