Montana Recruit To Join Cougars' Quarterback Battle -- WSU May Redshirt Promising Teenager

The high-school quarterback considered a recruiting priority by Washington State Coach Mike Price apparently has been found - in Great Falls, Mont.

Ryan Leaf, 6 feet 4 and 210 pounds, has announced he will sign with the Cougars on Feb. 2, the first day high-school seniors can sign letters of intent to enroll to play football.

Leaf chose Washington State after making recruiting visits to Miami, Colorado State and the Pullman campus, said his coach, Jack Johnson, at C.M. Russell High. Leaf declined invitations from Oregon and Wyoming.

PHYSICALLY GIFTED

"He's got a great deal of potential," Johnson said. "Physically he's as gifted as any kid we've ever had here."

Johnson said Leaf's physical gifts include a strong arm, good speed (sub 4.8-second times for 40 yards) and a 36-inch vertical leap. He reportedly dunks basketballs.

But because Leaf is comparatively young (he will be only 17 when he graduates) and because he never has played a full season, he might be a redshirt candidate his first year.

"He needs to mature," Johnson said.

Leaf did not start until the fourth game of his junior year, when C.M. Russell won the Montana Class AA (big school) state championship. A thumb injury sidelined him for three games this past season, when Russell went 8-2 and lost a first-round game in the playoffs.

PROMISING NUMBERS

Leaf's senior-year numbers show his promise. He completed 87 of 167 passes (52 percent) for 1,403 yards (200 yards per game) and 19 touchdowns. He also ran for five scores.

At WSU, Leaf will join a QB cadre that includes seniors-to-be Chad DeGrenier and Derek Chapman, junior-to-be Shawn Deeds and sophomore-to-be Chad Davis.

DeGrenier, who beat out Deeds and Chapman in earning the starting role after Mike Pattinson suffered a season-ending injury, probably will go into spring practice No. 1. But Price has said that all the quarterbacks, including Davis, a transfer from Oklahoma, will be given strong consideration.

Meanwhile, the Contra Costa Times reported that two players might be WSU-bound from Oakland High - lineman David Caldwell and defensive back Keith Parker. Also, the Times said Kwame Stewart, a fullback at Skyline High in Oakland, has committed to WSU.

Other high-school seniors who have announced for WSU are Rick Austin, OL, Rialto, Calif. (Eisenhower); Darryl Jones, DL, Cypress, Calif. (Brethren Christian); Jon Ottenbreit, OL/DL, Cheney; Rob Rainville, OL/DL, Lewiston, Idaho; Rory Rosenbach, TE/OLB, Snohomish; Chris Dixon, OLB, and Tom Wagner, OLB/DB, both Bellevue (Newport); Justin Stallings, WR, Hawthorne, Calif.; Delmar Morais, DE, and Mike Sage, NG, both Chaparral High in Las Vegas.

HELP COMING FROM JCS

Junior-college players who have committed to WSU include Kearney Adams, a wide receiver at Mesa (Ariz.) JC, who is already enrolled, and two players at Utah's Snow JC who signed with the Cougars two years ago - defensive linemen Dwayne Sanders of Los Angeles and John Tialauea of Samoa.

Sanders and Tialauea will not be able to enroll at WSU until fall quarter, and only if they have graduated from Snow.

Three players signed by the Cougars last year - defensive end Leon Bender, wide receiver Shon Lewis and defensive back Brandon Moore - are in school but were academically ineligible last season. They will count on next year's list.

WASHINGTON

Washington has oral commitments for at least 14 of its 15 scholarships and the Huskies are winding down in recruiting.

The Huskies aren't using a scholarship for a place-kicker this year, but Newport High School's Steve Jacobson has agreed to be a walk-on and might eventually earn a scholarship. Jacobson, 5 feet 10, 150 pounds, rarely got to use his powerful leg for field goals at Newport as the Knights' offense was able to rely on touchdowns on its way to a Class AAA championship in 1992 and semifinal berth last

season.

Husky kickers Travis Hanson and Jason Crabbe were seniors last season.

LINEMAN PLANS VISIT

This weekend the Huskies were scheduled to receive a visit from defensive lineman Vavae Tata from St. Louis High School in Honolulu, a highly recruited athlete from the same school that brought the Huskies offensive lineman Patrick Kesi.

While in-state players have dominated Washington's recruiting - the Huskies appeared to get every player they wanted with the exception of Cascade lineman Paul Mickelbart, who decided on Notre Dame - the Huskies had mixed results in California.

They got two running backs, fullback Jason Harris from Bishop Amat and tailback George Keiaho from Ventura, plus offensive lineman Ben Kadletz from La Canada, defensive lineman David Cruickshank from Dana Point, and safety Reggie Davis from Cypress.

A FEW DISAPPOINTMENTS

The disappointments came in losing wide receiver Jim McElroy from Washington High in Los Angeles, after he had made a commitment. McElroy apparently will go to UCLA. And, as in other years, the Huskies failed to get the big-name running back, losing Rodney Sermons of Bishop Amat to USC.

A sleeper in the UW recruiting class? Try linebacker Tom Matijacic from Lake Oswego, Ore. As a running back, Matijacic had three games of more than 200 yards. He has run the 100 meters in 10.9 seconds and yet weighs 220 pounds. He also made visits to Oregon, Arizona State and Wisconsin.

STANFORD

Stanford continues to recruit nationally under Coach Bill Walsh, gaining commitments from linemen Brian Donoghue from Albuquerque, N.M., Andrew Kroeker from Fayetteville, Ark., Anthony Willis from Sugarland, Tex., and Geoff Wilson from Robertsdale, Ala. Walsh didn't get one he wanted: Tony Coats from South Kitsap, who picked Washington.

Other Stanford commitments include the two most publicized players in Oregon: linebacker Kailee Wong from Eugene and linebacker Matt Smith from Grants Pass. Another linebacker is Jon Haskins from Sarasota, Fla.

CALIFORNIA

California's commitments include 6-6, 230-pound tight end Tony Gonsalvez from Huntington Beach, who doubles as a basketball star. The Bears picked up Nevada's top-rated player, linebacker Justin Oaks from McQueen High in Reno, JC lineman Derek Barton from San Bernardino, defensive back Mark Orr from Sacramento and offensive lineman John Welbourn from Palo Verdes.

The battle continues for 295-pound defensive tackle Darrell Russell of San Diego, although Russell may be leaning to USC. Other key recruits would be running backs Tyrone Crenshaw from Sylmar and Marlin Carey from San Diego, and kicker Adam Abrams from La Jolla.