Quest for QB1: Zevi Eckhaus, Jaxon Potter, Julian Duggar and Ajani Sheppard give WSU range of options

PULLMAN – Moments before Washington State takes the field for the first time, kicking off a season unlike any other with a home matchup against nearby Idaho, everyone outside the Cougars’ team will be finding out about their starting quarterback for the first time.

Will it be returner Zevi Eckhaus? Third-year sophomore Jaxon Potter? Or one of the transfers, Julian Dugger or Ajani Sheppard?

At least if WSU coach Jimmy Rogers has his way, that’s the way things will go for the Cougs, who used their 14 practices of fall camp and a handful of ones afterward to settle a four-way competition for starting QB duties. Both Rogers and offensive coordinator Danny Freund have been reluctant to reveal any details on the race, praising all four signal-callers as their Aug. 30 season-opener approaches.

After fall camp, Eckhaus looked like the frontrunner, using a blend of experience, arm talent and mobility to lead the pack. But with their dual-threat abilities, which is the ilk of quarterback that Rogers and Freund liked at their previous stop, Dugger and Sheppard have impressed. So has Potter, who has used his imposing size and strong arm to deliver accurate passes in spades.

One thing is for sure, though: Whoever the Cougars decide on will be earning the program’s QB1 designation for the first time.

“Zevi, his leadership has been awesome since we’ve shown up,” Freund said during fall camp. “He’s a really accurate thrower from the pocket. He can make quick decisions. He’s got a really good command of the offense. He takes a lot of pride in that.”

If coaches want experience, Eckhaus might be a no-brainer. After starting three years at FCS Bryant, where he set all kinds of school records, Eckhaus transferred to WSU in January 2024 with the understanding he’d be walking into a QB battle. He came up short, taking second place behind John Mateer, who entered the transfer portal in time to allow Eckhaus to start the Cougars’ Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse last winter.

All told, Eckhaus has logged more than 2,200 snaps of college football, far and away the most of the quartet of quarterbacks vying for WSU’s starting role. He threw three touchdowns against the Orange. He’s tossed 79 for his entire college career thus far. He might not be as naturally mobile as Dugger or Sheppard, but he’s impressed coaches with his improvement on that front, at one point ripping off a 65-yard rushing touchdown during fall camp.

Based on observations from those 14 practices, Eckhaus looks like the favorite. WSU’s offense figures to be anchored by the run, same as South Dakota State’s was the previous two years under Rogers’ direction, which could give Eckhaus chances to air it out when the opportunities arise. With an understated gear of speed, he could join in on the rushing attack himself.

“I do think he’s mobile,” Rogers said. “It’s just, at times, he’s always trying to keep his eyes down the field. That was a (designed) run. He split the defense in half and made a huge play. Zevi has a great command of the offense. He knows the playbook. It’s just eliminating some mental mistakes at times and controlling the situation and knowing when I need to get down and play the next play, or when I need to try to make the play, and using his legs in order to do that.”

But even if Eckhaus wins the job, there might still be a section of the Cougs’ playbook carved out for Dugger, who has turned heads with the plays he’s made with his legs. His best highlight came early in fall camp, when he dropped back in the pocket, sensed pressure and evaded it, then burst upfield, capitalized on a downfield block and cruised into the end zone for a long touchdown.

The best part for Dugger and coaches: The play happened on a live rep, meaning defenders had the green light to tackle him in earnest, not the usual one-hand touch tackles designed to prevent injuries. Coaches used those on a few occasions during fall camp to judge quarterbacks’ urgency and timing when facing real pressure, and Dugger delivered.

A transfer from Pitt, where he started the Panthers’ bowl game last winter, Dugger transferred to WSU this summer knowing he would have to compete for a starting role. He took the chance anyway, and it might pay off.

But Potter and Sheppard have turned heads in their own ways, too. Potter might be the least mobile of the four, but he might also have the strongest arm, which he unlocks with his 6-foot-5 frame. It’s entirely possible he could be the most accurate passer, which he put on display during fall camp, though he wasn’t perfect.

Sheppard comes from the same mold as Dugger: A dual-threat signal-caller who can make plays in all kinds of ways. He’s made a habit out of landing touch throws where they need to go, and with an extra level of speed on the ground, he’s a threat to punish defenses in that fashion, too.