WSU announces Zevi Eckhaus as starting QB in Apple Cup

PULLMAN — After relaying a few mixed signals during the week, Washington State did make a change at quarterback for the Apple Cup.

The Cougars announced fifth-year senior Zevi Eckhaus will start Saturday’s game in a stadium announcement, moving away from third-year sophomore Jaxon Potter, who started each of the first three games of the season.

Potter threw three interceptions in the first half of WSU’s blowout loss to North Texas last week, prompting coach Jimmy Rogers to sit him for the second half and try his other two quarterbacks, Eckhaus and redshirt freshman Julian Dugger. On his second snap of the game, Dugger lost a fumble. Eckhaus piloted his team’s final two drives of the game, scoring a short rushing touchdown in the final moments.

In Eckhaus, WSU gets a steady and experienced hand. He started his career with three years at FCS Bryant, where he set all manner of records, before transferring to WSU in January 2024. He served as the Cougars’ backup last season under John Mateer, who entered the transfer portal after the regular season, clearing the way for Eckhaus to start in WSU’s Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse.

In that one, Eckhaus completed 31 of 43 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns (four total) and two interceptions. He looked largely sharp, giving him the kind of experience reading coverage that eluded Potter last weekend, which was met with frustration by Rogers.

On Monday, Rogers told reporters that because of Potter’s wayward outing, coaches would let him compete with Eckhaus and Dugger for the starting job in Saturday’s game. But two days later, Rogers indicated that he had actually made his decision on Sunday — so coaches did not hold the kind of competition that Rogers had previously described.

It was the latest installment in what has been a winding saga. During fall camp, coaches held a competition between Potter, Eckhaus, Dugger and Rutgers transfer Ajani Sheppard, declining to announce a starter until moments before WSU kicked off its season-opener against FCS Idaho when Rogers revealed he would start Potter in a pregame television interview on The CW. 

It came as a surprise to just about everyone. Eckhaus looked to be taking the lead during camp, using his arm talent and mobility to record several highlight plays, checking the kinds of boxes that coaches were looking for from their starter. But internally, Rogers and offensive coordinator were apparently siding with Potter, whose size and accurate arm had earned him the starting nod.

Now WSU coaches are going in a different direction — in the Apple Cup, no less.