Steiner, who retains a year of eligibility at WSU, participated in nine games last season with Auburn (6-7), recording 15 tackles, including seven solo. Throughout these games, he consistently played middle linebacker, though his time at Auburn saw him fill various linebacker roles, potentially adding flexibility to WSU’s lineup.
WSU’s defensive coordinator, Jeff Schmedding, worked with the Tigers during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, initially as linebackers coach before becoming the defensive coordinator. This period includes overlapping with Steiner, particularly in 2022—a year in which Steiner saw considerable action, amassing 46 tackles, 31 of them solo, over 10 games.
However, in his three other seasons at Auburn, Steiner managed only 39 tackles combined, including during his freshman (three tackles) and sophomore (21 tackles) years.
Despite this, WSU seemed pleased with their linebackers following spring practices. Returnees Buddah Al-Uqdah and Kyle Thornton stood out, alongside newcomers like Oregon transfer Keith Brown, Portland State transfer Parker McKenna, and early enrollee freshman Frank Cusano. Steiner, hailing from Georgia, will have to vie with these players for playing time.
Steiner’s inclusion at least adds a seasoned perspective to the WSU linebacker corps, with his four years in an SEC program potentially enriching Schmedding’s defensive strategies at Washington State. How well he integrates into the system is yet to be determined.
