seniors
seniors at Wazzu is a file of 4 stories. The newest of them: “The Cougs are playing for pride this week, not a bowl bid”, “Continuity pays off as Cougar women return every starter for the first time since the portal exodus”, and “Why one Coug keeps catching passes through a 1-7 season”. Another road game, another uphill climb. For the first time since the transfer portal gutted the roster two years ago, Kamie Ethridge is bringing every starter back. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every seniors story on Wazzu, newest first.
The Cougs are playing for pride this week, not a bowl bid
Another road game, another uphill climb. The Cougs are playing for pride this week, not a bowl bid, and that's the kind of honest assessment this season deserves. Coach Kirby Moore's debut year has been a grind, and the numbers back it up: 0-4 on the road, a leaky offensive line, and a running game that can't get traction. The defense has dropped six interceptions, tied for the most in the country, and managed only eight sacks. That's not a recipe for a turnaround. San Diego State is beatable on paper. Their defense ranks near the bottom in several categories, and they're starting a backup QB making his second start. But the Aztecs are sharp at home, and the Cougs haven't shown they can cash in on those opportunities. You can squint and see a win. The rest of us see a 34-24 loss. The Cougs get a bye after this one, and they'll need it. Nine straight games is a slog, especially when the breaks aren't falling your way. For the seniors playing their last road game, that stings. If you want to read about a bright spot, check out our story on Trey Leckner's foot healing up and his impact not missing a beat. That's the kind of fight this team has, even when the scoreboard doesn't show it. Go Cougs.
Continuity pays off as Cougar women return every starter for the first time since the portal exodus
For the first time since the transfer portal gutted the roster two years ago, Kamie Ethridge is bringing every starter back. That matters. Six players walked out the door after the 2022-23 season, forcing a full rebuild. Now? Zero starters lost. Even a sixth player who started 20 games is sticking around. That is the kind of quiet win Pullman doesn't always get credit for. Last season ended 9-25, the worst record of Ethridge's nine years. But the Cougs won four of their last five. That finish is the only taste worth remembering. Ethridge knows it. She spent the spring fishing in the international pool instead of panicking through the portal. Nine of 12 players are from outside the U.S., Italy, Slovenia, France, Argentina. It is not the old recruiting map, but it is working. The new 5-in-5 eligibility rule adds pressure. Freshmen can't sit and develop without burning a year. Ethridge is honest about the risk: players get impatient and leave. Her answer is culture. She wants players who buy in, not just show up. So far, retention says the message is landing. If you want to see how the other side of the program is holding up, check out "The Cougs are playing for pride this week, not a bowl bid." Different season, same fight. Go Cougs.
Why one Coug keeps catching passes through a 1-7 season
Trey Leckner has 12 catches for 98 yards this season. That matters because he missed the first four games, and because the Cougs are 1-7. Most guys would check out. Leckner is not most guys. He redshirted in 2023, started climbing in 2024, and earned the starting tight end job in 2025. Then he got hurt. Now he's back, catching fourth-down conversions against Boise State, and talking about playing for the seniors. That's the part that hits. This team has 14 seniors. Keith Brown has played 482 snaps this season, 12th most among all linebackers in the country. He's playing his sixth year. Matyus McLain and Jamarey Smith both said the same thing Monday: they're playing for those guys. Not for a bowl game. Not for the noise outside the building. For each other. The Cougs have lost five straight since beating Duquesne. They've switched quarterbacks. They've switched play-callers. None of it has fixed the scoreboard. But Leckner says the will to win is still there, and that building momentum for next year matters. That's a hard thing to sell in a 1-7 season. But watching Leckner run routes like he's got something to prove, it's easier to believe. If you want the full picture of where this team's head is at, read our preview of the San Diego State trip: "Five-game skid meets the road: Cougs chase first FBS win at SDSU." It sets the table for what comes next. Go Cougs.
Moore's sideline bench talks get real after WSU's bowl hopes vanish
Kirby Moore sat Owen Eshelman down on a sideline bench seconds after the interception. Not later. Not in the film room. Right there, while the game was still happening. That's the kind of moment that tells you where a season has gone. Washington State just lost 31-10 to Boise State. Bowl hopes are dead. First time since 2010 the Cougs have been eliminated before November. Moore's offense gave up four sacks. The running backs combined for 20 yards on 10 carries. That's not a bad night. That's a pattern. The offensive line was recruited for an Air Raid system. They're being asked to win third-and-1. It isn't working. Moore knows it. He said the miscommunication on that pick starts with him. Fair enough. But he's also the guy who waited too long to make the switch at quarterback, and those missed wins are gone. What's left is four games and 14 seniors. No bowl to sell. No national relevance. Just pride and a coaching staff that has to find a way to get something out of nothing. Eshelman talked after the game about standards and what gets revealed when things go wrong. That's the right thing to say. The question is whether Moore can coach him into a couple wins before it's over. For a deeper look at how Boise broke the dam, read "The long run that broke the dam: WSU defense gasps after Boise's 72-yard dagger." Go Cougs.