Sunday, April 21, 2019

News for CougGroup 4/21/2019


FOOTBALL:

At WSU scrimmage, echoes of Minshew



By DALE GRUMMERT Lewiston Trib 4/21/2019



PULLMAN – If only because of the repetitive nature of Washington State’s offensive drills, Cougar quarterbacks can sometimes begin to resemble – and not only in practice – the automatic passing machines that wide receivers use to hone their skills. 



One thing Gardner Minshew did last fall, while guiding the Cougars to an 11-2 season, was inject some welcome dynamism into the mix. Even after his departure, some of that quality was still there Saturday.



Partly inspired by Minshew’s example, Anthony Gordon in particular augmented his comely passing skills with a keen pass-rush radar and a dash of improvisation as the Cougars staged their annual Crimson and Gray football scrimmage in rainy and then mild conditions at Martin Stadium.



And Gordon didn’t need to strain his memory. Minshew, though he’s finished with school and intently prepping for the NFL draft, spent a chunk of the spring in Pullman and was on hand again Saturday.



“Gardner was actually giving me a few tips during the spring on how to extend plays without really scrambling,” Gordon said. “Hearing his insight is a big help.”



Whether he was tucking the ball and running (occasionally) or just buying extra time by scooting around the pocket (frequently), Gordon put a premium on moving the first-down chains, a la Minshew, while directing the Gray to touchdowns on its first three possessions.  He passed 21-of-30 for 234 yards, and his only interception came on a deflected ball.



The Crimson won anyway, 25-24, if anyone cares. And no one should. The Gray led 24-13 when time expired before young reserves took the field for three extra series and walk-on Aaron Angelos found Brandon Gray (of the Gray, naturally) for a long gain to set up the decisive touchdown.



For the second straight spring, Gordon and Tinsley raced seemingly neck-and-neck the entire four weeks, knowing the real race will come in preseason camp when they’re joined by a third party. Last year it was Minshew and this time it will be Gabe Gubrud, the injured graduate transfer who threw in warmups Saturday but saw no action.



“I thought Gordon went out there and played pretty well – let it rip,” coach Mike Leach said. “I thought Trey was tentative at times.... Gordon in particular had a pretty good scrimmage.”



Tinsley and Renard Bell hooked up for one of the prettiest plays, a 31-yard touchdown pass punctuated by Bell’s end-zone backflip. And no, officials didn’t answer the flip with a flag, as they would certainly do in a genuine game.



But Tinsley, on his next possession, lost his grip on the ball near the line of scrimmage and was intercepted by Nnamdi Oguayo, and his Crimson didn’t find the end zone again until Max Borghi scored on a short run in third quarter. The rest of the second half was devoted to the education of second-year freshman quarterback Camm Cooper, who played spottily for both squads.



Even Tinsley, whose natural habitat is clearly the pocket, evoked Minshew more than once, breaking loose for a 26-yard scramble to spark his TD drive.



“I was thinking, ‘I’ve never been in the open field before.’” he mused. “I got out and, ‘Oh, this is weird.’”



Travell Harris broke free for a 33-yard reception from Gordon, while he and Easop Winston Jr. finished with seven catches each. Bell wound up with five snags for 108 yards.



Blake Mazza missed a 32-yard field goal but later connected from 50.

Oguayo, the speedy defensive linemen who missed much of last season with an injury, complemented his pass theft by barging into the backfield and nearly intercepting a handoff to Borghi.



“When he’s healthy, I think he’s the best end in the Pac-12,” said linemate Will Rodgers III, who tallied three sacks himself. “We just feed off each other.”



Jahad Woods made seven tackles (for the Gray), while Jalen Thompson, George Hicks III, Bryce Beekman, and Tyrese Ross intercepted a pass apiece.



It was the first Crimson and Gray game at Martin Stadium since 2010, ending an eight-year run at Albi Stadium in Spokane. Officials had hoped for a large turnout but, with storm clouds hovering, perhaps only 1,000 general-admissions fans showed up, all of them directed to the north stands.  When the rain did arrive, emphatically, in the second quarter, spectators were allowed to flee to the dry seats under the press box on the south side.



The stadium was crawling with former WSU quarterbacks, who had gathered for a golf event in Pullman the previous day.  Two of them, Jack Thompson and Mark Rypien, raised the Cougar flag before the game.



Another, Minshew, seemingly raised the ante for his successors – just as he did throughout the 2019 season.



RUSHING – Gray: Max Borghi 4-28, Cole Dubos 3-12, Gunner Cruz 2-3, Anthony Gordon 6-(-8), Camm Cooper 3-(-9). Crimson: Trey Tinsley 3-34, Clay Markoff 3-23, Borghi 7-13, John Bledsoe 1-11, Dominic Tominiko 2-10, Aaron Angelos 1-4, Cruz 1-(-2).



PASSING – Gray: Gordon 21-30-1-234, Cooper 7-10-1-42, Gunner Cruz 4-7-0-45. Crimson: Tinsley 11-21-2-155, Cooper 5-9-1-64, John Bledsoe 6-8-0-64, Angelos 4-7-0-66, Cruz 0-3-0-0.



RECEIVING – Gray: Travell Harris 7-103, Easop Winston Jr. 7-52, Calvin Jackson 6-66, Rodrick Fisher 3-51, Cole Dubots 3-23, Kassidy Woods 3-21, Clay Markoff 1-7, Nick McManamon 1-6, Blessing Leiato 1-3. Crimson: Renard Bell 5-108, Brandon Gray 4-71, Brandon Arconado 4-40, Fisher 3-28, Tay Martin 3-25, Dezmon Patmon 2-38, McManamon 2-9, Billy Pospisil 1-5, Mitchell Quinn 1-11, Markoff 1-4.



 SCORING PLAYS – K. Woods 8 pass from Gordon, Bell 31 pass from Tinsley, Jackson 2 pass from Gordon, Harris 33 pass from Gordon, Borghi 1 run, Mazza 50 field goal, Fisher 16 pass from Bledsoe, Tominiko 1 run.



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BASEBALL:

Cougars blow lead in ninth, end up tied with 12th

Via info from Lewiston Trib



LOS ANGELES — The Washington State baseball team squandered a five-run advantage in the ninth, then permitted Pac-12 foe USC to tie it at 10-10 in the 12th, forcing the bout to be called due to a travel-day curfew Saturday.



WSU (8-27-1 overall, 1-13-1 Pac-12) led 9-4 in the ninth before the Trojans loaded the bases with three consecutive singles, then whacked two more to score two. A sacrifice fly and bases-loaded plunked batter knotted it up.



In the 12th, the Cougs’ Tyson Guerrero led off with a double and was later bunted home, but USC (17-20-1, 8-9-1) again responded, taking advantage of errant Wazzu pitching, then deadlocked it with an RBI-double.



The Cougars had vaulted ahead behind Andres Alvarez’s four-hit outing and Dillon Plew’s third-inning grand slam, one of his three knocks.



WSU starter AJ Block fanned eight and got into the seventh.



The Cougs led by as much as 8-2 in the sixth frame before USC began to chip away.



There were a combined 372 pitches thrown — WSU used seven hurlers — both teams had 13 hits and the game lasted over four hours.



Cougs next play Gonzaga on Tuesday. The tilt will be broadcast on SWX.



WSU    006   002   001   001—10   13   1

USC    200   002   005   001—10   13   2



Block, Baillie (7), Moyle (9), Mills (9), Newstrom (10), Sellers (11), Barnum (11) and Plew. Lambert, Beller (3), Clarke (6), Hurt (11) and Lozano.



WSU hits — Sinatro, Alvarez 4 (2B), Plew 3 (2B, HR), Manzardo, Montez, Guerrero 2 (2B), Polinsky.



USC hits — Sabol, O’Guinn 2 (HR), Acosta, Ramirez, Lozano 2, Owens 3 (2B), Shockey (2B), Stubbs.



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FOOTBALL: Gordon electric, new defenders rise in WSU Crimson and Gray Game



By Braden Johnson, Cougfan.com



MIKE LEACH ACKNOWLEDGED before Saturday’s Crimson and Gray spring game kicked off in Pullman that the battle to start at quarterback for Washington State won't be decided until fall camp. But one quarterback stood apart with his showing Saturday and strongly appears the frontrunner to challenge graduate transfer Gage Gubrud for the reins.



Fifth-year senior Anthony Gordon completed 21-of-30 passes to the tune of 234 yards and 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, (at one point he was 25-30 for 227 hashes and 3 TDs). Playing exclusively for Team Gray, Gordon staked his team to an early 21-7 lead, helming scoring drives on his first three possessions. 



Team Crimson edged out Team Gray 25-24 in a game that was extended by Leach beyond its two-hour television time allotment in order to get all the QBs reps, save for Gubrud who did not play (ankle).



Leach and the Cougars’ assistant coaches split the two teams close to even, though it can be argued Gordon faced a stronger defensive unit. Team Crimson’s starting-11 featured 2018 starters Jalen Thompson, Jahad Woods and Will Rodgers as well as four players – Bryce Beekman, George Hicks, Dominick Silvels and Dillon Sherman – who have taken first-string defensive reps in at least three practices.



Related: 5 instant takeaways from WSU spring game



Gordon’s footwork was on display throughout the contest. He completed several passes after stepping up in the face of pressure or rolling outside in either direction.



The Pacifica, Calif., native’s first two scores came on the goal line. Gordon hit outside-turned-inside receiver Kassidy Woods on an 8-yard hitch on the game’s first drive, then found senior outside X receiver Calvin Jackson Jr. on a 2-yard slant to give Team Gray a 14-7 edge.



Before Gordon’s scoring toss to Jackson, fellow fifth-year senior Trey Tinsley connected with Team Crimson teammate Renard Bell over the top on a 31-yard crossing pattern. Bell capped the play with a memorable backflip in the right corner of the end zone and capped an efficient 7-play scoring drive for Tinsley.



It proved to be Tinsley’s lone touchdown pass for Team Crimson. Tinsley finished 11-of-22 for 155 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

Tinsley’s pick came at the hands of one of the Cougar defense’s top playmakers of the day. Fifth-year senior Nnamdi Oguayo (6-3, 255), who has consistently been the first-teamer at the spot this spring, snared a botched throw from Tinsley on his third drive. The ball slipped out of Tinsley's hand after the d-line pressured on a shift right.



Oguayo finished with 3 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and sacked Tinsley on the following drive. 



WOODS LED ALL defenders with 7 tackles. Second-year freshman Tyrese Ross led Team Gray with 6 sacks and 1 interception at free safety. Defensive tackle Will Rodgers turned in an impressive three sacks for Team Crimson.



MEANWHILE, GORDON ARGUABLY delivered the best ball of the afternoon on his third and final scoring toss. After completing two passes to give Team Gray a first down, Gordon hit Travell Harris (5-9, 180) on a vertical route up the left hash mark for a 33-yard touchdown. 





Gordon pump-faked and found Harris across the middle of the field. Harris went untouched after beating both the cornerback and safety off his first move. 



Harris tied Winston for the game-high in receptions (7) and 103 receiving yards and seemingly set up what looks to be a monster battle with Bell for the right to start at H. Bell led Team Crimson with 5 receptions and was the game’s leader in receiving yards (108).



Gordon’s lone interception of the day came at the tail-end of the first half and on his fifth and final drive of the game. Fourth-year junior Shaman Moore (6-1, 170) tipped a throw wide of its intended target, enabling Hicks (6-1, 190) to close on the ball and secure the diving interception.



THE FIGHT for first and second-team reps in the secondary has been competitive all spring and only amplified on Saturday. Moore and fellow junior college transfer Daniel Isom each broke up a pass for Team Crimson.



Both players have consistently run with the second-string defense, with Isom typically playing corner in weak side coverage and Moore bouncing back and forth between cornerback and nickel. Moore had 5 tackles while Isom finished with 4.



For Team Gray, Beekman got the starting nod at free safety. He played alongside Thompson – a three-year starter at free safety – and may have given fans a glimpse at who Thompson’s running mate will be in backend coverage in 2019. 



Beekman had two tackles and picked off Tinsley in the end zone on a vertical route on the final play of the first half. Tinsley’s intended receiver was junior Tay Martin (6-3, 185), on the Hail Mary but Beekman (6-2, 190) flashed the closing speed he’s showcased this spring, jumping in front of Martin after rotating right.



The Louisianan later nearly picked off second-year freshman Cammon Cooper on a hitch pattern early in the fourth quarter.



Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys mixed and matched personnel groupings and zone coverage looks all afternoon. Three players – Sherman, Justus Rogers, Fa’ave Fa’ave - all saw action at MIKE linebacker.



Rogers and Fa’ave had 5 tackles each for Team Gray while Sherman finished with 4 stops and 1 tackle for loss for Team Crimson.



On the defensive line, Claeys and position coach Jeff Phelps gave third-year sophomore Lamonte McDougle the first-string nod at nose tackle for Team Crimson over senior Misiona Aiolupotea-Pei. The two worked in together at the position throughout the spring and both players have been kicked out to defensive tackle in small sequences.



Karson Block and R.J. Stone shared reps at RUSH linebacker for Team Crimson. On Team Gray, Silvels got the first-team looks but split time with fifth-year senior Tristan Brock, who finished with 2 sacks.

There were two notable defensive absences. 2018 starters Marcus Strong and Willie Taylor did not dress in uniform and joined Gubrud on the sideline.



LEACH DID NOT indicate in the run-up to the game whether Gubrud would play. Gubrud took his first scored reps in 11-on-11 during Thursday’s practice but doesn't appear 100 percent just yet.



With Gubrud on the shelf Saturday, Leach turned to Cooper as his third quarterback in the contest. Cooper struggled with his downfield reads and rhythm, throwing two-plus incomplete passes on two drives. Twice, Cooper had a man open deep but didn't see him (a trend on the day that afflicted all the Cougar QBs per color man Ryan Leaf on the TV broadcast) and opted to check the ball down on a slant or screen.



The lefty finished 12-of-19 for 106 yards with 2 interceptions.



AT DAY'S END, third-year sophomore John Bledsoe turned in one of the game’s more impressive drives in relief of Cooper. Though the final horn had sounded and he primarily played with and against scout-teamers, Bledsoe engineered a 9-play, 75-yard scoring drive in "overtime" to give Team Crimson its third and final touchdown and the victory.



Bledsoe completed 6-of-8 passes for 64 yards and connected with second-year freshman Rodrick Fisher on a 16-yard corner post in the end zone. 



The showing was a far cry from Bledsoe’s performance in the 2018 spring season, where he was picked off multiple times in several practices and threw the game’s lone interception. On Saturday, Bledsoe demonstrated an improved accuracy that has been present this spring and showed good timing with WSU’s younger cast of receivers.

Leach gave freshman Gunner Cruz 10 plays to close the scrimmage. Cruz was 4-for-10 for 56 yards.



The lone score on the ground came from sophomore Max Borghi on a handoff from Tinsley on the first drive of the second half. Borghi's run was one of his usual slippery gems, and he finished with 31 yards on 11 carries. Backups Cole Dubots and Clay Markoff received three carries apiece -- complete stats below.





CFC TV: WSU QB Camm Cooper owns up to rough spring game showing

5 instant takeaways from WSU spring game



By Barry Bolton Cougfan.com





1. Gordon on the run is a very good thing

Time after time as Gordon engineered three TD drives on his first three possessions he moved away from pressure and threw on the run -- his accuracy on those throws was striking. Gardner Minshew showed the value of an Air Raid QB that can extend plays. On Saturday when it came to passing with accuracy on the move, Gordon looked to be in midseason form. Gordon was by no means perfect: his overall accuracy tailed off toward the end -- and like all the QBs on the day, he missed open WRs running free. But what he needs to fix might be the things that only get fixed with actual game experience on Saturdays.



2. A d-line held back broke through

The Crimson beat the Gray 25-24 and while 49 collective points against the D might not satisfy crimson defensive purists, d-coordinator Tracy Claeys employed a vanilla defense and didn't blitz. Even though the Cougs only rushed three or four all day, the defensive line got push and applied pressure enough to likely please d-line coach Jeff Phelps. On the other hand, offensive line coach Mason Miller couldn't have been pleased. Yes, there were certainly times the o-line gave the QB a clean pocket. And the No. 1 o-line was also split up between the two rosters, and that surely had an effect. But the projected starters also struggled to turn back the rush on too many occasions.



3. More Mr. YAC, please

Fullback Clay Markoff only had four touches but every single one of them was fun to watch. The 5-9, 225-pound walk-on junior looked Toby Gerhart-like at times: a nimble runner with yards after contact guaranteed to follow. He also had a nice catch and run for a first down. Max Borghi is the clear starting running back. And Cole Dubots on Saturday looked like he might have a chance to stick in the running back room this fall. But Markoff looked like a guy who can make a difference on an unsuspecting defense. At the very least, here's hoping he gets a long look in fall camp to see what he can do with the ball in his hands.



4. Trey Tinsley knows what he has to do

Tinsley actually started out hotter than Gordon - his first drive was immaculate. But a dangerous floater, followed by a Dave Krieg soapdish special gift-wrapped for Nnamdi Oguayo, ended his second drive. When Tinsley is in rhythm, he looks the part of a starter. When he gets out of rhythm, even his short and intermediate throws don't always have enough pace or accuracy. And that split-second is often the difference between a three-yard gain and a big chain-mover.



5. WSU inside wideouts look ready to bounce back

The Cougar inside receivers are going to put up a lot more yards this season than last if Saturday was any indication. Renard Bell, Travell Harris and Brandon Arconado all impressively showed the ability to find open space -- and to hit the afterburners after the catch. The 6-4 Kassidy Woods made a phenomenal leaping grab (alas, he came down beyond the chalk in the end zone).  Last season, the Y and H receivers took a back seat to the X and Z wideouts. But at the spring game on Saturday, assistant coach Dave Nichol's group grabbed the limelight.



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Philip Dana Cleveland, 84, formerly of Pullman



    April 20th, 2019 Moscow Pullman Daily News



Philip Dana Cleveland, 84, of Mead, Wash., passed away at home on Saturday, March 30, 2019, surrounded by a family who adored him.



Born to Dana and Marie Cleveland on Feb. 11, 1935, in Lewiston, Phil displayed an impeccable work ethic from an early age. The oldest of four children, he balanced jobs before and after school in addition to helping care for his younger siblings.



Phil graduated from Pullman High School in 1953. A tried and true “Coug,” Phil graduated with a B.S. from Washington State University in 1957 and completed his master’s degree at WSU in 1959.



Before heading to medical school, Phil joined the United States Navy in the Medical Service Corps.



He served as a clinical chemist for the Navy from 1959-62. He graduated from The University of Washington School of Medicine with his M.D. in 1966.



Phil practiced Family Medicine in Omak, Wash., from 1967-84; an era that allowed family physicians to exercise a broader skill set in their care of patients.



Phil served his community well, from office visits to general surgery, labor and delivery, administering anesthesia, making numerous house calls and nights in the emergency room.



He was especially known for his nurturing bedside manner, always infused with wit. Dr. Cleveland was deeply committed to his patients.



In 1984, Phil moved to Spokane to serve as director of Family Medicine Spokane. In 1996, he was appointed Assistant Dean of the University of Washington School of Medicine.



He held that position until 2007. At age 72, Phil “attempted” retirement. It didn’t stick.



He resumed practicing, seeing patients at an urgent care center on Spokane’s north side until he finally agreed to retire on his 80th birthday.



In addition to patient care and teaching, Phil served on numerous boards and committees at both the state and national level.



In 1976, he was acting president of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians and ultimately served as the Vice President of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1986.



Most recently, he served on the Washington State University Foundation Board of Trustees and was honored to be recognized by the WSU Foundation at their annual gala in October 2018.



Dad made us promise not to write an obituary that read like a C.V.



Therefore, we are tasked to write a piece the honors the whole man and the life he lived.



In so doing, we believe, above all, that he would have wanted us to share the following: Phil was an inspired woodworker who created beautiful pieces on the lathe in his beloved shop.



He read EVERYTHING.



He was fascinated with war history and could answer any question on the topic.



Phil was also a licensed pilot in earlier years, and enjoyed taking his family on excursions in the twin engine Cessna he shared with a friend.



He was fond of hunting and for 25 years, Phil joined his college buddies on annual trips to the Montana woods in search of elk.



He was a talented cook and a grill master; known for preparing breakfast on his outdoor pancake grill and feeding all community members who stopped by to watch the annual Omak Stampede Parade from our lawn.



Phil loved to play golf with his youngest brother, Brad.



The son of an impeccable musician, Phil played a mean trumpet and established a Dixieland band that played together for several years.



In addition, he adored singing Barbershop.



His college quartet stayed together for decades, with annual reunions and performances.



Phil organized a hometown Barbershop Quartet during his years in Omak. The quartet rehearsed in our living room every Tuesday night for years.



The sound of harmony, laughter, and the bond they shared; all of it, drifting up the stairs to where his daughters were to have been tucked in and asleep.



Secretly, we sometimes camped out on the top of the staircase so we wouldn’t miss a beat ... or an off-color joke. (Phil was famous for those, too.)



Philip is survived by his devoted wife, Doris Cleveland, whom he married in 1988.



He is also survived by his three children and five grandchildren: Shannon Cleveland Miller; her husband, Tim Miller and sons, Colin Moulton and Spencer Moulton, Margaret (Peg) Cleveland Plambeck; her husband Timothy Plambeck and their daughters, Anasofie and Julia, and Patricia Cleveland and her son, Isaac Muench. Phil’s brothers, Greg Cleveland of Yakima, Wash., and Brad Cleveland of Stanton, Wash.; his sister Carolyn Cleveland Giger of Leavenworth, Wash., and their respective families also survive him.



Phil will be greatly missed by all who loved him. Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life in early May. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Phil’s name to the WSU Foundation, to Athletics or the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. PO Box 641925, Pullman, WA 99164. “Once a Coug, always a Coug.”



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WSU Football:

Recruits flooding Pullman for WSU’s Crimson and Gray spring game



A 5-star recruit from Seattle highlights an exceptional group of unofficial visitors.



By Scott Cresswell

Coug Center April 18th 201



The move back to Pullman from Spokane for the Washington State Cougars spring game is proving to be quite a boon for football recruiting. Through reporting from 247sports.com and players’ Twitter accounts, we are seeing seven players so far planning a trip to the Palouse this weekend.



The biggest name of the group is unquestionably Kennedy linebacker and five star recruit Sav’ell Smalls. The 6-foot-3/220-pound outside linebacker is the top player in the state as well as the best player in the country at his position and the 7th player overall, according to 247. WSU has managed to get into the mix for Smalls by offering him the chance to play running back unlike the rest of the top programs recruiting him.



Another in-state player making the trek to God’s country is Monroe wide receiver JR Little. The 6-2/175-pound 3-star recruit is coached by former WSU receiver Micheal Bumpus. Little is mostly seeing interest from Ivy League schools so far, as well as the Cougars.



A couple of roadgraders from the west side are also reportedly tripping to eastern Washington. Camas lineman Caadyn Stephen is a 6-6/295-pounder who is ranked the 16th best player in the state. He holds offers from the Cougars as well as Colorado, Cal and Oregon State. He definitely has the frame that offensive line coach Mason Miller looks for in his unit. Eastside Catholic lineman Jernias Tafia could be a fit on the interior on both sides of the ball. The 6-4/325-pounder is considered the 27th best player in the state by 247 and holds an Arizona State offer.



Every year the Air Raid attracts big-time quarterback recruits and this weekend is no exception, as Lexington, Kentucky, signal-caller Beau Allen is traveling all the way to Pullman. Allen is a 6-2/203-pounder who is rated as a high 3-star prospect and ranked as the No. 19 pro style quarterback in the country. He holds offers from lots of big programs like Georgia, Michigan and West Virginia.



Menlo, California, cornerback Justin Anderson has been a Cougar target for awhile and is reciprocating the interest this weekend. The 6-foot/165-pound Anderson is a 3-star recruit who holds offers from Boston College, Iowa State and Utah.



One player who will be a featured recruit next year and who will be here this weekend is Lebanon, Oregon, linebacker Keith Brown. The early No. 1 player the for the state of Oregon for 2021 holds offers from both in-state schools and is a 6-1/220-pound inside run-stuffer.



The move back to Pullman for the Spring Game is already looking to be a smashing success, at least recruiting wise.



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