WSU Thursday Night Football and recruiting notes
The Washington State Cougars held their weekly underclassmen scrimmage. Then, they got a new recruit.
Here are the notes…
-- The play of the day undoubtedly came from running back James Williams. Facing third-and-18 from their own 17, the Cougars called a short pass to Williams, who caught the ball on the right side of the field. He proceeded to do his best approximation of Marshawn Lynch's Beast Quake run, stiff-arming and shedding defenders and he chugged his way downfield. He listed to the left, traveling maybe one yard to his left for every two yards he went forward, and ran out of gas at the opposing 36-yard line. Williams did score during the scrimmage, however, on a three-yard run.
-- Peyton Bender had one of his better sessions of the year, taking advantage of what the defense was giving him underneath and briskly moving the offense. He stayed in the pocket under heavy pressure from the defense, throwing just before he was hit and completing a pass to Erik Anderson just as the receiver broke open on a drag route. Anderson was wide open and scampered the remaining 20 yards to the end zone where he absorbed a hit and plunged across the goal line for the score.
-- Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch huddled the defense after Williams' touchdown and gave them an earful. It must have worked, because the next three plays included a pass breakup by Darius Lemora and sacks from Kingston Fernandez and Nnamdi Oguayo.
-- Cougfan.com is reporting that cornerback Marcus Strong of Rialto, California, has accepted a scholarship offer to play at Washington State.
BREAKING: Safety @18era_strong verbals to WSU and @Coach_Leach over offers from UW, Oregon State. More soon on CF.C! #GoCougs #Wazzu
— COUGFANcom (@COUGFANcom) November 13, 2015
Strong is 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds and reportedly had a scholarship offer from Washington, and another from Oregon State contingent upon his agreeing to grayshirt.
Below are some highlights from Strong's senior season.