Weber State football opens fall camp knowing just where improvement is needed
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- Weber State players line up for a snap during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State cornerback Toddrick Dixon (16) takes a knee while talking to Tajon Evans (23) during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State defensive back Davonta Morgan-Collins (29) and receiver Kelton Wafer battle off the line of scrimmage during the first day of fall camp on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State assistant coach Skyler Ridley, center, addresses football players after a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State receiver Kelton Wafer (81) sees in a pass during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State football players gather to drink and cool off with popsicles during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State quarterback Kingston Tisdell (14, rear) pulls back to throw as a pass play develops during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Members of Weber State’s offense huddle during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State receiver Noah Kjar, right, lines up for a passing drill as quarterback Dijon Jennings (10) and fullback Colter May (34) await the snap in a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State football head coach Mickey Mental, right, speaks over his headset during a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State tight end Jack Pidgeon (45) lines up as defensive back Tajon Evans (23) adjusts before a snap in a fall camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
OGDEN — Intent, accountability, turnovers, confidence and discipline were the buzzwords from Day 1 of fall camp as Weber State opened its month-long approach to the 2025 football season Wednesday evening at a toasty Stewart Stadium.
The Wildcats, having lost a good chunk of production from a team that finished 4-8 in 2024, are looking to jump forward and into Big Sky contention once again. Last year’s starting quarterback and running back, two starting offensive linemen and two cornerbacks, and one starting defensive end transferred while a pair of veteran but banged-up linebackers hung up the cleats.
But, as is the modus operandi in all sports, Weber State is forward-facing toward what it can make of 2025.
Third-year head coach Mickey Mental repeated his mantra about having the right intent every day when discussing how to put a rough 2024 behind the program.
“Is the mindset to be a Big Sky champ, or are we falling short and we’ve got to hold each other accountable?” Mental said.
Part of that intent is a focus on turnovers. Perhaps no area illustrated 2024’s departure from the Weber State norm than the turnover battle. The Wildcats forced only nine turnovers in 12 games (five recovered fumbles, four interceptions).
“Less turnovers, more takeaways,” Mental said plainly. “Coach (Joe) Dale and his staff have done a great job emphasizing that and I loved how they flew around to the ball today.”
Meanwhile, the 2024 offense, with a seemingly backward evolution from sophomore quarterback Richie Muñoz, devolved into a turnover machine. After hitting 3-3 at the midway mark following a high-scoring overtime win at Montana, WSU skidded to a 1-5 finish almost entirely based on giving away the football and not gaining turnovers. That stretch began with six fumbles (losing four) and one interception thrown in a home loss to woeful Northern Colorado.
In all, Weber committed 11 turnovers over the final six games, even with recording two zero-giveaway games down the stretch. That included the ignominious start to the road game at Northern Arizona in which WSU trailed 21-0 before recording 1 yard of offense, resulting from Muñoz throwing interceptions on his first two passes.
Needless to say, quarterback play will again be in the spotlight. Sophomore UTSA transfer Jackson Gilkey, redshirt freshman North Texas transfer Cash McCollum, returning junior Dijon Jennings and true freshman Kingston Tisdell make up the current QB group. Game reps are few but hopes are high and, like in the spring, Gilkey opens fall camp appearing be in the No. 1 spot.
“I love it. I love the room, I love the intent of those four young men,” Mental said. “They all bring something different and unique to the offense. It’s my job to put them into successful situations. I love where our skill’s at, making plays.”
In regard to confidence, Mental says his players need to trust the work and preparation they put in, and that the results of that show up in the red zone — a more perpetual pain point for the men in purple offensively, but an area in which WSU’s defense also struggled.
Weber State was ninth in red-zone offense by scoring percentage at 76.6%, but only woeful Cal Poly (16) and Northern Colorado (10) scored fewer red-zone touchdowns than the Wildcats (20). WSU far outpaced the Big Sky in red-zone field goal attempts with 20, even among teams that played 2-4 more games due to playoff appearances.
Defensively, WSU was 10th at 89.5%, including a mark of five field goals allowed, tied for fewest among the Big Sky’s defenses.
“When is play is there to be had, making that play as we get into the red area, both offensively and defensively,” Mental said. “And just capitalizing … when teams make mistakes, do we capitalize on those opportunities?”
Finally, discipline. Weber State was the most penalized team in the Big Sky last season at 6.75 penalties for 59.6 yards per game. Plenty of offensive possessions, especially, were derailed by early holding or false start penalties.
Mental said he’ll lean on veterans like Gavin Ortega and Cole Casto to turn that around while making strengths stronger.
“They’ve been in the moment before. We finished 10th in the country in rushing last year, so now it’s how do we get that hidden yardage, how do we clean up some things,” Mental said. “They’ve seen a lot and it’s their job to make sure the standard is as high as possible and we’re reaching that standard, and not being complacent.”
