Washington State Football Recruiting Nuggets: Turner and Jenkins Decommitt

Nov. 23, 2012; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Mike Leach takes the field before a game against the Washington Huskies at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

In Washington State Recruiting news, Wazzu commit out of Ennis, Texas Malik Jenkins, has decommitted from Washington State stating that he wants to open his options back up.

What’s the problem? Malik says he wants to be closer to home.  This is of course a factor that plays in to many young peoples decision of where they want to go to college.  Mike Leach had asked him on his visit to Washington State, if the distance would be a problem and the young man stated he wasn’t sure.

This is very alarming to Coug fans everywhere (including myself) but here are some facts that might put your mind a little at ease.  Jenkins was looking for a College that had a like home feel to it, he stated Washington State and the Pullman community (as we all well know) had this aspect.

He also liked the staff and the players and said they made his trip memorable.  He would be a perfect fit in our scheme and a key player, if not immediately, sometime soon down the road.  The other positive that Washington State has for Malik is they like him at all the linebacking positions, so there is a world of opportunity for this young man to be a star.

So with all the good, why would he reconsider?  Location and location alone, and he says if Rice and Houston (the schools close to home he intends to visit) don’t have that same at home feel as Washington State, he will likely recommit and boy do I like our chances, if indeed that’s the case!

In other Wazzu recruiting news, Safety Myron Turner has parted ways with WSU.  Turner was recruited by Jeff Choate and Eric Morris who neither are still at WSU.  This on top of the fact the young man was just not a good fit in WSU’s defense appear to be the reason behind his deommitting.  Sources say Myron had not returned calls or texts at press time.

Sources at a Dallas newspaper are saying the rug was pulled out from under Mr. Turner because the Cougs wanted a bigger safety, but I tend to think that’s only one side of the story. Regardless, DeSoto’s coach has banned Washington State from recruiting at his school, so that’s an interesting and unfortunate development. With DeSoto being so close to Dallas, it could affect how other big schools receive the Cougs as well in the future. We’ll have to wait for signing day or shortly after when the WSU staff has a chance to talk about it.

Go Cougs!