Washington State University coaches awarded scholarships to redshirt-sophomore Dillon Sherman, redshirt-juniors Trey Tinsley, Brandon Arconado, and Tristan Brock, and redshirt-seniors Kyle Celli and Taylor Comfort.
 
"They contributed for a couple years, and have done a good job," head coach Mike Leach said. 

The first player to receive a scholarship was Comfort. Defensive line coach Jeff Phelps broke the news to Comfort at the end of the 2017 season. 

"He told me before the bowl game," Comfort said. "He said that I could be on for the spring, then depending on how I did, they could put me on for the fall." 

Before earning his scholarship, Comfort had planned on graduating from WSU this spring, and not return for the 2018 season.  

"I thought that I was done with my career," Comfort said. "Going into the last regular season game, I thought that I was going to end my career as a walk-on. To be able to come back and be on scholarship, it feels really good." 

Comfort wasn't the only player to be put on scholarship in his final season this year. Celli, a long snapper, received his scholarship prior to beginning his fifth season in Pullman. 

"I just wanted to come here and get my chance to do what I can do," Celli said. "It feels really good now that all the hard work has paid off." 

Celli began his career as a walk-on in the 2015 spring season and worked his way onto the traveling squad. 

"My freshman year, I just went to school," Celli said. "The spring is when I got my tryout. Never in a million years would I thought I would I ever get that. It's been a crazy ride and I'm happy to be where I am right now." 

Celli was on his way to a morning lift when he received the word from special teams and linebackers coach Matt Brock. Immediately, he called his dad to share the news. 

"[Family] was the first call I made," Celli said. "I was actually almost late to lift, because I called my dad. I woke him up and I was like 'I got put on scholarship!'" 

Tinsley also expressed the importance of sharing the good news with his family. 

"I had a meeting with coach Leach in his office and he just kind of told me then," he said. "Afterwards I went out and called my parents and told them." 

The quarterback felt keeping the news private with his family was so important that he initially did not tell his teammates. 

"It was mostly for my family," Tinsley said. "I didn't think it was a big deal for other people. I just kept to myself and kept working." 

Tinsley, who is vying for the Cougars' starting quarterback job, tries to not allow his scholarship status to affect his preparation and mentality. 

"I think my mindset has not changed," Tinsley said. "I try to walk in everyday with the walk-on mentality that I have to prove myself every single day. Nothing is given, everything is earned." 

This mindset resonated with the other newly appointed scholarship players as well.  

"You have a job to do, and you have to do it," Comfort said, "whether you're a walk-on or scholarship, it doesn't matter." 

None of the six players said they have any indication of altering their work ethic. 

"I think it's all about mindset and mentality," said linebacker Dillon Sherman. "If I come out every day, and put everything I can on the field, I'll keep going forward and moving forward." 

Sherman is the youngest of the six players who received scholarships during the off-season as he is the only redshirt sophomore. However, he uses that to look forward to the future and reflect on his skills. 

"When I finally got told I got put on scholarship it really opened my eyes," Sherman said. "It showed me how good of a linebacker and athlete I really am." 

Sherman did not receive many offers to play Division-I football coming out of high school and settled on WSU because it offered him the best opportunity to play at a high level. 

Other players, such as Arconado, had an even more humble reaction to the new change in their lives. 

"I try not to let it get to me," Arconado said. "I try to keep the walk-on mindset." 

At the same time, Arconado was thrilled to be able to help his parents pay for his schooling. 

"Personally, it's really important, because it takes stress off my parents on paying for school," Arconado said.  

The most recent of the six players to receive their scholarships was Brock. The linebacker received his phone call from linebackers coach Ken Wilson on Aug. 20.

"It was a big goal of mine that I had been working on ever since I got here," Brock said. 

Four of the new scholarship players live together, one of which is Brock. When the other three had received their scholarships and Brock was still waiting on his. Arconado said the newly-anointed scholarship players made sure to offer Brock consistent support. 

Now that his scholarship has arrived, Brock is excited to finally be able to celebrate with his roommates. 

The six players will first have the opportunity to enter a game as a scholarship athlete and not a walk-on Sept. 1 when the Cougars open the season against the Cowboys in Laramie, Wyoming.