Recruiting in the state of Washington

[Coug1990]

I apologize. It was out of frustration. The Leach could do no wrong attitude, and implying that the biggest whole in his game was actually a strength. Leach had plenty of time, two and a half months, to evaluate Kupp and offer. Who wouldn't want Gabe Marks and Gabe Marks in an NFL RB body (Kupp). It might have been the difference maker getting Leach over the hump.

It is not as if Leach and his staff had all year to evaluate players. That late in the game, you are evaluating on the fly. You are trying to do several years evaluation in a few months.

Frankly, you are not going to track down every player in an area that puts out very few players. You don't have the time. You are going to watch tape, and talk to coaches that have several P12 plyers on the team and league.

It is not a if all the recruiting sites had Kupp as a cant miss either. It is not as if every school across the country were offering him. Truth be told, EWU didn't know what they were getting either.

 

[dgibbons]

It is not as if Leach and his staff had all year to evaluate players. That late in the game, you are evaluating on the fly. You are trying to do several years evaluation in a few months.

Frankly, you are not going to track down every player in an area that puts out very few players. You don't have the time. You are going to watch tape, and talk to coaches that have several P12 plyers on the team and league.

It is not a if all the recruiting sites had Kupp as a cant miss either. It is not as if every school across the country were offering him. Truth be told, EWU didn't know what they were getting either.

And, as stated above, if a guy like Gabe Marks shows interest, you jump on that during your 7-8 week window for recruiting. Kupp was a developmental prospect. He grew a lot during his redshirt year.

 

[Fab5Coug]

I apologize. It was out of frustration. The Leach could do no wrong attitude, and implying that the biggest whole in his game was actually a strength. Leach had plenty of time, two and a half months, to evaluate Kupp and offer. Who wouldn't want Gabe Marks and Gabe Marks in an NFL RB body (Kupp). It might have been the difference maker getting Leach over the hump.

That's alright. Wasn't meaning to come off as some "Leach can do no wrong" apologist or something.

I'm just not big on bagging on coaches for missing on the occasional prospect the entire conference, and all of the MWC missed on. There are 20-some odd coaching staffs that ignored Kupp for 3 years.

And I hardly think Leach was some recruiting dynamo. Far from it. He did have a system and recruited well to it, IMO. The thing I liked the most was the number of OL he took, and it was a huge benefit to have a system that was nearly recruit-proof at the QB position.

His program was at it's strongest with Big Joe, Mastro, Manning, Wilson & Harrell. Certainly didn't help that Oregon systematically dismantled that staff and torpedoed recruiting momentum.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

It was interesting did anyone notice the hat Dickert was wearing. It was what most of us refer to has the "baseball hat" with the "W" on it. Maybe Dickert is sending a message, to recruits in the state. We're a Washington school too.

Perhaps; and that might be all of it. But I did notice the hat, and my first thought when I saw it was, "Old School Coach". Which, coming from a D background, is actually sort of comforting. And...it has always been our best looking traditional hat, IMHO.

Edit: just caught up with etown's post. Agree 100%.

 

[Cougsocal]

It is not as if Leach and his staff had all year to evaluate players. That late in the game, you are evaluating on the fly. You are trying to do several years evaluation in a few months.

Frankly, you are not going to track down every player in an area that puts out very few players. You don't have the time. You are going to watch tape, and talk to coaches that have several P12 plyers on the team and league.

It is not a if all the recruiting sites had Kupp as a cant miss either. It is not as if every school across the country were offering him. Truth be told, EWU didn't know what they were getting either.

You are right, two and a half months isn't nearly time enough to evaluate the athletic ability of an NFL talent. I agree it takes at least a year. I'm surprised that under the "year rule" Leach signed anybody 2012. In retrospect, I don't think that Leach could have done anything better during his tenure. If Leach couldn't do it, no coach in America can win a Pac-12 championship in Pullman these days, end of story. Unfortunately, WSU football has nowhere to go but down.

 

[Cougsocal]

That's alright. Wasn't meaning to come off as some "Leach can do no wrong" apologist or something.

I'm just not big on bagging on coaches for missing on the occasional prospect the entire conference, and all of the MWC missed on. There are 20-some odd coaching staffs that ignored Kupp for 3 years.

And I hardly think Leach was some recruiting dynamo. Far from it. He did have a system and recruited well to it, IMO. The thing I liked the most was the number of OL he took, and it was a huge benefit to have a system that was nearly recruit-proof at the QB position.

His program was at it's strongest with Big Joe, Mastro, Manning, Wilson & Harrell. Certainly didn't help that Oregon systematically dismantled that staff and torpedoed recruiting momentum.

The problem with 5 OLs a years is that you are signing 25 "least athletic" recruits over a 5 year span, that leaves only a 85 or so recruits to fill the other 17 positions that require greater athletic ability. The effect of that was felt on defense, undermanned and under talented. It probably goes along way to explain why Leach teams are known for offense, and kneel and pray defense.

 

[CougPatrol]

Missed on Brett Rypien As well.

I don't think he would have started for us.

 

[CougPatrol]

You are right, two and a half months isn't nearly time enough to evaluate the athletic ability of an NFL talent. I agree it takes at least a year. I'm surprised that under the "year rule" Leach signed anybody 2012. In retrospect, I don't think that Leach could have done anything better during his tenure. If Leach couldn't do it, no coach in America can win a Pac-12 championship in Pullman these days, end of story. Unfortunately, WSU football has nowhere to go but down.

Geez, that's a pretty dark considering how many times we've either broken through or knocked on the door over the past 25 years. If Leach can't do it, nobody can do it? Come on now. I love coach Leach. He runs a solid program and a recruitable system, but he's also been proven to be a "championship" coach.

Look at the roster we have now. Most of the kids are Leach recruits. If Leach was our coach this season, do you think the team would be performing better? I don't.

 

[dgibbons]

The problem with 5 OLs a years is that you are signing 25 "least athletic" recruits over a 5 year span, that leaves only a 85 or so recruits to fill the other 17 positions that require greater athletic ability. The effect of that was felt on defense, undermanned and under talented. It probably goes along way to explain why Leach teams are known for offense, and kneel and pray defense.

Better option than having the boom-bust cycle of crappy OL to functional OL, even if it takes a larger investment in OL scholarships.

 

[Fab5Coug]

You are right, two and a half months isn't nearly time enough to evaluate the athletic ability of an NFL talent. I agree it takes at least a year. I'm surprised that under the "year rule" Leach signed anybody 2012. In retrospect, I don't think that Leach could have done anything better during his tenure. If Leach couldn't do it, no coach in America can win a Pac-12 championship in Pullman these days, end of story. Unfortunately, WSU football has nowhere to go but down.

As I mentioned, a lot of good coaches missed on Kupp. It happens. Especially with a guy like Kupp who doesn't necessarily jump off the page size wise or athletically. Sometimes guys get to college, get a chip on their shoulder, or whatever, and just work their a$$es off. That doesn't show up on tape. I guess I just don't see the point of specifically criticizing Leach for this, when literally no other Pac12, MWC and even the majority of the Big Sky coaches didn't offer him either.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Geez, that's a pretty dark considering how many times we've either broken through or knocked on the door over the past 25 years. If Leach can't do it, nobody can do it? Come on now. I love coach Leach. He runs a solid program and a recruitable system, but he's also been proven to be a "championship" coach.

Look at the roster we have now. Most of the kids are Leach recruits. If Leach was our coach this season, do you think the team would be performing better? I don't.

whoosh...

 

[Fab5Coug]

The problem with 5 OLs a years is that you are signing 25 "least athletic" recruits over a 5 year span, that leaves only a 85 or so recruits to fill the other 17 positions that require greater athletic ability. The effect of that was felt on defense, undermanned and under talented. It probably goes along way to explain why Leach teams are known for offense, and kneel and pray defense.

If you look at that '12 class too, it's pretty remarkable, given the time the staff had to throw it together. They kept Middleton, Flor & Salmonson on the line. That's pretty decent. Then added Marks, Palacio, Robert Lewis, Allison, Vaeao, Robert Barber & Ione Gauta. Not to mention Parker Henry as a walk on. And, even Brett Bartolone was pretty good till injuries derailed him.

That's a pretty impressive recruiting class to throw together in a couple months.

Cooper Kupp would be the one that got away, I guess, but man, that feels like really searching for something to complain about.

 

[dgibbons]

If you look at that '12 class too, it's pretty remarkable, given the time the staff had to throw it together. They kept Middleton, Flor & Salmonson on the line. That's pretty decent. Then added Marks, Palacio, Robert Lewis, Allison, Vaeao, Robert Barber & Ione Gauta. Not to mention Parker Henry as a walk on. And, even Brett Bartolone was pretty good till injuries derailed him.

That's a pretty impressive recruiting class to throw together in a couple months.

Cooper Kupp would be the one that got away, I guess, but man, that feels like really searching for something to complain about.

Who thinks this profile says NFL?

 

[Observer11]

I don't think he would have started for us.

What?!? Brett's in his third year in the NFL. He would have started for WSU.

Maybe not from Day 1 - but that's just crazy talk.

 

[dgibbons]

What?!? Brett's in his third year in the NFL. He would have started for WSU.

Maybe not from Day 1 - but that's just crazy talk.

His timing is interesting- class of 2015. He probably redshirts, then is in the mix to start after the 2017 season after Falk matriculates. And a good chance Minshew ends his career as a player/GA at Bama.

 

[CougPatrol]

whoosh...

Oh, I see.....

 

[Lollapalousa]

Since neither played here, Book or Ryp?

They both have some hockey in them