Player Notes

MORGANTOWN — Neal Brown will get back to calling plays for West Virginia’s offense in 2023.Brown, entering his fifth season as the Mountaineers’ coach, surrendered those duties to then-offensive coordinator Graham Harrell last fall, but will resume control as WVU attempts to bounce back from a down 2022 season.“This is going into Year 9 for me as a head coach. One year I didn’t call the plays. The ...

Aug 2, 2023MORGANTOWN — It’s football season in Morgantown.West Virginia opened fall camp with its first practice on Wednesday, with the hopes of proving voters in the preseason Big 12 poll wrong and bouncing back from a down 2022 season.“I like this team. This team’s got kind of a youthful energy about it,” WVU coach Neal Brown said during a post-practice news conference. “They’re excited. They’re ...

By Greg WoodsThe Spokesman-ReviewPULLMAN — Brennan Jackson laughed and flashed a wide grin. As he strode up to the microphone, ready to chat about his Washington State team’s first day of fall camp on Wednesday morning, he got a question.How many mental sacks today?“Oh,” Jackson said, “at least 70.”The Cougars’ sixth-year edge rusher can’t exactly hit quarterbacks, especially not without pads at this ...

By Greg Woodsgregw@spokesman.comPULLMAN – Brennan Jackson laughed and flashed a wide grin. As he strode up to the microphone, ready to chat about his Washington State team’s first day of fall camp on Wednesday morning, he got a question.How many mental sacks today?“Oh,” Jackson said, “at least 70.”The Cougars’ sixth-year edge rusher can’t exactly hit quarterbacks, especially not without pads at this ...

By Greg Woodsgregw@spokesman.comPULLMAN – Nick Haberer might feel like he’s been here before.That’s because for the second straight season, Washington State’s starting punter has been named to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nation’s best punter. He’s the first Cougars punter to earn a spot on this watch list in back-to-back seasons since Oscar Draguicevich III (2019-20).A season ...

By Greg Woodsgregw@spokesman.comPULLMAN – Dean Janikowski might be one of the nation’s most well-rounded players this fall.That’s the word from the Wuerffel Foundation, which named the Washington State place-kicker to the watch list for its award, which goes to a player who “best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.”Last season, Janikowski developed into one ...

By Mike VorelSeattle Times staff reporterWhen asked Wednesday — following Washington’s first preseason football practice at Husky Stadium — whether his long-term goals revolve around conference or national championships, coach Kalen DeBoer replied: “It’s going to take a conference championship, in my mind, to make the next goal.”But which conference, and when?Roughly an hour earlier, Yahoo! Sports’ ...

By Mike VorelSeattle Times staff reporterThere’s finally football.As another wave of conference realignment threatens to pulverize the Pac-12’s remaining parts, Washington completed its first preseason practice Wednesday at Husky Stadium.Which felt … refreshingly familiar.Michael Penix Jr. unfurled arcing deep balls to his cadre of tantalizing targets. Wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard joked to ...

Aug 2, 2023CHARLOTTESVILLE—One day after Virginia was picked to finish last in its league, there was no evidence anything could put a damper on the eagerness of the Cavaliers as they embarked on the start of a new training camp.These Hoos have more to play for, and on Wednesday’s warm-and-breezy afternoon, they were determined to make most of their first preseason practice.“If we work harder than anyone ...

He’s seen and worked with Tony Elliott in various capacities.The second-year Virginia coach was transfer running back Kobe Pace’s lead recruiter at Clemson, then his position coach and the Tigers’ offensive coordinator, too. And after a season apart, Pace departed the perennial power this past winter to reunite with Elliott in Charlottesville.“I don’t think he’ll ever change,” Pace said Wednesday after ...