Photo from Twitter shows head football coached
Tim Slater (left), Upland (California) High School, and Mike Leach (right), WSU,
flanking WSU-bound Simon Samarzich, a football long snapper.
……………………
Football long
snapper recruit Simon Samarzich on
WSU's Mike Leach: what you see is what you
get
By BRADEN
JOHNSON Cougfan.com 2/1/2019
MIKE LEACH
RECENTLY GAVE a show of commitment to Washington State through 2023 by enacting
the one-year rollover provision of his contract, but incoming long snapper
Simon Samarzich said his in-home visit with The Pirate on Monday spoke louder.
Samarzich,
rated 3 stars and the No. 3 long snapping prospect nationally by 247Sports,
signed in December with WSU out of Upland High in California. But when Leach and area recruiter Matt Brock
came by to visit this week, Samarzich was still a little star-struck.
“It was
kind of nuts,” Samarzich told CF.C. “Seeing such a great figure like that open
the door – it was really exciting. It was a lot different than opening the door
for my family or anything.
“I’ve only
met him two or three times, but I’ve received countless handwritten letters
from him and the rest of the coaching staff. That’s really reassuring that he’s
so invested and he cares so much about his players."
Related:
Samarzich says he doesn't plan on redshirting
THE VISIT
ILLUSTRATED THE UNIQUENESS of Leach. As WSU recruiting coordinator Dave Emerick
has noted, Leach usually rings the doorbell wearing jeans and sneakers and
spends more time telling stories than talking football X’s and O’s.
And sure
enough, Leach sported denim and a white quarter-zip shirt at the Samarzich
residence and dished on various players and coaches he has met at each stop of
his coaching career. Samarzich said his dad, Dave, got a kick out of Leach’s
stories about bouncing ideas off June Jones, whom Samarzich met at the
Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii in January.
“It means
a whole lot,” Samarzich said on Leach coming to visit after he had already
signed. “Definitely to my family. They’re sending their boy away. It’s kind of
reassuring to them that the head coach is willing to come all the way down here
to meet them.”
Simon
Samarzich of Upland High already signed his National Letter of Intent with WSU.
Staff visited countless times. BUT Head Coach Mike Leach felt its the right
thing to still come down last night and visit Si Sam and family. Nothing but
CLASS
SAMARZICH’S
TIME IN OAHU at the Polynesian Bowl, a high school all-star game held during
the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week, gave him added
confidence in his commitment to don crimson and gray. He played for Team Makai,
alongside fellow class of 2019 signees Gunner Cruz and Pani Naulu.
“They were
class-acts and good people to be around,” Samarzich said. “It was nice to see
what sort of guys WSU is recruiting. It’s good to see guys who share the same
goals as me and are so much like me.”
Samarzich
said he couldn't speculate on the Cougars’ impending quarterback competition to
replace Gardner Minshew but said Cruz (6-5, 230), who enrolled at WSU in
January, was impressive in practices.
“He was
making a lot of great throws -- throws that I’ve never seen other kids in high
school make. I didn’t get too big of a sample size, but from what I saw, I
think Washington State is in good hands when Gunner takes the reins," said
Samarzich.
THE
EXPERIENCE ALSO bridged Samarzich’s high school career to his future in
Pullman. Samarzich met Cougar legendary quarterback Jack Thompson.
“That was really cool to meet him,” Samarzich
said. “Seeing a great guy like that, we’re not the same players, but we share a
similar path.”
Samarzich
said the week gave him a taste of what to expect when he arrives in Pullman in
June to start summer classes and team workouts.
“More than
anything, ending the season, I was kind of nervous about going from my high
school to a Division-I program,” Samarzich said. “To have that stepping stone
in between the two, playing with the top recruits in the country, it was great
to know that I’m able to do this.”
SAMARZICH
IS INTEGRATING running and weight training this winter to prepare for fall
camp. Listed at 6-0, 200 pounds, he said he needs to add muscle mass for field
goal and extra point snaps, and to boost his speed for punt coverage.
The
Cougars graduated starting long snapper Kyle Celli and Samarzich is a prime
candidate to fill the void in 2019. Former WSU quarterback Alex Brink said
during the early signing period long snappers – normally walk ons – who receive
a scholarship are typically expected to play immediately and Leach said he
thinks Samarzich is the best long snapper in the country.
Samarzich
said his mindset toward football is different now that he has a scholarship in
hand and he is drawing closer to starting his college career.
“It’s
definitely changed in the sense that I kind of am not working toward an unseen
goal,” he said. “I know I’m going up to Pullman in June, so I know exactly what
I'm doing and working toward. It’s kind of streamlined my efforts.
:::::::::::::::::::
Coug QB
Minshew tells CF.C he's received his NFL Combine invite
From
Cougfan.com 1/31/2019
THE NFL
HASN’T YET released its official list of NFL combine invitations but Washington
State’s Gardner Minshew will be there.
The Cougar QB told CF.C’s Braden Johnson on Thursday he has received his
invite for the gathering held in Indianapolis from Feb. 26 - March 4.
The NFL
combine brings together a select group of 300-plus NFL hopefuls each year in
Indy for a series of personal interviews with NFL club officials, medical
exams, psychological testing and workouts that include the 40-yard dash, bench
press plus various other drills, as well as a positional workout.
In other
words, Minshew and the other participants will be measured, poked, prodded,
interviewed and evaluated like never before.
In case
you missed it, here's some Senior Bowl footage of Minshew barking out the
signals in Mobile from nfl.com.
Another
sure-fire crimson lock to receive an invitation to the combine is Andre
Dillard.
The Cougar
offensive tackle has been soaring up mock drafts since his banner week at the
Senior Bowl, with one NFL scribe recently tabbing him a top 10 pick, while
others projecting Dillard to come off the board in the first round.
Other
Cougs hoping to receive an invitation to Indy include, among others, RB James
Williams, CB Darrien Molton, RUSH Logan Tago, CB Sean Harper Jr. and WR Kyle
Sweet.
The
tentative on-field workout schedule for this year's combine, per nfl.com:
» March 1:
Group 1 (place kickers, special teams), Group 2 (offensive linemen), Group 3
(running backs).
» March 2:
Groups 4 and 5 (quarterbacks, wide receivers) Group 6 (tight ends).
» March 3:
Groups 7 and 8 (defensive linemen), Group 9 (linebackers).
» March 4:
Group 10 (defensive backs)
Last year,
four Cougars received combine invites: Luke Falk, Cole Madison, Hercules
Mata'afa and Tavares Martin Jr., with Madison and Falk selected in the fifth
and sixth rounds of the NFL draft by Tennessee and Green Bay, respectively, and
Mata’afa signing an undrafted free agent contract with Minnesota.
:::::::::::::::::::::
WSU
FOOTBALL
Gardner
Minshew, Andre Dillard, James Williams will make up Washington State’s
contingent at NFL Combine
UPDATED:
Thu., Jan. 31, 2019, 9:44 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson Spokane S-R
WSU NFL
Combine invitees since 2013
2019:
Gardner Minshew (QB), Andre Dillard (OL), James Williams (RB)
2018: Luke
Falk (QB), Cole Madison (OL), Tavares Martin Jr. (WR), Hercules Mata’afa (DT)
2017: Gabe
Marks (WR), Shalom Luani (S)
2016: Joe
Dahl (OL)
2015:
Connor Halliday (QB), Vince Mayle (WR), Xavier Cooper (DT)
2014:
Deone Bucannon (SS)
2013:
Marquess Wilson (WR)
PULLMAN –
Washington State will send a prolific quarterback, an All-American left tackle
and a Swiss Army knife running back to next month’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Gardner
Minshew, Andre Dillard and James Williams have all accepted invitations to the
2019 Combine, which will be held this year from Feb. 26-March 4 at Lucas Oil
Stadium in Indianapolis. The combine is a weeklong showcase for the country’s
top collegiate players to work out for and interview with pro coaches and
executives ahead of April’s NFL draft.
Minshew’s
father Flint told The Spokesman-Review earlier in the week the WSU QB received his
invitation in early January. Williams, the junior RB who decided to forfeit his
final season of college eligibility, had to to wait longer and confirmed via
text he’d received his invitation Thursday.
The
Cougars have sent a steady stream of players to the combine since seventh-year
coach Mike Leach took hold of the Pac-12 North program in 2012. WSU has had one
representative at the combine every year since 2013 and the Cougars have had
nine players go the last three years after sending six the previous four.
Four WSU
players accepted invitations to Indianapolis last year: quarterback Luke Falk,
right tackle Cole Madison, wide receiver Tavares Martin Jr. and defensive
tackle Hercules Mata’afa. Falk and Madison were both drafted while Mata’afa was
a highly coveted free agent, eventually signing with the Minnesota Vikings.
The
combine breaks up players by position group and requires them to participate in
a variety of drills, including a 40-yard dash, a vertical jump, a broad jump, a
three-cone drill and a shuttle run.
Minshew,
Dillard and Williams will knock out the physical tests over the first two days.
According to the combine’s tentative workout schedule, running backs and
offensive linemen will go through drills on March 1, with quarterbacks
following on March 2.
WSU’s
combine invitees were each vital pieces for the Pac-12’s top offense in 2018 –
one that scored more than 37 points per game and rolled up more than 451 yards
per game.
The FBS
leader in passing yards per game, Minshew set a Pac-12 single-season record
with 4,779 passing yards. The graduate transfer QB threw for 38 touchdowns with
only nine interceptions.
Dillard
protected Minshew’s blind side and was part of a Cougars offensive line that
allowed just 13 sacks all season. The Woodinville, Washington, native
participated in last Saturday’s Senior Bowl – as did Minshew – and emerged as
one of the top OL prospects in the 2019 draft, and potentially the top
offensive tackle.
Williams
declared for the draft about a week after WSU’s 28-26 win over Iowa State in
the Alamo Bowl. He’ll be the first Leach running back to participate in the
combine and also the first WSU RB since Jerome Harrison went in 2006. Williams
finished the season with 16 touchdowns – one shy of the school record – and
piled up 1,173 all-purpose yards.
:::::::::::
Austin
Meek: Does transfer portal open Pandora’s Box?
By Austin
Meek, Eugene Register-Guard
Posted Jan
31, 2019
The name
implies something from another dimension, as though anyone who enters is
magically transported through time and space.
It sounds
a little mysterious, a little space-agey, like something out of an alien
abduction or an episode of “The Twilight Zone.” You might not know exactly what
it does, but if you’re a fan of college sports, you definitely know it’s out
there.
So what is
this NCAA transfer portal, and why is it making so many Oregon softball players
disappear?
Some
demystification might be in order here, because I sense fans have become
disoriented by the rush of transfer news.
Since the
portal opened in October, it’s become trendy for athletes to enter their names
and declare for the NCAA equivalent of free agency. Nine Oregon softball
players have done so, joining thousands of other transfers from various sports.
The portal
would be considerably less mysterious if we described it in plainer terms: as a
database or, even better, a spreadsheet. It’s a way for athletes to enter their
information and signal they’re open to being contacted by other schools, rather
than asking their current school to grant a release.
Nothing
sci-fi about that, is there?
What
remains to be seen is how this brave new world will affect the number of
transfers in college sports. It’s too early to make definitive judgments, but
the anecdotal evidence suggests a spike in transfer activity related to the new
portal.
“When the
transfer rules changed to make it easier for the student-athletes, you saw a
shift across the board,” athletic director Rob Mullens said in a recent
interview. “This was long debated in our industry by the athletic directors.
...
“I think
it’s a changing landscape that we’re all adjusting to.”
More than
2,000 athletes entered their names in the transfer portal during its first
month of existence, Mullens said, and the number has only grown since then.
I’ve heard this described as an epidemic, implying some kind of contagious
disease, but I think that’s overstating the case.
There’s
nothing inherently wrong with a player leaving one school for another. I don’t
think anyone wants a scenario like the one unfolding with Oregon softball,
where players depart en masse and leave their teammates high and dry. But I’m
also not sure there’s a way to prevent it without enacting a bunch of
cumbersome regulations that would cause more harm than good.
The
transfer boom has made one thing clear: The NCAA needs to streamline the rules
surrounding immediate eligibility. Right now it’s a patchwork of appeals,
releases and waivers with no consistency from one sport to the next, leaving
fans and players disappointed and confused about how the rules are applied.
In
general, players in sports outside of football, basketball and baseball can
transfer and play immediately — as several ex-Ducks will be doing at Texas —
while athletes in the other sports must sit out a year. But it’s becoming more
common for players to receive immediate eligibility in football and basketball,
too, for reasons that aren’t always clear.
Deciphering
why some players can compete immediately and others can’t is a difficult task.
When Oregon signed Terra McGowan, a freshman catcher who spent the fall at
Arizona State, it was assumed she would be eligible to play for the Ducks in
2019. Only later did we learn that, because of Pac-12 rules governing
in-conference transfers, McGowan wasn’t cleared to play this season.
Pac-12
rules require players who transfer within the conference to lose a year of
eligibility and miss a season of competition. The first penalty is often
waived, but to play immediately the player must be released by his or her
original school.
Arizona State
hasn’t released McGowan, sources have said, which means she’ll have to sit out
this season unless something changes. You can understand the intent, but the
complex matrix of conference and NCAA rules makes it hard to see any
consistency from one case to the next.
Here’s a
solution: Get rid of all transfer penalties. Set a deadline for each sport, and
tell players they’re free to transfer and play immediately as long as they do
so within the allotted time frame.
I’m sure
this would be unpopular with those who see unfettered player movement as a
problem. But I wonder: Is it really worse than what’s happening now?
Players
are going to transfer anyway. The least we can do is bring some consistency to
the process and demystify the parts that cause confusion.
And while
we’re at it, maybe we can beam that portal back down to Earth.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pac-12
football early look for 2019: Ranking the schedules (from Utah’s greased path
to Stanford’s ridiculous road)
The
Cardinal’s schedule is one of the most difficult in the history of the division
era
By JON
WILNER San Jose Mercury News
PUBLISHED:
January 31, 2019 at 9:24 am | UPDATED: January 31, 2019 at 5:35 pm
The third
installment in the Hotline’s early look at the ’19 season, an examination of
the schedules in team-by-team format, is below.
But let’s
start with a brief list: The nine games that, based on what we think we know,
will matter most:
Oregon vs.
Auburn (Arlington)
Northwestern
at Stanford
Arizona
State at Michigan State
Oklahoma
at UCLA
USC at
Notre Dame
Stanford
at UCF
Nebraska
at Colorado
Cal at
Mississippi
Notre Dame
at Stanford
That’s
eight Power Five opponents, plus UCF (a back-to-back New Year’s Six
participant) — all of them with the potential to shape the conference’s
reputation.
As we saw
in 2018, poor Septembers are exceedingly difficult to shake and carry immense
collateral damage.
Washington
State didn’t lose to a Power Five opponent, but the Cougars’ case was
undermined by results from the collective.
Before we
get to the SOS rankings, three (possibly) useful links:
Cross-division
schedule rotation 2019-2026
Order-of-finish
projections for 2019
All-conference
projections for 2019
Listed
easiest to toughest.
12. Utah
Non-conference
lineup: at Brigham Young, vs. Northern Illinois, vs. Illinois State
Toughest
stretch: Oct. 19 vs. Arizona State, Oct. 26 vs. Cal, Nov. 2 at Washington
Misses:
Stanford and Oregon
Comment:
Utes benefit from the switch in cross-division rotations, dodging two North
heavyweights. They took the arduous road to the South title last season. In
2019, the path is greased. That said, the non-conference lineup will be an
issue if they sneak into the playoff conversation.
11.
Arizona
Non-conference
lineup: at Hawaii, vs, Northern Arizona, vs. Texas Tech
Toughest
stretch: Oct. 12 vs. Washington, Oct. 19 at USC, Oct. 26 at Stanford
Misses:
Washington State and Cal
Comment:
Nice to see a Power Five opponent back on the schedule (first time since 2012).
Combine the non-conference dates with UCLA and Colorado as the openers for
Pac-12 play, and the Wildcats could be 5-0 when Washington pays a visit.
10.
Arizona State
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Kent State, vs. Sacramento State, at Michigan State
Toughest
stretch: Oct. 12 vs. Washington State, Oct. 19 at Utah, Oct. 26 at UCLA
Misses:
Stanford and Washington
Comment:
Sun Devils get a break this year after the grueling ’18 lineup. In addition to
what’s shown above, their only road trip in the final month is Oregon State. If
they’re in the South race when November arrives — and that could require a win
in Salt Lake City — the schedule tilts in their favor.
9.
Washington
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Eastern Washington, vs. Hawaii, at Brigham Young
Toughest
stretch: Sept. 21 at BYU, Sept. 28 vs. USC, Oct. 5 at Stanford, Oct. 12 at
Arizona, Oct. 19 vs Oregon
Misses: UCLA
and Arizona State
Comment:
Swap out one game (Hawaii on, Auburn off), and the schedule feels completely
different. The five-week stretch ending with Oregon will shape the season, for
November is mostly manageable. Not shown but noteworthy: A Week Two visit from
Cal.
8.
Washington State
Non-conference
lineup: vs. New Mexico State, vs. Northern Colorado, at Houston
Toughest
stretch: Nov. 29 at Washington. That is enough. That is all.
Misses:
USC and Arizona
Comment:
The Cougars don’t face any dastardly stretches, don’t play back-to-back roadies
and don’t have any Thursday/Friday conference games. But their ceiling is
limited if they can’t win the Apple Cup, unless they’re unbeaten when they head
across the state.
7. Oregon
State
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Oklahoma State, at Hawaii, vs. Cal Poly
Toughest
stretch: Nov. 8 vs. Washington, Nov. 16 vs. Arizona State, Nov. 23 at
Washington State, Nov. 30 at Oregon
Misses:
Colorado and USC
Comment:
Nice to see a Power Five opponent visiting Corvallis, and the Beavers return
the date to open the 2020 season. Their toughest games are at home (Stanford,
Utah, Washington) or a short drive down the highway. As was the case in ’18,
November is unforgiving.
6. Cal
Non-conference
lineup: vs. UC Davis, vs. North Texas, at Mississippi
Toughest
stretch: Sept. 21 at Ole Miss, Sept. 27 vs. Arizona State, Oct. 5 at Oregon
Misses:
Arizona and Colorado
Comment:
Bears have a difficult November (Stanford, WSU and the L.A. schools), but I
selected the late-Sept. stretch as their toughest because of the long trip to
Oxford, followed by a Friday date and the roadie to Autzen. Also, don’t sleep
on North Texas, which won nine games last year.
5.
Colorado
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Colorado State (Denver), vs. Nebraska, vs. Air Force
Toughest
stretch: Oct. 11 at Oregon, Oct. 19 at Washington State, Oct. 25 vs USC
Misses:
Oregon State and Cal
Comment:
Not sure what to make of the non-conference portion — it could prove
sneaky-tough or pleasantly soft (depending largely on Nebraska’s state of
existence). For anyone else, missing Oregon State would be viewed as a
disadvantage. For the Buffs, it means no nightmares.
4. Oregon
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Auburn (Arlington), vs. Nevada, vs Montana
Toughest
stretch: Oct. 19 at Washington, Oct. 26 vs. Washington State, Nov. 2 at USC
Misses:
UCLA and Utah
Comment:
The Ducks take the assignment UW had last year, opening in a non-neutral site
against Auburn. (One key difference: The Tigers will have a new quarterback.)
Otherwise, it’s not a soul-crushing schedule: No back-to-back roadies, two
well-placed byes and Colorado at home as the Friday night date.
3. UCLA
Non-conference
lineup: at Cincinnati, vs. San Diego State, vs. Oklahoma
Toughest
stretch: Nov. 16 at Utah, Nov. 23 at USC, Nov. 30 vs. Cal
Misses:
Washington and Oregon
Comment:
The Bruins have a favorable cross-division schedule, missing two teams they
want to miss, but it’s more than offset by the opening three weeks. Cincinnati
was 11-2 last season, and the Sooners are the Sooners. When SDSU is your most
manageable non-conference game, by far, the lineup is just this side of brutal.
2. USC
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Fresno State, at Brigham Young, at Notre Dame
Toughest
stretch: Sept. 7 vs. Stanford, Sept. 14 at BYU, Sept. 20 vs. Utah, Sept. 28 at
Washington
Misses:
Washington State and Oregon State
Comment:
The Huskies and Ducks are back on the schedule, which makes for choice viewing
but pushes the degree-of-difficulty well past daunting. And the schedule tilts
heavily to September, which raises the specter of a rough start … and
mid-season coaching change.
1. Stanford
2.
Non-conference
lineup: vs. Northwestern, at UCF, vs. Notre Dame
Toughest
stretch: Aug. 31: vs. Northwestern, Sept. 7 at USC, Sept. 14 at UCF, Sept. 21
vs. Oregon
Misses:
Arizona State and Utah
Comment:
If not for the misses (especially Utah), this would qualify as perhaps the
toughest schedule for any Pac-12 team in the division era. Put it like this:
Stanford’s ‘easiest’ non-conference opponent is a nine-game, Big Ten division
winner that beat Utah in the Holiday Bowl (and beat Stanford in the 2015
opener).
:::::::::::::::::
Payton Fredrickson
of Vancouver, Wash., chose track & field over ice hockey to come to WSU
Senior
looks to leave his mark after picking one passion over another
Senior
Peyton Fredrickson had the opportunity to walk-on at a Division II school to
play hockey, but instead decided to run track at WSU. “My heart’s always been
with hockey,” he said.
By SIGMUND
SEROKA, Evergreen
February
1, 2019
For Peyton
Fredrickson, track began as something he did in middle school just to spend
time with friends. But eventually, he discovered a talent for the high jump and
hasn’t stopped since.
Growing
up, Fredrickson enjoyed hockey the most, and track was something to do during
the offseason with his friends.
“My
heart’s always been with hockey,” Fredrickson said. “I lived in Texas for seven
years as a kid, so I’m the biggest Dallas Stars fan you’ll find in the Pacific
Northwest.”
A large
influence on Fredrickson’s love of hockey comes from his father, Daren.
Fredrickson said his dad played hockey for most of his life, and he always
encouraged him to pursue the sport.
When it
came to deciding which sport Fredrickson wanted to pursue, his mother,
Kathleen, made sure to provide her input on her son’s athletic future.
Fredrickson said his mom was a “track mom” and encouraged him to consider other
options besides hockey while he was young.
Coming out
of Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington, Fredrickson had two options:
pursue a career as a hockey player and accept a walk-on offer from a Division
II school, or run track at Division I university in the Pac-12.
When it
came down to it, advice from his parents and Julian Williams, the head
track-and-field coach at his high school, helped make Fredrickson’s decision
obvious.
Williams
told Fredrickson he would be considered one of the best athletes in the nation
if he went to a Pac-12 school, so he said why not, and now the senior is
competing in his final year with WSU.
“Peyton
was the type of kid you knew was going to be special from the first day he
walked on campus,” Williams said in an email.
Fredrickson’s
journey to Pullman didn’t come without some adversity. In high school, he
suffered a hairline fracture in his foot and in his senior season he tore his
plantar fascia, causing him to hobble around when he came to WSU for his visit.
Despite
the injuries, Williams said Fredrickson has always had a desire to be the best.
“Peyton
was our top jumper from his sophomore year on making it to regionals and or
state every year,” Williams said in an email. “[He] is one of the fiercest,
hardest working athletes I’ve coached but he also has one of the biggest hearts
too.”
Fredrickson
will be graduating in May with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. His
goals for this season include making it on the podium at conference
championships, being in the top-16 in the nation during the indoor season and
competing in the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
After
graduation, Fredrickson hopes to continue his jumping career and compete at the
next level.
“If I
clear 7 [foot] 3 [inches], then I’ll go back home and … see if I can’t make it
to the Olympic trials,” Fredrickson said.
:::::::::::
$10.1
million to market WSU-developed Cosmic Crisp apple
Majority
of apple royalties will fund marketing research, ads
By CHERYL
AARNIO, Evergreen
February
1, 2019
The Board
of Regents approved a four-year $10.1 million marketing campaign with
Proprietary Variety Management (PVM) on Jan. 25 to market the Cosmic Crisp, an
apple WSU has been developing for a number of years.
WSU does
not have all $10.1 million yet. Last year, the university received $4 million
in royalty revenue, said Scot H. Hulbert, interim associate dean of the college
of agricultural, human and natural resources sciences.
The
overarching plan is for Cosmic Crisp to enter stores this fall, Hulbert said.
“It’s a
pretty fast ramp up [of production],” he said. “No one has ever tasted it,
except for us.”
Because of
this, the vast majority of the royalty revenue for the next four years will go
into the marketing campaign, he said. They are slightly worried the product
will not sell.
PVM’s role
is to organize the production of the apple trees with nurseries and organize
the sales of the apples to licensed growers. They also keep track of every acre
planted.
Hulbert
said there are around 6,000 acres of Cosmic Crisp being grown, all in
Washington. He said he thinks this makes Cosmic Crisp the eighth biggest
variety in Washington, in terms of acreage.
He said
once the apples enter stores this fall, there will probably be fewer than
200,000 40-pound boxes in stores, which is a low number in comparison to the
amount of trees growing the apple.
There will
probably be another 3 million to 5 million trees planted this year, Hulbert
said.
By fall
2021, there will probably be 2 million boxes in stores and 5 million boxes by
fall 2022, Hulbert said. The university will receive 4.75 percent of the apple
sales from growers they give the license out to.
Hulbert
said the apple is different from other apples because of its storage shelf
life, flavor and texture.
Apples are
picked in the fall and sometimes end up in storage, so in the summer the fruit
is imported or has been in storage. This is why apples typically do not taste
good in the summer, Hulbert said.
Cosmic
Crisp, on the other hand, tastes good for a whole year, he said.
“The
marketing campaign is all about the success of the apple coming out and having
the consumers want to try it,” he said.
Last year,
WSU spent around $600,000 for a one-year contract with PVM, he said.
Much of
that contract was for marketing research, but some of it went toward
advertising, he said.
“We
thought we really needed to get the advertising going,” Hulbert said.
:::::::::::::
See WSU
Athletics news release …
.. about start
the 2019 Cougar football season by attending a Cougar Athletic Fund "Night
with Cougar Football" event throughout the state of Washington during
February and March.
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