Where are they now? WSU legend Bill Gaskins tells it like it is
From All-Coast to Pac-12 football official to four decades as
director of pharmacy at Pullman Regional Hospital
·
By Dylan Haugh 3/17/2018 Cougfan.com
(WSU Photos: Bill & Felicia Gaskins. Bill as WSU football
player
PULLMAN -- Bill Gaskins can’t stand more than 5-foot-9 and it
would be a stretch to think he weighs a pound over 180. He suspects the only
reason Washington State football coaches recruited him was to get an inside
lane to his talented younger brother.
Yet Gaskins went on to become one of school’s greatest defensive
backs, playing on one of the most iconic teams: the 1965 Cardiac Kids.
And today, more than five decades later, retired and content, the
one-time All-Coast safety, second-team All-American, standout sprinter, and WSU
Hall of Fame member is still a towering presence in Pullman. But his stature
today doesn’t stem from the gridiron. It’s from a life well lived, working in
and serving a community he and his wife -- and college sweetheart -- Felicia
fell in love with in the early 1960s and never wanted to leave.
Except for Bill’s two seasons playing in the Canadian Football
League and a pharmacy internship in Puyallup, they never did leave Pullman.
In many ways, you could say the Gaskins’ are the first family of
Washington State University (or at least the co-first family, along with Keith
Lincoln and clan).
Bill spent 41 years as a clinical pharmacy instructor at WSU and
the director of pharmacy at Pullman Regional Hospital. Felicia also spent four
decades working at WSU, most recently as associate vice president for the
Office of Equity and Diversity. Both of their kids are WSU grads and one of
their five grandchildren currently is a WSU student.
“It’s a great place to raise children. The people here are caring
and genuine,” Bill told CF.C in a recent, and wide-ranging, interview. “We just
found a place that turned out to be very perfect for us and our family.”
Gaskins was a star running back and defensive back at Spokane’s
Lewis and Clark High before journeying to Pullman in 1962. Felicia, from
Tacoma, was a year ahead of him in school and it was nearly love at first sight
when he spotted her walking across campus.
Now 74, his baritone voice -- seemingly tailor made for the
broadcast booth or the pulpit -- remains a clarion, his mind is as sharp as
ever, and his genuine warmth readily apparent.
Here are condensed highlights from our conversation ...
CF.C: When you played at WSU in the early 60s, the civil
rights movement was in full swing. What was that time like?
Gaskins: “When Kennedy was assassinated, it changed a lot of things
for a lot of people … In previous generations, like my parents’, they taught us
that if we were model citizens then equal rights may not happen for us but it
would happen for our children. With the civil rights movement, minority people
realized if it didn’t happen right now for us, it probably wasn’t going to
happen for our children ….”
CF.C: When did things start to change for the better and
where do you see our society at the present day?
Gaskins: “When we got into the ‘70s and the ‘80s we thought that
things had changed and we made a lot of progress and were on the road to a more
tolerant, caring society Unfortunately that isn’t the case today for a lot
of people. I think the percentage of people who believe all people are equal --
based on character and nothing else like religion, color, creed -- is greater
today, I would say. I believe the great majority of people believe that, but
there still is a significant group of people who believe Blacks, Hispanics,
women and other minorities are not equal. That is unfortunate.”
CF.C: You were a Pac-10 referee for 17 years. You played
college football in the 1960s and then officiated during a new era. What was
that contrast like for you?
Gaskins: “I always tell people, the athletes today are so
phenomenal, they do so many amazing things compared to when we were players. It
would be interesting to see what a player from the 60s would be like in 2018.
The players are bigger, faster, stronger … These players are unbelievable in my
mind, they just do things that I could never imagine doing sometimes.”
CF.C: You still help out the Pac-12 with its assessment of
officiating. What does that entail?
Gaskins: “A couple times of year I’m enlisted to review the officials in
a game … I’ll go to the game and I watch all the players on the field,
referees, umpires, field judges and look to see that they they’re in the right
positions to make calls and that they don’t miss calls that they should have
made.”
CF.C: How tough was it being an official in a multi-billion
dollar sport?
Gaskins: “Nobody has any idea -- other than officials -- how
scrutinized officials are. Every game in the Pac-12, there are five guys that
are former officials who review the game -- every single official on every
single play to make certain that they have not made an incorrect call or that
they have done something that is inappropriate. They’re graded on that... every
single official in the Pac-12 is on a one-year contract. They’re evaluated at
the end of the year. If they’ve done well they’ll get another contract …”
CF.C: Were there any games you wish you had the chance to
officiate but didn't?
Gaskins: “Unfortunately in my career, since I was a WSU alum, I
never had the opportunity to do the Washington vs. Washington State game ... I
always regret that I didn’t have the opportunity to do that game because that
really is a special one ... But the appearance of former player (from the
rivalry) officiating could be misconstrued if there was a controversial call.”
CF.C: In your WSU playing days, what were some of the more
memorable games?
Gaskins: “There really wasn’t a game, it was a season actually -- my
senior year (1965) when we went 7-3 and beat three Big Ten schools on the road
(in nail biting fashion). It was the best record that WSU had in quite awhile.
It wasn’t a really special team, but all the people on the team fit together
and played their role and did their jobs. It made us successful. We weren’t
predicted to do very well in the conference that season. That’s really what
made it a memorable year for us. All the games were good.”
(Of note: the Cougars missed the Rose Bowl that season by virtue
of a two-point conversion that was whistled back in the final moments at
Arizona State.)
CF.C: Bert Clark was the WSU coach in your junior and senior
seasons. He’s fairly notorious for the way he treated players. Talk about that.
Gaskins: “... The two of us got along fine but things went a little
bit sideways when I explained to him that my scholarship at WSU was for both
football and track so I wouldn’t be out for spring ball because I would be
running track. For the most part, though, he was fair. He played the best 11
guys.
“That first spring he was there, I was thankful I wasn’t part of
it. I’m not sure I’d have returned in the fall if I had to go through what I
saw ... Eighty-five guys turned out that spring and by the fall, the roster was
down to 38 or 39, and some of the guys who left were really good players …
He was a tough task master and he could do some unusual things. We
had three-a-days one fall … At practice one time after a poor game, he brought
out a belt and said we were going to run every play until perfect. After the
first play, he singles out an offensive lineman and hits him on the butt with
the belt. After another play, he hits a running back -- and the guy just jogged
off the field and never came back. Bert put the belt away after
that.” (Related story: When hell was in session -- the
Bert Clark years at WSU)
CF.C: Who were some of the best athletes you played with at WSU?
Gaskins: “One of the best athletes that I’ve ever been around was a
guy named Clarence -- Clancy -- Williams. He was an All-American (1964)
here at WSU and a year behind me. He was a track athlete too … I’m not sure
there’s any sport that he couldn’t excel in, he was just an amazing athlete.”
(Williams was a first-round draft pick by the L.A. Rams and played
eight seasons in the NFL. He died of cancer in 1986. His son Butch Williams was
a three-time first-team All-Pac-10 tight end for the Cougars.)
“In my senior season we had an All-American tackle, Wayne Foster,
who was amazing. He was probably 220 pounds -- which was big for a defensive
tackle in those days. He was very difficult for offensive linemen to handle and
part of the reason we were so successful was because of him. Those are just two
people …
”
CF.C: What’s it been like to watch the football program
return to prominence during this current run with Mike Leach?
Gaskins: “We’ve gone through some very
difficult times and it’s nice to see they’re back on the winning road ... One
of the things that I’ve been very pleased with is that the players seem to be
very good citizens. They work hard, they do their jobs. Obviously they’re not
all perfect but the greatest majority are good citizens and working toward
completing their degrees which I think is the most important thing for young
men to understand in this day and age. I’m glad to see we’re successful on the
field but more importantly we’re also successful off the field.”
:::::::::::::
Coug Football
Q&A: Up close and personal with
Steve Spurrier Jr.
Why being loud is important for a
receiver
Cougfan.com by Dylan Haugh -3/20/2018
PULLMAN – Steve Spurrier Jr. is about
to take part in his first spring at Washington State as the Cougs' new outside
wide receivers coach but first things first – when is his famous dad coming out
to the Palouse?
In an exclusive interview with
Cougfan.com, Spurrier spoke on a multitude of subjects including if he feels
any added pressure being the son of the Old Ball Coach, how he came to WSU and
something he’s learned along the way in working for two Hall of Fame head
coaches.
Cougfan.com: As the son of a former
Heisman winner and legendary coach, do you feel any extra motivation or
pressure to prove yourself at all?
Spurrier: No, I count my blessings.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunities in life that I’ve had.
Probably because of my name, and I know that. But, there’s no pressure on me.
I’m going to try and do the best I can and coach the best I can. I’m fortunate
and very blessed, excited for the opportunity to just attack each day with all
I got.
Cougfan.com: Will your dad make it out
for a game this season?
Spurrier: Absolutely. Oh, he’ll be out
here a couple times. He came to Western Kentucky three or four times last
season. He’ll travel, he’s excited to take the opportunity. He’s retired but
he’ll definitely be to a few games this year.
Cougfan.com: When he does visit, is it
imperative that he gets in a little film breakdown?
Spurrier: Not necessarily. He doesn’t
grind out too much. He misses the game a little bit, but he’s not addicted to
sitting around watching football. He likes being around teams and coaches and
the whole game day environment is always an exciting thing for him. He’ll look forward
to being here without a doubt.
Cougfan.com: You’ve worked for two of
the greatest coaches in the modern era and won two national titles in the
process. What’s the single biggest coaching lesson you’ve learned from your dad
and Bob Stoops?
Spurrier: It’s hard to say. There’s so
many things that those guys do that are special. My years with Coach Stoops
were great. One of the best ones, both of them were great to their staff.
Everything was done right. There was never a time that they yelled and screamed
at people. There was never a time when anybody was uncomfortable around them,
as strange as that sounds. That’s a neat quality to have and it’s a rare
quality to have. You have to be pretty successful to do that. I believe Coach
Leach is very similar. He doesn’t want to work all day, he doesn’t want to yell
all day. He knows how to win football games and knows how to recruit. That’s
obviously a pretty key combination right there.
Cougfan.com: How’s the move to the
Palouse been?
Spurrier: It’s been adventuresome so
far. My family will stay back through the spring and finish up before they come
out. I have to admit, flying into Spokane and driving down was a unique driving
experience for me. That was a different visual than I’ve seen in the hills of Kentucky.
But all good, this is a cool place, the facility here is pretty impressive.
Doing the winter conditioning stuff with the team, it’s an impressive team,
guys work hard. It’s a neat place to be.
Cougfan.com: How quickly did it come
together? Who called who?
Spurrier: Pretty quickly. To tell you
the truth, I called (Mike Leach) to
recommend a strength coach ... when I spoke with him he said he may have a
receiver job opening in the next few weeks, asked if I’d be interested in it. I
said I certainly would.
Cougfan.com: When Derek Sage left, did
you hit the ground running?
Spurrier: Pretty much, (Leach) called
me and we talked for a little bit. Nothing terribly specific. Again, I’ve been
around him a little bit, he knows me and said he wants me to be my receivers
coach, let me know. I said, let me talk to my wife and I’ll get back to you.
Cougfan.com: What’s been your main
focus since you took the job?
Spurrier: There’s three or four parts
that you’ve got to go full speed on. The first one is trying to learn who the
staff is, learn all the people you’re working with here, learning who you’re
players are. Who are the receivers I have and just looking them in the eye and
shaking their hands. Not even really talking football just trying to introduce
yourself. Then you kind of dig deep into recruiting and what your recruiting
area is and who the guys that are in your area that have already been offered,
who are the guys you need to evaluate ... then we get into meeting with Matt
Brock, the special team coordinator. Everybody’s involved in special teams and
then obviously meeting with Coach Leach and going over the offense and cutups
from last year and getting ready for spring ball.
Cougfan.com: What did you take from
your time observing and working with the team in Midnight Maneuvers?
Spurrier: You look for effort, you
look for guys that compete. And honestly you just want to know who they are,
who are the loudest people, who are the quiet people, who are the guys that
work harder than the next guy. Position specific, I want to look at guys that
really work hard, you want to see guys that when they’re tired exude a lot of
energy or have a lot of juice. You like people who are loud a little bit.
There’s a strong collection of those guys, still putting faces to names but
thus far it’s an impressive group to be around.
Cougfan.com: Did the group of
receivers on hand move the needle in your accepting job at WSU?
Spurrier: You know, not really. I was
more impressed with what Coach Leach has done in the last four or five years of
this program. I had the opportunity to work with him at Oklahoma in ’99, so I
know a little bit about him. Really the facilities I thought was important. Can
they recruit and get guys to come here which they can. And then I was just
excited to get back with Coach Leach and get in this offense and get rolling.
And then obviously to have the opportunity to get with some special players and
I know they signed some good ones too, It certainly makes for a good day.
Cougfan.com: What’s your take on Mike
Leach, have you stayed in touch over the years?
Spurrier: We have. Coach Leach, anyone
that knows him, if you’ve ever called him he’ll take your call. I’ve always
checked up with him over the years. And yeah, I always knew he was unique and
very special. When we first met at Oklahoma he’s a little different than your
normal ball coach. He knew how to operate an offense, coach a quarterback and
score points. That’s the talent that not a lot of people have. For him to do it
as long as he’s done it over the years and the amount of different players and
different quarterback, I certainly know his track record and I was excited to
have the opportunity to get back with him and continue to learn and be a better
offensive coach.
Cougfan.com: There was a high staff
turnover rate this offseason at WSU -- how much of a challenge is that for a
team?
Spurrier: It is what it is, and it is
what you make it. If you make it very challenging, then it is very challenging
-- if you don’t then it’s not. I think what we do offensively, it’s not very
complicated. Defensively, I’m sure they’ll have some moving parts on how they
do things. But, it’s kind of exciting too and I think players get kind of
excited when somebody new comes in and there’s kind of a new voice and a fresh
angle. It’s not easy but it is what you make it. And we’ll make it great for
these guys and have a lot of enthusiasm for how we get out there and teach and
what our expectations are.
Cougfan.com: What are you looking for
from players as you head into spring ball?
Spurrier: Going into spring ball you
want to kind of set the standard of what it takes to be a great receiver. I
talk about that a lot and I’ve been fortunate enough to coach some great ones
at South Carolina and I certainly can recognize who really talented people are
and how hard they work. How hard you have to work to be a great player, the
standard will be high. I’ll constantly try to hold guys accountable to being
great receivers. Here’s what great receivers do, here’s how great receivers
work. Study, take notes.
:::::::::
WSU Professor and First Lady selected by Governor to co-chair a new council
From Pullman Radio News
Washington State University Professor and First Lady Dr. Noel Schulz has
been selected by the governor to co-chair a new council. The new entity from Governor Jay Inslee is
called the Choose Washington New Mid-Market Airplane Council. The group is charged with trying to convince
Boeing to build its new mid-market airplane in Washington. Members of the new council toured WSU's Boeing
Innovation Studio in Everett Tuesday. Doctor Schulz is a professor in the WSU School
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Voiland College of
Engineering and Architecture.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Top WSU athletes: No. 15 to 11
All five picks have contributed to success of their teams,
performed at a high level on, off field
By TYLER SHUEY, Evergreen columnist March 20, 2018
The following rankings of current athletes at WSU were
determined based on a variety of factors, including leadership skills, impact
on team on and off the playing surface, achievements in competitions and performance
of their team in their absence.
15: JJ Hancock
Leading off my list of WSU athletes bound to leave a legacy
is senior outfielder JJ Hancock. The Kennewick High School alumnus played in 32
games as a freshman, batting .256 in nine starts. During his sophomore season,
he began to play a bit more, making 13 starts but dropping his batting average
to .235. In his junior season he broke out, starting in 51 games while hitting
.298, with four homeruns and 23 runs batted in. Hancock even had a nine-game
hitting streak and a 12-game on-base streak during conference play. This season
he enters his final year and is considered one of the leaders of a Cougar
baseball program that is rebuilding itself.
14: Alexys Swedlund
Choosing one player from the women’s basketball team for
this spot was tough, but junior guard Alexys Swedlund stood out as having the
most impact on her team. The other options I considered were senior guards
Caila Hailey or Pinelopi Pavlopoulou, as both have been leaders on and off the
court. With that being said, Swedlund possesses those same qualities and she’s
a year younger. She already has plenty of exposure, being a main component of
the team during the Women’s National Invitation Tournament postseason run
during her sophomore season. During the WNIT, she averaged 18 points and six
rebounds a game, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament team. She also set
the school record that year for three-pointers made in a single season, with
75. This year she had similar numbers, but was overshadowed by the Cougars’
underwhelming performance when expectations were so high. Look for her to take
over as the leader of the team during her senior season.
13: Peyton Pelluer
The first football player coming in on this list is
linebacker Peyton Pelluer. Pelluer had an outstanding start to the season last
year before missing the final 10 games due to a foot injury he sustained in a
game against Oregon State. The Skyline High School graduate has been with the
football program since 2013, when he redshirted his freshman season. He was
granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA in January due to the injury
occurring so early in his senior season. Pelluer exemplifies what it means to
be a student-athlete. He was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list last
season, given to the nation’s best player who is involved with community
service. During his sophomore and junior seasons, he led the defense in
tackles. His consistent knack for the ball and big plays has made him a staple
on the defense.
12: Chandler Teigen
Teigen has an incredible feel-good story, starting at the
bottom of the cross-country chain as an underclassman and working his way to a
co-captainship on the men’s team last season. The distance specialist led WSU
at the Pac-12 Championships, finishing ninth overall. At the NCAA
Championships, he led the No. 27 Cougars to a 24th place finish. His personal
accolades include second team All-Pac-12 honors and being named to the Pac-12
Cross Country All-Academic First Team for the second consecutive year this
season. There seems to be a trend of the best athletes also succeeding in the
classroom, which is more important than their ability to perform on the playing
field.
11: Casey Schoenlein
The senior opposite from Newport High School in Bellevue has
been an integral part of the volleyball team the past few seasons. She came on
the scene during her incredible junior season, when she was a part of the
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention Team and earned Pac-12 All-Academic First Team
honors for the second consecutive year. She was among 12 players chosen to
compete for the U.S. Collegiate National Team-Minneapolis last summer. This
team is part of the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline and is considered
a second tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Team. To earn that recognition
takes the incredible athletic ability and leadership skills that Schoenlein
possesses.
:::::::::::::
Player dismissed from football team
Evergreen March 20, 2018
Defensive back Josh Talbott, who redshirted last season as a
true freshman, has been dismissed from the football team due to an unspecified
violation of team rules, Associate Director of Athletics Bill Stevens said via
email.
The Long Beach native was recruited to WSU by former outside
linebackers coach Roy Manning as part of the Cougars 2017 signing class,
according to 247sports.com.
Talbott was rated as a three star recruit and turned down
offers from University of Arizona, University of California, Los Angeles,
University of Colorado, University of Florida, University of Oregon and others
to attend WSU, according to 247sports.com.
This story will be updated as information comes in.
…………..
The file on Coug QB Anthony Gordon
He could be the sleeper who starts in Week One
By Dylan Haugh - Mar 18, 9:45 PM Cougfan.com
PULLMAN – Anthony Gordon may head into the start of spring
ball this week without much limelight but there’s a good case to be made he
could be Washington State’s starter in Week One vs. Wyoming.
Gordon, who will be a fourth-year junior in 2018, has
arguably the most experience and high-level reps out of any of the five QBs on
the roster. He played against solid high school competition, won a junior
college championship at San Francisco City College and last season saw the most
time at backup QB, along with Trey Tinsley, in running the scout team offense
and more importantly, in Thursday Night Football.
The big thing for Gordon will be how he performs knowing the
position is not only up for grabs – will he be another arm getting reps or will
he jump to the front. Here's the file on
Gordon.
Height/Weight: 6-3,
192 pounds
Hometown: Pacifica,
Calif
High School: Terra
Nova
Junior College: San
Francisco City College
Strengths:
Athleticism, good ball placement and timing. Leads receivers
accurately in the short passing game, throws a good spiral and can use his legs
when needed. It doesn’t sound overly important but Gordon throws a very nice
spiral and that makes an easy ball for his receivers to catch. Gordon also
throws well on the run and down the middle -- his best passes probably are down
the middle. Gordon also showed solid instincts when pressure arrives in the
pocket. He’s very adept at the shovel pass in Leach’s offense and stands tall
in the face of oncoming rushers.
Weaknesses: He’s
tried to force the deep ball at times, and turns the football over more than he
should. He also needs to find more consistency in his footwork. Where Gordon
most needs to get better is 15-20 yards outside the numbers and finding the
right times to go deep down the field. His pre-snap and in-play reads this
spring should tell us a lot about whether he’s in line to challenge for the
starting role.
JUCO Stats: Led the
CCCAA with 3,864 passing yards and 37 touchdowns in his freshman season. Gordon
also completed 286 of 439 passes (65.1 percent). He averaged 297.2
yards-per-game and threw just 13 interceptions.
JUCO accolades: Freshman
year was named All-California Community College Athletic Association Region 1
First Team and Bay 6 League Offensive Player of Year while also leading CCSF to
a 12-1 overall record and CCCAA Championship.
Personal: Gordon also
played a season of baseball at CCSF, batting .234 with 1 HR. Uncle Greg Reynolds played baseball at
Stanford (2004-06) and was second overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft by the
Colorado Rockies. He pitched three seasons in the major leagues.
……………..
For your info from CougGroup Central. Link to Anthony Gordon’s
blog
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