CWU Football 2025 Review & 2026 Outlook

Bold denotes 2026 expected returners.

Quarterback:

Kennedy McGill followed up an impressive 2024 season with similar numbers in 2025: 1600 passing yards, 1000 rushing yards, and 34 total touchdowns. Despite a conference that featured some of the top passers in the nation, McGill was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year. McGill delivered when the game and championship were on the line, leading Central's game-winning touchdown drive in Monmouth to finish the comeback vs. Western Oregon and give CWU their first LSC title. After 4 years at Central, McGill has entered the transfer portal which may open a battle for the starting gig in 2026. Top candidates to be the next QB1 are Bo Gionet and former 3-star recruits Caleb Christensen and Kolton Matson. The latter was the State Gatorade Player of the Year in 2023 and is likely CWU's quarterback of the future, it just depends on how soon he will step into that role. Christensen served as the 2nd-stringer in 2025.

Running back:

In 2025, the Wildcats unleashed a 3-headed dragon consisting of All-LSC 1st Team Justice Taylor, UW transfer All-LSC 2nd Team Ryder Bumgarner, and former 3-star recruit All-LSC Honorable Mention Beau Phillips to highlight an elite rushing attack; these three combined for 1600 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns to complement the 1000 yards and 17 touchdowns from McGill. Phillips and Ki'Marree Washington both announced that they entered the transfer portal. But two heads of the dragon will return in 2026 in both Taylor and Bumgarner, who will be joined by another former 3-star recruit Antoine Lee.

Wide Receiver/Tight End:

Kennedy McGill used a balanced group of targets last season featuring Jalen Grable, Logan Brady, Samaje Featherstone, and WSU transfer Mason Juergens (who missed 5 games). Brady will be remembered for making the game-winning touchdown catch at Western Oregon to give CWU their first Lone Star Conference title. Featherstone has entered the transfer portal, so Juergens will be the only notable returner to lead an otherwise young and inexperienced receiving group into 2026, and this is a position where the Wildcats will sure look to get a boost from the transfer portal. While CWU mainly used tight ends as blockers in their run-heavy offense, Camden Loidhamer (1st Team) and Andrew Molloy (2nd Team) received all-conference honors and are expected to return next season.

Offensive Line:

The O-Line Brotherhood continue to be one of the best lines in the nation, an elite group of D1 caliber athletes who even went head to head with FCS power Montana early in the 2025 season. Three Wildcats were named All-LSC 1st Team in Tyler Luzan, Jaxin McCallum, and All-American LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year Slade Edwards. The latter was also named a finalist for the award the the nation's top D2 offensive lineman. Luzan and McCallum should return in 2026 along with Jacob Woodcock, Gavin McCallum, and Donovan Scantlebury.

Defensive Line:

The defensive line for Central was a force in 2025, shutting down running games while causing havoc for opposing quarterbacks. After racking up 13 sacks, Tyler King was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year and a 2nd Team All-American. Fellow All-LSC 1st Teamer Mikaio Edward added 7 sacks of his own, while Chase Loidhamer, Brogan De'Asis, and Matulino Masunu were other key contributors. As one would expect, both King and Edward have entered the transfer portal, with King committing to Big Sky powerhouse Montana. De'Asis is expected to return in 2026 along with other top returners Timothy Timoteo and Zeke Stefano.

Linebacker:

After a 95 tackle performance in 2023, Brett McCalla was lost to injury in 2024 before returning last season to finish 2nd on the team in tackles and earn All-LSC 1st Team honors. He was joined by fellow All-LSC 1st Teamer Kuma Scanlan and 2nd Team UW transfer Logan Lisherness. The latter has entered the transfer portal after just one season in Ellensburg, but McCalla will return in 2026, joined by 2024's 2nd-leading tackler Brycen Indell, who missed all but 3 games last season with an injury. Former 3-star recruit Peyton Cunningham will surely be ready to step into a big role, as well.

Defensive back:

This is the position group where CWU is always loaded with endless depth every season, and 2025 was no different. The Wildcats were led by All-LSC 1st Team #44 Chase Coalson, 2nd Teamers Jalen Webber and Mika Roberson, Honorable Mentions Javonte Walker and WSU transfer King Williams, and Jalen Owens. Roberson earned conference Defensive Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team with 4 interceptions. Three of those players finished their senior season and Walker, Williams, and Roberson have all entered the transfer portal. The Wildcats will look for the next group to step up; expected top returners next season are Ethan Pletcher, Connor Goff, Omar Lazcano, Chris Dodson, and David Jones. So we will see how the Wildcats are able to reload and replace so many potential key losses.

Special Teams:

After breakout freshman kicker Cooper Britton surprisingly left the program after the 2024 season, the Wildcats crossed the Atlantic to bring in David Weber from Switzerland. Weber converted 82% of his field goal attempts in 2025, but has since entered the transfer portal, along with long snapper Bennett Nield. The Wildcats have a commit from 2A state champion Kyler Phillips (Archbishop Murphy HS), the #2 ranked 2026 kicker in the state and #24 in the nation, and also the #36 ranked 2026 punter in the nation. Wyatt Redding took over punting duties in 2025 and should return next season, as well as long snapper Joey Costanti.