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# Analysis: Who Will Cougars Pursue to Replace Departing Coach Jimmy Rogers?
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-state-cougars-candidates-replace-jimmy-rogers/
- Published: 2025-12-07T00:02:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:16:56.000Z
- Author: Jacob Stevenson
- Tags: News, Analysis, Jimmy Rogers, Cougars, Jon Gruden, Jonathan Smith, Jason Eck, Jesse Bobbit, Brent Vigen

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5194"\]

![  Washington State Cougars head coach Jimmy Rogers during a time out in the 4th quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/usatsi_27482949-format-original-1.jpg)

Washington State Cougars head coach Jimmy Rogers during a time out in the 4th quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images \[/caption\]

In a surprising development mere days after speaking about the importance of building trust with recruits and landing a quality 2026 class, Jimmy Rogers has left the Washington State Cougars to become the new head coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, replacing Matt Campbell at the helm.

Rogers spent just one season in Pullman after taking the job following an FCS title run with South Dakota State in 2023, guiding the Cougars to a 6-6 record and bowl eligibility despite significant roster turnover. His departure leaves Washington State searching for stability once again as they enter another offseason of transition heading towards year one of the rebuilt Pac-12.

With Rogers heading to Ames immediately, defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit will step in as the interim head coach for the Cougars for their upcoming bowl game. Bobbit has been instrumental in building Washington State’s defensive identity and is expected to be one of the primary candidates for the full-time job, so winning in the postseason could go a long way towards him retaining the position moving forward.

As Washington State begins its search for a new head coach less than 12 months after hiring Rogers, several intriguing names have already surfaced as potential replacements:

- **Jason Eck (New Mexico head coach):** Leading the Lobos to a 9-3 record in his first year, Eck already has found success at a program that rarely has had winning seasons in the Mountain West. He also did a great job as the head coach at Idaho, posting a 26-13 record in three seasons with the Vandals and leading the team to three FCS playoff trips, so he has a strong connection in regards to recruiting eastern Washington and neighboring states that would serve him well in Pullman. He also offers an offensive line background, which would immediately help one of the biggest weaknesses from last year’s team both in recruiting and developing players already on the roster.
- **Brent Vigen (Montana State head coach):** Vigen has made the FCS National Championship twice during his tenure at Montana State and remains one of the most successful coaches at that level with 58 career wins with the Bobcats. The Cougars may be hesitant to go down that well again after Rogers pulled a one-and-done coming from the same conference, but that doesn’t mean Vigen would do the same if given the chance to jump up to the FBS level in the rebuilt Pac-12 against superior competition. He previously served as North Dakota State’s offensive coordinator as well, bringing pedigree as a strong quarterback coach with him at multiple stops, and his history coaching at multiple schools near Washington and Idaho would be beneficial for recruiting.
- **Jonathan Smith (former Oregon State and Michigan State head coach):** Despite his recent firing at Michigan State, Smith’s track record at Oregon State and previously as an offensive coordinator at Washington cannot be overlooked. His extensive experience in the Pacific Northwest and history of both orchestrating top-flight offenses and winning games prior to his rough stop in Lansing make him an intriguing option if Washington State is willing to take a risk on a “retread” coach looking for a fresh start rather than bringing in a young, unproven first-time FBS head coach.
- **Jon Gruden (former Las Vegas Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach)**: This would be one hell of a swing of the fences for whoever takes over as Washington State’s new athletic director, as Gruden lost his last coaching job due to leaked emails that surfaced with racist, homophobic, and misogynistic rhetoric. From that perspective, hiring him to coach college kids would seem quite risky. But at the same time, he’s already expressed interest publicly in returning to coaching - including at the college level - and hiring the former Super Bowl winner undoubtedly would put butts in the seats at Gesa Field. If he found a way to reel in big-name recruits, the risk could pay off big-time and bring much-needed relevancy to the program.