‘It’s fun, it’s football,’ Cougs kickoff camp

Aug. 1—It was Christmas in July for Washington State football.

The Cougs kicked off fall camp Wednesday morning at Rogers Field with approximately 120 players resuming football activities for the first time in 96 days.

“You have a hard time falling asleep that first night, like the butterflies you feel ’em, you get back to that like first time ever putting on the pads,” sixth-year linebacker Kyle Thornton said. “This is like Christmas Day for us. It’s amazing.”

With clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid 80s, the Cougs got to work 31 days away from the season opener versus Portland State Aug. 31 at Gesa Field.

The first day of fall camp offers a return to something known, with football activities following a summer of strength and conditioning, and a peek at what is new.

New to NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools in 2024 is radio helmet communication. Quarterback John Mateer had the chance to use a helmet radio during Wednesday’s practice.

“I was just so excited to come out here,” Mateer said. “In our walk-through, right. We have the new helmets, you know, they’re talking to us through the helmets. Like, I was getting a little overstimulated. There’s so much going on and I was so excited and ultimately jittery to get out there, I dropped a snap in the walkthrough. And I was like ‘oooh,’ but you know, it takes a little mistake like that to really lock it in and realize I got a job to do and I can just be excited to be out here. So after that I was crisp, it’s fun, it’s football.”

Mateer and Eckhaus in QB competition

Mateer split reps with senior Bryant (R.I.) transfer Zevi Eckhaus. The pair are locked in a starting QB competition. Mateer took reps with the first team and Eckhaus took snaps with the second team.

Each QB completed 10-of-17 passes, with the pair facing seven-on-seven action and full 11-on-11…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fun-football-cougs-kickoff-camp-121600919.html

Author : Lewiston Tribune, Idaho

Publish date : 2024-08-01 12:16:00

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