WSU adds QB Zevi Eckhaus, a transfer from FCS Bryant

PULLMAN – The quarterback room at Washington State gained a member on Saturday.

The Cougars added Zevi Eckhaus, a junior transfer from FCS Bryant, who will be a senior next season.

Eckhaus, the reigning Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Year, originally signed with Jacksonville State out of the transfer portal. But because portal players don’t enter binding agreements until they enroll at their new school, he was able to back out.

A finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top FCS player in the country, Eckhaus matched the school record for single-season touchdown passes last season with 28. He’s also the school record holder for career touchdown passes, total offense and completions. He spent three years with the Bulldogs, from 2021 to 2023, starting nearly all three seasons.

Eckhaus, the eighth transfer in WSU’s class of 2024 and the 31st member overall, figures to provide the Cougars with some quarterback depth. He comes to WSU a day after the program landed two more transfers, former Oregon players Kris Hutson (wide receiver) and Keith Brown (linebacker).

Last season, the 6-foot-1 Eckhaus completed 238 of 379 passes (62.8%) for 2,907 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions, leading Bryant, of Smithfield, Rhode Island, to a 6-5 record.

He is the second quarterback in this WSU signing class, joining true freshman Evans Chuba. Those two will compete with incumbent backup John Mateer for the starting job next fall, following the departure of Cam Ward, who declared for the NFL draft last weekend.