Kalolo Ta'aga Joins Cougars O Line from Utah

The offensive line will need veteran leadership in Kirby Moore's first season as head coach.

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Washington State Cougars helmet sits on the sideline during the second quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Thus far this offseason Washington State has paid its offensive line a fair amount of attention in the portal. After losing standouts like Christian Hilborn and Brock Dieu, Kirby Moore and his staff knew that some additions would have to be made up front. One of those additions is that of former Utah Ute Kalolo Ta'aga. Ta'aga is expected join the interior O line and fight for playing time in this his redshirt sophomore seasons.

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Ta'aga stands at a towering 6'7" and weighs 325 pounds, bringing a nice amount of size to the roster. What he has in build, though, he lacks in experience. Ta'aga only played 16 snaps at right tackle last season in Salt Lake. Before that he spent a season at USC where he reshirted and did not see the field at all. Even in high school, he only played one football season as he began his athletic career as a basketball player. He was rated as the #43 player from California after his lone HS season in 2023 per 247 Sports.

Ta'aga will join an offensive front group that brought in another transfer in ex-Washington Husky Maximus McCree. He will be competing for a spot alongside the likes of McCree himself as well as reshirt junior Ashton Tripp and redshirt sophomores Xavier Thorpe and Chris Lino. The addition of Ta'aga could make the offensive line battle one of the tightest for the Cougars of any position group this upcoming spring and summer.

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WSU is hoping Ta'aga, along with those other youngsters, will be able to bolster a line that surrendered 22 sacks and paved the way for 1,937 total rush yards a season ago. It is certainly one of the bigger questions that will face the Cougars offense in 2026 and Ta'aga is hoping he will be a notable name in the bunch.

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