Believe it or not, we’re just over one month from WSU football returning to the field. To help you count down the hours to kickoff, the Pac-12 released their preseason all-conference squad. This season, eight players from WSU picked up honors, with two earning a spot on the first-team.

Kicker Dean Janikowski and EDGE Ron Stone. Jr. were named to the all-conference first-team. Six other WSU players, including wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, EDGE Brennan Jackson, linebacker Daiyan Henley, defensive back Armani Marsh, defensive back Derrick Langford Jr. and punter Nick Haberer, were all named as honorable mentions.

Janikowski is coming off of a redshirt freshman season to remember in 2021. The California native was 14-of-17 on field goal attempts, posting the best field goal percentage in the conference on his way to a first-team postseason all-conference honor. Boosted by a four field goal night in the Apple Cup, Janikowski recorded 84 total points last season, good for third in the conference among kickers.

Stone Jr. is the only other Cougar player to earn a first-team honor. The redshirt junior, who was also named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list Tuesday, is looking to follow up his first career All-Pac-12 honor last season. Stone Jr. started all but one game for WSU in 2021, racking up 11.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks, both ranking in the top ten conference wide.

Stone Jr. and Janikowski were also named to Athlon’s presason All-Pac-12 squad last week.

The all-conference honors mark the beginning of the countdown to Pac-12 media day. Later this week the conference will also announce their preseason polls. Then, on Friday, coaches and players will take the stage in Hollywood for one of the most anticipated media day events in conference history. Jake Dickert will hold his press conference at 1:30 p.m. on Pac-12 Insider. Then, at 3:15 p.m., Dickert, along with player representatives Ron Stone Jr. and quarterback Cam Ward, will join the Pac-12 Network set. The fireworks, however, will get started at 8 a.m. when commissioner George Kliavkoff holds his annual press conference... And I’m sure he’ll have plenty to talk about.

Janikowski, Stone Jr. Among Eight Named Preseason All-Pac-12 - Washington State University Athletics
Dean Janikowski and Ron Stone Jr. were both named to the preseason first team.

Washington State's Ron Stone Jr., Dean Janikowski named to All-Pac-12 preseason first team | The Spokesman-Review
Pac-12 media members are predicting repeat performances this season from a pair of Washington State football players.

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