Zevi Eckhaus

Eckhaus and John Mateer were in a serious battle to claim the Wazzu starting gig entering the 2024 season, but the job was ultimately won by Mateer, who went on to post a massive season that resulted in a transfer to Oklahoma this offseason. So, the starting gig now land squarely on Eckhaus' shoulders. Unfortunately, it also comes at a time when a system change is occurring in Pullman. Head coach Jake Dickert bolted during the offseason for a head coaching gig in the ACC with Wake Forest, and Jimmy Rogers was brought in from South Dakota State to lead the Cougs. Thus, gone is the air raid system, and in comes Jimmy Rogers with a generally more ground-oriented approach compared to Dickert's "Coug Raid" offense, though Mateer's dual-threat ability led to a more balanced approach than usual in 2024. Eckhaus is also a capable runner, but the new offensive scheme and personnel overhaul will make it difficult for him to come anywhere close to what Mateer did a season ago. Still, Eckhaus should remain a serviceable fantasy option under center, taking over a system that saw Mark Gronowski (now at Iowa) run 97 times for 422 yards and 10 touchdowns a season ago in addition to throwing for 2,717 yards and 23 scores over 15 games. Read Past Outlooks