CWU Football 2025 Review & 2026 Outlook

Bold denotes 2026 expected returners, including players who are not (or no longer) in the transfer portal

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 transferred to FCS program Western Illinois which will open a battle for the starting gig in 2026. Top returning 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. Central has also added Utah Tech transfer Skyler Cassel, who prepped at West Valley HS in Yakima but saw minimal playing time at the FCS level.

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 is taking his talents to Washington State, and another former 3-star recruit Antoine Lee is following Coach Fisk to Portland State. But fear not, as two heads of the dragon will return in 2026 in both Taylor and Bumgarner, along with Ki'Marree Washington. The Wildcats were able to haul in a big time recruit in State 2A Offensive Player of the Year and Kitsap Sun Player of the Year Chace Webster (Olympic HS), who set West Sound records last season with 2436 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns!

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 and Juergens will return 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. CWU is adding two high school recruits in 2x 2A state champion Micah Dickison (Anacortes HS) and All-State 1A selection Daniel Larsen (Meridian HS). 

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, and won the award of the top DII center in the nation. Luzan and McCallum should return in 2026 along with Jacob Woodcock, Gavin McCallum, and Donovan Scantlebury. A notable high school recruit is O'Dea 3A state champion and All-State 3A selection Griffin Matzen. 

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 are moving on up to D1, with King committing to Big Sky powerhouse Montana and Edward picking Boise State over several other FBS offers. Additionally, De'Asis is following Fisk & Co to Portland State. Top returners will be Timothy Timoteo and Zeke Stefano. Two top edge rusher high school recruits are joining the program: 4A State champion Shaun Griffith (Sumner HS), who was named All Area & All-State by The News Tribune after amassing 84 tackles and 9 sacks as a senior, and 3-star recruit Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane (Richland HS), the #31-ranked 2026 recruit in the state. Transferring to Central from Idaho State is former 3-star recruit Brady Phillips (Kelso HS). 

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 transferred to Portland State 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 larger 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, while Walker (Mercer) and Roberson (Idaho) both left via the transfer portal. After Williams, the Wildcats will look for the next group to step up; other 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. Some notable incoming freshmen are All-State selections Jaysaun Scott (Evergreen HS) and Jack Pierce (Gonzaga Prep), and Lake Stevens safety Dylan Phinney, who amassed nearly 200 tackles and 7 interceptions over the past 2 seasons. Transferring into the program is Pacific (Oregon) safety Kaden Huppin.

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 punter Wyatt Redding (Montana) and long snapper Bennett Nield (EWU). Kicker Quinton Pacheco, who played for CWU in 2023-24, is returning to the program after spending last season at Adams State. Redshirt long snapper Joey Costanti is the only expected returning member of the special teams unit, as North Kitsap long snapper Ethan Blue joins the program from the high school ranks. Central is currently still in the market for a new punter and perhaps another kicker to compete with Pacheco.