The season is right around the corner and you know what that means: LISTS!
In the first true sign that football season is getting closer to its return, the Pac-12 is gearing up for their annual media day event. This year, the conference decided to avoid Los Angeles (for some reason) and chose to hold the supersized press conference in Las Vegas this Friday. But before hitting the slots and tables in Sin City, the Pac-12 got things started a little early by releasing their annual preseason All-Pac-12 honors on Tuesday afternoon. Seven Washington State players were named to the preseason All-Pac-12 list, including four who picked up second team honors and three who were named to the preseason honorable mention squad.
The defense was the star for Washington State in this season’s list. Defensive back Chau Smith-Wade and EDGES Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson, along with punter Nick Haberer, were WSU’s representative on the second team. The honorable mention team includes Defensive back Jaden Hicks, kicker Dean Janikowski and running back Nakia Watson as WSU’s only offensive representative on the preseason All-Pac-12 list.
Stone Jr. picks up all-conference honors for the second-straight season. The redshirt senior recorded 34 tackles last season, including four TFLs and a pair of sacks. Fellow redshirt senior EDGE Jackson is also on the list for a second straight campaign. Jackson picked up 41 tackles last season, including 12 TFLs (good for fourth in the Pac-12) and a team high six sacks.
While Stone Jr. and Jackson return to the All-Pac-12 list, Smith-Wade has earned his first career conference honor. The junior DB made 42 tackles last year and was a shut down secondary player for the Cougs earning the fourth-best coverage grade in the Pac-12 by PFF College. Haberer rounds out WSU’s second-team representatives after earning his first All-Pac-12 honor last year. The junior out of Australia finished last season third in the Pac-12 with an average of 42.4 yards per punt.
Stone Jr. will be joined by quarterback Cameron Ward and head coach Jake Dickert at Pac-12 media day this Friday in Las Vegas. The Cougs are set to take center stage at 11:05 a.m. pacific time. The all-day event will get started in the most awkward way possible at 8 a.m. when Commissioner George Kliavkoff takes the stage and avoids answering questions about potential media deals and expansion. You’ll be able to watch it all on the Pac-12 Network. The conference also says that “for the first time ever” coverage of the event will be available for all to watch on the Pac-12 Now app and on the free streaming Pac-12 Insider channel.
Seven Cougars Named to 2023 Preseason All-Pac-12 Teams – Washington State University Athletics
Seven Washington State players were named to Preseason All-Pac-12 Conference Teams.
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