PULLMAN – The throw from John Mateer’s hands looked like a jewel. The ball flew in a tight spiral from the south end of Rogers Practice Field to the north end, a throw so beautiful that even before Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams sprinted under it and caught it on the run for a touchdown, it always looked like it was destined to have a breathtaking finish.

Mateer’s pass was so special and so precise that not even the Cougars who were in coverage on this play could complain much. One of them, safety Reece Sylvester, cursed quietly to himself before heading out for the next play.

“John has a huge arm,” said WSU coach Jake Dickert.

This may have been the best shot Mateer made all camp in the third week of WSU fall camp, which continued with Day 10 on Monday. It may have been the best day overall for Mateer, who had two promising practices in a row after a stellar day of camp on Monday with no turnovers in Saturday’s scrimmage.

Dickert and the players have been effusive in their praise for Mateer and Zevi Eckhaus, who transferred from FCS Bryant and is the other quarterback vying for the starting spot this fall, knowing any of them could get the job. But if any quarterback has an advantage based on recent game practice, it could be Mateer, who has made several sharp passes forward and run out of the pocket to escape pressure.

Another highlight of Monday’s practice, which ended with simulated crowd noise at Gesa Field, was Mateer dropping back and firing a line drive over the middle to receiver Josh Meredith, a completion of about 30 yards that also hit Meredith on the run. Mateer also held place kicks in the absence of punter Nick Haberer, who missed Monday’s practice because of back soreness, Dickert said.

Mateer has now completed two straight practices without an interception in team periods, a crucial part of the criteria Dickert and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have established. They know they can’t afford to make the same mistakes they did last year, when former quarterback Cam Ward ranked second nationally with 11 turnovers.

Eckhaus has not exactly fought on that front. He has thrown two interceptions in the last two practices, an improvement over previous practices when both quarterbacks threw multiple interceptions. But Eckhaus’s two interceptions left a lot to be desired.

The throws looked strikingly similar. In Saturday’s practice game, Eckhaus drifted back into the pocket and threw a wobbler, a throw that landed several yards short of its target. WSU cornerback Stephen Hall caught it in the open field. Eckhaus delivered something similar on Monday, throwing a long, errant pass that also fell short and sailed into the waiting hands of safety Tyson Durant.

Dickert confirmed that trend, saying Saturday’s second and final practice game will be the final evaluation period for the quarterbacks. Dickert will name the starter on Sunday. The team will publicly announce the news on Monday.

“John (Mateer) controlled it well. Didn’t drop the ball,” Dickert said of Saturday’s first practice game. “I thought he did a good job with his feet when he needed to – obviously in a no-tackling situation he threw the ball well and accurately. I thought Zevi fought back well, just like I thought he would. We just need to get him out of there – every practice he makes one of those throws that he regrets and then he somehow gets back on his feet.”

On Saturday, Dickert praised Eckhaus for his good reaction to his interception and how he gathered his teammates on the sideline and tried to keep everyone on their toes. But it’s clear that the coaches are noticing Eckhaus’ tendency to lose the ball, especially the fact that both interceptions came after long passes.

Still, Dickert and Arbuckle look for other qualities. It’s important to them to gauge the mood of the quarterbacks’ teammates: Which type is the more convincing leader? Which one makes his teammates naturally gravitate toward him?

“Both guys are really cool, calm and collected. The main thing is they have different leadership styles,” said offensive lineman Brock Dieu, a regular right guard who occasionally moved to center. “Zevi is more of a hurrah guy. John is pretty cool, calm and collected – ‘Hey, let’s get this done.’ They both have great play. They both have different styles. As a group of five guys, we just fit well together.”

“Them being a different type of quarterback helps me see different angles and everything,” Durant added. “Zevi is more of a touch passer, a little more savvy. And then John’s speed, you have to deal with that with the quick quarterback. You have to be able to keep up with the quarterback’s foot, all the things that Coach (Jordan) Malone taught me. Those are two different quarterbacks that I can learn two different ways from. I really appreciate that.”

The quarterbacks have five practices to make the best possible impression on the coaches. Mateer was Ward’s backup for two of the previous two years, while Eckhaus held the record for three years in Rhode Island.

“It’s not about the stats, guys,” Dickert said after practice Monday. “It’s about the guy that gives us the best chance to win. Sometimes you can’t rationalize that with stats. You can’t rationalize that with exact things or a moment or that time. There’s a feeling, there’s a gut feeling, there’s a lot of work over the last eight months.

“It’s going to be tough. They’re both competitors. But at the end of the day, when the (decision) comes, you have 24 hours and you have to pull yourself together and play your role because you never know when your number is going to be called.”

OL Fa’alili Fa’amoe will miss at least the season opening game due to a knee injury

Fa’alili Fa’amoe, Washington State’s starting right tackle, will likely miss the Cougars’ season opener at home against Portland State, Dickert said Monday, suggesting Fa’amoe’s knee injury is keeping him out of action.

Fa’amoe, who missed all of spring training and the first 10 days of fall camp, is recovering from a knee injury he suffered just days into the year. He has spent the last eight months recovering, and the team is pleased with Fa’amoe’s path — but there’s a bigger picture at stake.

“I also have to worry about his future,” said Dickert, who added that Fa’amoe is scheduled to undergo a knee test this weekend to prepare him for a return to full action. “And we’re going to make sure we don’t jeopardize that.”

In Fa’amoe’s absence, WSU has lined up this first line of attack: left tackle Esa Pole, left guard Rod Tialavea, center Devin Kylany, right guard Brock Dieu, right tackle Christian Hilborn, the latter of whom is not playing his usual position of guard. It looks like the Cougars will start this group to begin the season, barring any further injuries.

WSU expects Fa’amoe to return this season, Dickert said. It’s just a little unclear when that will be.

“When he’s ready, he’ll give us a big boost at the right tackle position,” Dickert said. “And I mean large.”