WSU players react to coach Jake Dickert’s departure, plus mixed signals on CB Steve Hall’s status

PULLMAN – Like many Washington State players, Djouvensky Schlenbaker didn’t know coach Jake Dickert was leaving the program until Wednesday morning.

He doesn’t usually check his phone much past 9 p.m., he said, which means he missed out on any chatter around the possibility.

So even early Wednesday morning, when the Cougars’ third-year running back got a text about a team meeting, he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Not until he picked up a teammate to drive to the Cougar Football Complex did he hear the topic.

“I was like, ‘Dang, that sucks,’ ” Schlenbaker said. “But it’s the people in the facility that you gotta care for more. We love coaches and everything.

“They’re great people. But we gotta love the brothers in our room.”

For his part, senior edge Andrew Edson – the first player Dickert recruited and went on to graduate – was caught off guard, too.

“I was initially a little surprised,” Edson said, “but at the end of the day, this program keeps moving forward. We’ve seen worse in our time here, throughout these four years. So at the end of the day, it’s part of college football now, and just keep focusing on finishing the season out.”

WSU will do just that on Dec. 27 in San Diego, where the Cougars will take on Syracuse . The Cougars will not be opting out, athletic director Anne McCoy said Wednesday, even as the program marches forward without a head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, running backs coach and quarterbacks coach.

Twenty-four Cougars, including 12 starters, have also entered the transfer portal as of Thursday evening.

The list includes star defensive tackle David Gusta, who reportedly entered the portal Thursday, meaning each of the Cougars’ top three defensive linemen are in the portal.

That doesn’t mean they’re ineligible for the Holiday Bowl. Acting head coach Pete Kaligis, who moved up from his role of defensive tackles/assistant head coach role, indicated as much Thursday morning.

“Right now, if a young man goes into the portal, he can still play,” Kaligis said. “He can still play with us.”

In a Thursday interview with columnist John Canzano, McCoy confirmed as much, saying the Cougars who have entered their names into the portal remain eligible to play in the Holiday Bowl. It’s not clear how many players would choose to do so, but with around two dozen names in the portal, it might give WSU some reinforcements it wouldn’t have otherwise.

Four former Cougars have made things official with their new schools. Quarterback John Mateer went to Oklahoma, receiver Kris Hutson to Arizona, punter Nick Haberer to Vanderbilt and defensive tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh to TCU. Offensive lineman Fa’alili Fa’amoe was on a visit to Nebraska this week.

Kaligis clarified the status of cornerback Steve Hall, who has been using social media to announce offers from other schools he’s receiving. It would seem to imply he’s in the portal, becoming the 24th Cougar to enter, but Kaligis offered mixed signals on his status.

“He’s not in the portal. He turned his paperwork in,” Kaligis said. “All he has is papers. He’s not entered the portal. His paperwork is ready to go. … His papers are in, so that’s all I want to say. There’s still a decision to be made if he wants to or not.”