UW, WSU Sign 16 Washingtonians -- Cougar Football Coach Eyes Nigerian Connection

Three unfilled Washington State football scholarships could wind up going to Nigerian track stars already on the Cougar campus.

The three athletes are transfers from Texas Southern University. They are available to play spring football because they will be redshirting this track season.

The rub is that under NCAA rules, the Nigerians can't attempt to play even spring football without being granted football scholarships.

Thus, Coach Mike Price's dilemma: Does he risk scholarships on athletes who never have played the sport and may be complete busts?

``Football is a tough thing to evaluate without pads,'' said Price, who is precluded from conducting even a padless tryout.

Price appears most intrigued by Olympic sprinter Augustin Olobia, 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, who has run a wind-aided 10.09-second 100 meters.

Quarterback Brad Gossen has been throwing to Olobia and reportedly told Price, ``Coach, I take a five-step drop and throw it as hard and as far as I can and he has to slow down to catch it.''

The other Nigerians are Gabriel Oladipo, a 6-4, 295-pound discus thrower, and Friday Enoye, 6-2, 241, a shotputter with speed.

Oladipo, ``who can bench-press Bohler Gym,'' according to Price, is a possible line candidate.

Enoye has reputed 4.6-second speed in the 40-yard dash and wants to be a running back.

Price said the Nigerian trio apparently has been inspired by the success of countryman Christian Okoye, star running back for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, the Cougars officially filled 22 scholarships yesterday on letter-of-intent day. Price said, ``I think we did better than I thought we were going to do.''

The most heralded recruit is Walla Walla quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

``He brings credibility,'' said Price. ``I think he's the highest-recruited kid in the history of this school.''

Price said he watched John Elway and Kevin Sweeney as high-school quarterbacks and said Bledsoe is better than they were at this point.

The signing of Bledsoe has led to rumors that Mike Pattinson, last year's freshman quarterback from Moscow, Idaho, might be looking for a new school. Price squelched those rumors, saying, ``Contrary to many rumors flying around, Mike Pattinson isn't going anywhere.''

Price said the Cougars went after speed and height in the recruiting class. He said 20 of the 22 recruits can run the 40-yard dash in under five seconds. He said two athletes have been clocked at 4.4, five at 4.5 and five at 4.6.

Eight of the recruits are 6-5 or taller. Price said he wants height whenever possible because it is easier to add weight to tall players.

``Just looking at the recruits, we've got a heck of a track team and a heck of a basketball team,'' said Price. ``I sure hope they can play football.''

Conspicuously absent from the class is a big-name high-school running back. The Cougars went after some big names but finished second to the likes of Colorado and USC.

``We would have liked to pick up a great high-school running back, and I don't think we did that,'' said Price.

The only WSU prep recruit listed as running back is Ron Childs of Kamiakin High School in Kennewick, who is likely to wind up in the defensive backfield. However, recruit Kyron Vandell of Sacramento City College was among the nation's top junior-college rushers and scorers.

The Cougar class also appears short of linebackers. Only one recruit, Paul Reed of Mountain View High School in Vancouver, is listed solely as a linebacker. However, Price said some of the players listed as safeties might be switched. Also, widely recruited DeWayne Patterson of McClymonds High in Oakland was all-league as both a tight end and linebacker.

Price said six recruits still are awaiting results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for which a 700 score is necessary to avoid Proposition 48 status and loss of a year. Price said his staff did academic checks and is confident each player will get a passing score.

Price said he was pleased to hear from recruits that the main things that sold them on WSU were ``that the players here were great guys and they also liked the coaches.''

Notes

-- Coach Mike Price says backup place-kicker Rob Whorley, who has been on scholarship the past two seasons without seeing action behind All-American Jason Hanson, probably won't return for his senior season. Price said his own son, Aaron, a kicker-punter, will transfer from Weber State and walk on next season. Aaron, who won't be on a scholarship, will have to sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules.

-- The most intriguing recruit? He may be K.C. Cramer, a 6-8, 242-pound lineman from Rathdrum, Idaho. Cramer won't turn 18 until school starts. His high-school coach predicts he eventually will be 6-9, 300 pounds. Price said, ``I think he could be the most underrated player we signed.''

-- Price said one of WSU's remaining available scholarships will be given to slotback Jody Sears, who started several games last season after Tim Stallworth was injured.

-- Although the Cougars recruited 22 players, only 21 of the scholarships count toward the annual limit of 25. One of the rides given to WSU's two CC recruits counts on last year's total.

-- Price said two incoming freshmen who might see special-teams action next fall are Ron Childs, running back-defensive back from Kamiakin High in Kennewick, and Mark Whitmire, quarterback-defensive back from Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma.

Cougar recruits

-- Robert Avery, WR-DB, 6-3, 180, Los Angeles (Jefferson HS) - All-league selection . . . Caught four TD passes and scored on two punts and one kickoff return.

-- Ryan Blakemore, DE, 6-6, 240, Lompoc, Calif. (Santa Ynez, HS) - All-CIF and all-county. . . . Son of retired Marine lieutenant-colonel.

-- Drew Bledsoe, QB, 6-5, 218, Walla Walla HS - Super Prep Magazine Far West offensive player of the year. . . . Threw for 2,560 yards and 25 TDs as a senior. Intercepted only six times. . . . All-state, Times' blue-chipper and P-I player of year.

-- Reggie Cherry, SS, 6-1, 195, N. Highlands, Calif. (Christian Brothers HS) - Made all-state and all-Northern California teams. . . . Was in on 111 tackles senior season.

-- Ron Childs, RB-SS, 6-0, 195, Kennewick (Kamiakin HS) - Led Big Nine in scoring last season with 108 points. . . . All-conference on offense and defense. . . . Times' red-chipper.

-- K.C. Cramer, DE, 6-7, 240, Rathdrum, Idaho (Lakeland HS) - A big reason Lakeland won two straight Idaho AA titles. . . . Late-bloomer who won't turn 18 until September. . . . Intriguing recruit who could be 6-9, 300 pounds by his senior season.

-- Josh Dunning, DL, 6-3, 270, Eatonville - Super Prep Magazine Far West top 100 selection . . . Times red-chipper. . . . Class A all-state pick. . . . Brother Matt starts for Dartmouth. . . . Bench-presses 434 pounds. . . . Missed junior season with a broken foot.

-- Steve Hines, WR, 5-10, 175, Pittsburg, Calif. - Caught 36 passes and scored 96 points. . . . Set school records with kickoff return of 99 yards and punt return of 97 yards.

-- Torey Hunter, WR-DB, 5-9, 168, Tacoma (Curtis) - Caught 40 passes for 802 yards and 11 TDs last season on Class AAA championship team. . . . Averaged 22 yards on punt returns. . . . Made two all-state teams. . . . Times' red-chipper.

-- Johnny Johnson, DB, 6-2, 180, Palmdale, Calif. - All-league as wide receiver and defensive back.

-- Eric Ness, DL, 6-5, 255, Port Orchard (South Kitsap HS) - Times' blue-chipper. . . . Super Prep Magazine Far West top 100 selection.

-- DeWayne Patterson, TE-LB, 6-2, 230, Oakland, Calif. (McClymonds HS) - Super Prep Magazine Far West 100 selection. . . . Caught 31 passes for 1,150 yards and eight TDs as a senior. . . . Two-way all-Oakland all-star.

-- Deron Pointer, WR-DB, 5-11, 175, Tacoma (Curtis) - Kingbowl player of the day, scoring TDs on 67-yard interception return and 8-yard pass. . . . Times' blue-chipper. . . . Finished season with 42 catches for 878 yards and 13 TDs. . . Nephew of Pointer Sisters singing group. . . . Father, Aaron, played for Houston Astros and is an NFL referee.

-- Paul Reed, LB, 6-3, 230, Vancouver (Mountain View HS) - Super Prep Magazine Far West top 100 selection. . . . Suffered season-ending knee injury that required surgery three games into the year. . . . Times red-chipper.

-- Clay Reis, TE, 6-8, 245, Cupertino, Calif. (Monte Vista HS) - Caught 35 passes, three for touchdowns, last season. . . . Super Prep Magazine top 100 Far West selection.

-- John Rushing, CB, 5-10, 175, Merced, Calif. - MVP on 14-0 team that won sectional title. . . . Intercepted six passes and scored 11 touchdowns, averaging 9.8 yards as running back. . . All-district as defensive back.

-- Mark Schuster, OL, 6-5, 255, Richland - Brother of Mike Schuster, a starter on the 1985 WSU offensive line. . . . All-Big Nine and made one all-state team. . . . Times red-chipper. . . . Has 3.8 grade-point average.

-- Todd Shaw, DE, 6-5, 230, Portland, Ore. (Franklin HS) - All-league at tight end and defensive end. . . . Won Portland championships in wrestling, shot put, discus and pole vault (12-6) as a junior. . . . Considered one of the best athletes in Oregon.

-- Kyron Vandell, RB, 5-10, 190, Sacramento City College (Johnson HS) - Had 420 carries for 2,006 yards and 33 TDs in two years of CC ball. . . . His 208 career points is eighth-best junior college total in the nation and third best in California history.

-- Mark Whitmire, QB-SS, 6-3, 210, Centralia (Charles Wright Academy, Tacoma) - Class A all-state pick who is considered main reason Charles Wright advanced to state-title game. . . . Times' red-chipper.