Zeriah Beason, a key rotational receiver for Washington State, ineligible to play in Cougs’ season opener
PULLMAN – Throughout fall camp, Zeriah Beason had been one of Washington State’s primary backup options at wide receiver.
So, it came as a surprise when his name was omitted from WSU’s Week 1 depth chart, released Monday evening.
The next morning, Cougars coach Jake Dickert informed reporters that Beason is “working through some eligibility issues,” which will keep the transfer receiver out of WSU’s lineup indefinitely.
“Right now, he’s ineligible for the game (the Cougs’ season opener Saturday against Idaho),” Dickert said Tuesday after practice at Rogers Field. “We can’t have him out there. We’re working through that right now, and I’ll get you more information as more information comes.”
Dickert didn’t provide any further details. Asked about a timeline for Beason’s return, he said, “I’ll keep you updated as we go.”
Beason, a third-year sophomore, played in 20 games – making 13 starts – at Oregon State over the past two seasons and totaled 384 yards and four touchdowns on 36 receptions. The three-star recruit from Duncanville, Texas, showed promise as a true freshman and drew some preseason accolades entering his second year at OSU. But he never reached his potential with the Beavers and transferred to WSU this summer, supplying the Cougs’ well-stocked receiving corps with another solid depth piece.
“I felt like I could take the next step in my life and I feel like I’m finding it in Pullman, just getting better at my game,” Beason said Aug. 17.
It didn’t take long for Beason to claim a role in WSU’s pass-catching rotation this preseason. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder was a consistent performer throughout fall camp while alternating with WSU’s first-team receivers. He quickly established himself as the Cougars’ No. 3 target at outside receiver, behind starters De’Zhaun Stribling and Donovan Ollie.
“I feel like I add speed and agility, and getting YAC (yards after catch),” Beason said, “just getting upfield ASAP.
“I really think I can help the Cougs get to where they need to be this season.”
WSU listed three reserve outside receivers on its depth chart – Tsion Nunnally will back up Stribling at the “X” position while Anderson Grover and Leyton Smithson will play behind Ollie at the “Z.”
Grover appeared in one game last year during his first season at WSU and took a redshirt. Nunnally and Smithson were preseason standouts, but neither has played a game at the collegiate level. Nunnally, a redshirt freshman, emerged as a deep-ball threat during camp. Smithson, a true freshman from Bellingham, showed off his speed on vertical routes and “earned his way into competing for a spot and for time,” Dickert said.
“We want to rotate all those guys and play them quite a bit,” the coach added. The Cougars’ Air Raid offense will lean on the pass this season and involve as many as eight receivers in each game.