It feels like the WSU football roster is going through a months-long game of musical chairs, with the transfer portal, Wake Forest and Oklahoma as their primary opponents, and as players continue to come, go and come back.
This week the Cougars received good news from defensive tackle Bryson Lamb and tight end Trey Leckner, while receiving bad news from lineman Rodrick Tialavea.
Lamb, a redshirt sophomore, played all 13 games in 2024 and started one in the Holiday Bowl against Syracuse. His highlight in 2024 was a recovered fumble against Hawaii. Lamb totaled 18 tackles, including five against New Mexico and Portland State. The Washington native had initially entered the transfer portal, but is now set to return to WSU and will compete for a chance to start on the defensive line in 2025. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Leckner, a redshirt freshman, played 12 games in 2024, including two as a starter, against Wyoming and Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl. Leckner’s season started with a bang, hauling in a 33-yard touchdown against Portland State in Wazzu’s opening game. He had a quiet finish to the year, only catching two more passes for 23 yards the rest of the year. However, he showed potential and was a solid blocking tight end and has three years of eligibility remaining. Also a native of Washington, Leckner was initially poised to transfer but has now announced he will be returning to Pullman.
Tialavea, meanwhile, has announced he will be leaving Pullman and entering the transfer portal. He is the third starter from the line to depart. The senior was a redshirt in 2020 and played special teams in 2021 before missing all of 2022 with an injury. He started two games in 2023 and finally broke through to start ten games in 2024. He committed 10 penalties, while allowing two sacks and 26 pressures.
The line was initially expected to remain mostly intact, but with Devin Kylany and Fa’alili Fa’amoe following former head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest, and Esa Pole heading to the NFL, the Cougars‘ offensive line is now down four of their six regulars from last year. Brock Dieu and Christian Hilborn are now the last remaining members of the 2024 starting line.
It remains to be seen if Tialavea will spend his final year of eligibility at Wake Forest or elsewhere. Tomorrow is the final day for WSU players to enter the portal.
