After 14 practices with a new coaching staff, the WSU football team is pleased with the progress it has made.

“It went really well,” quarterback Gary Rogers said Saturday after a long scrimmage in a warm Martin Stadium. “Coach has done a great job with us and we’re just trying to get better each and every day.”

Head coach Paul Wulff said he was pleased that the scrimmage was not dominated by one side of the ball. He also thought the team came out and competed hard in each of the 15 practices of the spring session.

“I don’t think the players ever really came out and wasted a day,” he said. “So that was really encouraging.”

Rogers led the first-team offense, completing 12 of 19 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Rogers connected with tight end Devin Frischknecht for a 1-yard touchdown pass and wide receiver Michael Willis for a 13-yard score.

Willis, who was academically ineligible last season after moving from safety to wide receiver, impressed everyone with six receptions for 129 yards and the one touchdown. Willis was one of 13 receivers to catch a pass on the day.

“He’s gonna continue to get better as we progress,” Wulff said, while noting that he thought Willis started the spring session a little slow but is now making great strides.

“Obviously he made some nice plays in traffic and we’re gonna need that from him,” he said.

The Cougars’ wide receiving corps was without Jeshua Anderson this spring, as he is busy setting records on the WSU track team. Senior Brandon Gibson saw limited action during the scrimmage because the coaches said they already knew what he could do. That gave Willis more opportunity to shine.

Junior quarterback Kevin Lopina completed 10 of 15 passes for 154 yards. He also had a 6-yard touchdown run.

“Kevin had a good spring,” Wulff said of the backup quarterback. “He got better and better and he’s only gonna get better. If you look at his past, he’s really missed the last two falls of competition … he and Gary have kind of stepped out a little bit and those two guys are guys we can win with right now.”

The running back position has been thin all spring. Starter Dwight Tardy sat out the spring session while recovering from knee surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready once fall practices begin.

Junior Chris Ivory was limited this spring due to academics, and backups Marcus Richmond and Logwone Mitz both had various minor injuries throughout the spring.

Ivory, Richmond and Mitz were all suited up on Saturday, but it was walk-on Jace Perry leading the way with 42 yards on three carries. Mitz ran for 41 yards on six carries.

Ivory rushed for 29 yards on the day, but left the scrimmage halfway through after he pulled up on a would-be 25-yard touchdown run with a pulled hamstring.

“We just need to get our guys back and healthy,” Wulff said. “Hopefully that position will strengthen when we get to the fall.”

Defensively, Wulff said he felt that the linebacker position is strong and was impressed by the defensive line – namely Andy Roof, who has moved to his new position from the offensive line.

The race for the starting kicker position took on a small twist on Saturday, as Patrick Rooney, who was the front-runner for the starting position, struggled at times. Sophomore Wade Penner impressed coaches while making 4-of-5 field goals, two of them from 50 yards out.

Wulff said there is a tough battle at the kicking position and nothing is set just yet. A new kicker, who cannot be named yet due to NCAA guidelines, will be joining the battle when he comes to Pullman in the fall.