WSU Football Recruiting 2014: Mike Leach Attempting to Get Bigger at OT, Again
By Josh Davis
Continuing our position by position offers list, today we dive into the offensive line at tackle. The Cougs have 5 commits to this point and are still sending out multiple offers every few days it seems, so there is a lot yet to be determined. We’re just giving you an idea of who is on the list to this point. Previously we covered quarterbacks (1 commit so far), running backs and wide receivers (2 commits so far).
2014 Offers
- Damien Mama
St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA – 6’5″, 340 lbs
- Jovan Pruitt
Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, TX – 6’6″, 295 lbs
- Tyus Barrett
Skyline HS, Dallas, TX – 6’4″, 304 lbs
- Kaleb McGary
Fife HS, Tacoma, WA – 6’6″, 272 lbs
- Taven Bryan
Natrona County HS, Casper, WY – 6’5″, 250 lbs
- Nick Gates
Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV – 6’5″, 270 lbs
- Braden Eggert
Napa HS, Napa, CA – 6’7″, 305 lbs
- Sean Krepsz
Martin Luther King HS, Riverside, CA – 6’5″, 295 lbs
- Kolton Miller
Roseville HS, Roseville, CA – 6’8″, 280 lbs
- David Hedelin
CC of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA – 6’5″, 285 lbs
Positional Breakdown
The offensive line, and particularly the tackle position at WSU is always going to be open to re-evaluation and there are some top flight guys on this offers list that could come in right away and make an impact. But being quality like they are, these tackles are also coveted across the country, so the competition is fierce. Because of that, the O-line offers will probably start rolling in later than most of the others.
Regardless of what’s already on campus, coach Leach loves to get himself at least 5 commitments on the offensive line. In a perfect world he would fill a whole line per class, with two each at tackle and guard, and a center. With this in mind the tackle position is probably the most important to fill, especially one with a big body. Leach picked up four tackles of at least 290 lbs in the 2013 class and it looks like he’s going back to that method, for the most part, with only a few tackles offered that are listed at less than 280 lbs as of their junior high school seasons.
Washington State is hoping to be much better (and bigger) on the line in 2013 than the one that gave up an NCAA leading 57 sacks in 2012, but the chances of being where they need to be are next to nothing, especially considering there are likely to be at least two and possibly as many as four former walk-ons starting at Auburn. The average size is also not where Leach or offensive line coach Clay McGwire need it to be, which in their estimation should be top 3 in the Pac-12.
Go Cougs