WSU holding competition to determine QB for Apple Cup this week

The WSU Cougars are undecided on who will be their quarterback against the rival UW Huskies in Saturday’s Apple Cup.

First-year Washington State head football coach Jimmy Rogers said Monday that the Cougars will hold a three-man competition this week between Jaxon Potter, Zevi Eckhaus and Julian Dugger.

WSU Cougars suffer 59-10 blowout loss to North Texas

Potter has started each of WSU’s three games this season, but he was benched Saturday after throwing three interceptions in a 59-10 blowout loss to North Texas. Potter, a redshirt sophomore from California, finished the game with 139 yards and no touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing. On the season, he has 604 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions on 70.5% passing.

“It was the turnovers that killed us (against North Texas) because of poor decision-making or, honestly, throwing some RPOs and throwing the ball away when the read said to give,” Rogers said Monday, per SWX in Spokane. “Those are things that we’ll learn through with a young quarterback and (Potter) needs to continue to grow and chomp at the bit to compete for the spot this week, because that’s what it will be.

“And so I know that that’s probably the next question that you’ll ask is like, who’s going to play at quarterback? I’ve got to make an assessment off of who’s progressing the right way throughout the season and right now, it will be open this week.”

Dugger, a redshirt freshman who transferred from Pittsburgh, took over the QB duties for WSU in the second quarter against North Texas, but was 0-for-2 passing and lost a fumble.

Eckhaus played the fourth quarter and performed well, finishing 7 of 10 with 72 passing yards and no turnovers while leading the Cougars’ only touchdown drive of the day.

Last season, Eckhaus led the Cougars’ offense in a Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse after starter John Mateer transferred to Oklahoma, throwing for 363 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on 31-of-43 passing. Eckhaus is a fifth-year senior who transferred from FCS school Bryant in 2024.

The Apple Cup between WSU and the 2-0 UW Huskies will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Martin Stadium in Pullman. The TV broadcast of the game will air on CBS, while the Cougars radio broadcast can be heard in the Seattle area on the Seattle Sports app and Seattle Red 770 AM.

Game time set for UW Huskies’ matchup vs No. 1 Ohio State

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