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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bullpup Becomes A Cougar Gonzaga Prep’s Steve Gleason Says He’ll Sign On With WSU

Dave Trimmer Staff Writer

Steve Gleason, the Greater Spokane League Most Valuable Player on defense the past two seasons, will accept a football scholarship at Washington State University.

“When I went down there, the coaching staff I met were the most personable and easiest to talk to,” Gleason said Wednesday night. “It seemed like the right place for me.”

A 6-foot, 198-pound inside linebacker, Gleason also visited Stanford and turned down a visit to Oregon State. He expects to play weak-side linebacker for the Cougars.

Gleason was a three-year starter at linebacker for Gonzaga Prep.

The Bullpups finished in a threeway tie for first place in his sophomore season and made the Class AAA playoffs through a tiebreaker before losing their first-round game. In 1993, Prep had the best defense in the state statistically. The Bullpups won the GSL, advancing to the state semifinals. Last fall Prep tied for second in the league but lost in the five-way tiebreaker to make the playoffs.

Gleason is also an outfielder on the Gonzaga Prep baseball team.

He was recruited by George Yarno, the Cougars offensive line coach who accepted the job as offensive coordinator at Idaho on Tuesday.

Earlier, Jeff Pilkington, a 6-3,

175-pound defensive back from Mead, said he would attend Eastern Washington University.

Pilkington was an All-GSL firstteam defensive back and third-team wide receiver last season. Mead made the playoffs all three years Pilkington started, sharing the league title his sophomore year and tying for second the past two.

Pilkington is also a three-year starter in basketball.

Pope commits to UI

Post Falls High School quarterback Darick Pope has made an oral commitment to play football at the University of Idaho.

Pope said he committed after a weekend visit to the Moscow school.

“I’m really impressed with the new coach (Chris Tormey), and coach (George) Yarno (offensive coordinator) and coach (Greg) Olson (quarterbacks),” Pope said.

Pope’s 6-foot-6, 192-pound frame drew the attention of several schools, including Washington State. He had a visit to WSU planned, but he said, “I haven’t heard from them in a couple of weeks.”

Pope is the second quarterback to commit to Idaho. Mead High’s Griffin Garske initially committed to UI, but later decided to join former Vandals coach John L. Smith in his new position at Utah State.

Idaho has four quarterbacks. Senior Eric Hisaw had knee surgery about three weeks ago. He’s expected to be healthy by this fall, when he’ll battle sophomore Brian Brennan for the starting job. Redshirt freshman Robert Scott also will compete for the job.