DL Jacob Schuster
- Thread starter taf88
- Start date
Make 1 trip thru the state. Whoever is interested, invest some time to get to know them. Everyone else, dont waste another minute.
Time to move on from in state kids. Im looking at the top 15 list here.... not 1 guy verballed to WSU.
Enough is enough. Stop investing in areas that wont come to your school. Pissed coaches??? Oh well. CWU is looking for guys.
Time to move on from in state kids. Im looking at the top 15 list here.... not 1 guy verballed to WSU.
Enough is enough. Stop investing in areas that wont come to your school. Pissed coaches??? Oh well. CWU is looking for guys.
I agree, invest time on instate kids that show interest, pissed HS coaches, big deal. I'm old enough to remember when WSU had the majority of the roster from in state, guess what? we had really poor teams most years
Put your $ into SoCal and Hawaii. Stop investing in in state kids that wont even visit campus.
You’ve said it before, gotta beat UW...and do it in style. Then in state kids will give Pullman a look. When you are getting destroyed by your in state rival year after year, those in state kids won’t take you seriously. The Tracy Fords of the world (not that I give two shits about guys like that but they do influence kids) will jump right on board when you plant the flag in the ground and the kids are taking notice.
Until that happens you invest minimal time/legacy kids and those you have a chance with, and hit the trail hard in talent rich areas. Rolo should be able to do well in Hawaii, that will help especially on the lines.
Yes should have just thrown in the towel when we missed on Steve Emtman and just recruited online. Maybe Russia or Australia where they haven't even heard of the Huskies.
Even though it is sad to miss on these kids, recruiting instate is the backbone of a successful program. For one, it doesn't cost much. You build pipelines, get media coverage in these local markets, and they put fans in the seats. I've seen instate kids bring 40 fans to a game. And its with the instate kids where the magic happens, like a Rypien or Bledsoe. Obviously, Washington isn't rich in recruits, but you still have to try...
Even though it is sad to miss on these kids, recruiting instate is the backbone of a successful program. For one, it doesn't cost much. You build pipelines, get media coverage in these local markets, and they put fans in the seats. I've seen instate kids bring 40 fans to a game. And its with the instate kids where the magic happens, like a Rypien or Bledsoe. Obviously, Washington isn't rich in recruits, but you still have to try...
Kind of a weird time to give up on in state recruits when Rolo hasn’t even had a year to build relationships. Have to believe with some time and info out there on play style etc. we will pick up a few more in state guys. But I do agree it should received no more attention than any other area of recruiting.
Im not saying dont try. Im saying dont over invest. Look at the top 15 list for WA. Kids are leaving the state in droves.
You know that all the Tracy Ford's and WA Coaches, and Parents, and Poor Ole Little Ole WSU Fans out there DEMAND, EXPECT that Poor Ole Little Ole WSU take all the 1,2 star, NR, Big Sky, Mountain West, Whitworth, CWU, EWU, the Instate WA players that are ranked 50th to 150th, that play for 8 man teams, etc, while UW gets all the 3 star, 4 star, 5 star, top 25 in state kids.
And getting all those supposed diamond in the rough, under the Radar, LOWER ranked WA in state kids is the key to success at WSU, at least according to the Tracy Ford's, Walden, Paul Wulf, WA Coaches, and even some posters here.
Coach Walden said on more than one occasion he didn't feel Coach Leach prioritized recruiting home grown Washington athletes to WSU. Sounds like Milkallas you heard the same things from your various sources.
I always thought CML did pretty well in state, especially with the big hosses and a few uber-athletes mixed in.
Are you still talking recruiting or the mass exodus of Seattle residents?
Altho Walden got WSU to the Holiday Bowl, Walden wasnt that successful.
His ratio was about 4,5,6 bad years to 1 good year. And he was Paul Wulf like at Iowa State.
The reason why Walden says what he says, is that if you do it Walden's way at WSU, and recruit WA, your likely to get 1 awesome recruiting class filled with awesome in state recruits, and 2,3 recruiting classes filled with average WA, in state recruits, and 4,5,6,7 recruiting classes filled with bad Paul Wulf like WA in state recruits.
Which means that you will have 2 good years per every 10 years, 2 average years, per 10 years, 6 bad years per 10 years, just like what Walden had at WSU.
And of course Walden forgets about all the lots of bad, and only remembers the good, when it comes to him or WSU recruiting WA.
Thats a nicer way of saying that Walden thinks, acts like a idiot sometimes, and this is one of those times.
When it comes to WSU recruiting WA, there are the following recruits WSU can get.
In no particular order:
1. 4,5 star Legacy(A Noah Williams in football,etc), 4 star QB, 4 star WR, that from Spokane, that fits WSU
2. A lowest ended 3 star.
3. A 2.5 star.
4. Lowest ended 2 star, NR, 2.5 star.
If WSU has a Leach or Price or Erickson, etc, great, Legendary good coach, WSU can get the 4 star Legacy, 4 star QB, WR, and 3 stars, at best.
If WSU has a average to above average coach, then 2.5 star to lowest ended 3 stars.
If WSU has a Paul Wulf then lowest ended 2 stars, NR's.
About 65% of the time WSU is going to have below average to average to above average coaching, teams, that would get about 2.5 star, to lowest ended 3 stars out of WA at best.
Now when it comes to 2 stars, 2.5 stars, NR, etc, there are:
1. Under the radar, diamond in rough.
2. They are 2,2.5, NR stars.
When a WSU coach gets 2.5 stars on average, there is about a 67% chance on average, that the 2.5 star will be a Late bloomer, Diamond in rough, under the radar, that is either that, an or gets developed.
A Smart, good WSU coach, will figure this stuff out, and know that because of this, recruiting WA, is ALMOST a complete waste of time.
Also other reasons why its almost a complete waste of time:
1. Coaches, Media, Players, etc, have been brainwashed for the last 33 years that WSU is the place for 2 stars, NR, etc, and that UW is the place for 3,4,5 stars, etc.
2. One only has to look at Walden, Price and his 4 good recruiting classes out of 10 years, and 6 bad, worse recruiting classes out of 10 years, Leach, Rolo so far.
3. One only has to look at this recruiting class:
A. Leach has built a good program, that goes to Bowls, gets ranked, etc.
B. WA has its deepest class ever, with even the 33rd ranked in state player probably being a 3,3.5 star.
3. Rolo is supposed to be a great players coach that is supposed to be good at recruiting.
But yet despite those 3 things the top 17 to 33 in state players either left the state an or didnt commit to Rolo and even if they had, wouldnt sign with Rolo.
One would think that WSU, Rolo should have at least gotten 1,2,3 in state recruits from the Top 33 in state WA recruits. One would think that at least the 33rd ranked recruit would goto WSU.
But they didnt. And all Rolo, WSU got was the 50th to 100th to 150th ranked WA recruits.
Now despite that, its worked out ok, because Rolo was a good evaluator, and most of the 2 star, NR, supposedly whitworth recruits, got REEVALUATED by the recruit ranking services like Rivals, got reranked to 3 stars, from 2 stars, AFTER they were offered, and after they committed to WSU.
But despite that, this proves that that OVER INVESTING in WA recruiting is bad.
This was the PUT UP OR SHUT UP time for all the Tracy Ford's, WA recruits, Parents, Coaches, Walden's, etc, that DEMANDED, that WSU recruit WA.
Well Rolo put them, WA to the test, and they WA, players, coaches, parents, Tracy Ford's, Walden's, ALL OF THEM, FAILED MISERABLY, and because of that SHOULD SHUT UP THEIR DEMANDS, EXPECTATIONS of WSU recruiting WA.
IF THEY REALLY WANTED WSU TO RECRUIT WA, then they should have seen to it that at least 1,2 out of the top 33 WA recruits, even the 33rd WA recruit, goto WSU, instead of only the 50th to 100th to 150th ranked WA recruits. They BLEW IT, and should SHUT UP about recruiting WA now.
The right way to recruit is as Biggs, others have said:
1. You put, assign the special teams coach to WA.
2. 1,2,3 times a years, you have all your coaches, spend 1 day calling, visiting all the coaches, and identifying the top 13 to 15 to 17 players in WA, find out if any are interested, and if not move on.
3. You do 1,2 camps a year, where you invite the top 25 players in the state. If you get any of them, or any interest, then great, if not, then move on.
4. You spend the Bulk of your time, money, resources, coaches, visits, etc, in Southern CA, in Hawai, in Samoa, in Texas.
5. You get the best you can get from anywhere even if they just recently immigrated to Maine, or Florida, or Alaska, from Russia, etc.
And thats what LEACH, and the best WSU coaches have done.
Leach didnt do good or bad in WA, as he largely RIGHTFULLY ignored WA.
Yeah he would probe, ask if amy of the better, best WA recruits were interested, and once in a super great while either got 1 of them or at least got some interest. And if that happened great, if not, he moved on, and then rightly ignored WA.
And he did get some OL, etc, from WA, that were 2.5, lowest ended 3 stars.
But that's only because he Leach is a awesome evaluater.
So you:
1. CORRECTLY, ACCURATELY EVALUATE.
If there are any under the radar, diamond in rough, late bloomers, etc, you get them.
2. If you get any interest from the top 23 WA recruits, then great, if not Move on.
3. And if you dont get either of interest from top 23 WA recruits, an or if no legit under radar, diamond in rough, late bloomers, etc, then you move on, ignore WA.
4. And if you get Waldens, Tracy Fords, Coach, etc, saying you should recruit WA better, then you dont cave in to their pressure, you dont get 50th to 100th ranked whitworth WA recruits from WA, and instead just keep on ignoring WA, and the Tracy Fords, etc, and let them get blue in the face, from their stupidity.
If I were running the recruiting strategy, I'd first look at who already had connections in our traditional areas. With those connections in mind, I'd probably juggle things to have 4 full time guys in SoCal, 1 in the Bay Area and 1 covering the Sacto/valley/Nevada area. Ideally these would be mostly younger, more able to travel guys, though the flights available to SoCal are probably the best you will find out of either Portland or Seattle connectors. I'd have a guy who could recruit the islands; that probably means either islands experience or Poly family background. The same Poly background might also make sense for that guy to pursue any Utah kids that show interest. I'd have a guy who is not as mobile (lots of potential reasons; every staff has at least one of these guys and you have to put him somewhere) covering central WA, E WA and Idaho. I'd have one guy for BC, W WA, SW WA/Portland and that guy would probably also be the wild card for the occasional recruit that pops up due to legacy or other reasons elsewhere in. Canada or Montana. That uses up most of the staff. The couple of remaining guys would probably go to some combination of Texas/Oklahoma, Florida or Chicagoland, depending upon whether any of them have pre-existing connections there.
ALL of these guys would adopt the Biggs strategy...some initial attention...if they show interest, continue. If not, move on to kids who show interest. I don't care if that means that only 3 out of the top 20 in BC, W WA and SW WA/Portland show interest...if that is the case, then you only focus on 3. And since that guy is also my "rest of Canada" and Montana guy, there will be probably at least another dozen kids to at least speak to once or twice. I'd almost be surprised if one more kid out of that group does not show interest. Agree completely that competitive Apple Cup games will help our odds in that area over time. With 6 guys going to California and one in the islands, I'd expect 70-80% of the class to come from there. That leaves the occasional kid who wants to get out of Texas/Oklahoma or Florida; and/or who has felt disrespected by the SEC & B12 recruiters. You only need a half dozen kids who feel that way to end up with 2 or 3 recruits. And I can tell you from personal experience that a lot of kids in TX/OK think the idea of going to the west coast or the rocky mountains sounds really good. There is a reason why Colorado has been the #1 (or close to it) out of state vacation destination for Texans for the past 40 years or so.
All that said, if one of my assistants was from greater Chicagoland, I'd send him there. Same for Houston, or Dallas, or central Florida. Maybe even for Metro NY/NJ, though we don't tend to get assistants from there. All those areas not only have great recruiting populations; they also are a potential relationship springboard, since (for example) a relationship in Houston might very well have good friends in San Antonio. Give an assistant 3 years in a territory and if he is any good he will have a good information pipeline...and that is where it starts.
ALL of these guys would adopt the Biggs strategy...some initial attention...if they show interest, continue. If not, move on to kids who show interest. I don't care if that means that only 3 out of the top 20 in BC, W WA and SW WA/Portland show interest...if that is the case, then you only focus on 3. And since that guy is also my "rest of Canada" and Montana guy, there will be probably at least another dozen kids to at least speak to once or twice. I'd almost be surprised if one more kid out of that group does not show interest. Agree completely that competitive Apple Cup games will help our odds in that area over time. With 6 guys going to California and one in the islands, I'd expect 70-80% of the class to come from there. That leaves the occasional kid who wants to get out of Texas/Oklahoma or Florida; and/or who has felt disrespected by the SEC & B12 recruiters. You only need a half dozen kids who feel that way to end up with 2 or 3 recruits. And I can tell you from personal experience that a lot of kids in TX/OK think the idea of going to the west coast or the rocky mountains sounds really good. There is a reason why Colorado has been the #1 (or close to it) out of state vacation destination for Texans for the past 40 years or so.
All that said, if one of my assistants was from greater Chicagoland, I'd send him there. Same for Houston, or Dallas, or central Florida. Maybe even for Metro NY/NJ, though we don't tend to get assistants from there. All those areas not only have great recruiting populations; they also are a potential relationship springboard, since (for example) a relationship in Houston might very well have good friends in San Antonio. Give an assistant 3 years in a territory and if he is any good he will have a good information pipeline...and that is where it starts.
If we signed every kid in Washington and Oregon who truly have the ability to play D-1 ball, we wouldn't have enough to name starters, much less fill a roster. And most years, California has a dozen players at every position who beat Washington's best. Biggs is right, wasting too much time on in state kids is just wasting time.
Even if RoLo decides to scale back in state recruiting as Biggs and 95 propose, gotta think he will continue to make the 4-6 Pac-12 caliber kids in Greater Spokane every year a top priority.
How much difference would’ve that linebacker from G-Prep made for the Cougs if he had stayed at home instead of going to Cal?
What you, others are not getting Pete, is that almost no matter what Rolo, WSU does, the 3, 4, 3.5 star recruits like the 1 from G Prep in Spokane, etc, USUALLY wont goto WSU, and will instead goto either UW, Oregon, USC, or to the SEC, etc, instead.
Even if Rolo, WSU beats UW more.
WSU Leach won 8.5 wins a season, for 4 STRAIGHT Seasons, went 11-2, 5 straight Bowl games, 6 Bowl games overall, Beat Oregon 4 out of almost 5 times in Row. Beat USC, Beat Stanford, Beat Cal. Ranked 10TH TENTH IN NATION, ALMOST WENT TO THE PLAYOFF FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Did that make a difference to WA recruits? Hell NO, they didnt give Leach even the time of day, let alone committing to, signing to WSU, which is why Leach didnt give them the time of day either.
Doba, went 10-3, Beat TEXAS in the Holiday Bowl, went 6-6, .500 on average the rest of the time, BEAT UW A LOT.
Did that make a difference to WA recruits? Hell NO, they didnt give anybody on Doba's staff, and Doba himself, the time of day, let alone committing to, signing to WSU, Doba.
Also Price, Erickson beat UW a lot, but even Price's success, only got WA recruits about 2,3,4 years out of about every about 10 to 13 years.
Rolo or another future WSU coach would have to coach at WSU for 10 to 13 to 17 to 19 years at WSU, and have 15 straight seasons of at least 8.5 wins a season, and 15 straight Bowls, and 3 to 6 conference championships, and at least 1,2.3,4 Rosebowls, and beating UW 13 times, and 1 playoff appearance, 1 National Championship, 1, 13-0, Unbeaten season, Top 25 for 15 straight seasons.
If WSU, Rolo or another coach did something like that, Then Top Ranked WA recruits would goto WSU, and not goto UW, Oregon, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Out of State, etc.
Also your wrong about the 4 to 6 D1, P5, Pac 12 recruits, 3, 4, 3.5 stars, in Spokane.
The Breakdown on WA is something like this:
3,4,5, 3,4,3.5 star, D1,P5, Pac 12, recruits in Seattle, Tacoma, Westside, etc.
1,2,3, 3,4,3.5 stars, D1, P5, Pac 12 recruits in Spokane, Eastside of WA.
Every 1,2,3,4 years there is 1,2,3 4,5 stars from the Seattle. westside area.
Every 2,3,4,5,6,7 years there is 1, 4,4.5 star from eastside of state.
Each Year in the Seattle, Westside are there are about 3,4,5, 2 star, 2.5 star, lowest ended 3 star, NR, etc, that are under the radar, Late Bloomers, Diamonds in Rough, etc.
Each year in Spokane there is 1,2, 2 star, 2.5 star, lowest ended 3 star, NR, Under the Radar, Diamond in Rough, Late Bloomer etc.
Each year in either Eastern WA, or Western WA, there is 1 Under the Radar, Diamond in Rough, Late Bloomer.
That's a mix of 7 to 13 mix of 2,3,4.5 stars, that are recruit worthy in WA.
The problem is that the 3,4,5 stars are not going to goto WSU, Rolo, etc.
And its too risky, costly to try to get the under the radar, Diamond in Rough, etc recruits.
Why take the time, money, resources, to try to get Diamond in Roughs, and why risk a scholly on a Supposed Diamond in Rough, when they might not be a Diamond in Rough, when they might not develop, etc.
WSU, Rolo is better served recruiting Southern CA, Texas, Florida, Hawai, Samoa, Islands, LA, San Fran, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, etc, over WA, Spokane.
Assign the Special Teams/Strength Coach, etc, to WA, etc, Blitz WA in, during 1 phone call, visit, 1 time a year by the assigned coach, and all the coaches, and have 1 camp that have the top 33 players in WA invited to.if any interested, great, if not, move on.
WA is JUST NOT WORTH RECRUITING OR AT LEAST NOT THE SAME WAY THAT WSU SHOULD RECRUIT LA, San Fran, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Hawai, Samoa, Islands, Texas, Dallas, Chicago, Florida, Miami, etc.
Especially since WA recruits are BOTH, wont give WSU, Rolo the time of day, let alone goto WSU, and since most WA recruits most years are usually not worth recruiting, and since only a small handful are worth recruiting, but still wont goto WSU, and since its too risky to go for Under the Radar, etc, from WA.
Biggs, and others are right about what they are saying about WA, etc.
There aren’t 4-6 PAC-12 caliber recruits in the GSL every year. But nice try.
In the past there have been years with 6-8 Pac12 kids. I think last year there were 0. A couple of Big Skyers and a kid to Air Force?
Pete, there are usually not 6 PAC level kids in all of E WA and N ID put together. 4 is typical. There have been years with 6 (it is not impossible), but there have been many more with 4 than 6. As the population has grown, there have been a few years with 5, and we may be entering a decade where 5 will be more common than 4. Have not seen it yet, however.
I would wager there have been more years with 0 BCS kids in Eastern Washington than there have been years with 1 or more.
When you look at areas in the country that have a ton of BCS talent there is one factor you can’t ignore ~ enrollment size of the high school.
Cities/counties/states/regions with a volume of schools over 2,000 kids tend to have more talent. Call it greater population, more competition, vast coincidence, whatever.
Washington, last I looked, had 1 high school over 2,000 kids. For perspective, the 6A classification in Texas starts higher than Washington’s biggest school.
You’re only going so far with PNW talent. And after the success WSU has had if the kids can’t be bothered to even visit campus ~ move on.
When you look at areas in the country that have a ton of BCS talent there is one factor you can’t ignore ~ enrollment size of the high school.
Cities/counties/states/regions with a volume of schools over 2,000 kids tend to have more talent. Call it greater population, more competition, vast coincidence, whatever.
Washington, last I looked, had 1 high school over 2,000 kids. For perspective, the 6A classification in Texas starts higher than Washington’s biggest school.
You’re only going so far with PNW talent. And after the success WSU has had if the kids can’t be bothered to even visit campus ~ move on.
There was a time I got a Red Rider BB gun from Santa too. The GSL has been producing one Pac-12 caliber guy about every three years. The Mid-Columbia, formerly known as the Big-9, is about the same or less.
I don't think the decision to recruit the state of WA is an either/or. As we've mentioned, there aren't enough P5/G5 recruits in WA state each year to make recruiting them a "waste of time." There's plenty of time to actively recruit the 10 best kids in the state without it being a time drain.
Also, as I've said before about kids like Hobert, I think WSU should absolutely recruit at least one all-around football from WA state every year and make him a scholarship offer. That kid who's too small to be a LB, not fast enough to be a DB, but who dominates on both sides of the ball and tackles everything he sees. The gamer with an endless motor. Blue blood programs in TX, Ohio, Michigan, and PA do this every season. Joe Paterno (yes, I know his name is tainted) used to say that those kids are the glue of your program. They outwork everyone and are leaders on special teams. Make a point of going after the best player in WA state who holds offers from the Big Sky or MWC, but doesn't have any P12 offers. Get him on campus.
Also, as I've said before about kids like Hobert, I think WSU should absolutely recruit at least one all-around football from WA state every year and make him a scholarship offer. That kid who's too small to be a LB, not fast enough to be a DB, but who dominates on both sides of the ball and tackles everything he sees. The gamer with an endless motor. Blue blood programs in TX, Ohio, Michigan, and PA do this every season. Joe Paterno (yes, I know his name is tainted) used to say that those kids are the glue of your program. They outwork everyone and are leaders on special teams. Make a point of going after the best player in WA state who holds offers from the Big Sky or MWC, but doesn't have any P12 offers. Get him on campus.
The pool of guys that WSU has a realistic shot at in Washington is pretty small. It's basically Pac-12 caliber guys that don't get an offer from uw. That's 3 guys per year, almost all will be from the I-5 corridor having heard the gush of uw hype since birth and having everyone tell them WSU should be their safety school.
I thought Dillard going in the first round might open some eyes, along of five bowls in a row, top 25 rankings, All-Americans and a well known coach. Obviously not. I think we just have to come to the realization that coffee cups of cash matter and WSU has to use operating funds to pay for scholarships.
Yes, and another issue that continues to plague us is the perpetual branding and reputation problem in-state. When we bring in kids from outside of WA state, they come away from the trips saying they're blown away by the college town feel and the facilities. When you contrast that with how the WA general population feels about and views WSU, it's a much different story.
Market research into this is something that WSU needs to invest in so we can build a new and effective PR action plan. With a communications department as well regarded as ours, figuring out how to broadcast the extraordinary reasons why attending school at WSU offers kids personal growth opportunities that no other campus setting in the state can rival.
I think Biggs is on the right track. Lack of 7 on 7 kills the chances for skills position kids to develop and competition isn’t as good within the schools based on size and demographics. Spokane is also a basketball town now. Not from an elite standpoint but lots above average kids who won’t play college ball.
I think we already know what the market research would tell us- the west siders don't want to come here and will hold out forever for an offer from uw.
You're right, but I guess I was speaking from a general point of view. Somehow, we have to change the mindset of WSU among young people. Not sure how, exactly, but it's probably related to showcasing how much fun students have in Pullman.
We can go through and list off the WA kids from the 90's that went to both WSU and UW, and there we're plenty every year. Not a TON, but enough to make the state worth recruiting. You can't tell me that in the last 20 years kids in state have just disappeared - there is something else happening and I can't tell you exactly what.
Or maybe it was just that the 2/3 star roster filler from WA always seemed to pan out and become a contributor by JR/SR year. Or maybe there were less Californians in WA bringing their loyalties up north and sending their kids down south.
Or maybe it was just that the 2/3 star roster filler from WA always seemed to pan out and become a contributor by JR/SR year. Or maybe there were less Californians in WA bringing their loyalties up north and sending their kids down south.
We didn't have to compete with out of state schools for in state talent. No way a kid like Evan Weaver ends up at Cal 20 years ago. We'd have landed him if UW didn't bother to offer.
These G-Prep Kids Disagree
Denny Hansen - 1988 (Stanford)
Rob Bonneau - 1989 (Arkansas)
Chris Carpenter - 1989 (California)
Glenn Cavanaugh - 1989 (Stanford)
Justin Strand - 1993 (Stanford)
Charlie Hopkins - 2011 (Stanford)
Explanation:
1. Price was a outlier coach when it came to getting top ranked in state recruits.
2. Even Price, only had about 2,3,4 good, great, recruiting years of getting top ranked instate recruits, out of every about 10 years.
3. A lot of the in state players were 2 star, 2.5 star, lowest ended 3 star, NR(I know, back then they didnt have the star system, but that's what they were equivalent of), Diamond in rough, under the Radar, Late Bloomers, that developed, played by their 4th year Junior, 5th year senior year(That's part of the Reason why Price had 1 good year, bowl game, per every 3 bad years.
4. Price, Walden, Erickson, Leach were good EVALUATOR'S, FINDING the 2 star, 2.5 star, lowest ended 3 star GEMS.
5. As good as Price, Walden were at doing the above, about half the time, their supposed 2 star, 2.5 star, lowest ended 3 star, NR, etc, Gems, didnt pan out. Again part of the reason for Price's 1 good year out of every bad year, and Walden's 2 good years out of 7 years.
6. Prop 48
7. Legacy Kids, that were probably going to goto WSU.
8. As has been pointed out, there have been those like the G Prep's that went out of state, even back then.
9. Despite 9 above, a lot of the in state talent back then stayed in state.
10. Paul Wulf really knocked WSU's program perception so far back, that despite ALL THE LOTS OF SUCCESS, the BRAINWASHED PERCEPTION NARRATIVE, is POOR OLE LITTLE OLE WSU, thats not a place for 3 star, 4 star, 5 star in state talent to goto.
11. Leach ignoring WA, because WA ignored him
12. Oregon, USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, the SEC, FSU, Notre Dame, etc, are recruiting WA more then they used to, because of more Parity, competition has forced them to go outside their normal recruiting grounds, to places like WA, etc, in order to help avoid recruiting competition.
13. The Recruit Service Rankings services like Rivals, Scout, 247, ESPN Era.
Because of the recruit ranking services, the chances of a 3 star. 4 star, 5 star, slipping under the Radar, to WSU is practically over.
14. Social Media, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Today's Top Recruits dont slip under the Radar. They get more contact, attention from coaches. They are more well known, etc,
15. Top Recruits have bigger Ego's then they used to. They want to be able to Brag about going to the Best Alabama Type college. If they goto WSU, stay in the state of WA, they canr brag to their buddies about going Alabama, over their buddy going to a WSU type.
Not to state the obvious, but building these relationships with high school coaches takes time. When you grow up in Everett and coach all over the state like Price, you can make it work. Plus, it was widely believed he would never leave WSU. A guy like Leach who definitely wasn't from WA and was being mentioned for other coaching jobs from day 1 was not going to make it work.
Given social media and an alumni network, its not backbreaking work to recruit the state. If there is a kid who has a chance to play D1 in Colville or Forks, the coaches will know. Realistically, most will be in the major metro areas, and all of the games are livestreamed. With what is going on up and down the West Coast, between the fires and COVID, a place like Pullman might start looking better and better to a lot of families. MANY college kids want to stay a little closer to home now days, and parents and kids are much less interested in flying multiple times a year for games and breaks. It might make a difference for some of these families.
Given social media and an alumni network, its not backbreaking work to recruit the state. If there is a kid who has a chance to play D1 in Colville or Forks, the coaches will know. Realistically, most will be in the major metro areas, and all of the games are livestreamed. With what is going on up and down the West Coast, between the fires and COVID, a place like Pullman might start looking better and better to a lot of families. MANY college kids want to stay a little closer to home now days, and parents and kids are much less interested in flying multiple times a year for games and breaks. It might make a difference for some of these families.
WSU has been located in Washington since 1890.
To put it simply, it’s them, not us. Washington recruits are missing on WSU.
If youre going back to the 80s, class of 85 at prep had 6 D1 kids. 1 to Stanford, 1 to Norte Dame and I believe the rest went to WSU and UW.
