Taylor's Take: Three questions Cougar football can answer during fall camp

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Aug. 1—It may not feel like fall, but as far as college football is concerned, it's time for fall camp.

Exactly a month out from Washington State's season opener at University of Washington, the Cougars will convene Thursday at Rogers Field in Pullman for the first of 15 preseason camp practices.

With a midday practice time, the sun will be high in the sky — perhaps as high as WSU's ambitions entering the inaugural year of the revamped Pac-12 Conference and the first year of coach Kirby Moore's tenure.

Here are three things your friendly neighborhood Wazzu beat writer will be watching for as the Cougars embark on the odyssey ahead of them (OK, I'll cool it with the movie references, please keep reading).

How far can Pinnick take this offense?

Yes, all signs point to the reigning Big Sky Freshman of the Year Caden Pinnick taking the reins of Moore and offensive coordinator Matt Miller's offense, even though the coaches have not officially named a starter yet.

Following spring camp, it remained a three-way race between Pinnick, redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman and sophomore Julian Dugger.

Based on spring ball, it's realistically between Pinnick and Eshelman, and there remains a number of reasons to see the job as Pinnick's to lose.

Pinnick completed nearly 70% of his passes for 3,206 yards with 32 touchdowns to 10 interceptions last season at UC Davis, while also rushing 125 times for 437 yards and three TDs.

His onfield experience is significant, and that showed up in the spring in the way in which he efficiently ran a new offensive scheme. Eshelman is no slouch, though. His arm remains a real threat, and if the bright spots from the spring can show up these next few weeks, he could make it quite the competition.

With a whole summer worth of workouts and preparation, the offense should look even better in fall camp — and just how much better will be up to Pinnick and Eshelman.

The Cougars have the bulk of their offensive line starters back, with experienced backups ready to ascend to starting roles, while the skill position groups are rich with raw talent, too.

Moore, Missouri's OC for the last three years, will have his fingerprints all over the Cougars' offense. The Tigers boasted the No. 8 rushing attack in the nation last year with 228.3 yards per game.

Raised around the game of football, Moore has said that he fashions his scheme based on his personnel, which would suggest that a run-centric approach may also be possible at WSU.

However, the quarterback's ability to take the top off opposing defenses and sustain drives will of course be paramount. How prepared is Pinnick? We'll find out soon enough.

Where's the depth?

The alluded depth at running back immediately jumps off the page for WSU, which got each of the top three running backs from last year's roster who could return, to return.

Those three are junior Kirby Vorhees, upstart sophomore Maxwell Woods and junior Leo Pulalasi.

Vorhees ended last year as WSU's No. 1 RB with over 500 rushing yards; Woods was the star of the show in the Cougars' Potato Bowl victory over Utah State with nine carries for 117 yards and three catches for 35 yards, while Pulalasi is playing for his third Cougar coach in as many years — and he's still there.

The offensive line is rich with returners, with starters Jonny Lester, Ashton Tripp and Noah Dunham back. Kyle Martin, who started the Potato Bowl at center, is back, too.

That leaves a healthy competition at left tackle, with returning backup Jaylin Caldwell (6-foot-6, 336 pounds) and UW transfer Maximus McCree (6-6, 296) prime candidates for the job.

Other position groups such as the defensive line and secondary are deep with talent, too — largely replenished through the transfer portal after a number of starters either graduated or went elsewhere following the coaching change.

Coached by defensive coordinator Trent Bray, the linebackers may be considered one of the thinner position groups in terms of on-field experience. Keith Brown is slated to return to the field after sitting out last season with an arm injury and transfers Nylan Brown (Kent State) and DJ Warner (SMU) figure to factor into Bray's 4-2-5 defensive scheme.

The wide receivers have a proven leader in Tony Freeman, the 5-8, 175-pound speedster, who reeled in 54 catches for 590 yards last season. Behind him on the depth chart are a number of unproven guys who could break out at Wazzu.

Who could break out for the Cougs?

Limiting our query to just the linebackers and wide receivers gives several intriguing breakout candidates.

Wide receiver Tank Hawkins accounted for limited production through two seasons at Florida, but has the tools to be another undersized, yet quick option in a dynamic offense.

Now listed at 5-10, 170, Hawkins left the Florida prep ranks as a four-star recruit before signing with his home state Gators. His track background suggests a difference-making speed — Hawkins ran the 100-meter dash in 10.37 seconds as a high school junior.

Darrius Clemons walked a similar path to Hawkins several years ago, arriving at Oregon State after a pair of seasons at Michigan. With the Beavers in 2024, Clemons caught 29 catches for 292 yards and two touchdowns, totaling a season-best 123 yards and a touchdown on eight catches against Boise State.

A preseason injury canceled Clemons' senior season in 2025, making 2026 his chance to be a feature player in an intriguing offense.

Then you have Isaiah Hung, a redshirt freshman linebacker from Liberty, Mo., recruited by former WSU coach Jimmy Rogers.

Hung stayed while other Rogers recruits left and he finds himself as part of a linebacker room rich with opportunity.

If Hung can find his way onto the field to complement Keith Brown, Nylan Brown and Warner, the Cougar defense could be much better than it may be getting credit for in the summer, where any sort of accurate idea of how the fall will unfold is as tangible as a mirage of water in the desert.

Simply put, no one knows much of anything until the games begin.

We'll have to wait a bit longer for that, but fall camp is almost here.

And that's refreshing enough.

Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2260, staylor@lmtribune.com, or on X or Instagram @Sam_C_Taylor.

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