WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
In the Las Vegas-based “Duel in the Desert,” there will be a Desert Division of the Duel basketball game between the teams of WSU and WSU, that’s Washington State University versus Wichita State University. That was set up on 12/19/2018 when:
-- the Washington State Cougars lost 71-63 to the Kansas Jayhawks
-- the Wichita State Shockers were defeated 65-43 by the Northwestern Wildcats.
All games played at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.
WSU vs WSU game starts at 2:30pm Pacific time on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018.
Below is info from WSU Sports Information about the Washington State vs. Kansas game:
Early Mistakes Too Much For Cougars In Vegas
LAS VEGAS - After a 10 day layoff to finish the fall semester the time off showed as Washington State (4-6) fell behind early and could not make up the difference in a 71-63 loss to Kansas (8-1) Wednesday at the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas.
The Cougars fell behind by double-digits in the opening quarter of play as WSU's shots refused to fall. Despite giving up just 16 first quarter points, the Cougars could not take advantage as they missed their first 10 shots of the afternoon while turnovers stripped the team of extra chances to get themselves into the game.
In the second, the Cougars would begin to find their offense behind the play of Alexys Swedlund and Borislava Hristova, who each sat most of the first with foul trouble, to close the gap to just four points midway through the period.
The chance to make it a game would be for not as the Jayhawks closed the half with a 15-4 run to push the lead to 15 at the break. In the second half, WSU put together a handful of runs but were unable to get the stops they needed allowing Kansas to hold onto a double-digit lead until the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
WSU Coach Kamie Ethridge quote:
"I think one team came out and played confidently and is 8-1 and one team was fragile and didn't want to fight. I continue to say it, until we find the competitiveness that really wants to go and play and compete, when the game's hard, when it’s a physical team that doesn't allow you to catch it, if you are not willing to fight for space on the floor and to catch the ball and give us a chance we are going to be in trouble."
Additional info:
--WSU fell into the consolation game at the Duel in the Desert where it will play the loser of the Northwestern/Wichita State game at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20. The game will close out nonconference play for WSU which will begin Pac-12 play Dec. 30 at Washington.
--Borislava Hristova scored 18 points to post her 10th-consecutive double-digit scoring effort of the year. She added six rebounds.
--Chanelle Molina shook off a slow start to lead WSU in scoring with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. All four upperclassmen in the starting lineup scored in double-figures and accounted for 58 of WSU's 63 points. Molina also added four rebounds and three steals.
--Maria Kostourkova posted her second double-double of the year with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds while Alexys Swedlund finished her day with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. The senior guard also grabbed a pair of steals.
--The Jayhawks put three in double-figures with Jessica Washington scoring a team-best 15 points. Austin Richardson and Kylee Kopatich each chipped in 13. As a team Kansas finished the game shooting 55.8% while WSU finished at 44.1% despite going just 2-for-13 in the first quarter.
--The Cougars outrebounded the Jayhawks 34-to-29 including grabbing 14 offensive rebounds. However, 22 WSU turnovers turned into 26 points for KU.
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WSU football
Live updates: Washington State football up to 17 signees as NCAA’s early period begins
UPDATED: Wed., Dec. 19, 2018, 2:13 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane S-R
PULLMAN – Nine days from now, the Washington State Cougars will be underneath the roof of the Alamodome in San Antonio, gunning for a program-record 11th win against Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl.
But for much of the month, the program’s fourth consecutive bowl game has been a distant thought for WSU coaches who’ve been busy finalizing the program’s 2019 recruiting class. The Cougars hope to sign the bulk of their class today – and if not today by the end of Friday before the NCAA’s early signing period ends. Whoever doesn’t ink with WSU this week ill have to wait until Feb. 6 to make it official.
==JAMIR THOMAS
Position: Running back
High school: Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-1, 215
Other Power Five offers: Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, West Virginia, Ohio State, Penn State
Bio: The two-way star from the Akron, Ohio, suburbs piled up a dozen Power Five offers from schools who sought him out as a linebacker. But the Cougars lured Thomas to Pullman by offering him a chance to play running back – and maybe it’s surprising the other schools didn’t. In his four years at Washington High, also known as Massillon High, Thomas amassed 4,025 yards, scored 56 rushing touchdowns, had 773 rushing attempts and scored 344 total points – all of which were school records.
Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Thomas: “This is a great story. The strength coach from Massillon High School in Ohio worked at Kentucky when coach Leach was there. So he called us and told us about a receiver there, a guy named Tre’von Morgan. … So we started researching him a little bit and after I talked to his coach, he said ‘You need to take a look at our running back.’ He’s an excellent player that’s played linebacker, had a lot of offers and he might be the type of guy you’re looking for. … We said, let’s go after this guy. … He still hasn’t been here. He signed sight unseen.”
==GUNNER CRUZ
Position: Quarterback
High school: Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.)
Height/weight: 6-4, 215
Other Power Five offers: Arizona State, Baylor, Cincinnati, Syracuse
Bio: Cruz didn’t get the same buzz on the recruiting trail as Washington State’s last quarterback signee, but it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where he and Cammon Cooper are competing for the same starting job – if not this season, then possibly the next. Depending on the recruiting service you ask, Cruz is either 6-4 or 6-5 and has good mobility for somebody carrying 215 pounds. As a senior at Casteel, he completed 73 percent of his passes and fired 30 touchdown passes, compared to five interceptions. Cruz added another 14 touchdowns and 277 rushing yards on the ground. Georgia reportedly tried to flip the Casteel signal-caller after losing Justin Fields, but Cruz didn’t waver and gave the Cougars their first and only signal-caller of the 2019 class.
Running backs coach Eric Mele on Cruz: “That’s another big ol’ quarterback, man, who’s 6-5, probably 225 right now. And he’s built to play. He’s got a great mentality and excited to see him come in and compete with the guys we have on our roster already.”
==BILLY POSPISIL
Position: Wide receiver
High school: Pomona (Arvada, Colo.)
Height/weight: 5-11, 190
Other offers: Eastern Washington, North Dakota, Northern Colorado
Bio: Pospisil gave an early verbal pledge to the Cougars committing in mid-February, which might be one way to explain why Max Borghi’s old high school teammate didn’t attract a few more FBS offers. Recruited by both Eric Mele and Dave Nichol, Pospisil projects as a “Y” or “H” receiver at WSU. He’s a strong route-runner with good hands who earned all-state honors in Colorado’s highest classification after catching 39 passes for 551 yards and five touchdowns, despite only playing in eight games as a senior because of an injury.
Inside receivers coach Dave Nichol on Pospisil: “Everybody’s going to compare him to Kyle (Sweet), River (Cracraft) and those guys, but a little bit thicker kid. But a kick returner and who knows what he’ll do here. Just a really good player. His dad’s a coach, his mom’s a coach. All those things are kind of what we’ve made our money on, so to speak, around here. Another smart guy to add to our room.”
==ROCKY KATOANGA
Position: Outside linebacker
High school: El Camino (Oceanside, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-2, 205
Other offers: Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Jose State, New Mexico, UNLV, Navy
Bio: The three-star linebacker committed to the Cougars awhile back – in February, actually – and used a medical grayshirt after undergoing a medical procedure on his knee. Katoanga was a stud linebacker for El Camino during his senior year of high school (2017), posting 48 total tackles in nine game with two sacks anf one fumble recovery.
Inside linebackers coach Ken Wilson on Katoanga: “He’s a beast, he was a running back, he was a linebacker down there. He played from really most of his junior year and most of his senior year with what he thought was a strained MCL. After the season they checked it, actually it was a torn ACL. I’ve never heard of that before, a guy being able to play at that level with that kind of injury. … We’re excited to see what he’s going to look like with two healthy knees.”
==GATLIN GRISSO
Position: Safety
High school: Aubrey (Aubrey, Texas)
Height/weight: 6-1, 185
Other offers: Harvard, Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Miss, Texas State, Yale, Southern Miss, Houston Tulsa
Bio: Grisso, a safety that was highly coveted by a number of Ivy League schools, was recruited by former WSU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and orally committed to the Cougars way back when – on June 23, 2017. Like Katoagna, he also used an opportunity to grayshirt and is expected to join the Cougars for the spring semester. A two-way player who also served as a running back for his high school program, Grisso had 90 tackles, eight pass breakups and picked off three passes in his final season at Aubrey, also returning a punt for a TD.
==BRYCE BEEKMAN
Position: Safety
Previous school: Arizona Western (Yuma, Ariz.)
Height/weight: 6-2, 190
Other Power Five offers: Kansas, Kansas State, Rutgers, Syracuse
Bio: Washington State’s success with junior college safeties – namely Shalom Luani and Robert Taylor – has given the Cougars reason to keep going back. Beekman, at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, brings wide receiver size to the safety position, where the Cougars currently have just one other player taller than 6-feet. A non-qualifier out of high school, Beekman, who’d been committed to Southern University, made tremendous strides in the classroom during his JC stint and brings a 3.2 GPA to WSU.
==DANIEL ISOM
Position: Cornerback
Previous school: Iowa Western (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
Height/weight: 5-10, 180
Other Power Five offers: N/A
Bio: Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys used his Midwest ties to pick up Isom, a junior college transfer who has previous FBS playing experience. A one-time starter at MAC school Northern Illinois, Isom could make an immediate impact for the Cougars, who lose two starting cornerbacks in Darrien Molton and Sean Harper Jr. and don’t have much experience behind Marcus Strong. Isom had tackles at Iowa Western this season, led the team in pass breakups with seven, had two interceptions and posted 2½ tackles-for-loss.
==PATRICK UTSCHINSKI
Position: Offensive tackle
High school: Walla Walla (Walla Walla)
Height/weight: 6-7, 280
Other Power Five offers: Oregon State
Bio: Utschinski didn’t start out as a top-flight offensive line recruit, but eventually became one, recently earning a four-star rating from 247Sports.com. The Cougars held off Pac-12 rival Oregon State and a handful of Big Sky suitors for the Walla Walla offensive lineman, a multi-sport athlete who also throws the discus for the Blue Devils’ track and field program. Utschinski should feel right at home when he gets to Pullman – he’ll be one of four offensive lineman listed at 6-7 and one of 12 at 6-5 or taller.
Offensive line coach Mason Miller On Utschinski: “Once we saw him move, we were like, we’ve got to go on this kid. he’s under the radar, he had some other offers but kind of under the radar. And boy we went and watched him play – (outside linebackers) coach (Matt Brock) and I drove over to Walla Walla to watch him play and about two seconds in he pulled and I was like, ‘I hope no one else sees that.’ Boy, he just exploded out of his stance, wrapped around, drove the guy.”
==DONOVAN OLLIE
Position: Wide receiver
High school: Wylie (Wylie, Texas)
Height/weight: 6-3, 205
Other Power Five offers: Boston College, Iowa State, Kansas, Northwestern, Utah
Bio: For the third time in two years, the Cougars have been able to extract a wide receiver from the Longhorn State – thanks in large part to inside receivers coach Dave Nichol, a native Texan and former Texas Tech assistant. Ollie had a bevy of Power Five options, but will take his talents to Pullman, where he projects as either an “X” or “Z” receiver in Leach’s Air Raid offense. His Wylie High team went just 6-6-6 this season, but Ollie was easily the Pirates’ top wideout with 65 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Inside receivers coach Dave Nichol on Ollie: “He grew up four minutes from where I grew up, which was kind of funny. Back when I was growing up, his town was a Sonic. … Kind of in the mold of, not as big as Kassidy (Woods), but another big, longer guy that can go stretch the field. For a long time, he played AAU basketball so he hasn’t ever really had a full, awesome lifting offseason. We think he’s going to be one of those guys in 18 months that’s going to look a lot different.”
Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Ollie: “He looks the part. When he walks in the door, he’s the type of guy you want playing for you. He looks like Dez Patmon a little bit and Kassidy Woods. He’s a big man that will certainly make a difference in this offense and he’s a talented kid.”
==MA’AKE FIFITA
Position: Offensive line
Previous school: Glacier Peak (Snohomish, Wash.)
Height/weight: 6-5, 260
Other Power Five offers: N/A
Bio: The Cougars’ most recent oral pledge played both ways for Glacier Peak High on the west side of the state, starring as an offensive lineman/defensive end. Fifita doesn’t have a Twitter account and therefore didn’t make his commitment public when he decided on the Cougars three weeks ago. Though he doesn’t have the prototypical size of an offensive lineman at 260 pounds, the Cougars prefer their O-linemen taller and trimmer these days and WSU’s strength coaches know how to add weight when necessary. (See: Abraham Lucas)
Offensive line coach Mason Miller on Fifita: “Ma’aka kind of reminds me of another guy we have playing left tackle right now (Dillard). … Athletically, out of the gym. Can power clean 325 pounds, fanny touches the ground when he gets up underneath it, explodes out of it.”
Running backs coach Eric Mele on Fifita: “One of the best-kept secrets in the Northwest up there. It’s interesting because I think a lot of people thought he was going to go on a mission in the recruiting process, so BYU came early and some other schools. And all the sudden everyone stopped talking to him, but just kept in touch with his coach and all the sudden it was, hey he might be interested and it’s between you and a mission. That was the recruiting battle.”
==SIMON SAMARZICH
Position: Long snapper
High school: Upland High (Upland, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-0, 200
Other Power Five offers: N/A
Bio: The Cougars haven’t traditionally offered long snapper, but it’s become a position of need for WSU. Samarzich was rated the No. 1 long snapper in Southern California by long snapping guru Chris Rubio and is considered a five-star prospect. Rubio calls him “one of the best long snappers to ever go through” his long snapping program and notes that he has “incredible accuracy, consistency and handles pressure as well as anyone in the country.” Samarzich will also play in the upcoming Polynesian Bowl.
Chief of staff Dave Emerick on Samarzich: “If you’re going to sign a long snapper, you better make sure he’s a good one. We’re excited about Simon, absolutely. … Has some athleticism, not just a guy who stands there and snaps the ball. Simon will be another guy who’ll have a chance to play next year. I don’t think you sign a long snapper to sit on the bench.”
==COSMAS KWETE
Position: Outside linebacker
High school: Central (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Height/weight: 6-3, 220
Other Power Five offers: Kansas
Bio: Anyone unfamiliar with Kwete’s story ought to type his name into a search engine. In brief, the Central High defensive standout began his athletic career on a rugby field and spent time living at a refugee camp in Zimbabwe before he and his brother Eloi, a UMass football commit, moved to the United States. Kwete posted 54 tackles, eight sacks and forced three fumbles during his senior season and will likely slide into the Rush linebacker position once he arrives at WSU.
==TRAVION BROWN
Position: Outside linebacker
High school: Linfield Christian (Temecula, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-3, 215
Other Power Five offers: Arizona, Boston College, Colorado, Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Syracuse, Utah, Washington
Bio: Five other Pac-12 schools and 10 Power Five schools were in pursuit of the highly-coveted linebacker from California, but few of them offered before WSU and the persistence of inside linebackers coach Ken Wilson paid off in the long run. Brown finished the year as Linfield’s top wide receiver, with 45 catches for 1,142 yards and 22 touchdowns, but his defensive numbers were just as mind-blowing. Brown turned in 122 tackles, 37 tackles-for-loss , 11 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for the Lions.
Inside linebackers coach Ken Wilson on Brown: “I saw him when he was about a 185-pound sophomore and how athletic he was. He runs track, he plays basketball. His family, they keep him in every sport. … He enjoys every apsect of life and being around him just brings the level up. … Travion will light the room up when he gets in. Then you put on top of that, he’s a really good football player.”
==TYLER GARAY-HARRIS
Position: Defensive end
High school: Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-3, 205
Other Power Five offers: Arizona State, Utah
Bio: A three-star defensive end prospect, Garay-Harris is coming to WSU from an esteemed high school program in Bishop O’Dowd and is fresh off winning the North Coast Section Playoff championship with the Dragons, who finished the season at 12-2. Garay-Harris’ senior stats are pinned to the top of his Twitter profile – and downright impressive. From his D-end position, Garay-Harris totaled 89 tackles, 11 sacks and recovered two fumbles for touchdowns. He also blocked a field goal for the Dragons.
==KONNER GOMNESS
Position: Offensive tackle
High school: San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-4, 270
Other Power Five offers: Louisville
Bio: WSU, Louisville and six Mountain West Schools – including Gomness’ hometown Fresno State Bulldogs – showed interest in the San Joaquin offensive lineman, who led the Panthers to a near-perfect 2018 season. Gomness and San Joaquin took a 14-0 record into the CIF Division 2-A state title game against Lawndale, where the Panthers lost 20-12. Before that, San Joaquin’s offense had been scoring 49 points per game. Gomness blocked for San Jose State-bound quarterback Alec Trujillo, who threw for more than 4,200 yards and 50 touchdowns at San Joaquin this season.
Offensive line coach Mason Miller on Gomness: “He’s a little bit shorter than the rest of them and the reason is, he’s going to move in to center. He’s athletic, tremendous feet. he also was a long snapper so he’s kind of got the understanding of snapping the football, he’s got the automatic mechanics.”
==PENI NAULU
Position: Outside linebacker
High school: Kapolei (Kapolei, Hawaii)
Height/weight: 6-1, 210
Other Power Five offers: Cal, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, Angela Swigert
Bio: Longtime WSU linebackers coach Ken Wilson went to the Hawaiian island of Oahu for Naulu, a three-star prospect who held a variety of Pac-12 offers, including one from WSU’s cross-state rival. Nebraska and Kansas State also showed interest in Naulu, a Polynesian Bowl invitee who could potentially play at either outside or inside linebacker for the Cougars. Naulu is a fundamental tackler who demonstrates good field vision and strong pass coverage skills.
Inside linebackers coach Ken Wilson on Naulu: “He played inside, outside. He played safety some. He’s going to be a big guy also, but really athletic, really fast and hits. He’s a big-time hitter. He was a highly recruited guy that we had a good relationship with. We clicked when we started communicating with each other.”
==JOUVENSLY BAZILE
Position: Running back
High school: Golden Gate (Naples, Fla.)
Height/weight: 5-10, 180
Other Power Five offers: Cincinnati, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pittsburgh
Bio: Bazile’s Twiter name, “BlackCheetah,” should be indicative of the type of athlete the Cougars are getting – as should the fact that the Floridian is not only coming to Pullman to play football, but also to run for Wayne Phipps’ track and field team. A 1,300-yard rusher, Bazile scored 14 times on the ground as a senior at Golden Gate, caught one touchdown pass and returned a kick for another. Bazile comes to WSU as a running back, but could be used in a few different roles, similar to fellow Floridian Travell Harris.
Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Bazile: “He’s from Haiti and kind of a quite, hard-working, tough guy and an excellent track runner. Wants to run track here. … He’s an excellent kid, excellent worker. He talked to coach Brock the other day about kickoff returns and punt returns.”
==ARMAUNI ARCHIE
Position: Cornerback
Previous school: El Cerrito (El Cerrito, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-1, 175
Other Power Five offers: Nebraska
Bio: The Cougars have built something of a defensive back pipeline to the Bay Area. Marcellus Pippins, Robert Taylor, Suli Hameed and Tracy Clark all came to WSU from Northern California, as did current WSU nickel Patrick Nunn. Archie, a product of Pippins’ El Cerrito High School, keeps the trend going. An all-state caliber sprinter, Archie’s blend of length and speed should be a nice addition to the defensive secondary.
==DERRICK LANGFORD
Position: Cornerback
Previous school: City College of San Francisco (San Francisco, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-3, 190
Other Power Five offers: Rutgers
Bio: Three current Cougars – Easop Winston, Anthony Gordon and Robert Valencia – and two more recent ones – Robert Taylor and Shalom Luani – came to Pullman from the City College of San Francisco. Langford tackles well in space and if he can work his way into the rotation, his size will no doubt be a valuable asset for the Cougars against the Pac-12’s bigger receivers/tight ends. Langford had 30 tackles, one interception and four pass breakups at CCSF this season.
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New Coug QB Gunner Cruz will hit the ground running, says coach
By Braulio Perez Cougfan.com
NEW COUGAR QUARTERBACK Gunner Cruz, who officially signed with Washington State today, will be put into a much different situation than he's used to when he gets to Pullman next month. At Casteel High in Arizona, he’s been the man, the big dude on campus with the cannon for an arm. But once he arrives out on the Palouse, he’ll be the youngest QB in the room, baby faced, surrounded by wily vets. Think that’s a problem for Cruz? Heck no, says his prep coach.
Casteel coach Spencer Stowers told CF.C this week the 6-4, 215-pounder is ready for his challenge head on. He added there’s no doubt in his mind Cruz will have a bright future for Leach running the Air Raid offense.
Cruz, ranked 3 stars and the No. 14 pro-style signal caller in the country, will arrive to WSU in a few short weeks, enroll early and kick off his college career. Though it’s become the new norm for more and more signal callers to graduate early and get the earliest of head starts by participating in spring football, Cruz is fired up about his future home inside the Football Operations Building, said Stowers.
Related story: Gunner Cruz locked in with Cougs and turns away Georgia
“Since I’ve known Gunner, he’s always been the guy teammates look up to,” Stowers said. “Now, he knows he won’t be the only quarterback in the room. Instead, he’ll have guys to compete with for a job. That’ll be the biggest adjustment for him, but he’s going early and ready to play during spring ball.
“He’s committed to being successful at the next level and is excited about growing on the field. He wants to take advantage of his opportunities and compete. He wants to be the guy Coach Leach counts on in the huddle.”
In his three years with Casteel, Cruz tossed for 9,383 yards and 100 passing touchdowns. Simply mind-blowing stats.
This past fall as a senior, he finished with 3,598 hashes and 30 touchdowns. Averaging 15 yards per completion, Cruz was among the nation’s top hurlers throughout the season, and was even leading the country's prep ranks in passing yardage for several weeks to start the season.
“I think I improved most on my decision making and my understanding of the game from my junior year,” Cruz said. “I improved a lot on throwing the deep routes and the 10-yard out. I was also a little more mobile this year. I had 14 rushing scores, which was big for us.”
When Cruz verbally committed to WSU, he had offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Baylor and multiple others. And as we’ve reported here on CF.C, Georgia came in and tried to make a run late, attempting to get him to Athens for an official visit where it was implied an offer could be made.
Click here for the complete list of 2019 prospects with known WSU offers
Cruz respectfully told Georgia no thank you, and that he was 100 percent locked in with the Cougs. His relationship with Mike Leach, area recruiter Jeff Phelps and all the WSU
assistant coaches was the main reason why he turned down the SEC power. He also wants to make his mark in Leach’s O.
“The level of success Casteel has had is because of Gunner’s intelligence,” Stowers said. “Not only can he read a defense, but he puts other players in the right position to have success. In the Air Raid, there’s a lot put on the QB and that’s a reason they recruited him. He can handle what comes his way and can make quick decisions.”
Soon enough, Cruz will be put in a position to make those quick decisions for the Cougs. While he’s expected to redshirt this fall and remain patient for his number to be called down the road, there’s no question he’ll be chomping at the bit to get his chance to shine.
“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous about getting up there early, but I’m just a little sad I’m leaving six months earlier than I thought I would,” Cruz said. “It’s tough saying goodbye to my parents and all of my best friends. I’m excited, though. I’ve built a great relationship with the coaches at WSU. Everyone is great.
There’s no apprehension about going early. I can’t wait to get up there and get to work.”
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FOOTBALL Dejon Benton flips from WSU to USC
The Cougars lose the only player in their class who projects to the interior defensive line.
By Jeff Nusser Coug Center Dec 19, 2018, 2:52pm PST
Defensive tackle recruiting is a source of perpetual anxiety for Washington State Cougars fans, as it’s been a real struggle over the last few years to land big bodies on that side of the ball.
Those anxieties came to roost again today when Dejon Benton — the only defensive tackle in the Cougs’ 2019 class — flipped to the USC Trojans, signing with them after receiving a late offer on Wednesday.
Benton had been committed to WSU since early November, choosing the Cougs over the Arizona Wildcats. But it took him about five weeks from his official visit to pull the trigger, and he also made it be known that he wouldn’t be signing with WSU in the early period — all indications that he was probably still fishing for a bigger offer, so this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
That doesn’t make it sting any less, though. Benton was, at one time, one of two interior defensive linemen committed, but Nassir Sims decommitted a couple of weeks ago in a move that sure seemed a lot like he had his offer pulled.
Now, WSU is left with zero defensive tackle recruits in the 2019 class. The situation isn’t dire; you can bet the staff knew there was a chance Benton would be heading elsewhere, and there’s still six weeks between now and the regular signing period. Additionally, there are defensive tackles on the roster, notably West Virginia Mountaineers transfer Lamonte McDougal, who will be counted on heavily.
This flip isn’t going to make or break the defense next season, but man — it sure gets old to perpetually wonder how WSU is going to piece together its defensive line.
This situation probably will remind some of you of when Deontay Burnett flipped from WSU to USC on signing day 2015. That was a blueshirt situation, where an “unrecruited” player signs and then can count against the following year’s initial scholarship count. There are indications that’s possibly the case for Benton, too. Burnett, of course, went on to be a wildly productive receiver for the Trojans.
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WSU football coach Mike Leach ‘real proud’ of Cougars’ recruiting class
Originally published December 19, 2018 at 7:19 am Updated December 19, 2018 at 4:56 pm
The Cougars added 19 new players, including two grayshirts, and coach Mike Leach is happy with the haul. "As good as the class was last year — which I think was a good one — I think this one was even better," Leach said.
By Scott Hanson Seattle Times
Washington State football coach Mike Leach cares nothing about the rankings of recruiting services.
So he absolutely doesn’t care that all 17 of the players who signed to become Cougars on early signing day Wednesday were all three-star recruits by 247sports’ composite rankings. And he certainly won’t lose a second of sleep that his class was ranked No. 53 in the nation and ninth in the Pac-12.
That’s because he gives the incoming class great marks.
“We’re real proud of the start we have on our recruiting class for this early signing and we put together what we think are very good players,” Leach said. “I am very proud of our coaching staff and the effort they did in a small period of time to get as many people as we have signed up.”
The Cougars also got official signings from two members of last year’s class — linebacker Rocky Katoanga and safety Gatlin Grisso who grayshirted (delayed enrollment).
“As good as the class was last year — which I think was a good one — I think this one was even better,” Leach said.
This is the third straight year that WSU’s class has been ranked ninth in the Pac-12. But despite classes consistently ranked in the lower half of the conference, the Cougars are 26-10 in the conference the past four seasons, tied with UW for the best record.
“Stars are artificial,” Leach said of the recruiting rankings. “You have these recruiting services that assign these stars and I don’t recall any time in my career … where I ever called one of those individuals and asked them what I should run on third down. So I certainly don’t ask them who can play.
“If I thought they knew exactly who could play, they would be invited to our staff meetings and given the opportunity to walk us through evaluations and who we should recruit. But we find the better approach is to think independently and recruit the guys we feel the best about.”
Leach said the secondary, defensive line and offensive line were the team’s priorities. With WSU losing three of its top cornerbacks to graduation, the Cougars recruited three junior college defensive backs who are expected to enroll in January and could compete for playing time.
“We’ve had some success with junior college DBs,” Leach said.
The Cougars signed one quarterback, Gunner Cruz from Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Ariz., and Leach said Cruz will also enroll in January. He is one of seven recruits who will enroll in classes in January and participate in spring practices.
Cruz could become part of the competition to replace Gardner Minshew, who is in his final season. Leach said Cruz is a big quarterback with a good arm and good feet, but is not sure whether Cruz will be ready to compete for the starting job.
“We’ll know a lot more on that in the spring,” Leach said. “One of the keys is that he adjusts quickly.”
Four players who committed to WSU did not sign Wednesday, including defensive tackle Dejon Benton from Pittsburg, Calif., who will reportedly sign with USC instead.
“I think it turned out quite well because we have about three scholarships left, and I think that’s about the right number,” said Leach. “I think this is good because between guys who don’t get signed today and because of guys who transfer, we have some flexibility there.”
Leach said he thinks the Cougars “going to bowls year after year, and stringing a number of successful seasons,” helped him with recruiting.
“I think it signifies a really strong foundation and that it continues to get better,” he said.
Wednesday was the first of the three-day early signing period before the traditional signing period in February.
Here are the players who signed Wednesday (not including the two grayshirts, Katoanga and Grisso):
Armauni Archie, CB, 6-1, 175, El Cerrito (Calif.): Also a track star, finishing fifth in the state in the 100 meters as a junior. He comes from the same high school as former Cougar DB Marcellus Pippins. Had offers from many schools, including Nebraska and Nevada.
Jouvensly Bazile, all-purpose back, 5-10, 180, Golden Gate, Naples, Fla.: Was used as a running back, receiver and returner in high school and was even the team’s punter. Committed to WSU in June despite offers from many schools, including North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Bryce Beekman, S, 6-2, 190, S, Arizona Western College, Yuma: Had 10 interceptions in two seasons at Arizona Western and had several offers, including Kansas State, Rutgers and Syracuse. Ranked as the No. 66 junior college recruit in the nation. Will have two seasons of eligibility.
Travion Brown, OLB, 6-3, 215, Linfield Christian HS, Temecula, Calif.: A four-star recruit by 247sports (three stars in 247’s composite rankings) and ranked No. 366 overall in the nation and the No. 20 outside linebacker in the country. Recruited by several other teams, including Arizona and Colorado.
Gunner Cruz, QB, 6-4½, 215, Casteel, Queen Creek, Ariz.: Ranked the No. 14 pro-style quarterback in the country by 247sports, and is the only quarterback in WSU’s class. He committed to Cougars in June 2017. Threw for 3,598 yards and 30 touchdowns this past season. Other teams to offer a scholarship included Arizona State.
Ma’ake Fifita, DT, 6-5, 250, Glacier Peak, Snohomish: Chose the Cougars over Air Force. Ranked the No. 26 player in Washington in 247sports’ composite rankings.
Tyler Garay-Harris, DE, 6-5, 230, Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif.: Had several other offers, including from Utah, Arizona State and UNLV. Ranked the No. 118 player in California by 247sports.
Konner Gomness, OT, 6-4, 270, San Joaquin Memorial, Fresno, Calif.: Had several other Division I offers, including Louisville, Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii. Ranked the No. 139 player in California in 247sports’ composite rankings.
Daniel Isom, CB, 5-10, 185, Iowa Western CC, Council Bluffs: Earned second-team All-America honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association. Will have two years of eligibility. Ranked as the No. 103 junior college recruit in the nation.
Cosmas Kwete, OLB, 6-3, 220, Central, Phoenix: Other offers included Kansas, Wyoming and UNLV. Ranked the No. 31 player in Arizona in 247sports’ composite rankings.
Derrick Langford, CB, 6-3, 190, City College of San Francisco: Played one season at CC of San Francisco, and will have four years to play three seasons at WSU. Ranked the No. 120 junior college recruit in the nation.
Peni Naulu, OLB, 6-1, 210: Kapolei (Hawaii): Ranked the No. 79 outside linebacker recruit in the country by 247sports. Had many other offers, including Pac-12 foes Washington, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State and California.
Donovan Ollie, WR, 6-3, 205, Wylie (Texas): Had 152 career receptions in high school for 2,357 yards aned 28 touchdowns. Also had offers from Northwestern, Boston College and Iowa State among others.
Billy Pospisil III, WR, 5-11, 190, Pomona, Arvada, Colo.: Teammate of WSU running back Max Borghi in high school, and helped lead team to a 5A state title in 2017. Surpassed 3,000 career receiving yards in high school career before a season-ending shoulder injury this season.
Jamir Thomas, RB, 6-1, 215, Washington, Massillon, Ohio: Ranked as the No. 28 inside linebacker in the country in 247sports’ composite rankings, but the Cougars will give him a chance to play offense. Also received offers from Ole Miss, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Iowa State.
Simon Samarzich, long snapper, 6-0, 200, Upland (Calif.): Also played tight end and receiver in high school and had 26 career catches for 410 yards and two touchdowns.
Patrick Utschinski, OT, 6-7, 280, Walla Walla: A four-star recruit by 247sports (three stars in 247’s composite rankings), he is ranked as the 272nd player in the country and the No. 4 player in Washington by that service. Competes in the shot put and discus on Walla Walla’s track team. His other Division I offer was from Oregon State.
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