WSU RB Kirby Vorhees set to enter the transfer portal, not expected to play in bowl game

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Dec. 18—PULLMAN — Washington State won't have its starting running back for the upcoming bowl game.

Third-year sophomore tailback Kirby Vorhees is set to enter the transfer portal, a source told The Spokesman-Review Thursday, and he isn't expected to play in Monday's Idaho Potato Bowl against Utah State.

The transfer portal doesn't open until Jan. 2, but with regular seasons over across the country, players are beginning to announce their decisions to enter the portal. Vorhees is the 13th WSU player to do so.

After spending the first two years of his career at FCS South Dakota State, Vorhees followed former coach Jimmy Rogers to WSU, where he totaled 576 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his one season with the Cougars. Vorhees didn't take over the starting job until Week 8, but even in the few games prior, he was becoming the team's go-to running back.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds, Vorhees averaged 4.2 yards per carry this fall. His best game came in a close loss to SEC power Ole Miss, which he burned for 88 rushing yards and one touchdown, which came on a 46-yard burst to take the lead in the third quarter. On the year, Vorhees forced 30 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, which led the team.

"Kirby runs hard," Rogers said after that game. "When you run behind your pads like that, you're really physical. He's really elusive. Kid cares just as much as anybody on this team. One of the first guys in to do everything. He's one of the last guys to leave, and he's battle-tested, for sure. He's a winner."

Vorhees, a native of Florida, was recruited by Rogers' staff at South Dakota State. Earlier this month, Rogers decamped for the head coaching position at Iowa State, opening the possibility that Vorhees will follow him to Ames.

The Cougars' new head coach is former Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, who was hired last Friday and formally introduced on Tuesday. He said he had already chatted with a few players who had decided to enter the portal, and he planned to talk with more later in the week.

Without Vorhees in the fold, who will WSU turn to for Monday's game in Boise? Logical candidates include veteran running back Angel Johnson, who started each of the first six games of the season, plus third-year sophomore Leo Pulalasi and redshirt freshman Maxwell Woods. This season, the later duo combined for 58 carries for 277 yards.

WSU's interim coach is defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, who will join Rogers' staff as defensive coordinator after the bowl game, he told reporters earlier this week. The rest of the Cougars' coaching staff is set to coach the bowl game as well.

At WSU, players who have decided to enter the portal remain eligible to play in Monday's bowl game, but not all will. Two of the nonparticipants include backup cornerback Kenny Worthy III and freshman wide receiver Carter Pabst. But several are expected to play, including junior wideout Tony Freeman and redshirt freshman linebacker Anthony Palano.

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