Storylines to Watch Heading Into Fall Camp
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Washington State enters fall camp with a new head coach, a new defensive coordinator, and several unanswered questions across the roster. Over the next three weeks, the Cougars will look to establish a starting quarterback and rebuild a secondary that lost significant production.
Washington State will open fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 11:15 a.m. This will be the first of 15 scheduled practices as part of fall camp, including scrimmages on Aug. 15 and Aug. 21. 11 of the 15 practices are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. The remaining practices are scheduled to start at 10:10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
The practice start times are generally later than those of the past two seasons. In 2024, practices typically began at 8:30 or 9 a.m., while most practices in 2025 started at 9 or 10 a.m. Even so, the Cougars’ typical 11 a.m. start this fall is still earlier than the 2 or 3:30 p.m. practice times that were common during the Mike Leach era.
Is There a True Quarterback Battle?
At this point in the offseason, the starting quarterback job appears to be Caden Pinnick’s to lose. However, Pinnick is still competing with Owen Eshelman and Julian Dugger for the starting role. Pinnick brings the most collegiate playing experience and appeared to be the frontrunner coming out of spring practice.
It will be interesting to see how new Washington State head coach Kirby Moore handles the battle publicly. How soon will Cougar fans know who the starting quarterback is? Will Moore announce a starter during fall camp? Will he name the starter before the Cougars take the field Week 1 against UW? Or will he handle the situation similarly to Jimmy Rogers last season, when the starting quarterback was not revealed until the offense took the field for its first drive of the season?
How Does the Defense Progress?
First-year defensive coordinator Trent Bray takes over the unit after spending the previous seven seasons at Oregon State, including the last two as the Beavers’ head coach. While Bray’s tenure as head coach produced mixed results, he established himself as one of the Pac-12’s top defensive coordinators from 2021 through 2023, leading physical, disciplined defenses that helped Oregon State become one of the best defenses in the Pac-12
The Cougars lost several key contributors on the defensive side of the ball through graduation and the transfer portal, leaving multiple starting jobs and key rotational spots up for grabs. Fall camp will provide the first look at how quickly Bray can implement his defensive system and which players emerge to fill those vacancies before the season opener.
At linebacker, one of the biggest questions is who will emerge alongside returning starter Keith Brown. Nylan Brown and redshirt freshman Isaiah Hung are two names to watch throughout camp.
Up front, Washington State will need its defensive line to generate more consistent pressure. Idaho transfer Matyus McLain and Vanderbilt transfer Linus Zunk project as key pieces of the edge rotation, but several other players will compete for meaningful snaps, including Arizona transfer Eduwa Okundaye, who comes to Pullman looking to make an immediate impact.
In the secondary, the only returning WSU player with experience is Kyle Peterson, who will compete for snaps at safety. Other names to watch are San Jose State transfer Jaylen Thomas, Cal Poly transfer Jeremiah Bernard, Trey Ridley, Arizona State transfer Jack Bal and Arizona transfer Jshawn Frausto-Ramos.
How quickly those position groups develop could determine whether the Cougars can build on a successful 2025 defensive campaign.
What Position Does Lance McGee Play?
McGee arrives in Pullman as the highest-rated prep recruit in Washington State’s 2026 recruiting class. Originally committed to Oregon State, McGee flipped his commitment and followed former Beavers head coach Trent Bray to Pullman.
As a senior in high school, McGee rushed for 2,489 yards and 42 touchdowns, including 368 yards and six touchdowns in a Washington 4A state championship game victory.
McGee is currently listed on the roster as both a linebacker and running back. It will be interesting to see which position the coaching staff chooses for him. His quickest path to seeing the field as a true freshman appears to be at linebacker.
The Cougars return an experienced running back room featuring Kirby Vorhees, Leo Pulalasi, and Maxwell Woods, who are expected to handle the majority of the carries this season. The linebacker room does not have the same depth as the running back room, meaning he may have a chance to see the field more quickly as a linebacker.
It will be interesting to watch how the coaching staff balances opportunities for McGee to contribute immediately against his long-term upside at running back.
Looking Ahead
Over the next several weeks, Washington State will look to answer some of the biggest questions facing the program before the season opener against Washington in the Apple Cup. The biggest question on the offensive side of the ball remains who will take the first snap at quarterback in Week 1.
While Caden Pinnick enters fall camp as the early frontrunner, Owen Eshelman and Julian Dugger will have the opportunity to compete for the starting role. How quickly first-year head coach Kirby Moore wants to make a decision and whether he announces the starter before the season opener will be one of the bigger storylines to follow throughout camp.
Defensively, the Cougars enter fall camp with just as many questions. New defensive coordinator Trent Bray inherits a unit that lost significant production from last season, particularly in the secondary. With multiple starting jobs available, fall camp will provide the first opportunity to see which players emerge and how quickly the defense adjusts to Bray’s new system.
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