WSU football: 3 keys — and 3 new names to know — for Cougars in 2024
Scott Hanson
Aug. 28, 2024 at 8:00 am Updated Aug. 28, 2024 at 8:00 am
By
Seattle Times staff reporter
Pretty much everything is new for the Cougars in 2024, including their conference, quarterback and the bulk of their roster. Here are keys for WSU’s success and three new names to know.
Three keys to the season
Run the football effectively
The lack of success running the football is arguably the biggest reason the Cougars had a losing season last year. They averaged just 3.0 yards per rush (341 carries for 1,374 yards) while their opponents rushed for 2,082 yards and averaged 4.3 yards per rush. When defenses stopped respecting WSU’s running game it made things much tougher for quarterback Cam Ward because there were more defenders dropping back into coverage. The Cougars have four players back who started on the offensive line last season. That experience is obviously good, but that unit, and the running backs, need to be better.
Solid play at quarterback
The Cougars needed to replace two-year starting quarterback Ward, who transferred to Miami after two up-and-down seasons in Pullman. John Mateer, who showed his ability to run last year while playing in 11 games, will open the season as the starter. Mateer has thrown just 19 passes at WSU, but he is confident that he is ready, and the Cougars will need him to be because much of their success will depend on how their quarterback plays. If Mateer gets hurt or doesn’t perform, Zevi Eckhaus, a three-year star at FCS Bryant, will get his chance.
Finish, finish, finish
The Cougars lost four games (California, Stanford, Washington and UCLA) in which they had a chance to take the lead or tie the score in the final minutes but could not do it. If they had won just two of those games, it would have left a completely different feeling to the season. There will undoubtedly be close games this season for the Cougars, and they will need to do a better job of coming through in the closing minutes.
Three newcomers to watch
Edge rusher Syrus Webster
The Cougars lost two of their best players, and team leaders, with the graduation of sixth-year senior edge rushers Brennan Jackson and Ron Stone Jr. They will be tough to replace, and WSU coach Jake Dickert said it will be done by committee. A prominent player in the rotation figures to be Webster, who spent the past three seasons at Utah Tech and is the school’s career sacks leader with 14.5. Last season, Webster had seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Anything close to those numbers this season from Webster, 6 feet 4 and 254 pounds, would be a huge boost to the WSU defense.
Receiver Kris Hutson
Hutson was one of Oregon’s top receivers in 2021 and 2022 but had just one catch last season and transferred to Washington State. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Hutson caught 31 passes for 419 yards, ranking second among Ducks in receiving yards and third in receptions. He improved on those numbers in 2022 with 44 catches (second on the team) for 472 yards. He also returned punts and kickoffs for the Ducks. If he can display the promise he showed at Oregon, he could be a nice addition to the receivers group, which is led by Kyle Williams.
Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus
How important Eckhaus, 6 feet and 200 pounds, will be this season will depend on the health and the level of play of Mateer, who was named WSU’s starting quarterback after battling with Eckhaus during the spring and the start of fall camp. If Eckhaus needs to be called upon, he has a wealth of experience to rely on. He threw for 10,215 yards and 137 touchdowns at Culver City High School outside Los Angeles and became the school’s career passing leader. He then played three seasons at FCS Bryant in Providence, R.I., throwing for 8,527 yards and 76 touchdowns. Expect Eckhaus to be ready if he gets a chance to play.
Scott Hanson:
shanson@seattletimes.com;
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