Why Washington State turns to Kaden Beatty when things get tough

Kaden Beatty knows he has special skills in two areas - playing football now at Washington State University and anything associated with the spoken word.

And they were connected at an early age - from the time he muttered his first word as a baby.

“My first word was football … but I said it, ‘Doot-dall!’” Beatty said. “It’s true, verify it with my mother.”

Beatty has three older brothers - James (goes by Michael Jr.), Dakota and Hunter - who are all crazy about football. They kept telling their youngest sibling growing up he would be a standout.

“We would always be outside in the driveway shooting a basketball, and they would be blocking my shot, not taking it easy on me,” said Kaden, who is 13 years younger than Mike Jr. “That is why I have an edge or a chip on my shoulder.”

As one of the interior tackles on WSU’s productive defensive line, Beatty is as prolific a backfield disruptor on game day as he is a talker before and after the 60 minutes of action.

Sep 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars defensive tackle Kaden Beatty (52) reacts to a defensive stop against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Beatty is a popular request for media interviews. He is heavily utilized in promoting life within the football program for the athletic department’s short reels, or even campus-wide special-service announcements.

“Honestly, I think I got it (ability to communicate) from my dad (Mike Sr.),” Beatty said. “In my eyes, he is the leader of leaders. He has worked at the same company for 35 years, and I’ve always been able to come in and see how he leads his office.”

How Kaden Beatty became Washington State's connector

Because of heavy annual roster turnover in the name, image and likeness (NIL) era, 50 newcomers came to the WSU program in the offseason under first-year coach Kirby Moore.

Not surprisingly, Beatty was the unofficial chairperson of the team’s welcoming committee.

“I’ve made it a point to know every single person on the team’s name, the (athletic) trainers’ names, the janitor’s name and everyone in the building,” Beatty said. “They know who I am, and I know who they are because it shouldn’t just (be) someone you walk past every single day.”

By his uplifting words and actions, Beatty is a connecting force within the team, which is one reason why he’s been a team captain for his current (WSU) and past team (Kent State).

The moment Beatty's leadership was tested

It’s also why the Cougars asked him to step up to the post-game podium Saturday night after a low-point 26-6 loss to Fresno State at Gesa Field - a lackluster performance, especially on offense, that drew boos from the home crowd.

Tension could be felt from the nearby WSU locker room before Moore and two of the team captains were brought in to answer difficult questions from the media.

With streaking eye-black and an intense glare, Beatty answered each question head-on with unfiltered honesty while making it a point to say the collective team - not just one side of the ball - bore responsibility.

“It is not good enough - not good enough at all,” said Beatty, physically trembling as he spoke. “We need to be better. Defensively, 26 points? If we held them to zero points, we’d be celebrating now with a victory. It goes both ways, from offense and defense to special teams - we’ve got to clean everything up. I don’t like it. I am not happy when we lose. So, we are going to be better and improve.”

On Wednesday, he was asked about how he felt in that moment Saturday.

“At first, I definitely was stirred up a little bit, and shaken … but Bobby (Alworth, WSU assistant sports information director) said, ‘Let’s take a few deep breaths and be yourself,’ and that is what I did.

“It was all … really just me being me - just real. I am intense at times, but I want to be able to uplift people and lead in the right way.”

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