PULLMAN -- Washington State defensive coordinator Trent Bray doesn’t waste many words, but when he talks about his players, he makes them count.
After Saturday’s fall camp scrimmage, Bray had praise ready for a few names that have stood out on defense, starting with linebacker DJ Warner. Warner began his career at defensive end, but has been settling in at linebacker, and Bray said the progress has been obvious.
"Night and day from where he was at the end of spring even," Bray said. "He's developed a really good understanding of where he needs to be in coverage, and he keeps getting better. So I'm very pleased with his transition from edge to that position."
The 6-4, 233-pound junior from Phoenix has improved steadily in coverage since spring, and he has done it without giving up the pass-rush traits or run-stopping consistency that made him valuable in the first place.
Cornerback Jalil Tucker has also caught Bray’s eye. The 6-0, 173-pound senior from San Diego has been with Bray for two years now, including part of 2025 at Oregon State, and Bray said Tucker has grown into a more complete player after coming back to Division I football from the junior college level.
"He's doing great," Bray said. "He's turning into that guy that a year ago, when you take him out of a JC, first year JC player, had highs and lows.
He's turning into that guy, that second-year junior college guy, that you hope they become. And so it's been exciting to see."
Then there’s safety Jeremiah Bernard, who has made one thing very clear throughout camp: he wants contact. Bray has noticed that edge from his 6-0, 196-pound likely starting strong safety, and said the staff has had to rein him in during non-contact portions of practice.
"There's no question," Bray said. "And if anything, in the actual practice where we're thud or tag, we have to kind of pull him back. So today was good to let him just unleash and go out and hit, and he did."
Bray also came away encouraged by the defense’s overall work in the scrimmage. He said the first group had strong moments, even if it gave up some plays, and the key detail was keeping the offense out of the end zone.
"There was a lot of good stuff, starting with that first group. And they gave up some plays, but they held them out of the end zone. Held them to three, and I think that's important.
"There's going to be plays made. We have good players on the offensive side of the ball.
They made some plays, but we bowed up and kept them out of the end zone. Then we played a bunch of guys, and we had some really good moments, some teachable moments, no doubt.
But very pleased with that first scrimmage and tackling."
The scrimmage did come with penalties, and Bray said the answer is to keep coaching technique while also adjusting to how officials are calling things.
"You just keep teaching and you have to adjust how the refs are calling it. So getting refs out there is good because you get a feel for all that stuff.
So you just have to keep teaching technique. There's moments, a lot of it is they don't trust themselves.
They're in good position, they panic and they reach. That's really what a lot of the holding calls were."
In Other News...
Cougars Bring A New-Look Roster Back To Seattle This December
Washington State mens basketball will make a return trip to Seattle on Dec. 19, when the Cougars face Seattle U at the Seattle Holiday Classic at Climate Pledge Arena. The matchup is part of a doubleheader that also includes Washington against Baylor in the nightcap, giving the city a full slate of college basketball in one event.
Tickets go on sale Aug. 19 for the event, which is being organized by Total Sports Consulting. For the Cougars, it is another chance to play in front of a familiar regional crowd in a venue that should bring a little extra energy to a nonconference date on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]