The WSU football team returned to the gridiron Thursday afternoon for its first spring football practice.

“I thought it went good,” WSU football Head Coach Mike Leach said. “I thought it was a very good start, everybody started quick and pretty alert and attentive, obviously got a look of work done in the offseason, but good effort all the way around, and then some of the young guys definitely got better as time’s gone on.”

One of the young players who turned some heads in the first day of practice was freshman cornerback Marcellus Pippins. The California native worked with the second team defense and grabbed two interceptions during the seven on seven drills.

“It’s a lot faster than high school,” Pippins said. “I had to get acclimated into that, but the team really helped me a bit, helped me out with the plays.”

With only two returning starters from last season in the secondary, many defensive backs got an opportunity to compete during the seven-on-seven drills and team scrimmage.

“I thought the quickness (of the secondary) was good,” Leach said. “I think it’s going to take some time as far them playing together to get sharper and sharper.”

The difference from the first spring practice last year to this year is the amount of experience the Cougars have.

“You step on the field with confidence,” WSU redshirt junior linebacker Darryl Monroe said. “You know the plays, you see what the offense is running, and its first nature (now).”

Coming off of their first bowl game appearance in the last 10 years, the Cougars expect to do big things this season.

“We’re going to win a lot of games this year, and we’re all working hard, and we’re out here to prove it,” sophomore wide receiver River Cracraft said.

At the quarterback position, redshirt senior Connor Halliday and redshirt freshman Tyler Bruggman took an even amount of reps in practice. Halliday completed 12-of-22 passes in the seven-on-seven drills, and he threw two interceptions.

 “I feel good, threw the ball well today, and up front we look really good for how young we are, which was very impressive,” Halliday said.

During the team scrimmage at the end of practice, Halliday was 12-of-15 and threw four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Bruggman completed 8-of-19 passes and threw two interceptions during the seven-on-seven drills.

“I thought he (Bruggman) played well,” Leach said.  “He started out trying to make too much happen, and as I thought when he relaxed he got better and better. I thought team (scrimmage) was his best period.”

Bruggman was 9-of-16 and threw two touchdowns and one interception during the team scrimmage.

“It’s not really pressure (competing for the starting quarterback job). It’s just coming out and competing each day and just focusing on getting better each rep,” Bruggman said.

Former Texas A&M wide receiver freshman Sebastian LaRue saw the field for the first time as a Cougar on Thursday. The transfer wideout not only got reps at the wide receiver position but at the punt returning position as well.

“Overall I think I had a pretty decent day, for my first day, just really learning the scheme and everything, getting my feet wet in some of the pass plays, just getting back to playing football,” LaRue said.

The Cougars will have their second practice at 10 a.m. on Saturday.