A lot of people are losing site of how many talented kids are in the portal and how many programs are impacted by it. I read today that Indiana's already had 21 kids declare. Michigan State has 3 QBs in. I follow the Big Sky fairly closely, and on most rosters, there are at least 5-10 kids who could come in and compete on our 2-deep roster most years. The same is obviously true throughout the G5 ranks and the bottom 2/3 of Power conference schools.
WSU may not be at the top of list, but we have to be in the conversation for one of the more attractive QB destinations. Damn near every recruiting cycle, even with Wulff (Tuel), we've had a highly regarded QB. Minshew is starting now for the Colts. Ward is kicking around offers from Notre Dame, Auburn, and Oregon. All of the Leach's QBs put up numbers. We've got a young OC in Arbuckle who has passing stats on his resume.
As we shift into more of a MWC or PacWest schedule, I see opportunities for us to continue to be an 8-4 program. I was initially afraid that things would normalize and we'd become an isolated MWC outpost, but I've changed my mind on that. We'll have some of the best facilities, some of the best academics, one of the most Nationally recognized programs in the G5 thanks to ole' Crimson and our P12 days, and a large West coast fan base that will continue to turn out.
It looks like our schedule next year includes UW, Oregon State, Texas Tech, Boise State, Fresno State, UNLV, SDSU, and Air Force. How much worse is that schedule than a typical (this year is an anomaly) P12 season? All of those programs can consistently beat the bottom 2/3 of the P12 and B!G.
This ^^^^^
WSU can get plenty of great, good, semi good, decent, ok, P4,5, etc players, transfers, recruits, via the transfer portal from EWU, Montana, Sac St, South Dakotah St, NDSU, Appalachian St, Sun Belt, MAAC, etc, and get plenty of JC transfers, and plenty of HS 2.5 star, 3 star, 3.5 star, lowest ended 4 stars, that the Blue Bloods, etc, will pass on because they can get what they need from Portal.
They will still take the 4,5 star HS recruits, but that's ok, WSU wasn't going to get them in football anyways.
WSU and Dickert is going to have to do to the FCS, Sun Belt, MAAC, what the BLUE BLOODS do to WSU. Just like WSU is a FARM system to the Blue Bloods, FCS, Sun Belt, MAAC, will be a FARM system to WSU.
WSU is still one of the bigger brands comparatively to other MWC, AAC, Sun Belt, MAAC, C-USA, Big 12, Departing PAC schools, like Arizona(Football), ASU, Cal, etc, LOW major P4,5 WSU types like Vandy, Iowa St, Rutgers, Duke(football), Kentucky(football), Maryland, Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, etc.
Almost every College football fan is on WSU's side, thinks that WSU belongs in P4,5. WSU will still be a national WSU Ole Crimson on GAMEDAY brand, and 1 of the best tier 1 academic research land grant college, and WSU is still known for being QB University, with Arbuckle Air Raid, and a REPUTATION for getting players EITHER into NFL, or a NICE BIG NIL PAYDAY at BIG TIME BLUE BLOODS.
WSU needs to EMBRACE, BE What it is, can be, and that is a PROFESSIONAL FARM TEAM.
WSU needs to say COME TO WSU from FCS, Sun Belt, MAAC, Etc, and YOU WILL GET PLAYING TIME. YOU WILL DEVELOP. YOU WILL EITHER GET A BIG NIL PAYDAY AT A BLUE BLOOD, AFTER YOUR DONE AT WSU. YOU WILL GOTO NFL. YOU WILL BE PART OF WSU GOING 12-0, 11-1, 10-2, 9-3, 8-4, WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS, IN (Rebuilt PAC), against the BEST of the MWC, AAC, G5, GOTO NY6 BOWLS LIKE COTTON BOWL, PEACH BOWL, FIESTA BOWL, Going to the 12 team CFP, etc.
WSU can EMBRACE, MAKE IT THE BIG TIME WHERE THEY ARE AT, WILL BE, ETC.
THE SCHEDULE WILL BE A LOT EASIER THEN THE TRADITIONAL PAST PAC 12 SCHEDULE.
WSU can absolutely do all that if WSU play it's cards right, if Dickert, Arbuckle, WSU recruiters, Chun, Schultz, etc, play their cards right.
The only question is if WSU, Dickert, Arbuckle, Schmedding, WSU recruiters, Chun, Schultz, WSU fans, etc, play their cards right.