There aren’t many players in college football who can say they’ve got a national-championship ring tucked away somewhere in Pullman. Washington State receiver Darrius Clemons is one of them, though he’s not exactly advertising it.
“I think I’ve worn it in public once since I’ve gotten it,” Clemons said. “It is in Pullman somewhere, I won’t get too specific (on its location).”
That ring traces back to a winding path that has taken Clemons from one stop to the next, through success, frustration and a brutal injury setback before landing him with the Cougars as a redshirt senior. He was once the top prospect out of Oregon in the 2022 class, then became part of Michigan’s College Football Playoff national championship run during the 2023 season. After that, he transferred closer to home to Oregon State, played in 2024 and then spent last season on the sideline after tearing his Achilles in preseason camp.
Now he’s at WSU under first-year coach Kirby Moore, with former Oregon State coach Trent Bray running the Cougars’ defense. And after top returning receiver Tony Freeman was lost in the Apple Cup opener to a serious knee injury, Clemons has become one of the key options WSU will lean on to keep the passing game moving.
At 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds, Clemons brings size on the outside and production to match. He and Daniel Blood are tied for the team lead with 10 catches apiece, and Clemons’ 100 receiving yards also puts him at the top of the list. He’s been especially steady, finishing with at least three receptions in each of WSU’s games against the Huskies, Kansas State and Duquesne.
“When Caden (Pinnick) throws me the ball,” Clemons said, “he expects me to make a play.”
What also stands out about Clemons is the way he thinks about the game. He’s had four different position coaches during his career, including Derek Sage, who is back with the Cougars in his second stint after previously working under the late Mike Leach.
For some players, that kind of turnover would be a headache. Clemons sees it as a chance to keep building.
“There are so many different ways to skin a cat,” Clemons said. “Guys say it in different ways.
It hits people’s brains in different ways. I definitely welcome the knowledge and opportunity to learn from different people.”
That curiosity has been part of him for a long time.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always asked a ton of questions - about anything - because I like learning new stuff,” Clemons said. “It drove my mom (Christa) crazy.
But my dad (Larry) is really, really similar. He asks a ton of questions, too.”
His latest lesson came the hard way. During Oregon State training camp in August of 2025, Clemons suffered what he called “the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life” when he ruptured his Achilles.
The recovery was slow and grueling after surgery. He couldn’t put his foot in the ground for the first six weeks, and even basic daily routines became a challenge.
“To shower, I would have to have a chair,” he said. “It was humiliating being a grown man and not being able to wash yourself normally.”
The rehab brought the kind of progress that never felt linear, with stretches of hope followed by setbacks.
“I felt like my old self like five different times,” Clemons said. “When you are out for so long, and you just get certain abilities back, you feel like you’ve climbed over the mountain. … There were a lot of checkpoints along the way.”
Now healthy again, Clemons says he’s ready to make this season the best one yet.
“I just try and do my part,” Clemons said. “Each day in practice, I put my best foot forward - and Saturday in games.”
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Maxwell Woods Is Suddenly Changing What WSU Can Do On Offense
Maxwell Woods has quickly become one of the more intriguing pieces in Washington States offense, giving the Cougars a different kind of edge in the backfield. The running back from a Minneapolis suburb has been productive in a short span, and his 116-yard outing on 11 carries in a recent game helped show just how much more balance this offense can have when the ground game is working.
Through three games, Woods has averaged 7.7 yards per carry, a mark that ranks him among the nations most efficient backs with enough volume to matter. He and Kirby Vorhees both going over 100 rushing yards in the same game was a notable sign for WSU, and it raises an obvious question for the Cougars: how much more dangerous can this offense be if Woods keeps forcing defenses to respect the run? [Read more 🡒]
WSU Is Bringing Back A Look Cougars Fans Deeply Miss
Washington State is dusting off a look that has been tied to some of the programs most recognizable moments, with the Cougars set to wear the gray helmet with Cougars in crimson script against Arizona. The uniform combo also includes crimson jerseys and gray pants, a nod to a style most fans associate with Apple Cup nights and, this time around, an homage to the 1994 Copper Bowl team.
It is the sort of throwback that tends to land well in Pullman because it reaches past the current season and into the programs visual memory. Washington State also used defensive player DJ Warner as the model for the reveal, a small detail that gave the announcement a bit of extra personality as the Cougars leaned into a look many supporters have long hoped to see again. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Is Bringing Back A Look Cougars Fans Love
Washington State is leaning into a familiar piece of program identity for its upcoming game against Arizona, dusting off the classic script helmets that have long been one of the most recognizable looks in Cougar football. The helmets trace back to 1976 and have shown up on and off over the years, including in the 2023 Apple Cup, giving the team a uniform choice that carries both nostalgia and a little bit of edge.
The full combination will feature the traditional crimson jerseys and gray pants, a clean throwback pairing that matches the schools Crimson and Gray stripe-out crowd theme. For a program that knows its fans appreciate the details, the look is more than a uniform tweak, it is a reminder of how much the right visual can still matter on a fall Saturday. [Read more 🡒]