CB CJ Solis-Lumar, DE Matyus McLain star on sweltering Day 10 of WSU fall camp

Aug. 17—PULLMAN — Last winter, shortly after Kirby Moore took over at Washington State and he was working with his new assistants to fill a depleted roster, he put heads together with new defensive coordinator Trent Bray. At Oregon State, where Bray worked the past seven years, he was at his best with defenders who checked certain boxes . Aggressive. Rangy. Lengthy. "And CJ's got all that," Moore said. That would be CJ Solis-Lumar, a cornerback who transferred from Cal Poly to WSU, where he has been repping with the Cougars' second-team defense in fall camp. On a sweltering Monday afternoon on the Palouse, Solis-Lumar punctuated fall camp practice No. 10 with a pair of pass breakups, denying WSU quarterback Owen Eshelman and his offense a chance to complete two passes across the middle of the field. A California native, Solis-Lumar's stint at WSU has gone understated. He hasn't been in the spotlight at cornerback, where first-teamers Khamari Terrell and Jalil Tucker have gotten many of the headlines, but Solis-Lumar may not be far behind. He has solid size and better instincts. It's clear he doesn't shy away from contact. "He's done a really good job competing," Moore said. "I think you've seen some of those deep balls. With his length, I think he can really force some width there with the receivers and do a good job. Coach Bray definitely wants to play aggressive in the secondary, and he does a nice job. You've seen, whether it's Jalil, Khamari, those guys have a lot of length in the secondary and that's really showing up." But the highlights of Monday's practice unfolded a little closer to the line of scrimmage. Toward the end of practice, which closed at Gesa Field, defensive end Matyus McLain delivered a couple of the same kinds of plays that figure to make him a force this fall. On two straight plays, he dusted left tackle Ashton Tripp and surged into the backfield, earning simulated sacks on quarterback Caden Pinnick. McLain has enjoyed one of the best individual fall camps of anyone on the Cougars' roster. A 6-foot-4, 253-pound transfer from Idaho, he has racked up an untold number of sacks this August, beating just about anyone he lines up against in 11-on-11 periods. He's agile and strong, aggressive and forceful, using all kinds of juke moves to greet quarterbacks in the pocket. In fact, if there is one WSU defender worth betting on to break out in a big way this fall, it's McLain. He has followed a standout spring ball with an even better fall camp. He's a shoo-in to start at defensive end. He's lined up most often against Tripp, WSU's starting left tackle, one of the Cougs' best up front. On Monday, McLain won that battle. "Those guys are making each other better," Moore said. "They've been going against each other for 10 straight days, so naturally, there's a little bit getting under each other's skin naturally from time to time. Ashton's had some really good reps. Matyus has had some really good reps. Linus (Zunk) is making those guys better, and then again, we're getting more reps at the right tackle position right now." Moore was referencing the hole the Cougs are looking to fill on the outside of their offensive line. WSU's first-team right tackle has most often been veteran Jonny Lester, who is moving over from his usual position of left guard, a meaningful change. Last fall, he was at his best on the inside — in his three starts at tackle last fall, he earned a Pro Football Focus offense grade of 49.9, far below average — but he's made the transition look easy this time around. But on Monday, Lester didn't practice, working off to the side in a crimson practice jersey. It was the first practice Lester has missed all fall camp. In his place was returner Jaylin Caldwell, who came off the bench to play that position for a couple games last season, only for an injury to sideline him the rest of the year and spring practices earlier in the year. It's a development worth keeping an eye on, regardless of the outcome of WSU's QB competition, which Moore said the team is "still working through" after Monday's practice. In the spring, it appeared that the team's new right tackle would be University of Washington transfer Max McCree, but he's been repping with the second-teamers during fall camp — even when Lester was out on Monday. No matter who has lined up at offensive tackle for WSU, though, McLain and fellow defensive end Linus Zunk have made hobbies out of earning the edge. Zunk powered through for two sacks in Saturday's scrimmage. McLain followed with two of his own in Monday's practice. The Cougs' defense has been the story of this fall camp. File Monday's practice in the stack of evidence. Also on Monday, a number of players returned from injuries and suited up: wide receiver Ryan McKendry offensive lineman Kalolo Ta'aga, both of whom practiced for the first time this fall camp, while tight end Beau Baker and defensive end Michael Hughes returned from about four-practice absences. Notes —Running back Kirby Vorhees, a likely starter, missed Monday's practice, his fifth straight miss. After one practice last week, Moore said Vorhees was dealing with "just a little bump" and expected him to resume practicing sometime this week. —During the first part of practice, Eshelman took reps on the field most often used for third-teamers and special teams practice. —Moore said tight end Hudson Cedarland, who was carted off during Saturday's scrimmage with an apparent leg/knee injury, "is still going through that protocol of getting some tests." On Monday, Cedarland was seen on crutches with his leg in a brace. —In a 7-on-7 session, quarterback Julian Dugger threw a pass behind his target and it was picked off by safety Jshawn Frausto-Ramos, who has been running with the Cougs' second-team defense. —On one play in an 11-on-11 period at Gesa Field, Pinnick scrambled from a collapsing pocket and sprinted up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown rush. —Also out of action were linebacker Lance McGee (seventh miss) and safety Kyle Peterson.