Future Cougars impress during Thursday night scrimmages

PULLMAN – The undercard to Washington State’s football game is sparsely attended and the players perform for coaches, not crowds.

Each Thursday during football season, the WSU underclassmen and players who are not likely to get many snaps in Saturday’s games participate in full-contact scrimmages.

These contests keep the scout teamers’ skills sharp while giving the coaches an early glimpse at which young players might be ready for larger roles next season.

With a short week leading up to next Friday’s Apple Cup, Thursday’s scrimmage is likely the last time the WSU underclassmen will compete during Thursday Night Football in the regular season.

To mark the occasion, we’ve made a list of the players who have impressed the most during WSU’s weekly scrimmages. Here are our Thursday Night Football All-Stars:

Running back James Williams: The clear MVP of the weekly scrimmages, Williams is a physical back who possesses the quickness and breakaway speed to score from anywhere on the field. He’s able to absorb contact and accelerate, and frequently rips off long runs after breaking a few tackles in a crowd. The running back has been one of WSU’s best receivers during the scrimmages, frequently finishing the day among the team’s reception leaders. He’s hurdled three or four would-be tacklers at times. The Cougars return all three primary running backs next season. Coaches have already said they will not use a four-back rotation. Williams’ play alone has assured that this will be an interesting spring, because it’s hard to see him being the odd man out.

Quarterback Tyler Hilinski: Of the three quarterbacks who routinely take snaps during Thursday Night Football, Hilinski is the most consistently successful at moving the offense through the air. The true freshman shows a good command of the offense, a strong and accurate arm, and surprisingly quick feet when he has room to scramble. He’s become much better at moving the pocket in a short time and is getting good at throwing on the run.

Defensive end Nnamdi Oguayo: The Rush linebacker position is going to be hit especially hard by graduation this offseason. Oguayo looks ready to help fill the void left by Ivan McLennan and Kache Palacio’s impending departures. Oguayo has been an infrequent, unwelcome guest in the offensive backfield throughout the year. He’s shown that he can get hard enough to jar the ball loose when he finds a running back or receiver in the flat.

Cornerback Deion Singleton: At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Singleton possesses excellent size for his position, along with plenty of athleticism. He’s been inconsistent this year, which isn’t exactly an indictment for a true freshman, but when he’s on he’s made plays in bunches. With his speed and size, he’s been able to blanket wide receivers on the outside, and his ball skills are developing.

Nose tackle Ngalu Tapa: Tapa is one of the strongest players on the team. If WSU’s nose tackle depth wasn’t good he would be playing a lot of snaps. Instead, he’s seeing most of his action on Thursdays, where he’s made life tough for the quarterbacks by consistently collapsing the pocket as plays develop.

Offensive tackle Cedric Bigge-Duren: Bigge-Duren is massive. The 6-6, 308-pound freshman has surprisingly little fat for someone who is so big and so young, and he has nimble feet. While he’s seen some time at left guard, expect Bigge-Duren to end up at left tackle, and make a real push for playing time once his lower body gets stronger.

Honorable mention: Safety Calvin Green, linebacker Dylan Hanser, safety Kameron Powell, nickel Treshon Broughton.