Mike Leach spoke to the media today to talk about the Cougars newest signing class, which, as of now, sits at 23 prospects. The Cougars have one open spot and have not yet received a letter of intent from Oaks Christian linebacker Eddie Rudinski.

Transcript

Leach on current signees...

(On kicker Matthew Abramo...) "One of the strongest legs I've seen."

(On offensive lineman Cedric Bigge-Duren...) "He's a big offensive lineman and is going to get better and better. He already has good feet."

(On cornerback Treshon Broughton...) "Great cover corner, quick feet. Instincts are good."

(On receiver C.J. Dimry...) "He's a big target, great vertical route runner and good at catching the ball over his head."

(On quarterback Tyler Hilinski...) "He's on campus now. Big guy, but also kind of mobile. He's extremely productive, both when he's in the pocket and outside the pocket."

(On safety Shalom Luani...) "One interesting thing about him is when he was in Samoa he played nationally on the American Samoa National Soccer Team, so he has great feet and is very quick. He's an aggressive player and smart."

(On defensive lineman Hunter Mattox...) "Big, strong football player. Good hands and very active out there at the line of scrimmage."

(On defensive lineman Jeremiah Mitchell...) "He's on campus. Big, strong, tenacious pass rusher. Very high motor guy and a great player."

(On cornerback Darrien Molton...) "I think as he continues to develop is going to get better and better. He's incredibly quick."

(On offensive lineman Noah Myers...) "He's gotten bigger and stronger since we recruited him. Noah, like all these offensive lineman, are fairly flat-stomach guys, so they're fairly athletic people that, in addition to their current frame, which is fairly big, we can put additional strength and weight on."

(On linebacker Nnamdi Oguayo...) "Big, tall, lanky kid with big hands and big feet at outside linebacker. He runs well and is going to turn into a very good, solid player. He has a big frame to put a lot of weight on."

(On offensive lineman Davis Perrott...) "He's kind of a mean streak guy. He has quick feet."

(On linebacker Aaron Porter...) "Great at pursuing the ball. Passionate about playing football and a great tackler."

(On safety Kameron Powell...) "He might be taller than 5-11. Not only a very intelligent player but also very quick at sorting it out and breaking on the ball."

(On offensive lineman Joseph Price...) "Another mean streak guy that plays with a very aggressive mentality and he has great feet."

(On receiver Kyrin Priester...) "Very good in workouts. Big, strong, extremely physical at wide receiver as well as being fast. Just really an outstanding athlete."

(On offensive lineman Amosa Sakaria...) "Just a solid, strong player."

(On safety Deion Singleton...) "Tall, lanky safety. Has great feet."

(On receiver Kyle Sweet...) "Great feet, great coming out of his cuts. He's also played a lot of positions, so he has an ability to pick things up. Intelligent as a football player."

(On linebacker Logan Tago...) "Great athlete that can play on both sides of the ball. Really good athlete and there's multiple positions he can play — safety, linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive end, tight end, outside receiver, inside receiver, he can play a lot of positions."

(On defensive lineman Thomas Toki...) "Very traditional, hard-nosed, aggressive nose guard."

(On running back James Williams...) "Extremely explosive with a low center of gravity. He can hit his cuts."

(On defensive lineman T.J. Fehoko...) "He can play inside and on the end [of the defensive line]. He's a quick, athletic defensive lineman."

Leach talks about the recruiting cycle

"I'm proud of our staff. I thought they did a tremendous job. I thought they put together a good class. We still expect a couple [more recruits] and I look forward to the opportunity to coach these guys"

(On getting a lot of defensive guys without a defensive coordinator...) "I think the biggest thing in recruiting is relationships, continuing to be persistent and making sure people understand and value the relationship with them ... that the program's maintained a solid relationship with them when they come up here. I think our coaches did a great job with that. And also, as we got people up here on visits, with the facilities in place ... they got to see the commitment here and I think that kind of rubbed on them individually."

(On Grinch and Manning helping with this class...) "They're both great recruiters and they both contributed to the class, no question. It was a good opportunity spending time with them in airports and in cars and whatnot. They've really done a good job. They're great people and we took our time in the whole process selecting who was going to coach those defensive positions and we're very excited about these two guys."

(Did you notice the loss of two coaches prior to Manning and Grinch?) "Probably a little bit. I think the guys we had worked harder and got more places faster, I think. The guys we had were incredibly aggressive recruiters and I think it's paid off."

(What does Joe Salave'a bring to the table?) "An awful lot. Just on our staff, Joe is one of the most passionate football people I've ever met. Everything about him is about football. I think it rubs off on our players, I think it rubs off on our coaching staff and certainly our recruits."

(On recruiting Santa Margarita...) "The thing is, they're a great program, they're always successful, they coach fundamentals and technique, they develop players better than nearly a whole lot of high schools do and everybody we've had from SM has done a good job for us, so it's nice to be able to recruit a whole lot of them."

(Do you look for leadership qualities in JUCO transfers?) "Right now we just want them to adjust and get adjusted. Some of them have to get in shape. In a four-year program, as far as the offseason, the lifting, the running, is more demanding, so we need to get them caught up. These guys are the right kind of guys, so they're aggressively pursuing that, working extremely hard, but the biggest thing is we just need to adjust them and get used to going to school here. When we get to spring football, it's one day at a time and one day at a time. They just need to steadily improve and carve out their role."

(How do you go about evaluating mental toughness?) "Some of it you can see on film. On film, sometimes you can see it. You can see if he's a smart player or not. You can see if it means something to him and you can get a better read on that if you meet them, meet their families and on visits."

(On signing day commitments...) "I'm never surprised when somebody picks our school."

(On Dennis Simmons rumors...) "Dennis is going to Oklahoma. He had the opportunity and he's been thinking about it. So, yeah. He's going to Oklahoma."

(What's the identity of this class?) "Big offensive line, a defensive line with speed and defensive backs with speed. Really, we needed an overall class and that's what you'd like to have every year, is an overall balanced class. I think the quality of the offensive line, the defensive line and defensive backs is good."

(Do you feel like the classes have got better and better since you've been here?) "Yeah, I think they've definitely gotten better."

(On lack of in-state recruits...) "We'll have some in-state walk-ons and things like that, but the biggest thing is we take the best ones as they come ... you take what you're looking for and you're after them and then you sign them up. We recruited in-state, we recruited in state aggressively, but these are the ones that we felt like fit. We fit them and they fit us."

(On the number of de-commitments...) "Everybody has them. I'll bet there isn't one program in the country that hasn't. I think it's a constant — people get social media faster than they ever have, more than they ever have and information gets passed in a split second. Someone can deliver some kind of impression in somebody's mind. Recruiting is covered at a higher rate than it ever has been. There's too many cooks in the kitchen on recruiting. I think anytime you ever get beyond coaches and parents, that's too many people. I think, well, then you have things like all-star teams and all the media there. I think it creates a higher level of distraction and it's more volatile that it has been. There's always been an element of it, but this year, and we're certainly not the only one, but you guys are asking questions before we can even get it on paper."

(On filling up the class...) "If we don't end up full today, we'll be pretty darn close. I haven't had the number of how many we have. We have 23. So if we get a couple more, we're full."

(On HS prospects enrolling early...) "Quarterbacks are more inclined to do it. My thought on it has always been is if a guy is anxious to do it, ready to do it, then it's a good choice. If it's a guy that's going to get homesick a little bit, if it's somebody that's going to wish they played a spring sport, missing out on the final chapter with their friends, then I think they should stay in high school. If they're anxious to do it, I think it's great. Tyler has a great attitude and is excited. He does a great job. Quarterbacks typically do pretty well."

(What are the challenges of recruiting with social media now...) "The biggest change is just there's more distractions. That would be the biggest change. I mean, a guy that really wants to play, those type of guys, they don't usually get caught up in a ceremony. Those guys are typically are the ones with the mentality that adjusted quicker. Now, with that said, there's some that love the ceremony that will eventually be great players. Of course, as you recruit them, everybody has been 18, you get distracted."

(On early signing period...) "I've typically been against an early signing period. This thing goes fast enough. I think it's worth looking at. I think it's closer now to what is has been."

(How much of Simmons' departure hurt you guys down the stretch?) "I don't think it necessarily does. I don't know how it affected the players. That's difficult to say and it's hard to gauge. This whole business of commitments, I mean, commitments have a lot of shapes and degrees to it, so a less committed guys tend to flip and more committed guys don't, so that part is hard to gauge. And then, of course, Dennis has been aware of the opportunity and just recently decided that's what he was going to do, so the underlined impact in all that is anybody's guess."

(How does the information get out?) "It originated here just now. As far as peoples intentions or thoughts or what they're looking at, I imagine some of that is a way it can verbally get passed around."

(Thoughts on how this class compares with your previous ones...) "Very good. I think this class, in my opinion, is the best one I've had since we've been here."

(Guys that stand out...) "The guys that adjust the quickest are the guys that stand out, and then of course the JUCO guys are a little more experienced. We'll know more on that as we get into spring and see who adjusts the quickest."

This post was edited on 2/4 4:06 PM by Britton Ransford

This post was edited on 2/4 4:07 PM by Britton Ransford

Salt Lake City (UT) Cottonwood DL T.J. Fehoko will make his college decision between Washington State, N.C. State and Nevada tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. PST, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

WASHINGTON STATE 2015 RECRUITING CLASSSIGNED[/B]
QB Tyler Hilinski, 6-3, 187, Upland, Calif., HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The skinny: Hilinski is a smart, savvy quarterback who runs the offense well and he can make all the short, intermediate and long throws. Rated the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in the 2015 class, Hilinski has proven through his career that he's one of the best quarterbacks in the state of California. Hilinski seemed to get bigger at every event during the offseason and showed off tremendous accuracy and good decision-making. What was most impressive this offseason was his ability to place the ball right where he wanted it on out routes, fades, slants, everything.

Projection: Hilinski, who arrived on campus in January, will likely redshirt as a true freshman, though he could provide some quality competition behind Luke Falk and Peyton Bender, especially with an early start in the program, something the previous two quarterbacks didn't have.

Grade: A

******************

DE Jeremiah Mitchell, 6-5, 255, Rs. So., Riverside, Calif., C.C.
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The Skinny: "For his size, Jeremiah is a very athletic and disruptive force on the defensive side of the ball," Leach said. "He is an instinctive pass rusher with a great motor with the chance to make an immediate impact." At 6-foot-5 and 255-pounds, Mitchell looks like the real thing, and was one of the most decorated defensive ends on the West Coast. He is lightning fast and plays with a passion, which will allow him to make an immediate impact in opposing backfields in 2015. Rivals.com rates Mitchell as a two-star prospect, but in my eyes he's closer to a four-star with his pure strength and speed.

Projection: Washington State brought Mitchell in to have a quick impact and he should be competing for playing time in the two-deeps by fall camp. It also helps that he will get into a weight program and work through summer ball as an early enrollee.

Grade: B+

******************


WR Kyrin Priester, 6-1, 188, Rs. Fr., Snellville, Ga., Clemson transfer
Video highlights: Commitment
Recruiter: Dennis Simmons

The Skinny: "This guy can motor. I think he is a Jaron Brown with a little more speed and athleticism," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said of Priester. "Jaron Brown played as a rookie a lot and played in the NFL with the Cardinals this year. He will be a very versatile player and we can move him around and he has an ability to stretch the field." Priester was dismissed from the Tigers' program due to an attitude problem, though the Washington State staff vetted that situation.

"Ky has Jacoby Ford explosiveness," his former head coach said. "He's a little longer than Jacoby, but he's that fast. We haven't put the clock on him, but he's a legit 4.4 guy. He's pretty explosive. The ones he snatches, it's like Sammy Watkins. As soon as he snatches it, he just leaves everybody that we play.

"Watkins is more physical, and what Ky has to work on is taking the daily grind of tackling and DBs coming at him. He just needs to get a little stronger and get more physical up top. He has speed and quickness, all that. He just needs a little more of a BCS body, and we're working on that right now."

Projection: Priester will have to sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules, but that will allow him to work on the "BCS body" his coach speaks of. It will have been awhile since he's played competitive football, having played just one game on special teams for Clemson in 2014, but he's another exciting talent that has a chance to make an impact in 2016.

Grade: B

******************

DB Deion Singleton, 6-2, 175, Pasco, Wash., Chiawana HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: N/A

The Skinny: Singleton is a former four-star defensive back who had offers from the majority of the SEC before moving to Pasco, Wash., from the Tallahassee, Fla., following his junior year. He's a rangy and quick defender who could play safety or cornerback for the Cougars, though they will likely start him out at cornerback. Leach calls Singleton "just an incredible athlete."

Projection: Singleton was a player who likely would have seen time at cornerback last season, as the Cougars burned a number of redshirts at cornerback and safety. Having already arrived on campus, he'll get a chance to work with new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch immediately and work through spring ball, which will benefit him exponentially. I would expect Singleton to push for playing time as a freshman, be it at special teams or cornerback.

Grade: B

******************

OL Noah Myers, 6-4, 300, Walnut Creek, Calif., Las Lomas
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: Myers earned the offensive line MVP award at the NorCal RCS last summer, which vaulted him onto the radar. After dropping 30-pounds, Myers doesn't carry much bad weight and seems to be developing solid technique. He has a strong punch, long arms and a solid frame. He'll likely work on the inside, but could also develop into a right tackle. He's hard-nosed and physical and enjoys getting into tussles and mixing it up with defensive lineman.

Projection: Like the rest of the offensive lineman in this class, Myers will redshirt this season and get his body in better shape after getting into a college weight lifting program. He has the strength and technique to be a quality contributor down the road.

Grade: B

******************

DT Thomas Toki, 6-3, 307, Mountain View, Calif., St. Francis
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Toki is a wide body at the defensive tackle spot, and while he doesn't have great height, he moves very well at his size. Height really isn't too big of an issue at nose tackle, which is where he'll likely play, anyway. He does well at taking up space in the middle, freeing up linebackers in the middle, though he is also above-average at getting past blockers in a one-on-one situation. He has a very high ceiling.

Projection: Depending on what kind of shape he shows up to fall camp in, Toki could be asked to play immediately with Xavier Cooper and Toni Pole out. He's been a difference maker in high school and would likely face some hurdles early as a freshman, but he's smart on the field and makes a lot of plays. As much as they'd like to redshirt him, he'll likely see some playing time as a true freshman.

Grade: A

******************

OL Cedric Bigge-Duren, 6-6, 307, Oceanside, Calif., HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Clay McGuire

The Skinny: Bigge-Duren has phenomenal size at 6-foot-7 and nearly 300-pounds and he's versatile enough to play offensive tackle or guard. He does a nice job with his hands and moves his feet well for someone his size. He does a nice job getting arm extension and uses his massive body to overpower blitzing linemen.

Projection: Bigge-Duren will most likely redshirt, as has been the case for several offensive lineman over the years, and especially because the Cougars return their offensive line. I think the two-star was severely underrated as he dominated on a very good Oceanside team, which pounded the rock. Duren will be a multiple-year starter for the Cougars when it's all said and done.

Grade: B+

******************

OLB Nnamdi Oguayo, 6-4, 210, Beltsville, Md., High Point
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Oguayo arrived on the Washington State radar late, and he's still raw, but he has great size with the ability to add about 50-pounds. He's strong for his size and has excellent speed, which allows him to get to the quarterback with ease. It won't be that easy in college, so adding weight will be priority number one, but he's versatile in that he can play in coverage or rush with his hand down. He's a natural athlete that, with some coaching up, could be a steal. Very smart kid, too.

Projection: Oguayo needs to hit the weight room, but he has the tools to develop into a quality BUCK-type linebacker in the Pac-12. He's smart, studies film and will benefit greatly from a redshirt season.

Grade: B-

******************

OL Joseph Price, 6-5, 290, Redlands, Calif., East Valley
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The Skinny: Price is another massive body that has a ton of brute strength. His footwork is further along than most in this class and he's a decent pass and run blocker, but could use a year or two to refine his skills. His frame is where it needs to be, but he needs to be coached up a bit.

Projection: Price is set for a redshirt year, but he has a lot of potential as an offensive tackle down the road.

Grade: B-

******************

LB Aaron Porter, 6-2, 230, RS So., Norwalk, Calif., Cerritos C.C.
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: Porter, a former four-star linebacker prospect, was a beast for Cerritos this year and is your prototypical inside linebacker. He has the speed necessary to get out on the edge, but is an above-average tackler and can clog up holes in the middle. The Cougars may have found their MIKE linebacker for the next two years.

Projection: I expect big things from Porter, who will be expected to come in right away and contribute. He doesn't need work in the weight room and should be familiar with the Cougars' 3-4 defense. He brings Pac-12 experience with him and should help bolster a shaky linebacker group that lost a few faces.

Grade: A-

******************

CB Darrien Molton, 5-10, 165, Temecula, Calif., Chaparral
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The Skinny: Molton doesn't have a wow-factor, but he is a very solid, all-around cornerback. He does the little things well, has fluid hips and is a sound tackler. He has solid speed and was a highly sought prospect before shutting things down with Washington State. The Cougars found a cornerback who may not end up being an All-Pac-12 player, but will be solid down the road.

Projection: Cornerback is a position group that is going to be pretty crowded this year, so a redshirt season is likely in the cards for Molton, who could use a season in the weight room.

Grade: B

******************

CB Treshon Broughton, 6-0, 180, So., Riverside, Calif., C.C.
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The Skinny: Broughton is an aggressive, speedy cornerback that likes to challenge receivers, isn't afraid of contact and is comfortable on an island. Confidence isn't an issue with Broughton, who looks to be a legit 6-foot. He covers like a blanket and is a sound tackler.

Projection: Make no mistake about it, Broughton, who has three years to play two, will be expected to lock down one of the cornerback spots, likely the boundary corner spot. I think he'll be able to step in right away and be productive. He'll have lapses as he adjusts to Pac-12 receivers, but I think his future in the Washington State secondary is bright. Being disciplined will be key, but he recovers well.

Grade: B

******************

RB James Williams, 5-11, 185, Burbank, Calif., HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: Williams suffered a devastating ACL tear after just one game this year, which could cause him to miss part of or the entire 2015 season, though he still brings a lot to the table. He's a true all-purpose back with a nice blend of speed, power and elusiveness. He keeps defenses guessing and has legit burst in traffic. How he comes back from the ACL tear will tell the story here, but he has awesome potential.

Projection: After having surgery in October, Williams still faces a lengthy recovery. He likely won't be ready until after fall camp, which points towards a redshirt season. He should be ready to rock for spring ball next year.

Grade: B

******************

K Matt Abramo, 6-2, 175, Petaluma, Calif., Casa Grande HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: According to Chris Sailer, Abramo is a very talented kicker and has perhaps the strongest leg in the nation. He hits a very nice ball off the ground, his field goals show huge potential and his kickoffs are already D-I ready. He has a bright college future, Sailer says, and has a great attitude and work ethic.

Projection: Scholarships for kickers are rare, however the Cougars were in desperate need of immediate help at the position and the staff should expect Abramo to come in immediately and try to take over both the kickoff duties and field goal kicking duties. I would be surprised if he doesn't end up handling both.

Grade: B

******************

DL Hunter Mattox, 6-4, 255, Chatsworth, Calif., Sierra Canyon
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: Mattox is a bull on the inside but can use his legs to chase runners down with his deceptive speed on the outside. His true position will likely depend on how his body develops, as he says he's still growing. I would expect him to be an interior lineman, but the potential for Mattox is off-the-charts. He's an extremely intriguing prospect.

Projection: It will really depend on how he develops over the offseason, but what I've seen on film is very good technique, an aggressive style and he could certainly push for some playing time early. He's likely headed for a redshirt year, which would be ideal, because he could grow into a massive force with a redshirt year.

Grade: B+

******************

OL Davis Perrott, 6-5, 270, Phoenix, Ariz., Mountain Pointe
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Clay McGuire

The Skinny: Perrott has a nice frame and carries very little bad weight, Rob Cassidy says. He boasts ample upper body strength, but will need to develop before he is ready to contribute on the FBS level. He has a really nice frame, though, which reflects the double-digit offer sheet. He's a good run blocker and will still have to work on pass blocking at the next level.

Projection: Perrott is still a project at this point, but his raw strength and large frame makes him a ideal candidate to take a year or two off and learn the basics of the spread offense. He's a guy that would make an impact later than sooner, but there's a lot of potential.

Grade: C+

******************

WR Christopher "C.J." Dimry, 6-6, 210, RS So., Mission Viejo, Calif., Saddelback College
Video highlights: Commitment
Recruiter: David Yost

The Skinny: Dimry's recruitment started last Thursday and a week later he finds himself signing a letter of intent to a Pac-12 school. Lightly recruited out of high school, Dimry has excellent size for an outside receiver and does an OK job high-pointing the ball. His speed doesn't jump out on tape, but he has enough of it. He'll be a red zone threat at the next level, but not much more than that.

Projection: Dimry fills the void that Dahu Green was going to take. With two years left, he'll come in and compete for a spot in the rotation, but I expect there will be a steep learning curve, as he didn't exactly dominate last year as most JUCO receivers who move up do. I think we'll see the best of Dimry in 2016.

Grade: C-

******************

WR Kyle Sweet, 6-0, 183, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Catholic HS
Video highlights: Link
Recruiter: Jim Mastro

The Skinny: Sweet seems to always find a way to get open and he runs very crisp, on point routes. He changes directions quickly and is athletic enough to make the tough plays. His speed isn't elite, but it's Pac-12 ready. Nothing about him will blow you away, but he does everything very well and reminds me a lot of River Cracraft, who he learned under at SM.

Projection: I think Kyle Sweet can come in and play as a true freshman. His skills as a receiver are prototypical for the slot in Mike Leach's offense and he's a hard worker, who takes coaching well. He should have a chance to play early. I think the Cougars may have found themselves a steal, a very good one, at that.

Grade: B

******************

S Kameron Powell, 5-11, 192, Upland, Calif., HS
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Ken Wilson

The Skinny: Powell is a pure safety who does a nice job reading where a play is going and then making the tackle or getting a pass deflection. He's super physical and a head-hunter, Gorney says, so receivers have to be constantly aware of his location on the field. He's a sound tackler and loves the big hit. He has decent speed and his range is nice. Sometimes he gets sloppy in coverage, but makes up for it pretty well.

Projection: It's hard to gauge whether Powell could play as a true freshman, because he is still pretty raw, but I think he's a much better prospect coming out of high school than Darius Lemora was, though Lemora had a year to redshirt. He could certainly end up being in the safety mix this year, because he is a very talented safety, though he would likely be best suited with a redshirt season.

Grade: A-

******************

LB Logan Tago, 6-3, 210, Pago Pago, A.S., Samoana
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Tago's size is what immediately stands out. He's long and could play on both sides at the next level, but his primary position is outside linebacker. He is speedy, physical and a sound tackler. He can get to the quarterback but also hang with receivers in coverage. On offense, he could play in a tight end-type role, though I believe he'd be best suited on defense.

Projection: Like most kids from American Samoa, Tago will likely need to take a year to redshirt and get better suited to the game. He has an extremely bright future and was probably the top prospect in Samoa during this cycle.

Grade: B

******************

OL Amosa Sakaria, 6-3, 280, Pago Pago, A.S., Tafuna
Video highlights: Link
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Sakaria is a massive body who projects as a guard for the Cougars. He's powerful and was a top defensive tackle for Tafuna, too. He's aggressive and has decent technique. Brandon Smart of FH100 says he's a smart player and loves to be coached.

Projection: Sakaria will surely redshirt while shaping his body and getting into a groove of eating the right way and such. He has a bright future, however, and adds to a solid offense line class.

Grade: C+

******************

S Shalom Luani, 6-1, 200, So., San Francisco, Calif., CCSF
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Luani was a two-year starter for one of the premier programs in the nation. He is a ballhawk of a safety and has the size and speed to become an impact player in the Pac-12. On film, he throws his body around with reckless abandoned, yet shows strong tackling skills in the open field. The Cougars got a good one with Luani, who also excels on the soccer pitch and was previously committed to Oregon State.

Projection: Luani, one of the top JUCO safety prospects in this class, should be able to come in and make an immediate impact in a secondary that had its fair share of troubles last season. Luani is my pick for breakout player in this class.

Grade: A-

******************
DE T.J. Fehoko, 6-1, 255, Salt Lake City (UT) Cottonwood
Video highlights: List
Recruiter: Joe Salave'a

The Skinny: Fehoko destroyed opposing quarterbacks in high school, finishing with 77 sacks in four years, leading the entire country during that span, and it had nothing to do with a lack of competition. He had 34 sacks as a junior. When you look at his film, he could play any of the linebacker spots or as a down defensive lineman, which I would expect him to play at WSU.

He can run well for his size and he has a chance to get much bigger. Fehoko has great hands and great feet and a really good knack for what's going on, his coach says. He's always around the ball and he makes a lot of player, obviously. This is a good pickup for the Cougars.

Projection: Given that he's likely to start out on the defensive line, I would expect Fehoko to take a year off and add weight, which shouldn't be difficult with his frame. An absolute beast of a pass rusher, Fehoko has a chance to be an animal in the Pac-12.

Grade: B+





This post was edited on 2/4 4:47 PM by Britton Ransford

Two de-commitments, one verbal commit and some news that Washington State WR coach Dennis Simmons could be on the move, as well. There's less than 48 hours until signing day - have any questions? I'll be here to answer them throughout the night.

Rivals analyst Adam Gorney, citing a source, says that while Michigan and Arizona State are still after Washington State receiver commit Deontay Burnett, "he could very well stick with the Cougars" despite attempts to flip him on NSD.

While many were glued to their TVs on Super Bowl Sunday, Burnett was on a plane back to Southern California from an official visit to Michigan when reports began circulating that the three-star receiver had committed to the Wolverines. Shortly after the flight, Burnett informed Gorney that he had not committed to Michigan and that he didn't want to make an emotional decision following the visit.

Mike Leach and others on the Washington State staff have been in Burnett's ear since his decision to take the visit, telling him that the passing opportunities in the Pac-12 are plentiful compared to Jim Harbaugh's power-style running game in the B1G.

"This could be a build-up for a Signing Day switch," Gorney says, before clarifying that "no one seems to know right now whether Burnett will stick with his Washington State pledge or go to one of the two other schools chasing him late."

The buzz, however, right now, is that Burnett will stick with Washington State, which would be a big win for the Cougars this late in the cycle.

MORE: Our Rivals.com team believes Burnett could be one of the top sleepers in the entire 2015 class


This post was edited on 2/3 10:37 AM by Britton Ransford

After more than a month searching for a DC, the hired John Pease who last coached in 2010. He has a lot of experience, both in college and the pros. But, it seems a little desperate to me. What do you think about this hire? Is it a better hire than Alex Grinch?



John Pease

Mission Viejo (Calif.) Saddleback College wide receiver [db]Christopher Dimry[/db] was an unknown on the recruiting trail under a week ago. Outside a couple letters from Syracuse, the 6-foot-6, 210-pound receiver had no intentions of signing a letter of intent on Wednesday.

But, as many have discovered over the last couple days, things can change quickly in recruiting, and that's exactly what happened with Dimry, who says he'll be signing with the Cougars after picking up an offer on Monday night.

"I really felt comfortable when I went up to Pullman," said Dimry, who officially visited over the weekend. "Obviously it's the ideal offense for me to play in since they throw so much, so I felt it was the right fit for me and especially with all the new facilities they have, it was an easy sell.

"They called me about an hour ago and I talked to Coach Leach. I was really excited and I can't wait to get to work. Leach just said that he can't wait to throw me a lot of fades. He wants me to go up and get the ball, and that's what I'm good at, so I can't wait to get at it."

With three-star receiver Dahu Green flipping from Washington State to Oklahoma on Monday evening, a spot in the 2015 class opened up for Dimry, who now joins [db]Kyle Sweet[/db], [db]Deontay Burnett[/db] and [db]Kyrin Priester[/db] as receivers in the current class.

Dimry, who has two-years of eligibility remaining, will come to Washington State with experience playing in a spread offense at Saddleback College, where he hauled in 26 catches for 541 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore.

"We ran the spread at Saddleback, so I'm familiar playing on the outside in that offense," Dimry said prior to his visit. "The way Leach did stuff with [Michael] Crabtree and those other guys, then again with Vince [Mayle], the things he's doing is working, so I would be really blessed to have a chance to play with him."

With his size and his route through the JUCO ranks, Dimry will draw comparisons to former Washington State star Vince Mayle, who he kept a close eye on last season.

"I actually brought Vince up before the visit, because I was actually following him last year because of the JUCO connection with him, too," Dimry said. "I feel like I could draw from him and do similar things that he did as a big-bodied receiver."

Dimry lightly recruited out of Carlsbad (Calif.) La Costa Canyon in the 2012 class and eventually enrolled at Palomar College. After playing as a freshman, Dimry redshirted in 2013 while working on academics. He then transferred to Saddleback prior to the 2014 season.

And after several years of bouncing around with uncertainty, Dimry finally found a home, an unexpected one at that.

"I was just looking for an opportunity," Dimry said. "I feel like I can play at the D-I level and obviously Washington State is the ideal offense with the passing and everything, so that's really cool.

"I'm just glad to have the opportunity."


This post was edited on 2/2 11:35 PM by Britton Ransford

To Oklahoma. Now do the cougs offer 6'6 210 juco WR C J Dimry who has 4.5 speed who visited this weekend? This was expected.

This post was edited on 2/2 7:10 PM by ElComanche

Beltsville (Md.) High Point OLB/DE Nnamdi Oguayo has committed to Washington State, his coach tells WW.

Mission Viejo (Calif.) Saddleback College WR C.J. Dimry has committed to Washington State. I'll have more soon.

what's happening with Jonah Moi. The last reports had him visiting TCU (or was it Oregon?).

Mission Viejo (Calif.) Saddleback College WR Christopher "C.J." Dimry picked up an offer from Washington State tonight. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound receiver officially visited over the weekend. Syracuse was also interested in Dimry.

With Dahu Green flipping to Oklahoma tonight, this offer is a no-brainer. I would expect a commitment from Dimry tomorrow.

For the Knot Hole Gang per BR twitter. Oguayo is a 6'4 210 OLB/DE fro, Maryland. Excellent pickup Some good news

Sacramento (Calif.) Grant offensive tackle Darrin Paulo will make his college decision today and is down to Washington State, Oregon, Nebraska, and Utah. I think this decision comes down to Washington State and Nebraska with the Cornhuskers holding a slight lead. We'll see.


This post was edited on 2/2 12:47 PM by Britton Ransford

Moore (Okla.) Westmoore WR Dahu Green has flipped from Washington State to Oklahoma. This news doesn't come as too big of a surprise, given the three-star receiver's official visit to Norman over the weekend, coupled with rumors that his primary recruiter, Dennis Simmons, is linked to the Sooners outside receivers job. It's another tough blow to the WSU class.

With Lavan Alston committing to Nebraska over the weekend, George Wilson, a three-star Utah receiver commit, is the only receiver prospect on the Cougars' hot board who still has Washington State interest. JUCO receiver C.J. Dimry, who visited over the weekend, could also be a potential replacement in this class, though he does not yet hold an offer.

With Deontay Burnett also weighing his options following an official visit to Michigan, the Cougars' receiving corps, which was once a strength of this class, is now left with Kyle Sweet as the only solid verbal commitment. There will surely be some movement at receiver over the next 24 hours.

Tustin (Calif.) WR George Wilson and Murray (UT) Taylorsville DE Mufi Hunt will make their college decisions at 11 a.m. PST and 10 a.m. PST, respectively, at their high schools on Wednesday.

Wilson almost becomes a priority recruit now that Green has flipped to Oklahoma and Burnett looking at Arizona State and Michigan. The thing with Wilson, though, is that he seemed to cool on Washington State and focusing on Boise State and Utah, where he's committed, after the Cougars landed Green, but he'll have a Washington State hat on the table. Dave Yost is his recruiter.

Hunt will be making his college decision between Utah State, BYU, Michigan State, Oregon State and Washington State. The Cougars, for quite awhile, were in good position to land the three-star defensive end, though he's probably a long shot at this point. Hunt will take a two-year mission following graduation and arrive at the school of his choice for the 2016-17 season.


This post was edited on 2/2 9:15 PM by Britton Ransford

If he indeed had a agreed to take the OU job, WSU should have got him out of Pullman the day he accepted and hire Jarrail Jackson to take his place. He was a lame duck recruiter for us once he took the job. Trying to hold out and wait until after signing day killed this class. Tezino probably found out he was leaving, Green knew he was heading to OU, Burnett probably knows and will end up at ASU because we haven't hired his replacement yet. Faamatau flipped to ASU, Sykes flipped to Nebraska all in the last week. Would have some flipped? Sure, but Tezino went from 100% committed to decommitting 2 days before signing day.

This falls on Moos and Leach. Moos talks about running with the big boys, well big boys don't let coaches try and fill out a class that are leaving. Did they offer him money to stay? Was the pay raise so big at OU that he we couldn't match it? Lincoln Riley is making $500K to be their OC, I don't see Simmons making anything near that. Maybe $350K, he was making about $210K, could we have not got him up to $300K or so? I don't know.

From a class that had so much promise to scrambling to just sign 25 kids is tough.

Link: https://washingtonstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1732474

Washington State is the latest school to show interest in Baytown (TX) Lee College PF Ahmed Mohamed, according to a Twitter report from Brad Winton of JucoRecruiting.com. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward is from Alexandria, Egypt.

Mohamed played his senior year of high school at Sugar Land (TX) Trent Internationale School before signing with Houston as a member of the 2013 class and redshirted last year. He then transferred to Lee College this season.

As a redshirt freshman, Mohamed is averaging 16.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. You can check out his current statistics at this link. Mohamed holds an offer from Tulsa and is also hearing from Arkansas, Wichita State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

The Cougars recently signed four prospects in the 2014 class, including two JUCO players - Derrien King and Renard Suggs - in addition to high school prospects Robert Franks and Jeff Pollard.

Ernie Kent says Pollard, a forward out of Bountiful (UT), will likely go the prep school route and arrive in Pullman for the 2016-17 season. Franks has put together a big year at Vancouver (Wash.) Evergreen, though there have been rumors that grades could be an issue.

It's clear, though, that the staff believes they will have room for one more player in this class, preferably a big man to pair with Valentine Izundu (also a former Houston transfer) in the front court next season. I'm hoping to have more on Mohamed in the coming days.

Link: https://twitter.com/JucoRecruiting/status/562404862848020480


This post was edited on 2/2 4:48 PM by Britton Ransford

I just received a text message from four-star linebacker Kyahva Tezino who says he has de-committed from Washington State. Tezino declined to explain the reasoning for the decision, but a flip to San Diego State would seem likely.


This post was edited on 2/2 12:54 PM by Britton Ransford

It's about "negative recruiting." A WSU assistant might be the one referenced in the "Stats Mean Nothing" segment.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/12249013/coaches-go-art-negative-recruiting

Monday's chat went pretty well, so I'm going to do another one here until about noon today. Drop your questions on WSU here and I'll get to them when I can.

According to a report by The Football Brainiacs, Washington State outside WR coach Dennis Simmons is a candidate for the Oklahoma Sooners vacancy. When asked whether he would be the new WR coach at Oklahoma today, Simmons said "I have no comment," according to the report.

I have been unable to confirm the report on the Washington State side, however a source close to the Oklahoma program says the Sooners have already made their two hires - receivers and defensive backs - and are waiting until after signing day to make the news official. The source says the rumor around Norman is that Simmons has already agreed to accept to position.

The obvious connection here is that Simmons worked with new Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley while at East Carolina and Texas Tech. The Sooners could likely offer Simmons, who has quickly become one of the top WR coaches in the nation, a substantial raise in salary.

I'm still working on confirming this story, so stay tuned.

As reported on BR Twitter and others ,Tezino a four star commit has decommited from WSU.I wonder if he is going to SDSU? Rumors are that their coach is on the hot seat and may not be around after this year.

Anaheim (Calif.) Servite 2017 WR Terrell Bynum says Washington State offered today. It's the first offer for the 5-foot-11, 167-pound receiver, who is also hearing from UCLA, USC, Miami, Nebraska, Utah and Oregon.