WSU can’t rest despite end of drills

PULLMAN — Thousands may crowd into Martin Stadium at 1 p.m. today to see the Washington State University Cougars play in the spring season’s third and final scrimmage (formerly called the Crimson and Gray Game), one last chance to see them before fall camp begins months from now.

But in many ways it’s the weeks that come after the spring game — when fans have temporarily stepped away from football — that will matter more to WSU in the long run.

For as much as the coaching staff looks forward to this final opportunity to fine-tune until August, it also appreciates how the rest of April and May can shape the team’s roster and record in both 2005 and years beyond.

“More can get done in the next month if we’re smart and do things the right way than any other time of the year, really,” said Robin Pflugrad, WSU’s recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach. “It starts (today) with our junior day. We’ll have a few prospects here in the crowd.

“That’s a first step. Next week, we’ll do mass recruiting meetings, emphasizing video study, rankings, territorial rankings.”

Before the Cougars’ coaches dive fully into recruiting, they’ll also need to ensure that the 2005 team is on the right track before they go their separate ways.

In the next week, head coach Bill Doba and his staff will try to meet with every player on the roster, explaining their current roles and what they need to work on before coming back in the fall.

For some of the newer, non-scholarship players, coming back may not be that feasible, something Doba said he tries to address now.

“With some of our walk-ons, I’m very blunt, very honest, and I think kids appreciate it,” he said. “That you’re probably not going to be able to play here, but that if you want to stay and play on our scout team to give us a good look, you’re more than welcome to do that.”

But by the end of the month, WSU coaches will spend almost all of their time on the road in the spring evaluation period. That begins with a check on the players already offered scholarships and those high on the staff’s priority list, but it can also evolve into a canvassing of high schools in search of the next diamond in the rough.

Teams can’t meet with the players face-to-face or make home visits, but they can go out and renew connections with coaches and guidance counselors.

Plus, with no home visits to make, the occasional round of golf might be a possibility, the coach said.

“We’ve offered several kids already, just off of tape and coaches’ recommendations, transcripts,” Doba said. “Basically, you go back out in May — a little bit of it is political – to get to some of the high schools that normally have good players. We’re going to try to get to as many high schools as a staff as we can in the state. But it’s kind of a fun time to recruit. … Then we’ll come back in that last week of May and do some work on our playbook and kind of gather our thoughts on where we are.”