WSU golf course open for the season, UI course opens Monday
Pullman Radio News says, “Golf will be in full swing on the Palouse once again starting Monday.
The University of Idaho Golf Course opens for the season Monday at Noon.
Palouse Ridge at Washington State University is already open.”
RSVP for State of the
University address on March 27
February 27, 2018 from WSU
Insider
WSU President Kirk Schulz in
profile
WSU President Kirk Schulz
The WSU community statewide is
invited to attend President Kirk Schulz’s annual State of the University
address and reception, Tuesday, March 27 from 3:10-5:10 p.m. in Bryan Hall
auditorium. The address, which is one of WSU’s 2018 Showcase activities, will
be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
The past year has been marked
by remarkable achievements across the University’s statewide enterprise. From
record-breaking enrollment to major steps forward in advancing health care,
from unparalleled success in the athletic arena to WSU’s growing presence in
the Puget Sound area, there is much to celebrate.
President Schulz will highlight
examples of notable progress from the past 12 months during his remarks and
point out how those successes set the stage for the University to become one of
the nation’s top 25 public research universities in the coming years.
The address will be available
for group viewing at WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, WSU Everett, WSU Vancouver,
and the WSU Downtown Seattle office.
Q&A with the president and
a reception in the Bryan Hall foyer follows the address.
Those planning to attend in
Pullman are asked to RSVP at
https://universityevents.wsu.edu/stateoftheuniversity/.
::::::
WSU 43rd Murrow Symposium March
26‑27,
2018
March 22, 2018 from WSU Insider
The Edward R. Murrow College of
Communication will host the Murrow Symposium, honoring prominent journalist
Robert Siegel of NPR’s All Things Considered, on March 26 & 27 at the CUB.
An event that brings prominent
media figures to the WSU Pullman campus to discuss contemporary issues facing
the communication professions, the Murrow Symposium offers current students the
opportunity to interact with and seek valuable advice from alumni and
communication professionals from across the state of Washington and beyond.
Learn more at
murrow.wsu.edu/symposium.
::::::::::::::::::::::
Faculty Regent proposal stalls
in state gov’t
Bill would add faculty position
to WSU’s, UW’s Board of Regents
Faculty Senate Chair Judi
McDonald said she supports the proposal to add a Faculty Regent.
YASMEEN WAFAI, Evergreen
reporter March 23, 2018
A bill that would have allowed
a faculty member to sit on the Board of Regents at both WSU and University of
Washington remains stagnant in state government, despite university officials
supporting the idea and the position being common at other institutions.
Joan Wu, WSU’s faculty
legislative representative, said House Bill 1437 was introduced in state
government last year. It earned support from 84 of 98 state representatives,
but stalled in the state Senate. It was reintroduced this year, but has not
progressed past committees.
Wu said the short legislative
session could have halted the bill’s progress.
She said it would be logical to
have a faculty member on the board.
“I think faculty members are
really the workers in the trench,” she said, “working with students on a daily
basis.”
The bill, which was first read
and referred to the Committee on Higher Education in January 2017, stated both
WSU and UW would have a Board of Regents with 11 members. The 11th member would
be a full-time or emeritus member of the faculty.
The governor would choose the
faculty member from a list of between two and five candidates submitted by the
Faculty Senate. The member would hold their term for three years.
It is very common to have a
faculty member on a university’s Board of Regents, said Michael Poliakoff,
president of American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
He said it is important for a
board to have the academic expertise needed for understanding the mission and
the operations of the institution.
“It does make a lot of sense,”
Poliakoff said.
However, he said, Faculty
Regents face certain constraints. They cannot be a faculty delegate, but rather
a board member looking out for the public good.
Boards often have
representatives who are tied to specific constituencies, occupations or other
groups, he said, but they must leave those ties behind when they walk into
board meetings.
“Whatever it might be,”
Poliakoff said, “that person has to be a board member like all other board
members who represents the public interest.”
He said it is important the
faculty member is not seen as the voice of the faculty, because it could
discourage other members from staying in tune with faculty concerns.
Judi McDonald, WSU Faculty
Senate chair, said one common objection is that university employees do not
typically sit on the Board of Regents.
McDonald said that independent
of the bill, the Faculty Senate is discussing how to interact with the Regents.
The Senate wants faculty members to be more present, she said, and to have
representation at Regents’ meetings, which are public.
“I believe,” she said, “that
information flow in both directions will help both groups.”
…………………………
WSU BASEBALL
Pitcher wears his heart on his
sleeves, in his pocket
As part of superstition, senior
has grown out hair since high school
Cody Anderson, a senior
left-handed pitcher, explains what it means to be a leader for his team and
talks about the handkerchief he puts in his back pocket during games to
remember his grandparents.
By JACKSON GARDNER, Evergreen March
23, 2018
He’s not the kind of guy that
is going to catch the eyes of MLB scouts with a high-velocity fastball, but
senior pitcher Cody Anderson takes pride in deceiving opposing batters.
Head Coach Marty Lees said
Anderson brings his best every time he steps on the mound.
“The one thing you can count on
from Cody is that he is going to be prepared to pitch and compete at a high
level,” Lees said. “He probably doesn’t have the stuff that many other weekend
starters have in our league, but what he does have his the competitive spirit.
He really wants to win, he studies the team, he knows who he is and he doesn’t
try to pitch like someone he isn’t.”
Anderson modestly describes his
fastball as an 80-85-mile-per-hour pitch. Certainly not an eye-popping number,
let alone one you would expect to come from a pitcher that leads his staff in
strikeouts.
Anderson characterizes himself
as “crafty,” a common niche for left-handed pitchers who don’t possess the
upper-level velocity that wows scouts.
His 6-foot-6-inch frame provides
for a loopy windup that he uses to fool hitters. Anderson uses a conventional
overhand release, as well as a sidearm release that caters to his breaking
pitches. He has a standard repertoire of pitches, with a fastball, curve,
slider and change-up.
“I just kind of play the mind
games,” Anderson said. “Baseball is just like a book, you just have to speak
the language and the game will tell you everything you need to know. It’s just
are you able to read it and do you know what its saying.”
Anderson said he focuses on
studying the tendencies of his opponents to prepare for each game.
“I’ve had to make up for a lack
of physicality and stuff,” he said, “so that’s the way I have done it through
the mental preparation.”
The special education major,
like many baseball players, is superstitious.
Growing up, Anderson’s family
wasn’t keen on long hair. For most of his life, he sported a buzz cut.
Then, in Anderson’s junior year
of high school, he decided to defy his family and grow out his hair. He called
it a “really bad look,” but he saw his performance on the field skyrocket.
Looks have never been a huge
concern for Anderson — all he wants is a win for his team.
“Over the years I found
correlation between my performance and my hair length,” Anderson said.
“Whatever gets it done on the field and helps my boys win, I’m all for it. I
couldn’t care less. If I got to look ugly to wins games, that’s how she goes.”
Anderson doesn’t wear his other
superstition on his sleeve quite like he does his hair. He puts a handkerchief
in his back left pocket during all of his outings, and the item carries a great
deal of sentiment to him.
It belonged to Anderson’s
grandfather, John Faulkner, who passed away in 2013. He uses the thin piece of
fabric to remind himself that his grandparents are watching over him.
“He was someone I was close to
growing up,” Anderson said. “I just like to pitch with his handkerchief in my
pocket, it kind of lets me take him out there with me.”
This season, Anderson hasn’t
gotten the results he wanted in terms of wins and losses, but he has come out
of the gates posting impressive numbers. He leads the Cougars staff in innings
pitched and strikeouts, while boasting the lowest ERA and opposing batters
average among the starting rotation.
“It is definitely frustrating,
but we’re fighting and we’re sticking together,” Anderson said. “The sun’s
going to come up tomorrow. We got another game, so you can’t worry about the
past.”
::::::::::::::::::::
BASEBALL: Cougars look to get over hump at Arizona
WSU, ASU both looking for first
Pac-12 win in series that starts today
By Stephan Wiebe, Moscow
Pullman Daily News Mar 23, 2018
The Washington State baseball
team left California last week with a bad case of “shoulda-woulda-coulda.”
The Cougars went in as
underdogs against No. 14 UCLA, but they had a chance to win every game only to
fall short each time and leave with an 0-3 start to Pac-12 play. Twice the
Bruins won games with their last at-bat.
“I really thought we outplayed
UCLA as a whole in all facets, but we didn’t make a pitch here and there and …
there were some runs left out there on third base that must score,” Washington
State coach Marty Lees said ahead of his team’s trip to Arizona this week.
“We shoulda swept them. We had
a good weekend in a lot of ways, but it’s still 0-3. That’s unacceptable.”
The 4-12 Cougars will try to
leave the sour trip behind them this week against an Arizona team that’s also
looking for its first Pac-12 win.
But don’t let their record fool
you. The 11-9 Wildcats are nearly unstoppable at home this season with an 10-2
mark at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson.
“They’ve always played very
well at home,” Lees said. “They know who they are and they have a great fan
base. They play with energy.”
To get past the Wildcats, the
Cougars will need to continue to get big at-bats from junior Justin Harrer and
senior Blake Clanton.
Harrer, a junior left fielder
and second baseman, homered in all three games against UCLA and is hitting .298
in 57 at-bats. Clanton homered once against the Bruins and is batting .400 in
35 at-bats.
“Both are tireless workers,”
Lees said. “They were able to take some pitches that were tough. ... And
because of it they were rewarded.”
Washington State has also
received big innings from senior pitcher Cody Anderson. The goofy senior isn’t
flashy, but he’s a consistent presence on the mound and owns a 3.16 ERA and 1-3
record.
“One thing (about) Cody is he’s
going to be prepared to pitch and compete at a high level,” Lees said. “He
probably doesn’t have the stuff that many of the other high-level, younger
starters have in our league, but what he does have is a competitive spirit.”
Lees said the Wildcats feature
a speedy offense led by catcher Cesar Salazar, and his team-best .364 batting
average, and a deep pitching staff that has seen 18 players on the mound this
season.
The Cougars and Wildcats begin
their three-game series today and will conclude it Sunday.
“We’re only getting better,”
Lees said. “Every series since we left Alabama (Feb. 23-24), we’ve only gotten
better and I expect that again this weekend.”
………
FOOTBALL Questions abound on
WSU’s first day
With players and coaches
adjusting to new roles, Cougars kick off spring practice in Pullman
By Stephan Wiebe, Moscow
Pullman Daily News staff writer Mar 23,
2018
It’s no secret that coach Mike
Leach and the Washington State football team have a lot of questions to answer
and positions to fill over the next six months before the fall season rolls
around.
That grueling process began
again Thursday with the start of spring football at Rodgers Field and Martin
Stadium.
The Cougars donned their
crimson and white practice jerseys and helmets and took the field for a cold,
drizzly practice not uncommon for March in Pullman. Rain poured for the last
hour, making the footballs harder to handle, and piles of snow still lined the
field at Martin Stadium, but the Cougs were just excited to be out playing
again for the first time in months.
“I thought we had really good
effort,” said Leach, who has coached Washington State to three straight winning
seasons. “We need to transition a little quicker (between drills), which that’s
a first-day deal, but I thought the effort was really good.”
Among Leach’s tasks this
offseason are finding replacements for All-American defensive lineman Hercules
Mata’afa and record-breaking quarterback Luke Falk and his Pac-12-best 14,481
passing yards, as well as acclimating his five new assistant coaches — the most
turnover in his staff since he took over at WSU in 2012.
Quarterback is the biggest
question mark for a Cougar fan base not accustomed to uncertainty at the
position.
Thursday’s practice came almost
exactly two months after the loss of former WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski, who
died from a self-inflicted gunshot on Jan. 16.
Several Washington State
players said Hilinksi is constantly on their minds and wide receiver Kyle Sweet
wore a hat with Hilinksi’s No. 3 on the side after the practice. Hilinksi threw
for 1,176 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games last season and was Falk’s
heir apparent.
“I think about Tyler every day,
as I’m sure all of us do,” Sweet said.
Added safety Hunter Dale, “He’s
always going to be in our minds, always going to be on the field with us. We’re
never going to forget him, but we’re just moving forward right now and he’s
always going to be there with us.”
Washington State cycled through
three quarterbacks in first-team drills on Thursday with junior Trey Tinsley,
junior Anthony Gordon and true freshman Camm Cooper taking turns at
signal-caller.
All three showed solid accuracy
at times as well as some off-target throws, but Leach said he was overall
impressed with their play, especially for the first practice of the spring and
in poor conditions.
“I thought they threw it better
than I expected,” Leach said. “I thought they were more on track as far as the
scheme and things like that than I expected.
“Even right down to Cammon
Cooper, (who) went down there and checked at the line of scrimmage. It wasn’t
perfect but it was ahead of schedule.”
Gordon and Tinsley have been
with the Cougars the longest, but neither threw a pass last season. Cooper was
a highly touted four-star recruit out of Lehi, Utah, but is the freshest of the
trio.
Also on the roster are redshirt
freshmen John Bledsoe and Connor Neville, as well as sophomore Casey Brink.
East Carolina grad transfer Gardner Minshew is expected to join the team in
May.
For now, it’s much too early to
tell who the eventual starter will be.
Cooper is also one of six early
enrollees this season. Other standouts from the early crew include running back
Max Borghi, wide receiver Rodrick Fisher and defensive tackle Jonathan Lolohea.
Borghi stood out in the first
practice with a couple of good runs and a big touchdown catch on a wheel route
that fired up his teammates.
“That’s the best group of early
enrollees we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Leach said.
It’s not only new players that
are finding their way early this spring, it’s the new coaches too.
New to the staff are Tracy
Claeys as defensive coordinator, Mason Miller as offensive line coach, Eric
Mele as running backs coach, Matt Brock as special teams coach and linebackers
coach, Kendrick Shaver as safeties coach and Darcel McBath moving to
cornerbacks coach. Tyson Brown is the new strength coordinator.
Claeys took over for former DC
Alex Grinch, who joined Urban Meyer at Ohio State.
Dale, a senior nickelback, said
he’s already noticed that Claeys seems to prefer to let his assistant coaches
coach, whereas Grinch was more of a yelling, in-your-face kind of coach.
“It takes a while to get used
to,” Dale said. “We have a lot of the same things that we’re running, concepts
on defense, but just the terminology is different, so we have to get (used to)
that.”
Coaches and players will
continue to get accustomed to each other when the Cougars take the field for
their second practice on Saturday.
“It’ll be quicker and faster
and more efficient on Saturday,” Leach sai
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
(Note: In story below, “Pioneer
Center, an old elementary school building,” is what used to be Franklin School
on Pioneer Hill on SE Dexter Street. It preceded the current Franklin School on
SE Klemgard Street.)
….
New voter-approved Pullman City
Hall moving forward
City officials say renovated
facilities are expected to be operational by end of 2019
By Scott Jackson, Moscow
Pullman Daily News Mar 23, 2018
Pullman's new City Hall, senior
center and recreation center could be up and running as soon as the end of
2019, city officials say.
The new site, located at 190 SE
Crestview St., was formerly the campus for Encounter Ministries. The property
includes a central building with room for offices and a senior center, an
outdoor area and a large multilevel recreation building with a gymnasium.
Voters in February approved the issuance of a $10.5 million bond necessary to
fund the purchase and renovations to the property.
"The rough timeline right
now, we're thinking the end of 2019 is when we would be able to actually move
into the new facility which - for me being a non-developer - it sounds really
quick," Adam Lincoln, city supervisor, said.
Lincoln said the city has
partnered with Design West Architects out of Pullman to lead the project.
"We're really excited to
have them working with us," Lincoln said. "They helped us put
together the initial budget so they're really well-positioned to help us carry
the rest of the project forward."
The project will be completed
in two phases. The first half of the project will deal largely with design and
community outreach, Lincoln said, while the second will deal more directly with
construction. Still, it will likely be another nine to 10 months before crews
are ready to begin renovations, Lincoln said.
"(Design West) said it's
roughly about an 18-month process," Lincoln said. "The first nine
months will be planning, the next nine months will be roughly
construction."
Recreation Superintendent Kurt
Dahmen said his department will have some input on the senior center proposed
for the main building, but will focus mostly on the recreation facility and
gymnasium.
"Probably one of the bigger
projects in the gym building will be replacing the existing floor with a wood
floor," Dahmen said. "The rooms themselves are already kind of
established, so it's a matter of just what we want to put in each room."
Dahmen said much of the Parks
and Recreation Department is currently housed in Pioneer Center, an old
elementary school building. He said the school district expressed interest last
fall in recapturing that space.
"The school owns the
building, still does, so it will revert back to the school district,"
Dahmen said.
Lincoln said the city hopes to
incorporate some environmentally conscientious features in the redesign of City
Hall, including solar panels and demonstration areas for low-maintenance
landscaping called xeriscape. Lincoln said xeriscapes require less upkeep and
irrigation, which dovetails with the city's emphasis on decreasing water use to
preserve water in the Grande Ronde aquifer, which the city is dependent on.
Lincoln said an example of xeriscape can be found outside Moscow's City Hall,
only they call it "wise-scaping."
"Instead of grass, you'd
put in rock and you would make sure that any plants that you do plant or things
that you don't have to constantly water and that you're not constantly
weeding," Lincoln said.
::::::::::::::::::::::;
Washington State football:
Spring practice preview (the Cougars aren’t starting over, but it sure feels
that way)
By Jon Wilner San Jose Mercury
News
PUBLISHED: March 22, 2018 at
4:06 pm | UPDATED: March 22, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Here’s the 10th of 12 spring
previews rolling out over the course of six weeks.
This preview follows the same
general format as those previously published, with tweaks to reflect specific
situations.
WASHINGTON STATE
Spring starts: March 22
Spring game: April 21 (1 p.m.,
Pac-12 Networks)
*** The big picture.
It’s muddled, extraordinarily
so, due to a barrage of offseason personnel moves — most of them unavoidable
and one of them heartbreaking.
The departures of 19 seniors
from the two deep and a handful of assistant coaches/coordinators, combined
with Tyler Hilinski’s death, leave the Cougars with as many questions for
spring practice and fall camp as any team in the conference.
At stake: The momentum they’ve
built over the past three seasons (26 total wins and a 19-8 mark in
conference).
For WSU — as is the case for
Oregon State and a few other programs — the margin for error is remarkably
thin.
One offseason of heavy
attrition can hit the depth chart with enough force to cause a multi-year
setback.
We’re about to find out just
how well the Cougars have recruited: Is the talent pipeline solid enough to
prevent a steep backslide?
*** Coach: Mike Leach
Five-year win total: 6-3-9-8-9
Contract status: Signed through
2022
Heat index: The Cougars can’t
do any better, but it’s hardly unreasonable to wonder if Leach believes he has
taken the program as far as it can go. (He reportedly was interested in the
Tennessee vacancy.)
His work in Pullman has been
first rate, but the North is only getting more competitive with Oregon’s
resurgence and Cal’s improvement.
*** Personnel moves
Coaching staff additions for
2018: Tracy Claeys (defensive coordinator), Kendrick Shaver (safeties), Darcel
McBath (cornerbacks), Matt Brock (outside linebackers), Steve Spurrier Jr.
(outside receivers), Mason Miller (offensive line)
Org chart change: The key
change came at defensive coordinator, where WSU must replace Alex Grinch,
mastermind of the defensive turnaround and commander of the so-called ‘Speed
D.’
Into those sizable footsteps
walks Claeys, a former Big Ten head coach (Minnesota) who has vowed to keep
speed as the foundation of the Cougars’ unit and maintain the essence of
Grinch’s playbook.
Any other course would be
ill-advised, given that WSU has recruited to Grinch’s system for several years.
Key losses: OT Cody O’Connell,
G Cole Madison, QB Luke Falk, RB Jamal Morrow, DL Hercules Mata’afa, LB Frankie
Luvu, K Erik Powell
Essential addition (true
freshman): RB Max Borghi
The versatile rookie from the
Denver suburbs looks a bit like a former Pac-12 star from the Denver suburbs.
If he can play a bit like Christian McCaffrey, the Cougars will add a crucial
dimension to their offense.
The No. 7 all-purpose prospect
nationally in the class of 2018 (per 247sports), Borghi enrolled in December
and is on the field this spring.
That gives the coaching staff
15 extra practices to figure out how to best make use of his skills.
Essential non-addition addition
I: LB Peyton Pelluer
Granted a sixth year of
eligibility after a season-ending foot injury, Pelluer provides essential
experience and playmaking ability to the heart of a defense that is reloading
on the line.
If healthy, he’s one of the
five best linebackers in the conference.
Essential non-addition addition
II: RB Keith Harrington
Played extensively in 2015,
then saw his role diminish for two years.
With the Cougars in need of
depth at running back — and receiving options out of the backfield — Harrington
could be used often on third down.
At 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds,
he’s sturdy, quick and ideally suited to make the first defender miss in the
open field.
Limited (at best) for spring:
No major injuries.
Star in the making: WR
Davontavean Martin
I considered safety Jalen
Thompson for this spot, because he’s not a familiar name to many fans across
the Pac-12 footprint. But Thompson was a second-team all-conference pick in
2017 — he’s more established than fledgling playmaker.
Martin certainly qualifies. In
his only start last year, the Holiday Bowl, he produced seven catches and two
touchdowns.
That the 6-foot-3 sophomore
plays a position of need — the Cougars lost their top-two receivers, Tavares
Martin and Isaiah Johnson-Mack — merely adds to his potential value.
QB comfort level (1-10 scale):
1 for spring practice, 4 for training camp
Hilinski’s death leaves the
Cougars with five quarterbacks on the spring roster and not a lick of game
experience among them.
Cammon Cooper, a touted
freshman, will participate in spring, but that’s about the only encouraging
development for the unit, at least in the short term.
Gardner Minshew, a graduate
transfer from East Carolina with 500+ passes on his resume, will join the
program in May and should compete for the starting job.
His presence will make the
situation slightly less desperate.
*** Unit in the spotlight:
Offensive line
A strong case could be made
here for the defensive line, which must replace Mata’afa and dependable nose
tackle Daniel Ekuale.
But I settled on the offensive
line as the unit of highest priority/greatest concern because of the two-tiered
issue:
WSU is replacing three starters
up front and will have a new quarterback — either a pure rookie or a newcomer
to the system (Minshew).
The season, it seems, depends
greatly on the speed with which the line coalesces.
Two key players in that process
are Robert Valencia, a former JC transfer (City College of San Francisco), and
redshirt freshman Abraham Lucas, who could be a multi-year starting left
tackle.
*** Bottom line on the Cougars.
Combine production, experience
and leadership, and the Cougars were hit harder by attrition than any team in
the conference.
They didn’t merely lose 19
seniors off the two-deep; they lost the players at the heart of their ascent.
(That list starts with Falk, of course, but it winds through every unit.)
There are far too many issues
to be solved in 15 spring practices, but even partial clarity on the lines of
scrimmage will make March and April a success.
Why we need your support: Like
so many other providers of local journalism across the country, the Hotline’s
parent website, mercurynews.com, recently moved to a subscription model. A few
Hotline stories will remain free each month (as will the newsletter), but for
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your loyalty.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Washington State football opens
spring camp in fall-like conditions
UPDATED: Thu., March 22, 2018,
9:49 p.m.
By Peter Harriman, Spokane S-R Correspondent
PULLMAN – For an unpadded,
initial workout, Washington State University’s first spring football practice
Thursday had a fair degree of game-like real conditions – if the game were one
of those miserable, late November, stormy Apple Cups.
The Cougars worked out in
Martin Stadium in weather conditions that gradually deteriorated to about 40
degrees and a relentless rain. The environment gave head coach Mike Leach some
indication that his team, at least, can persevere.
“I thought we responded to the
weather really good,” Leach said.
“It was a really good effort.
We need to transition a little quicker. But it was the first day.”
After position and unit drills,
the Cougars concluded with a lengthy 11-on-11 session in the cold wind and
rain.
There was success to go around
for offense and defense. Sophomore linebackers Dillon Sherman and Dominick
Silvels made end-zone interceptions. Junior receiver Dezmon Patmon was elusive
enough to frustrate defensive backs and, like all the receivers, was adept at
locating balls thrown into traffic.
Freshman running back Max
Borghi caught a touchdown on a wheel route that Leach drew attention to after
practice. Borghi showed notable quickness and balance in drills.
Senior running back Keith
Harrington set a tone for the backs with consistent, determined running,
including legging out a 50-yard sprint to the end zone after breaking through a
couple of arm tackles. Harrington is eager to show he can do the same thing
when defenders are able to lower shoulder pads against him.
“This little touch-touch is
cool,” Harrington said. “But us running backs, that’s what we do. We strap on
the pads.”
As a senior, Harrington also
feels a responsibility to set an example for younger teammates by being a vocal
leader and by “running everywhere. Not walking from place to place.”
Leach said Harrington hasn’t
waited until now to take on that responsibility.
“He’s done a good job since
he’s been here,” Leach said. “He’s a high-effort guy. He has a good motor.
“The running backs’ footwork
was a lot better than last year. We ran pretty good for a day without pads.”
Thursday’s practice was the
first for the Cougars since Tyler Hilinski, who was in line to be the starting
quarterback, took his life in January. Leach said he addressed that privately
with the team. Several players after practice answered questions about
Hilinski.
“He’ll always be in our minds,
on the field with us,” defensive back Hunter Dale said.
“I think about Tyler every
day,” wide receiver Kyle Sweet said.
Given the weather and the fact
spring practice is just getting under way, Leach thought the quarterbacks
performed better than he expected.
“(Freshman left-hander Cammon
Cooper) checked at the line of scrimmage,” Leach said. “It wasn’t perfect, but
it was ahead of schedule.”
WSU has five new assistant
coaches.
“There’s a lot of good energy
from the new coaches,” Sweet said. “(With one practice concluded) all of us, in
my opinion, are accepting them very well.”
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