PULLMAN – Developing depth on the defensive line was a point of emphasis for Washington State going into spring practice, and as the Cougars near the midway point of their spring season, a rotation is starting to take shape under new defensive line coach Jeff Phelps.
With Ngalu Tapa out because – per Mike Leach – he’s “diligently working on his academics,” the Cougars have seen the emergence of a surprising defensive tackle candidate – redshirt junior Kingston Fernandez.
Fernandez (6-foot-2, 262 pounds) played in six games last season, almost exclusively on special teams. But he’s blossomed at tackle this offseason, said Phelps, who replaced Joe Salave’a as defensive line coach in January.