Countdown to fall camp: WSU’s safety corps primed for big step forward

PULLMAN – Here is the third installment of our countdown to Washington State fall camp, which starts on Wednesday. This issue covers the Cougars’ safeties.

WSU’s safety corps primed for big step forward

Make no mistake: If there was one weakest link on last year’s WSU defense, it was the team’s secondary. More specifically, it was the Cougars’ safeties, who played a key role in registering a few forgettable statistics: WSU gave up 28 points per game (No. 90 in the country), 255 passing yards per game (No. 116) and 157 missed tackles (seventh most nationwide).

That prompted former head coach Jake Dickert to dismiss defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding ahead of the Cougars’ Holiday Bowl matchup against Syracuse, hoping to foster more stability on that side of the ball.

But both men have since departed WSU’s program, leading to the introduction of new head coach Jimmy Rogers, who brought over a few South Dakota State safeties : fifth-year seniors Tucker Large, Matt Durrance and Cale Reeder, veterans at the FCS level.

Whether they can adapt to the FBS level remains to be seen, but ahead of fall camp, all signs point toward them giving a makeover to the Cougs’ safety corps. Large has 44 games under his belt, Durrance has 43 and Reeder 53, his 2024 season cut short by a season-ending injury in Week 2.

“He’ll be a big plus to us on the back end,” Rogers said of Reeder during spring ball.

That makes WSU’s safeties the most experienced position group – by a wide margin. Large, Durrance and Reeder figure to play the most snaps, but the Cougars could also get a lift from others. That includes junior Duhron Goodman, who started his career in 2023 at Portland State and transferred to College of the Canyons (California) in 2024 before transferring to Washington State this summer.

In what could be an interesting twist, it could also include redshirt freshman Kayo Patu, who has only played in one game as a Cougar, in WSU’s season-opening win over Portland State last fall. But Patu has shown promise his entire college career, earning praise from all manner of coaches. He could play spot snaps in relief of the team’s more experienced safeties.

During spring ball, asked about younger safeties who have caught his eye, Large was quick to answer, “Kayo Patu sticks out right away.” Large also mentioned fellow redshirt freshman Trey Ridley, who also transferred from SDSU, where he played six games last fall.

“We’re a defense that’s built on swarming to the ball, punching out the ball, taking the ball away, and you gotta get to the ball every play to do that,” Durrance said, also during spring practices. “And we like celebrating each other. That’s the biggest thing. It’s more fun when someone else makes a play and they all go over there and celebrate with them.”

Last season at SDSU, Durrance totaled four interceptions, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery. Large had three interceptions, seven pass breakups and also recovered one fumble. In his last full season of action, Reeder picked off a pair of passes and forced two fumbles.

Last season, the Cougars totaled 22 turnovers, including 14 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries, which helped them come back to win several close games. But for many of the turnovers Coug safeties helped force, they often turned around and gave up big plays, helping opponents score by the bushel.

It’s also worth considering the new formations WSU and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit will roll out. Based on what they showed during spring ball, the Cougs will likely play a 4-3 defense, a departure from the 4-2-5 (four defensive linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs) look of Dickert’s defenses. For these Cougars, that’s one fewer DB on the field at a time, perhaps making it more important for Large, Durrance, Reeder and others to be sharp.

By all accounts, they’ve shown they can be. During fall camp, look for those three to take center stage on WSU’s defense.