Recruits make quick splash
PULLMAN – After taking over as head coach in December, Paul Wulff told everyone who would listen he wasn’t going to wait.
The new Washington State University football coach was adamant his coaching staff would attract enough recruits to make a difference in his first year.
After two practice days without pads, there is a group of newcomers that looks determined to prove Wulff right.
“After two days, I would say we’re very successful,” Wulff said when asked about the recruiting. “I see a number of first-year players who have only been here a couple days, (but) in a lot of ways are ahead of guys who have been in the program for a while.”
The group includes junior college transfers such as running back Chanz Staden, defensive lineman Bernard Wolfgramm, offensive lineman Zack Williams and kicker Nico Grasu. It also includes freshmen such as receivers Jared Karstetter, who committed to WSU before Wulff was named coach, Kevin Norrell and Cory Mackay and defensive backs Daniel Simmons and Kevin Frank.
All showed flashes of brilliance, enough to earn praise either from a teammate or a coach – though it’s been qualified praise.
“We’re just in shorts, and that’s something we have to be careful of as coaches,” offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy said. “There are a lot of variables that go into making a guy a good football player. Obviously, athleticism is a huge one, but when the bullets are flying, it’s just about being an instinctive, tough, good player.
“These are things we’ll find out as we go.”
Still, even Sturdy singled out some of the players listed above, and praised the group overall.
“The encouraging thing (about) all the new guys we brought in – there hasn’t been one guy we’re saying, ‘Ah, you know, we don’t think he can cut it,’ ” Sturdy said.
Staden, a shifty 6-foot, 200-pound running back, was overlooked coming out of DeAnza College in California, only getting on WSU’s radar near the end of the recruiting period. But he’s not overlooked now, as he spent his first two practices making defenders miss even when they were playing touch.
“I’m getting comfortable with the offense,” said Staden, sporting long dreadlocks and a beard. “During summer I had a hard time knowing what I was doing.
“I’m not in midseason form – I’ve still got a ways to go. (And) I just can’t wait to practice with the whole team because we’re out here with the young guys and, you know, I’m 20 years old. I want to play with the big boys.”
One of those youngsters is Karstetter, the 6-4, 197-pound receiver from Ferris High who earned mention from Sturdy, Wulff and possibly the most important guy on the field, quarterback Gary Rogers.
“One guy who comes to mind is Jared Karstetter,” said Rogers, who wandered out to watch both of the newcomers’ practices. “I worked with him this summer. He’s a really developed receiver. He’s a big kid, really physical, and I look for him to make some big strides this fall for us and be a good receiver down the road.”
Wulff wouldn’t commit to playing time for any player after just two days without pads, but he knows that some of them will have to compete for WSU to be successful this year – and beyond.
“All those guys are going to be in the pool,” Wulff said. “We’re just going to kind of see who survives, who has the maturity to go through camp and still perform at a high level.
“A lot of times young players have a tendency to tail off and we’re going to find that out as we go through camp.”