WSU
President Kirk Schulz revises IPF timeline, says project critical to WSU
By Barry
Bolton, Cougfan.com
WASHINGTON
STATE PRESIDENT Kirk Schulz’s ambitious goal of a year ago to have funding
secured for a new indoor practice facility sometime between January and June of
2019 won't be realized. But in a wide-ranging recent conversation with
Cougfan.com, he said he’ll be disappointed if fundraising for the $25 million
IPF isn’t completed by the end of this year.
Schulz
told CF.C a year ago he had set a goal of 12-18 months to complete fundraising
for the IPF, which would have added up to the greatest sports fundraising feat
in WSU history.
“We’re not
going to hit that in six months," Schulz tells CF.C. "But I would be
disappointed if we aren’t next year at this time talking about Regents’
approval and things like that."
The
project will be financed entirely through private donations.
Schulz
wouldn't say how much progress has been made so far but did disclose that
"we’ve secured several gifts at the $500,000 level, and we have a bunch
more asks out, including some pretty substantial asks that we’ve made … And I
would say over the course of the football season, we’ve had more and more
conversations with individuals about making major investments in the IPF.”
Schulz
said the transition in athletics directors from Bill Moos to Pat Chun, who was
hired last January and needed time to put his fundraising staff in place and
then get out on the road, was a factor in not meeting the original IPF goal.
But a bigger factor, Schulz said, was finishing the fundraising on the $10
million baseball clubhouse project.
“One of
the key things with the IPF was we really had to get the baseball clubhouse
facility done,” said Schulz. “And I’m
really proud of the fact we had a lot of folks step up once Pat and his team
got here. We wanted to finish off the fundraising for that so that we’re not
trying to do fundraising for two facilities at one time."
Fundraising
for the baseball clubhouse -- which will feature a 1,800 square-foot locker
room, 1,400 square-foot heritage hall, pitching lab and much more -- is
complete. The last step before construction can begin is final approval from
the Board of Regents when they meet late this month.
“We
anticipate we’ll be receiving the formal approval from the Regents to move
forward,” said Schulz. “And now we’re
really turning all of our major gift asks around securing private dollars to
the IPF.”
A NEW IPF
has been on WSU's facilities to-do list for nearly a decade. It is critical to
maintaining WSU’s competitiveness in the Pac-12, and on the national stage,
Schulz said.
The
facility would be used by virtually all of WSU's sports teams, but is especially
important to football.
“I believe
for the continued success in football, we’re going to have to invest in
facilities. And the IPF is the next major step, so Coach Leach knows we’ve got
a serious commitment to having a top 25 football program here on a continual
basis,” said Schulz.
WSU is
tied with Stanford and UW for most Pac-12 wins (26) over the last four seasons.
The Cougars are also tied at No. 11 for most wins in the Power 5 over that time
frame, with 37. It’s no coincidence the
Cougar Football Complex opened in the summer of 2014, and has been wowing
recruits ever since.
A new IPF
would use the foundation of the existing "bubble" IPF as a footprint
and then expand east by several yards. The new facility would accommodate two
50-yard football fields, a side area for training, locker rooms, offices and a
banked, hydraulic track. It also would be climate controlled in a
state-of-the-art way so coaches can mimic the weather of their next
destination. And, unlike the current IPF, it would be fully lit and feature
joint-friendly Field Turf.
:::::::::::::::::::
Ex-WSU asst.
football coach Robb Akey hired as Central Michigan assistant
1/3/2019
Moscow Pullman Daily News
Jan 3,
2019 Robb Akey, formerly an assistant coach at Washington State and head coach
at Idaho, has been hired as a defensive aide with the Central Michigan football
team, according to several online media reports.
Akey will
be a senior defensive coach, and possible the defensive coordinator, for new
Chippewas head coach Jim McElwain, according to FootballScoop.com. Akey’s
duties haven’t been set yet, the website reported.
Akey, 52,
worked as a defensive coach for McElwain at Florida in 2017, but both were
fired after the season. Akey was out of football this past season and McElwain
was receivers coach at Michigan before being hired as Central Michigan’s head
coach in December.
Akey was a
defensive assistant at WSU from 1999-2006, then served as Idaho’s head coach
from 2007-12. He led the Vandals to a Humanitarian Bowl win in ’09, but was
later fired in the midst of the ’12 season.
Akey then
spent time in the NFL as an assistant with the Vikings and Redskins before
going to Florida in ’17.
:::::::::::::::::::::
Pullman
City Council may vote on Spring Street parking changes
Public lot
used by WSU students and staff
By Anthony
Kuipers
Moscow
Pullman Daily News
Jan 3,
2019
Pullman
city officials may soon crack down on Washington State University students and
staff taking up public parking spaces near downtown.
On
Tuesday, city staff will likely ask the City Council to approve a resolution to
change the time limits on the Spring Street public parking lot so there will be
more spaces available for residents and downtown business patrons, Pullman
Public Works Director Kevin Gardes said.
The lot,
located near campus, is often used by WSU students and staff to park throughout
the day. As a result, Gardes said, the lot is usually full by 9 a.m. weekdays
and it stays that way all day, limiting the amount of space for other drivers.
"For
residents or businesses or employees, there's not an unlimited supply of
parking downtown, so making that available to customers, patrons, employees and
residents is important," he said.
Gardes
said the city received a complaint from a local business owner, prompting the
issue to be considered.
Two-thirds
of the lot is currently designated for 12-hour parking, and the other third is
limited to two hours. The proposed resolution would switch those time limits so
most of the parking would be for two hours.
Gardes
said there would be seven 12-hour parking spots, 15 two-hour spots and one
Americans with Disabilities Act stall available if the change is approved.
He said
the city has stepped up its code enforcement regarding parking violations. In
2018, the city approved tougher fines for parking infractions. Downtown
overtime parking fines increased to $30 for the first violation, $50 for a
second violation and $100 for a third and subsequent violation.
He said if
the Spring Street resolution is approved, it will take the city a week or two
to change the signage to reflect the adjustments.
::::::::::::::::
Antonio
Huffman of Washington State returning to Texas Tech as football chief of staff
By Don
Williams / A-J Media
New Texas
Tech football coach Matt Wells is bringing a former Tech player back to the
program after nearly a decade away.
Former Red
Raiders cornerback Antonio Huffman, who’s spent the past seven years working
for Mike Leach at Washington State, will become Wells’ chief of staff, a Texas
Tech official said Thursday.
Huffman,
36, has been the Washington State football program’s director of operations
since 2012 and added the title of assistant athletic director after the 2015
season. He spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons as the director of operations at
East Carolina under then-Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill.
Huffman
played for Tech from 2003 through 2006, starting at cornerback for his last
three seasons. He was named most valuable defensive player in his last college
game, the Red Raiders’ 44-41 overtime victory against Minnesota at the 2006
Insight Bowl.
He started
his post-playing career as Tech’s director of player personnel and assistant
recruiting coordinator from February 2008 through March 2010. In the former
role, he was the chief liaison between the football program and the compliance
office. In the latter, he set up official and unofficial recruiting visits,
campus tours and summer camps.
Huffman
takes over the role that Kenny Bell had under former Tech coach Kliff
Kingsbury.
Wells
still has two on-field positions to fill for his 10-man staff of assistant
coaches. The most recent addition came Wednesday when Tech hired Memphis
defensive line coach Paul Randolph for the same job with the Red Raiders.
::::::::::::::::::
Can the football
Cougars crack the Top Ten?
A look at
the WSU ranking situation post-Alamo Bowl.
By Scott
Cresswell Coug Center Jan 3, 2019
Photo by
Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A lot of
the Cougar faithful were disappointed that the Washington State Cougars didn’t
crack the New Year’s Six despite having only 2 losses. Now the question is,
after an Alamo Bowl victory and attaining 11 wins, will WSU find redemption in
the final polls?
The
Cougars are currently ranked 12th in the AP poll. Teams that have lost in front
of WSU are #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, #4 Oklahoma Sooners, #6 Georgia
Bulldogs, #7 UCF Knights, #8 Michigan Wolverines and #9 Washington Huskies. I
don’t think there is any chance that the Cougars pass the first three on that
list, but they have a shot at 7-9. They should leapfrog a four loss Washington
team and I would think they pass a Michigan team that was blown out in their
bowl game against Florida. UCF only has one loss, but maybe because they played
a weak schedule WSU gets the nod? I do get the feeling that voters wouldn’t
mind knocking them down a peg or two.
On the
other side of the equation there is Texas Longhorns, which is ranked behind WSU
at #14, but had a big victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. I wouldn’t be
surprised at all if Texas leapfrogged WSU on some voter’s ballots.
My best
guess for how this all shakes out is WSU jumps Michigan and UW for sure. Some
combination of rising above UCF and falling behind Texas will put them at the
#10 spot in the poll. Of course as a WSU fan, I am prepared to be disappointed.
Where do you all think WSU ends up ranked?
:::::::::::::::::::::
Women’s
Basketball COUGARS WILL BE IN OREGON’S WILLAMETTE VALLEY to play Oregon State
Friday in Corvallis and Oregon Sunday in Eugene.
--Cougars at
#11 Oregon State Friday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. Gill Coliseum
--Cougars
are #5 Oregon Sunday, Jan. 6 at 3 p. m. Matt Court
More info
here:
:::::::::::::::::::::
Men’s
Basketball COUGARS TO CROSS STATE TO OPEN PAC-12 PLAY AGAINST HUSKIES in
Seattle.
WSU takes
on Washington Saturday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Hec Ed (Alaska Airlines Arena at
Hec Edmundson Pavilion)
More info
here:
https://wsucougars.com/news/2019/1/2/mens-basketball-cougars-to-cross-state-to-open-pac-12-play-against-huskies.aspx
::::::::::::::;
Latest
News
DAN BICKLEY
Cardinals
should give Mike Leach a call in head coaching search
LOGAN
NEWMAN
One-and-done
Wilks giving some Cardinals coaching candidates pause
LOGAN
NEWMAN
Coyotes'
Nick Schmaltz placed on IR with week-to-week injury
ARIZONA
SPORTS
Suns'
Devin Booker No. 9 west guard in first NBA All-Star voting release
CHARACTER
COUNTS
DeAndre
Hopkins to donate playoff check to family of slain girl
LOGAN
NEWMAN
Arizona
Coyotes recall center Laurent Dauphin from Tucson
LOGAN
NEWMAN
The
Ringer: A Devin Booker experiment that would mimic Harden
ALEX
SIMON/CRONKITE NEWS
Journey of
D-backs’ Takahashi shows value of being multilingual
JAKE
ANDERSON
NFL
selects Caesars Entertainment as first-ever casino sponsor
LOGAN
NEWMAN
SI:
Arizona a Pac-12 champion sleeper entering 2019 in ASU's 'shadow'
ARIZONA
SPORTS
Arizona
Sports NFL Mock Draft Tracker: Who's next for the Cards at No. 1?
MATT
LAYMAN
Coyotes'
lone goal not enough against McDavid-led Oilers
KELLAN
OLSON
Suns take
big opening punch, can't complete comeback in loss to 76ers
DANNY
SHAPIRO
Coyotes'
Ekman-Larsson chosen for NHL All-Star game's 'Last Men In'
SAM
FICARRO/CRONKITE NEWS
LSU's
Tracy breaks ASU Gonzalez’s record, thanks Desert Vista’s Culp
DANNY SHAPIRO
Arizona
Coyotes' Clayton Keller selected to 2019 NHL All-Star Game
DANNY
SHAPIRO
Tocchet:
Injuries disrupting Arizona Coyotes' continuity
TOM KUEBEL
By the
numbers: Josh Rosen's rookie season leaves room for improvement
KEVIN
ZIMMERMAN
Execs to ESPN:
Cardinals' head-coach opening ranks 2nd-to-last in NFL
CHARACTER
COUNTS
Cardinals
DE Chandler Jones donates $40,000 to Phoenix Children's Hospital
Cardinals
should give Mike Leach a call in head coaching search
By Dan Bickley
ArizonaSports.com Jan 3 2019
High-flying
offenses are the future of the NFL. Josh Rosen is the future of the Cardinals.
It’s time
to hire the head coach who can serve both. The guy who can shred defenses,
develop quarterbacks and entertain the masses. The opinionated outlier who won
a football game in 2018 with zero rushing yards.
It’s time
to pick up the phone and call Mike Leach.
The
Washington State head coach is the perfect solution to what ails Arizona’s
professional football team. He’s fearless and full of conviction. His Air Raid
offense has turned football outposts into powerhouses, from Lubbock, Texas, to
Pullman, Washington. His coaching tree has produced four players and four
assistants who all became FBS head coaches, including Kliff Kingsbury, who is
scheduled to interview for Arizona’s vacancy.
Why not
bypass Kingsbury and hire the master? And if Kingsbury doesn’t get hired by
another NFL team, maybe he can tag along as the Cardinals’ offensive
coordinator.
The idea
makes too much sense.
Leach is a
real quarterback whisperer. He is very familiar with Rosen, who played in the
same conference as Leach’s Cougars. Meanwhile, the NFL is finally opening its
heart and mind to the innovation that flows freely in college football. And
nobody has done more with less than Leach, so much that “Moneyball” author Michael
Lewis likened him to a football version of Billy Beane.
Once the
object of NFL derision, Air Raid principles and Air Raid quarterbacks are
beginning to flourish in the NFL (Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff).
Nick Foles tore up the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl on a steady diet of
plays from the Air Raid playbook.
Leach is
extremely proud of his pioneering, tweeting that “the last Super Bowl was
nearly all Air Raid style concepts.”
Granted,
plenty of Air Raid quarterbacks have failed in the NFL. But dogma and attitudes
are changing in professional football. Leach and Rosen would be an irresistible
and combustible combination, two strong personalities both revered and disliked
on their own college campus.
Earlier in
the hiring process, I implored the Cardinals to focus only on candidates with
NFL head coaching experience. That doesn’t apply to Leach, who rose to stardom
in the college coaching ranks without ever playing a down of college football.
In the
end, the Cardinals would win football games, press conferences and dominate the
water cooler. They sorely need an outspoken leader like Leach, a man who knows
how to keep a team and a town on its toes. They sorely need the conversation
piece.
Leach
comes with his own lore, known for his peculiarities, his fascination with
pirates, his unapologetic nature and for tangents that go viral. He represents
the future of the NFL, a league where shootouts might soon become the norm.
Everything
seemed to change on that magical night in 2018 when the Rams beat the Chiefs
54-51, combining for 105 points behind two Air Raid quarterbacks. It was the
kind of game a young audience craves, full of action and absurd fantasy
statistics.
The NFL is
a profit-seeking missile. They know the future is based on teams that can light
up the scoreboard, not teams that produce three yards and a cloud of dust. The
Cardinals would not only get ahead of the curve. They’d be hiring the most
interesting man in college football.
ASU once
balked at hiring Leach, only to watch him elevate a football wasteland. At
Texas Tech and Washington State, his combined record is 133-83. He’s full of
moxie and gravitas, once showing up 30 minutes late to a Pac-12 coaches’
meeting because he had to stop for In-N-Out Burgers and a milkshake.
“We were
all looking at our watches thinking, ‘This might not turn out good for him,’”
Washington coach Chris Petersen said at the time. “He walks in with this
In-N-Out Burger and milkshake and we’re all like, ‘Really?’ And we were waiting
for somebody to say something.
“He’s just
happy as a clam, eating away. And we’re like, ‘Why didn’t we do that?’”
Yeah,
Leach is definitely the worth the phone call.
Maybe even
the perfect candidate at the perfect time.
#
