Cougar Corner: Recruiting the Future of Washington State Football

The Washington State Cougar football program is moving forward under second year head coach Paul Wulff. There are a number of components at play in building a strong program.

One component is crucial to the effect of all other segments of WSU football.

Recruiting.

Coach Wulff and his staff are working hard to develop a successful team at Washington State. Just how successful and how long it will take to achieve success is dictated by the caliber of student athletes recruited to be a part of the Cougar football team.

The philosophy Coach Wulff has in ranking prospects seems rather simple. He likes young men who have a proven record of success in the classroom and athletic potential.

A number of services evaluate and rank college football prospects. Those rankings offer a snapshot of where a prospect stacks up athletically.

It's no secret that Coach Wulff favors size in terms of height and wingspan. Neither of those can be developed through coaching, training or diet. If a young man is eager and open to coaching training and a dietary program, it is possible to develop their frame into a Division I football player.

Three out of the first four verbal commitments to the WSU football Class of 2010 are just the sort of prospect Coach Wulff and his staff are looking for:

• Aaron Dunn—6'6" Mead Senior HS, Spokane, WA—Tight End
• John Fullington—6'6" North Mason Options HS, Belfair, WA— Offensive Tackle
• Jake Rogers—6'7" Shadle Park HS, Spokane, WA—Tight End

The fourth young man to verbally commit to play football at WSU is Matt Simmons, a 6'0" cornerback from Bishop Montgomery HS in Torrance, CA. Simmons isn't as tall as the other three, but he's every bit the football player who can be successful at Washington State. He is a tremendous talent in the defensive backfield.

Also, Simmons has crimson and red blood racing through his veins. His father, Randal Simmons, was a terrific defensive back at WSU in the 70's. Matt has made numerous trips over the years to Pullman and is a natural fit.

Make no mistake about Simmons being just a legacy player. He will probably start out as a cornerback, but may fill out to be a safety. The kid loves to hit.

Not every player drawing interest by the Cougar football coaching staff is over 6'5" tall. When it comes to assessing potential, student athletes with size definitely catch their attention.

Another prospect with size Wulff is interested in is Colin Porter. Porter stands 6'5" and already has plenty of size, tipping the scales at 315 pounds. Porter plays guard, but could also develop into a tackle. He's successful in the classroom as well.

One of the scholarship offers Porter already holds is from Stanford. Yes, the staff at Washington is recruiting the young man from Redmond heavily.

Now that the WSU staff has returned home from a month on the recruiting trails, we'll be taking a look at numerous prospects that may be a part of the future of Cougar football.

Keep checking back. It will help sate your appetite for college football.

Originally published on Examiner.com