Five things we learned about Washington State’s football team during preseason camp

The unknowns still outweigh the certainties on Washington State’s football team one week before the season opener against Oregon State next week, but now that the Cougars have officially turned the page from preseason camp to game prep week, we can say with some confidence we know more about Nick Rolovich’s football team than we did on Oct. 2.

Below are five things we learned about the Cougars – or think we learned – the last four weeks.

One “OR” will appear on the depth chart

It’s back, folks.

Unless Rolovich is willing to change course on his policy of naming a quarterback between now and early next week, there will be a big bold “OR” sitting between the names of the three signal-callers on WSU’s depth chart: Jayden de Laura “OR” Cammon Cooper “OR” Gunner Cruz.

Mike Leach, never wanting to tip his hand, was known to use “OR” generously on his depth charts. Even as Gardner Minshew and the Air Raid steamrolled opponents en route to WSU’s 11-win 2018 season, the team’s two-deep still had an “OR” sitting between Minshew, Anthony Gordon and Trey Tinsley the week before the Alamo Bowl.

It was somewhat surprising when Leach openly named Gordon as WSU’s starting quarterback in 2019. One year later, his successor is more reluctant.

At least for one week, Rolovich will fall back on the “OR,” hoping Oregon State won’t pick up any hints about which player will be under center when the run-and-shoot offense takes the field for the first time next week in Corvallis.

Rolovich has told reporters he’s not unwilling to play multiple quarterbacks if he sees the need, but he clarified he won’t use the season opener as a preliminary audition, playing all three early to see which signal-caller handles the game setting better.

“I think the only way that happens is if the one doesn’t play well and we yank them and the second one doesn’t play well and we yank them,” Rolovich said. “I don’t know if we’ll go in with kind of a carousel of quarterbacks in that game, or any game.”

The O-line is the team’s strength

You’d probably be able to come to this assumption by just looking at the four players chosen to be captains this year. There’s a running back (Max Borghi), a linebacker (Jahad Woods) and two offensive linemen (Liam Ryan and Abraham Lucas). It wouldn’t be a surprise to hear senior right guard Josh Watson collected a few captain votes, too.

“I think we’re putting a trust and faith in the offensive line unit really kind of leading the way,” Rolovich said. “I think they know that and I think they’re deserving of that responsibility.”

Frankly, it didn’t take this comment from Rolovich, or anything players have said during camp, to come to the conclusion the O-line would be one of WSU’s top units in 2020.

Consider the top three players, Ryan, Lucas and Watson, have played in 83 games and started in 77. Lucas earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors last season and Watson was named Honorable Mention. Ryan struggled with penalties in his first season at left tackle, but seemed to correct his errors later in the season and has the potential to be an All-Pac-12-caliber lineman.

WSU will introduce a new starter at center, but Brian Greene has the benefit of three years learning under one of the program’s all-time greats, Fred Mauigoa, and Leach didn’t hesitate to swap his starter for his backup whenever the Cougars were up big. Jarrett Kingston, who may start at left guard, is another youngster who won’t be intimidated by the stage after appearing in 10 games as a redshirt freshman – often spelling Robert Valencia.

But the defensive line is a question mark

I’ll rephrase that: the middle of the D-line is a question mark.

The Cougars don’t have an elite All-Pac-12-caliber player at either of the edge rusher positions, but they seem to have at least four who could start and offer better-than-average production – those being Will Rodgers III, Willie Taylor III, Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson, who could be a breakout player on the defensive line after missing 11 games in 2019 with an injury.

But between the edge players, there’s not nearly as much clarity.

The Spokesman-Review confirmed earlier in the week Lamonte McDougle has opted out of the season, leaving the team with one returning rotational defensive tackle/nose tackle from last season, in Dallas Hobbs. Most had already assumed McDougle wouldn’t be in the picture this season, but the former West Virginia transfer assured he wouldn’t be suiting up this season and plans to enter the transfer portal.

Based on his experience and the leadership role he took with the defense last year, we can assume Hobbs is in line to grab one of those spots. But who steps into the other and who fills in when the Cougars rotate?

“It’s been probably our hardest position to evaluate,” defensive coordinator Jake Dickert said after the team’s second scrimmage. “We’ve got a bunch of different guys in there that are competing. It’s probably been, through injuries, different situations, we haven’t had as many looks at as many guys as we would like. We’re still sorting them out, but it’s hard to place a barrier on a bunch of guys. We’re still sorting out probably 10.”

Besides Hobbbs, we can assume WSU’s interior line options include Ahmir Crowder, Nathaniel James, Christian Mejia, Tyler Garay-Harris, Nicholas Sheetz, Amir Mujahid Jesus Echevarria and Antonio Pule.

Three freshmen stood out from the rest

In a previous article, we listed five freshmen who could see early field time for the Cougars. The three that will definitely see it, one way or the other, include quarterback Jayden de Laura, wide receiver Joey Hobert and cornerback Chau Smith-Wade.

The inclusion of de Laura isn’t necessarily a projection that he’ll start for the Cougars on Nov. 7, though he and Cammon Cooper seem to be the top two choices from my vantage point. Even if it’s Cooper or Gunner Cruz starting, I’d expect Rolovich to use de Laura in various packages to take advantage of his mobility, which seems to be a hair stronger than that of Cooper and much stronger than Cruz. Cole McDonald was Hawaii’s starter each of the last two seasons, but Rolovich went to backup Chevan Cordeiro often, too.

Under Leach, Hobert would’ve seen extensive field time in the Air Raid’s eight-man receiver rotation. Rolovich tends to stick with four receivers and I’d guess the freshman isn’t part of that group at this point, though he’s probably knocking on the door. The coach indicated he was capable of playing in the slot or on the outside, so perhaps Hobert would be the next man up if either position sustained an injury this season.

Similar to Hobert, Smith-Wade is playing at a position where seniors may have the upper hand as far as the depth chart is concerned. Unlike receiver, though, the backups generally get plenty of field time. Coaches have been impressed by Smith-Wade’s mentality and maturity as a true freshman and have suggested more than once they’d feel comfortable relying on him at one of the most important positions on defense – and one the Cougars struggled at most of last season.

Newcomers could make an impact at cornerback

We singled out Smith-Wade, but at least one other first-year cornerback could factor into WSU’s equation in the defensive secondary, and I have a hunch there may be a third.

The Cougars certainly improved at cornerback during the offseason, signing Smith-Wade, a former Wyoming commit, in February and adding Jaylen Watson a few months later. The former USC signee was a two-time junior college All-American at Ventura College and has the ideal frame for a high-caliber Pac-12 defensive back, at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. Watson and Smith-Wade both returned interceptions for touchdowns in the last scrimmage.

“Jaylen is a great player,” nickel Armani Marsh said. “He’s got great size, great speed and great ball skills, everything. … He’s kind of like the total package for a corner and as a DB. Every day he’s growing and getting more comfortable in the defense and just making plays.

“We’re excited to have him and I’m excited to be playing next to him this season.”

Smith-Wade and Watson may be in the mix for starting spots, along with returners Derrick Langford and George Hicks III, but it seems evident both will see the field in some capacity this fall.

The dark horse is Ayden Hector. The four-star prospect from Eastside Catholic joined the Cougars as a walk-on, missing only a few days of fall camp. It’s not entirely clear how he’s grasped Jake Dickert’s defense, but we’re including him here because WSU’s returning corners didn’t prove enough last season to cement jobs this season and the Cougars, well, don’t have another player on defense who was considered a top-five recruit in his state.

Hector turned down Alabama, Washington, Oregon, USC, Florida, Florida State, Wisconsin and others to play at Stanford. If he’s as talented as his recruiting profile would suggest, it’s hard to think Hector is on the bench at WSU for long, even if he is paying for tuition at the moment.