L to R: Trent Bray, Matt Miller, Kirby Moore and Yogi Roth at Saturday's Night with Cougar Athletics in Seattle. (Photo: Micah Chen/Cougfan.com)
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SEATTLE – First-year Washington State football coach Kirby Moore, defensive coordinator Trent Bray and offensive coordinator Matt Miller collectively took the stage in front of an amped crowd of Cougs on Saturday to share their vision for 2026. While Miller and Bray sent the faithful into high-octane cheers with their fiery philosophies, a hush formed over the sea of crimson when Moore began to speak.
"We want to chase our dreams, we want to develop an elite edge, and we want to play and compete for a Pac-12 championship," Moore said to the crowd of 600 at the Victory Hall at The Boxyard. "But we've got to focus on what is right in front of us, focus on maximizing each and every day, every workout, meeting, practice. And our goals? They're not going anywhere. We've got to take advantage of the day and what's right in front of us."
Moore said he was particularly proud of the number of WSU players he and his staff were able to retain in the short window between being hired and the opening of the transfer portal. The tally is 57, including 11 starters, returning for the Cougs in 2026.
The evening's emcee, television football analyst Yogi Roth, asked Moore to talk about his youthful ties to eastern Washington.
"I'm the son of a high school football coach, my dad (Tom Moore) got the job at Prosser in '86, and I just grew up coming to Cougar football, spring practice," Moore said. "Mike Price, Bill Doba, I can remember it like it was yesterday, Robb Akey running across the sideline yelling. And just the Cougars' success ..."
Related: Tom Moore deflects credit for Kirby's coaching acumen
Moore added that all the family ties to the area make this WSU opportunity that much more meaningful. Moore's wife Kayla is from Prosser and her parents live seven miles from Pullman, in Palouse, making for perfect grandparent symmetry with Kirby and Kayla's three young kids.
The embrace of Cougar Nation has been readily apparent since he was hired, Moore said, adding, "I can't think I want (this) enough."
MILLER FIRED UP THE CROWD in response to a question by Roth about the offensive mindset this season. "We're going to be a an attacking offense, we're going to be multiple, we're going to be physical," Miller said. "When you cut us open, when you see us bleed, that's what we're going to be about!"
The applause rolled in, to which Miller added, "I get a little fired up talking about football."
While Miller didn't hint at a front runner in the three-man quarterback competition, proclaiming that all three of his scholarship signal callers — UC Davis transfer and 2025 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Caden Pinnick, dual-threat second-year Coug Julian Dugger, and second-year freshman Owen Eshelman — are high-quality guys whose work ethics shine.
Miller said his aim as OC is to have the best guys (regardless of position) touch the ball, to develop receivers into relentless downfield blockers, and for the quarterback on fourth-and-one to always get that yard.
BRAY ECHOED MILLER'S ATTACKING theme, saying the Cougars' secondary is going to play hands on, doing everything they can to disrupt the routes of opposing receivers. And in order for that to happen, he has the expectation his defensive linemen get vertical, making life miserable for quarterbacks.
Bray also projected that whoever lines up at inside linebacker should be gunning for 100-plus tackles for the season.
The son of former WSU and Idaho assistant coach Craig Bray and former WSU head volleyball coach Kaprice Rupp, Trent spent much of his youth in Pullman.
"I'm very thankful to have grown up in Pullman," Bray said. “(I was) at practice every day, was on the sideline of the Rose Bowl in '98. Just very fortunate to grow up around that atmosphere."
He also dispelled a rumor, seized upon by Roth, that when Bray was playing linebacker at Pullman High they had to shut down practice because he kept breaking helmets. "Probably embellished," Bray said.
He encouraged fans to come out to spring practices, which commence on March 26 and will include two road trips. The Cougs will be working out in Pasco on March 28 and Spokane on April 4. Spring ball concludes April 25 with the Crimson & Gray Game in Martin Stadium.
NOTABLE NOTES:
Roth gave a shoutout to Super Bowl Champion Abraham Lucas, who was on hand and sitting near the stage. The Seahawks' right tackle received a standing ovation for no less than 30 seconds, by far the loudest moment of the night. Among other former WSU players spotted at the event: Jack Thompson, Shawn McWashington, Peyton Pelluer, Liam Ryan, Ivan McLennan, Beau Glover and Nate DeRider.
A star-studded list of current Cougar footballers also were in attendance: running backs Kirby Vorhees and Maxwell Woods, and homegrown talents Branden Ganashamoorthy (Monroe/receiver), Kyle Martin (Summer/center), and Hudson Cedarland (Gig Harbor/tight end).
Miller (Helena) shared that being from Montana, a quarterback he idolized growing up was none other than WSU Hall of Famer and Great Falls product Ryan Leaf.
The auction portion of Saturday's event included an item never-before-seen at a Cougar dinner over the last 20 years: an actual locker from the Cougars' locker room. WSU is remodeling the locker room in the Cougar Football Complex, so there's a ready supply of 10-year-old lockers now on the market.