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

Assistants provide crucial assistance

PULLMAN – Though the search for a new head coach is grabbing all the headlines, the work of building future Washington State football teams goes on.

When Bill Doba and WSU parted ways last week, the university retained the services of Doba’s nine assistant coaches, pending the selection of a head coach. Those assistants have been charged by athletic director Jim Sterk with keeping the lines of communication open between WSU and prospective future Cougars.

“We were given the choice of going out and talking with the kids, or staying in touch by phone,” said defensive line coach Marty Long, who chose the latter option.

The assistants are playing a waiting game, trying to keep track of their recruiting area, and wondering if the new coach will retain their services. Under the direction of recruiting coordinator Greg Peterson, each assistant is assigned a location to oversee. In Long’s case it is Southern California’s Inland Empire. Each assistant is under contract until March 2009.

Defensive back coaches Leon Burtnett and Dave Walkosky are in Texas, trying to keep open a pipeline that has delivered five current defensive starters to the school over the past few years.

“I’m just trying to have a list ready for the new guy, whoever he is, and see what he wants to do,” said Burtnett, reached by telephone. “That’s all I can do. They’re paying me, so I’m working.”

Though the work hasn’t been made any easier by the head coaching vacancy, Burtnett said it’s not the No. 1 priority of the kids with whom he’s been talking.

“I think they all want to know, basically, (which assistant coaches are) going to stay,” the veteran coach said. “They’re probably more interested in that, because that’s the coach who’s recruiting them. And that’s really what the (high school) coaches are interested in down here in Texas. They are going to watch out for their kids.

“If they know somebody who’s going to be on the staff – that they know will take care of them, watch after them academically, make sure they’re doing the right thing – they don’t mind a kid going that far away.”

Especially if the school has a decent reputation – and the assistant coach can sing its praises.

“I have no problem with the university,” Burtnett said. “I think it is a good school, so I have no problem selling the kids. I have no problem telling the kids what’s going on. If we committed to them, they’re going to honor their commitment. That’s why I’m down here. … Like I said, I have no problem with the school. I like Jim Sterk. The school’s been good to me for five years. So I have no problem selling the university.”

Of course, other schools are using the vacancy against WSU.

“There are a lot of kids under pressure to commit (elsewhere),” Burtnett said. “I’m telling kids, ‘Don’t be committing anyplace else until you find out what’s going on at our place.’ … It’s just a matter of letting them know we still want them, still committed, just give us a chance.”

As the search for a new head coach wears on, the Cougars may find themselves behind the eight-ball with junior college players, a group they may need to tap to fill holes next season. The JC players who can transfer midyear are eligible to sign letters of intent Dec. 19. All of WSU’s junior college transfers last season committed at the end of the school year, however, so the early deadline hasn’t been a factor in the past.

Besides, Christmas is coming and with it an NCAA-imposed dead period, which, according to Burtnett, means “you’re really not losing anything. You can’t bring them to campus or anything once it’s dead week.

“If they don’t name a coach until the first of the year, I don’t think that’s hurting them right now, to be honest. … Kids can’t do much, can’t make any more visits (until next year). If you can hold them until (next week), you’re probably no more worse off than other people.”