Washington State veteran linebacker Kyle Thornton, a Southern California product, to make first-career start in LA Bowl

LOS ANGELES – Kyle Thornton will make his first collegiate start this weekend. And he’ll do so in a city he calls home, inside one of the country’s premier venues.

Thornton, a veteran Washington State linebacker who was raised on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles metro, is set to line up with WSU’s first unit Saturday when the Cougars face Fresno State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium – which hosted the Super Bowl this year and serves as the home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.

“It’s honestly such a blessing,” Thornton said Thursday after a practice at LA Harbor College. “Thinking about where I started four years ago – being a walk-on out of Southern California, no one really knowing who I was, having to go through the scout (team) for a whole year, redshirting, then slowly working my way up, year over year.

“Then, to finally be able to come back home and get my first career start here at SoFi, you can’t write that. It’s not even real to me yet. It just feels so surreal.”

After his prep career at Upland High – located about 50 miles away from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood – Thornton joined WSU in 2019 as a preferred walk-on and didn’t appear in a game during his rookie season.

After serving on special teams in 2020, Thornton began to work his way up the defensive depth chart.

He earned a scholarship during the 2021 preseason and captured a second-string spot at outside linebacker behind program mainstay Jahad Woods. Thornton showed flashes in his reserve role last year, totaling 18 tackles, one for loss, and breaking up a fourth-down pass in a win over Oregon State.

The 6-foot-1, 226-pounder saw his workload expand this season as the primary backup to standout linebacker Daiyan Henley, an All-Pac-12 first-teamer who has opted out of the LA Bowl. Thornton tallied 31 tackles.

“Have hope and belief in yourself,” Thornton said when asked about the example he’s setting for younger players. “When you’re a freshman, things aren’t always going to seem very bright. When I first got here, I think I was 15th on the depth chart out of like 16. I was dead last. I’d never seen my name on a depth chart so low.

“As the years go by, you have to keep putting in the work and believing in yourself because eventually it does end up panning out for you. Opportunities open up for people who work hard. Obviously, a lot of blessings have come my way. A couple of guys have left in critical times. That kinda opened up my pathway (to the starting role), but it’s through hard work that makes you ready for it. … Have faith in yourself and keep working hard for it.”

Thornton is shifting to middle linebacker for Saturday’s game. He has experience at both linebacker positions. Francisco Mauigoa and Travion Brown, who shared reps at middle linebacker throughout the season, both entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month.

Thornton, one of 31 WSU players from Southern California, will have plenty of family members and friends in attendance at SoFi Stadium.

“It’s gonna be a big game,” he said.

Senior outside linebacker Ben Wilson, who has served primarily on special teams over the past two seasons, will also make his first WSU start.

“It’s an exciting buzz, because me and Ben have both gotten a lot of collegiate experience in our careers,” Thornton said. “It hasn’t necessarily been at linebacker, but we’ve definitely seen our fair share of snaps. We’ve been sitting in the film rooms for countless hours. Now, it’s excitement, but we’re ready for it.”

A product of Lake Tapps, Washington, Wilson appeared in 29 games at TCU, with one start, from 2018-20. He has totaled 14 tackles in his Cougars career.

“He’ll be ready,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said. “(I’m) getting a chance to coach him again in that room and simplifying some things. … When we get to Saturday, it’s time to cut it loose.

“Mistakes aren’t going to hamper him. Let’s just learn from them and keep growing. As long as we’re communicating and aligning, I feel great about what Ben’s going to do.”

Dickert took over defensive coordinator/linebackers coach duties earlier this month in place of Brian Ward, who left the program to join Arizona State. Dickert was the Cougars’ DC/LBs coach from 2020-21.

“I love coach Dickert being back in the linebackers room,” Thornton said. “Coach Ward was awesome, but having coach Dickert back, it just feels like home. I think he has kind of said it, ‘It’s like riding a bike.’ To hear him back in the room, the jokes he cracks, it’s all good.”

Thornton has two years of eligibility remaining. Wilson will be playing in his final collegiate game.

“To get this opportunity on the biggest stage of the year, I think it’s awesome,” Dickert said.