WSU TE Jack Pedersen flourishing, QB Julian Dugger bounces back and other notes from Cougars' sixth spring practice
Apr. 7—PULLMAN — When you talk to him, one thing stands out about Jack Pedersen, one of Washington State's new tight ends. He doesn't really like to talk about the way he's standing out on the field.
"It's always about the team and the guys up front and the quarterback and running back," Pedersen said. "The guys around us. " But after Tuesday's WSU practice, the team's sixth of the spring slate, Pedersen didn't have much of a choice.
On one play in a team period, the fifth-year senior turned around at the goal line, boxed his defender out and hauled in a touchdown pass from Caden Pinnick, one of three quarterbacks vying for the starting job this fall. That comes on the heels of the Cougars' Saturday practice in Spokane, where Pedersen found himself on the receiving end — pun fully intended — of a couple trick play passes. He jogged into the end zone untouched on both of those plays.
He looked comfortable in the open field, prancing across the turf like a speedy wide receiver, not the 6-foot-5 veteran tight end he is. All of which is to say: The more the image of WSU's offense crystallizes, the more it becomes clear that Pedersen could figure prominently into it. "I think Coach has a great game plan in place for when we come out here and compete every day against the defense," Pedersen said.
"My teammates around me allow me to make some of those plays. I'm just looking forward to continuing to make them, whether that's with the rock or not, just being able to contribute to this team as much as I can. " Can Pedersen earn a starting role in head coach Kirby Moore and offensive coordinator Matt Miller's offense?
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