Washington State opens the first full season under head coach Jake Dickert hosting Idaho Saturday at Gesa Field. Kickoff is set for 6:42 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.

NEXT UP
WSU will head to the midwest next Saturday for a matchup at Wisconsin. The Cougars will face the Badgers for the first time since 2007 (42-21, Madison). Head coach Jake Dickert is a native of Kohler, Wisc. and played at Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2002-06).

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE
Last season, Washington State went 7-5 overall including a 6-3 mark in Pac-12 Conference play in 2021 and made third sixth bowl game appearance in the last seven seasons, dropping a 24-21 decision to Central Michigan at the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. The Cougars closed the regular season with a 40-13 win at Washington in the Apple Cup. WSU's defense led the Pac-12 and was fifth in the country with 29 takeaways including 14 fumble recoveries, second-most in the country. All-Pac-12 first-team selection EDGE Ron Stone Jr. tied for fourth in the league with 11.5 tackles-for-loss and All-Pac-12 first-team kicker Dean Janikowski tied for second in the league with 14 made field goals. Jake Dickert (3-3) served as WSU's interim head coach the final five games of last season, was named the head coach prior to the Sun Bowl and begins his first full season the Cougar's head coach.

COUGAR QUICK GAME
TEAM
• Last season, WSU led the Pac-12 and was 5th in the country with 29 takeaways, 4th nationally with 14 fumble recoveries
• WSU made their sixth bowl appearance in the last 7 years (did not go to a bowl in 2020)
• WSU recorded its 1st four-game conference winning streak (at Cal, OSU, STAN, at ASU) since winning 7 straight in 2018
• Last season, WSU recorded its 8th straight win over Oregon State and 5th straight win over Stanford
• WSU's 14 All-Pac-12 selections in 2021 were the most since 2003 (17), 3 All-Pac-12 1st-Team selections for 1st time since 2015
• WSU earned a program-record 10 Pac-12 Player of the Week awards in 2021

INDIVIDUAL
• All-Pac-12 First Team EDGE Ron Stone Jr. tied for 4th in Pac-12 in TFL (11.5) and tied for 9th in sacks (5), both were team-highs
• Stone Jr. named to Watch Lists for: Bronko Nagurski Award, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award
• WR De'Zhaun Stribling led all Pac-12 freshmen with 44 rec, 471 rec yards, 5 rec TD, 2021 All-Pac-12 honorable mention
• QB Cameron Ward transferred from Incarnate Word, 2021 FCS All-America 2nd Team, 4,648 pass yds, 47 pass TD
• LB Daiyan Henley transferred from Nevada, 49 games played, 2021 All-Mountain West 2nd Team - 103 tackles, 4 INT
• All-Pac-12 First Team Kicker Dean Janikowski led the Pac-12 in FG pct. (82.4) and tied for 2nd in FG made (14)
• 3 were named to the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List; LB Daiyan Henley, EDGE Brennan Jackson, RB Nakia Watson

SERIES HISTORY - COUGAR CONNECTIONS
WSU leads the all-time series with Idaho 72-17-3 and has won the last nine meetings after a 56-6 victory in Pullman in 2016. Idaho is looking for its first win in the series since a 38-34 win in Pullman in 2000. Saturday will be the first meeting as the season-opener since 2005, a 38-26 WSU win in Pullman. WSU head coach Jake Dickert and Idaho first-year head coach Jason Eck worked together at Minnesota State - Makato in 2014 as offensive and defensive coordinators and again at South Dakota State during the 2016 season. Idaho defensive line coach David Lose worked on the WSU coaching staff as a defensive assistant (2011-16) and Vandal cornerback coach Stanley Franks Jr. worked for the Cougars in a defensive quality control position the past two seasons.

SIX NAMED 2022 TEAM CAPTAINS
WSU voted six players as team captains for the 2022 season; WR Renard Bell, OL Konner Gomness, EDGE Brennan Jackson, DB Armani Marsh, EDGE Ron Stone Jr., WR Lincoln Victor.

WELCOME BACK RENARD
The 2022 Cougar wide receiver core will be led by a familiar face, graduate senior Renard Bell, 24, who returns for his seventh season Pullman after missing last year with a knee injury. The Los Angeles native, who redhirted the 2016 season, enters his final season in the crimson and gray with an impressive resume.
- owns 147 career receptions, 30 away from breaking into WSU Top-10
- owns 16 career TD receptions, 2 away from breaking into WSU Top-10
- 18-consecutive games with a catch
- 5 career 100-yard games
- 43 career games played including 30 career starts
- 27 career wins
- has caught a pass from 8 different Cougar QB's (Luke Falk, Tyler Hilinski, Gardner Minshew II, Anthony Gordon, Gage Gubrud, Jayden de Laura, Gunner Cruz, Cammon Cooper)

BIG SHOES TO FILL
WSU will look to replace a few key players from last season.
RB Max Borghi 39 games played, tied WSU record with 41 career total TD, 32 career rush TD
WR/KR Travell Harris 3x All-Pac-12, 9th in WSU history with 179 rec, WSU record for kick returns
WR Calvin Jackson Jr. 31 games played, 104 career rec, 10 career TD, New York Jets free agent
RT Abraham Lucas 42 consecutive starts, 4x All-Pac-12, 3rd-round NFL pick by Seahawks
LB Justus Rogers WSU-record 56 games played, 34 career starts, 215 tackles
LT Liam Ryan 42 consecutive starts, last 29 at LT
CB Jaylen Watson 2x All-Pac-12, 15 games played last 2 seasons, 7th-round NFL pick by Chiefs
LB Jahad Woods WSU-record 56 games played, 4th in WSU history with 428 tackles

COUGS ADD THROUGH TRANSFER PORTAL
WSU was active in the transfer portal this past offseason and added some experience on both sides of the ball.
LB Daiyan Henley, Nevada 49 games played, 160 career tackles, 4 INT
DB Cam Lampkin, Utah State 33 games played, 72 career tackles, 10 PBU, 1 INT
DB Jordan Lee, Nevada 47 games played, 147 career tackles, 6 FR, 6 FF, 6 PBU
DT Nusi Malani, Virginia 2 seasons, 15 games played, 6 career tackles
RG Grant Stephens, Northern Colorado 27 games played, 23 career starts at RT, 2021 All-Big Sky 2nd Team
QB Cameron Ward, Incarnate Word 2-year starter, 2021 FCS All-American, 6,908 pass yds, 71 pass TD