Jonny Lester almost quit football. Now he's starting for WSU

The Spokane native went from an overlooked walk-on to a starting offensive lineman after nearly walking away from football

Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Jonny Lester (67). | Photo courtesy of Washington State Athletics.

It's better if Jonny Lester is on the move.

Lester was a stalwart at left guard for the Washington State University football team last fall. Of his 13 starts, 11 came at that position on the offensive line.

Then, the coaching change happened - Jimmy Rogers left after one season to take the Iowa State job. And Kirby Moore, the Missouri offensive coordinator, was hired a few weeks later to lead WSU football.

And like he had done periodically throughout his career, Lester bounced between guard and tackle during the Cougars' spring camp and into the summer.

On the first day of preseason camp, WSU offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie told Lester he had a new full-time spot: Right tackle.

And on Sunday in the Apple Cup, instead of lining up next to left tackle Ashton Tripp, Lester was starting opposite him on the other side.

Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Jonny Lester (67). | Photo courtesy of Washington State Athletics.

"They like my run blocking," Lester said this week before the team's game at Kansas State. "But they always tell us the best five (linemen) will play, wherever that is."

Lester would rather move around the offensive line than just stand on the sideline - which he did his first two seasons at WSU.

Coming from a small private school near Spokane - Northwest Christian of Colbert, a Class 2B program - Lester played tight end. He had the height (6-foot-5) but was too light (250 pounds) to be thinking he would be playing anytime soon in the Pac-12 Conference.

So, he waited. And he worked on learning how to play his new position, even surviving a first fall camp in 2022; he admitted it "was bad."

Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Jonny Lester (67). | Photo courtesy of Washington State Athletics.

In the Cougars' 2023 spring camp, Lester was operating with the second-string offensive-line group, but still didn't see any action the next season, instead utilizing a redshirt year.

Two seasons had gone by, and Lester had not even sniffed the field for action.

"Being a walk-on was hard," Lester said. "I just kept my head down."

Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Jonny Lester (67). | Photo courtesy of Washington State Athletics.

2024 was the pivotal swing season for Lester, who appeared in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He wore No. 94 as an extra tight end.

At the end of that season, Lester said then-WSU coach Jake Dickert informed him that no scholarship would be awarded to him after a third season in the program.

Lester's chance to quit nearly ended his WSU career

The news was devastating. Lester had just finished his undergraduate degree in biology. He knew soon he'd be headed off to dental school. Why not leave the program now and start all of that sooner?

"I almost quit," Lester said.

Washington State Cougars offensive lineman Jonny Lester (67). | Photo courtesy of Washington State Athletics.

As fate would have it, Dickert left for the Wake Forest job, and after Rogers was hired, the new coach put Lester - now 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds - on scholarship.

Months later, Lester earned the starting left-guard position for the 2025 season, and he hasn't looked back since - even if he's in a new spot.

"It is a wild ride," Lester said.