A new head coach, numerous transfers and a new PAC-12 on the horizon. In just a year’s time WSU football looks unfamiliar from the team led by coach Jake Dickert and quarterback John Mateer in 2024. With the new coaching staff comes a new philosophy on the gridiron: nothing is promised.
Head coach Jimmy Rogers has expressed repeatedly through preseason that starting spots on the team will be won in fall camp. As the Cougs approach opening day the clock is ticking for starting spots to be awarded. With that in mind, who may fans see come opening day? Let’s take a look…
Quarterbacks
With John Mateer packing his bags mid-way through last season, the quarterback situation has been weighing on Coug fans all offseason. Although redshirt senior Zevi Eckhaus picked up the rock for the Holiday Bowl, he has since found himself in a tight quarterback room with tough competition.
After taking first team reps in preseason practice, redshirt sophomore Jaxon Potter has been turning heads. Through two games last year, Potter racked up only 26 total yards on two completions. Despite not having much in-game experience, his performance in fall camp and his experience with the program may give him an edge over Eckhaus in the quarterback race.
- Jaxon Potter
- Zevi Eckhaus
- Jullian Dugger
- Ajani Sheppard
- Jake Tiryakioglu
Cornerbacks
40 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups make redshirt senior Colby Humphrey stand out on the cornerback depth chart. Transferring from South Dakota State, Humphrey followed Rogers to the Palouse and will likely be a day-one starter.
Nipping at his heels is redshirt junior Kai Rapolla. Through 11 games last season Rapolla managed 41 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups with Cal Poly. With his former program being an FCS school, it will be hard to tell if the production translates to the FBS level. This opens the door for redshirt senior Jamorri Colson to snag a spot in his third year as a Coug. However, with only 13 tackles last season for Colson, Rapolla may win the spot.
- Colby Humphrey
- Kai Rapolla
- Jamorri Colson
- AJ Davis
- Kenny Worthy III
Running backs
Rogers did not leave SDSU empty handed, bringing three of his top five running backs with him on the flight over. After averaging 7.7 yards-per-carry, rushing for 581 yards and eight touchdowns, redshirt sophomore Kirby Vorhees still finds himself battling with redshirt senior Angel Johnson for that top spot.
On paper, Vorhees beats out Johnson in almost every stat. However, both his four years at the D1 level and performance in fall camp has many fans looking to Johnson as the day-one starter. With both Johson and Vorhees at the top of the depth chart, Coug fans have two dominant running backs to lean on all season.
- Angel Johnson
- Kirby Vorhees
- Maxwell Woods
- Leo Pulalasi
- Dylan Paine
Wide receivers
Before fall camp even began, Rogers noted the improvements redshirt senior Joshua Meredith made in the offseason.
“He has noticeably gotten faster from spring and from my time here and I think he feels faster,” Rogers said. “He is maybe the most productive offensive player that we have.”
472 yards, two touchdowns, 39 catches and 12.1 yards per catch in 2024 make Meredith the obvious No. one on the depth chart.
Despite putting up 837 yards, 16 touchdowns and 18.6 yards per catch, redshirt junior Devin Ellison will miss out on the second-place spot. The reason being his stats come from Monterey Peninsula College, a junior college in northern California. Similar to Rapolla, whether his performance will translate to the D1 level is unknown, causing redshirt senior Jeremiah Noga to leapfrog him. Noga’s tenure with Oregon State University and increasing production year-to-year make him the clear No. two pick.
- Josh Meredith
- Jeremiah Noga
- Devin Ellison
- Tony Freeman
- Leon Neal Jr.
Tight end
After making his collegiate debut last season, redshirt sophomore Trey Leckner made the most of his five receptions. 87 yards and one touchdown off his first career catch gave him an average of 17.4 yards per reception.
Nearly neck-and-neck with Leckner is Michigan State transfer and redshirt senior Ademola Faleye. During his last year with the Spartans, Faleye played most of his snaps at special teams, but on offense played in matchups against Purdue and Ohio State University (two quality programs). While his experience at the tight end spot and on the Cougs is not as deep as Leckner, his development at Michigan State may make him a solid secondary on the depth chart.
- Trey Leckner
- Ademola Faleye
- Hudson Cedarland
- Jesiah Cornwell
- Luke Leighton
Safety
Similar to the running backs, the top three spots at safety are dominated by Jackrabbits. Redshirt senior Matthew Durrance jumps off the page immediately with 65 tackles, three interceptions and four pass breakups in 2024.
Following close behind is redshirt senior Tucker Large. Although he only recorded 34 tackles, he tied Durrance for interceptions at three and had more pass breakups with seven.
A solid third on the chart is redshirt senior Cale Reeder. Before getting redshirted in his senior year, his junior campaign tallied 58 tackles and one interception. With Durrance, Large and Reeder filling out the top three, the Coug defense has invaluable depth.
- Matthew Durrance
- Tucker Large
- Cale Reeder
- Duhron Goodman
- Kyle Peterson
Offensive-Line
Locking down the guard positions the Cougs have redshirt junior Jonny Lester on the left and AJ Vaipulu on the right. Coming from New Mexico State, Vaipulu backed up an offense that averaged 322.2 yards per game in 2024. Although Lester primarily got reps on special teams last season, 2025 could be a breakout for the fourth year Coug.
At tackle, redshirt sophomore Ashton Tripp handles the left side with Christian Hilborn locking down the right. Hilborn was a jack of all trades in 2024 playing left tackle, left guard, right guard and left tackle. Whether he will continue on his utility-man track or consolidate to the right tackle position is unknown.
- AJ Vaipulu
- Jonny Lester
- Christian Hilborn
- Ashton Tripp
- Brock Dieu
Linebacker
To cap off Rogers’ SDSU haul, he brought with him fifth year linebacker Caleb Francl. 78 tackles to lead the team, seven pass breakups and one sack make up an impressive 2024 season for Francl. Currently he is listed as a strong-side linebacker on the depth chart and for good reason.
Flipping over to the weak side, redshirt senior Parker McKenna sits atop the depth chart. 39 tackles, one sack and one pass breakup alongside his veteran presence makes McKenna a vital piece of the Coug defense. With redshirt freshman Anthony Palano filling out the middle spot, the Cougs have a solid core of linebackers to help shut down the Vandals come game day.
- Caleb Francl
- Parker McKenna
- Anthony Palano
- Gavin Barthiel
- Gage Jones
With several new faces both on the field and in the headsets, the Cougs are looking strong heading into 2025. With the Battle of the Palouse kicking off the season, Rogers will look to set the tone for his WSU tenure. Opening day will be 7 pm Aug. 30 at Martin Stadium.
