3 Storylines to Watch During Washington State Spring Practice

Spring ball is right around the corner for Washington State and, such is usually the case, there will be plenty to keep an eye on when the Cougs get underway on March 26. For the second straight year, there will be a regime change in Pullman and, with ex-Boise State star Kirby Moore taking over as the newest head coach, there will be a whole lot happening as the 2026 Cougars take shape before kickoff in the fall. Here are some noteworthy happenings that fans will want to watch for when Spring practices commence in a few weeks.

The Development of Returning Players

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Kirby Vorhees (9) and wide reciever Tony Freeman (0) react after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

So much has been made about what Washington State has lost moving into this season but equally important is what talent the Cougs bring back namely on the offensive side of the ball. Receiver Tony Freeman, running backs Leo Pulalasi and Kirby Vorhees along with essentially the entire offensive line are players that have been around. That returning experience looks to be huge for a team that is full of new names and faces but so too will be continued development of these guys as they will all need to step into more productive roles this year.

Freeman, for instance, was the second leading receiver last fall with 590 yards and three scores. Now, though, he's in line to take over the lead spot with Joshua Meredith gone. Vorhees and Pulalasi are expected to be the one-two punch coming out of the backfield. That's not necessarily a change for Vorhees who saw a team-best 138 carries in 2025 but Pualasi's contributions are going to go up after the departures of Angel Johnson and Maxwell Woods. The line, too, will feature several guys who are stepping up into larger roles. Ahston Tripp, Kyle Martin and Noah Dunham all are at least competing for starting spots up front as they come into junior seasons.

MORE: 3 Biggest Questions for Washington State Football in 2026

The Quarterback Battle

Sep 6, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Julian Dugger (2) carries the ball against the San Diego State Aztecs in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

One of the biggest unknowns for the Cougars heading into this season is the quarterback position. With Zevi Eckhaus gone, someone else will be under center by the time September rolls around. Who that will be could be decided, at least partially, during Spring ball. Right now there are four QBs on the roster and none of them are upperclassmen. Redshirt sophomores Julian Dugger, Caden Pinnick and Jake Tiryakioglu will all be in the mix as will redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman.

All four young quarterbacks came to Washington State via different routes. Pinnick transferred in after a phenomenal freshman campaign at UC Davis where he accounted for over 3,600 yards and 35 touchdowns in an effort that earned him Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year accolades. Pinnick will undoubtedly be a frontrunner for the starting job and, if he gets it, will bring tremendous dual-threat skills to the position. He's a proven runner that can really open up the offensive playbook.

Competing closely with Pinnick will be Dugger who joined the Cougs from Pitt prior to last season. He appeared in nine games for WSU as a backup in 2025, rushing for two touchdowns and passing for 39 yards. Dugger, too, is mobile and can extend plays using his legs. Tiryakioglu, meanwhile, has not seen any field time nor has Eshelman. All four, though, are set to see some sort of reps this Spring.

MORE: The 3 Most Important Games on WSU's 2026 Schedule

The New-Look Defense

Both sides of the ball have underwent quite a bit of roster turnover but the defense in particular has changed drastically. Most every big name player from last year is out the door and essentially a whole new crop will be taking over at every level of the unit this season for first-year defensive coordinator Trent Bray. Spring ball will not only serve as an opportunity to get acquainted with the new faces but will also be a job interview for several of those guys who are trying to find a consistent spot in the rotation.

Starting with the secondary, there will be a ton of fresh names to know. Transfers Jaylen Thomas (San Jose State), Jalil Tucker (Oregon State), Jeremiah Bernard (Cal Poly) and Khamari Terrell (Texas State) have all come aboard and are looking to take over starting roles. Safety Kyle Peterson is one of the few returners who is expected to step up and take the torch on the back end of the defense. Thomas, Terrell and Tucker are all anticipated to battle for corner spots while Bernard will help fill in at safety alongside Peterson. That is not to say that other incoming transfers like Elmo Wartson, CJ Solis-Lumar and Jashawn Frausto-Ramos won't see meaningful reps, though.

The middle of the defense will also feature a handful of new players. Linebackers Nylan Brown and DJ Warner come in from Kent State and SMU respectively and both are tasked with helping fill the void left by the departures of Parker McKenna and Caleb Francl. They will join grad senior Keith Brown who returns for his sixth season with the Cougs after missing all of last year with an injury. The front of the defense, too, will have transfer players looking to start. Defensive end Linus Zunk from Vanderbilt is expected to play a big role in replacing Isaac Terrell who transferred out as is Matyus McLain from Idaho. Nose tackle Jirah Leaupepetele is also making the jump from FCS as he comes in from Eastern Washington.