Jimmy Rogers’ coaching staff for 2025 is coming into form as new position coaches have been announced by WSU Football.
After hiring Danny Freund as offensive coordinator and Jesse Bobbit as defensive coordinator, the Cougs added seven more position coaches.
On offense, the Cougars have hired an offensive line coach, running backs coach, wide receivers coach and tight ends coach. Freund will serve as the quarterbacks coach.
Leading the offensive line is Taylor Lucas. Lucas spent last year as an assistant O-Line coach at South Dakota State under Rogers, a line that featured two All-Americans. He is expected to be joined by former Seahawk and 49er Mike Iupati as his assistant.
Coaching running backs will be Robbie Rouse, who has been with Rogers at SDSU for the past two seasons. He helped Isaiah Davis, an All-American for the Jackrabbits, who led the FCS in rushing yards and total touchdowns in 2023.
Jake Menage will step in as the next wide receivers coach. Menage played at SDSU and has coached there for the past two years under Rogers. He will guide a receiving room featuring returners Josh Meredith and Tre Shackleford.
Chris Meyers has been hired to take over as tight ends coach. He coached at Oklahoma State before joining the SDSU coaching staff in 2022. He coached former All-American Tucker Kraft, who is now the starter for the Green Bay Packers.
On defense, the Cougars have hired a cornerbacks coach and safeties coach. Bobbit will serve as linebackers coach in addition to his main role as the coordinator.
The cornerback’s coach will be Michael Banks. Banks spent five years coaching at Illinois State before joining Rogers’ staff at SDSU in 2023, where he has been the past two seasons.
Pete Menage, cousin of Jake, will be the next WSU safeties coach. He was a safety for SDSU and has coached safeties there for the past two seasons.
Everette Thompson is expected to join the staff to coach the defensive line, but has not yet been announced. He previously coached at Cal Poly.
The Cougars also announced a new special teams coordinator, Pat Cashmore. Cashmore held the same role at SDSU last year, and will be joined by assistant Ron Pavlik and Justin Mesa, who is one of the few returning coaches from WSU’s 2024 staff.
Other coaches joining the staff include new strength and conditioning coach Matt Jacobs and assistant Marcus Banks. Jacobs was the strength and conditioning coach for the Jackrabbits for the past three seasons.
Rogers also brought in his support staff from SDSU. Jon Shaeffer will be the chief of staff, Taylor Long will serve as the football operations director and Kristofer Kracht is the mental performance director. They held the same respective roles at SDSU last year.
