Julian Dugger is one of those names that keeps floating around Pullman conversations, mostly because the guy looks the part and moves like it too. Second year in the system, and the scrimmage reports are starting to sound less like potential and more like production. But here's the thing that actually matters: can he find the field when the lights come on? That's the question nobody can answer with a highlight reel. For a Coug fan, it's the same tension we all know from picking a study spot on a deadline. You can have the best notes, the right coffee order, and a solid two-hour block, but if you never sit down and commit, it's just a nice plan. Dugger's got the athletic part down. The real test is whether he can own the system and beat out the guy ahead of him. That's not a knock on anyone. That's just the reality of competing in a room where everyone's talented and the difference is usually consistency. We've been here before with quarterbacks, and we'll be here again. It's easy to get hyped on a scrimmage performance, especially when the guy is clearly one of the best athletes on the roster. But scrimmages are like group projects where everyone shows up prepared. They're useful, but they're not the real thing. What I'd tell a reader asking about Dugger is this: watch how he handles the non-throwing reps. Watch how fast he gets the playcall in, how he manages the pocket when the rush breaks through, and how he responds after a bad series. That stuff translates. Raw ability gets you noticed. Decision-making gets you playing time. And in the same way we all appreciate a solid study routine that actually sticks, the Cougs need a quarterback who can be trusted to run the offense without forcing it. That's the difference between a fun story and a starting job. What's interesting is how this connects to the broader buzz around the program right now. There's a lot of positive energy from the WSU Cougars dominate all phases on way to win against Duquesne game, where everything clicked for a full four quarters. That kind of balance gives a coaching staff options, but it also raises the bar. You can't just be good one week and hope for the best. You need guys who are consistent, especially at the most visible position on the field. And while the team is figuring out its identity, it's worth remembering that a lot of the off-field momentum, like the stuff happening with Cougs on the Hill: Former Athletes Tackle College Sports Reform, is about building a program that players want to be part of long-term. Dugger being in the mix is part of that, but he's got to earn his spot like everyone else. There's also the tight end situation, which the notebook flags as a question mark. That's not just a depth chart issue. That's a protection and play-action issue. If the Cougs can't trust that group to hold up, it changes what the offense can do, and it puts more pressure on the quarterback. That's not a panic move. That's just being real about how football works. You can't air it out every down and expect to survive a full season. So while everyone's watching Dugger, the smart money is on the guys blocking for him and the tight ends who have to be reliable in the run game and as outlets. If that group steps up, it makes everyone's job easier. If not, well, it's going to be a long couple of weeks. For what it's worth, I'd rather have a quarterback who can move and a coach who's willing to adapt than a guy who's just a statue back there. That feels like the direction this team is heading, and honestly, it's more fun to watch anyway. The takeaway here isn't whether Dugger is good. He clearly is. The real question is whether he can be good consistently, in live action, against a defense that's game-planning for him. That's the leap. That's the difference between being a guy with potential and being the guy.
