Countdown to fall camp: How could battles in WSU's CBs room shake out?
Aug. 2—Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of stories that will run each day previewing Washington State's preseason camp before it begins on Aug. 6. This edition covers the Cougars' cornerbacks. PULLMAN — When September rolls around and Washington State players take the field at Husky Stadium to take on rival Washington, and when the Cougars' defense rolls out, good luck recognizing ...
With the upcoming fall camp scheduled to commence on August 6, Washington State's cornerback squad faces a significant shakeup. Over the offseason, the Cougars bolstered their ranks with 32 transfers, emphasizing the need for a strong defensive secondary to face the rival Washington in Husky Stadium. Head coach Kirby Moore and his staff succeeded in attracting these talent, leveraging connections like new safeties coach Greg Burns and cornerbacks coach Brandyn Thompson.
The transfer market brought in a diverse group of players, such as Texas State's Khamari Terrell, Oregon State's Jalil Tucker, Cal Poly's CJ Solis-Lumar, and junior college transfer Elmo Wharton, among others. Additionally, redshirt freshman Jamarey Smith, who started in the Potato Bowl last winter, and Kai Rapolla and Ishmael Gibbs, junior college transfers, will also be in contention for starting roles.
Among the transfers, Terrell could be the most likely to secure a starting position. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the Oregon grad transferred to Texas State, where he posted 36 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception in 2023. He had a notable impact during his final eight games last season, including an interception and a quarterback pressure against Louisiana-Monroe. However, he missed a portion of the spring practices due to injury, making it challenging to fully assess his capabilities at WSU.
Competing with Terrell will be Solis-Lumar, who comes from FCS club Cal Poly. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Solis-Lumar had a solid season last year, logging 332 total snaps across 11 games, breaking up three passes, and making 23 tackles. His size and experience make him another key player in this position battle.
Another intriguing transfer is Modesto College's Elmo Wharton, listed at 6-foot-3 and 174 pounds. Wharton had a productive two seasons at Modesto College, earning offers from several Division I programs before choosing WSU. While he has yet to demonstrate his full potential in Pullman, his presence in the cornerback room adds to the dynamic nature of the position group.
As the new batch of cornerbacks takes the field during fall camp, the Cougars' defense could be significantly affected by the outcomes of these position battles. The success of these players in their new roles will ultimately determine how effective the team's defensive strategy will be against their in-state rival, Washington.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
