Pac-10 Position Breakdown: Wide Receiver – Washington State Cougars
Over the last five years, Washington State has produced a number of very good wide receivers including: Devard Darling, Jason Hill, Michael Bumpus (a friend and personal favorite of mine) and most recently Brandon Gibson.
Head coach Paul Wulff would certainly love to run his no-huddle offense with this group of wideouts, but it will take some time for the new cast of skill position talent to develop in Pullman.
There is a ton of youthful inexperience in the WSU receiving corps, but the unit does have a few intriguing options. The group will be led by a lightning fast junior who is one of the best players on the team, not just at the position.
Junior wideout Jeshua Anderson enters 2009 as the Cougars main receiving threat. The 6-2 188 pound playmaker was the second leading receiver on the team last season (next to Brandon Gibson). He ended 2008 with 33 receptions for 305 yards and two touchdowns (9.2 YPC), and for his career he has 45 catches for 677 yards and four touchdowns. He is a native of Woodland Hills (CA) and was a two-sport star (football and track) at Taft High School (CA).
Jeshua Anderson goes up for the grab
Anderson is a tremendous overall athlete with world-class speed. He won back-to-back NCAA Championships in the 400m hurdles for 2008 and 2009. On top of that, he almost made it to the Olympics in Beijing last summer as a hurdler. Anderson will undoubtedly be the field stretcher of the unit, and Paul Wulff will look to get the speedster in space as much as possible. He missed spring ball in order to compete for the track team, but will be ready for fall practice.
To fully reach his potential, Anderson will have to become a more polished receiver. His wheels are amazing, but if he can become a better route-runner and improve his consistency as a pass-catcher, the Cougars will have an even more formidable weapon.
Next to Anderson, the player with the most time as a starting wideout is sophomore Kevin Norrell. Norrell played in all 13 games in 2008 as a true freshman, starting in six. He caught 11 passes for 124 yards (11.3 YPC) and also returned 16 kickoffs for 296 yards.
At 5-9 199 pounds, Norrell is a very elusive player with great acceleration and agility. He will line-up primarily in the slot as he did often in last year’s offense, and should increase his production after gaining valuable experience during his freshman year.
The Los Angeles (CA) native does not have great top-end speed but possesses some of the best hands on the team and plays with great instincts. Norrell will be a reliable target in Paul Wulff’s offense with his sharp route running and overall polished skill set, especially for a true sophomore.
Anderson and Norrell will be joined as starters by sophomore Jared Karstetter. The 6-4 203 pound wideout is a physically imposing receiver with solid skills. He played in all 13 games last season as a freshman and started three, but he managed only six receptions for 90 yards.
Although Karstetter had limited production in 2008, he made his biggest contribution when it mattered most. During the Apple Cup against Washington, Karstetter hauled in a huge 48-yard reception from Kevin Lopina during the final minute of regulation. His catch set up the game-tying field goal, and the Cougs would go on to win the game in overtime.
This season, the Spokane (WA) native should have a much larger role in the offense, and will provide WSU QB’s with a great compliment to the speedier Anderson and Norrell. Karstetter is a former standout basketball player at Ferris High School (WA), and has the hops to make an impact in the red zone. He also has deceptive speed for a big wideout, running the 40 in the 4.5 range.
Jared Karstetter secures the ball at practice
Juniors Daniel Blackledge and Jeff Solomon may also see time this season for the Cougars.
The 6-1 182 pound Blackledge played in nine games last season, finishing with nine receptions for 70 yards. He has spent most of his career on special teams but could be utilized quite a bit as a wideout in 2009. Blackledge gives WSU a balanced receiving threat, capable of running intermediate routes or going deep. The Colorado Springs (CO) native will start the year as a reserve, but could factor in quite a bit this season.
The 6-0 196 pound Solomon is a transfer from Paul Wulff’s old school, Eastern Washington. This will be his first season with Washington State, and he impressed the coaching staff already this past spring. The Seattle (WA) native played just about every position as a prep star at Ingraham High School (WA) and it is that kind of versatility that could land him playing time in 2009.
The most intriguing prospect on the team is junior Johnny Forzani. Forzani is a junior college transfer from Douglass College in Canada. The 6-1 195 pound wideout may turn out to be a steal for Paul Wulff because of his tremendous athleticism and blazing speed. Forzani has been timed at 4.37 in the 40 and gives WSU another field stretcher along with Anderson.
He spent time with the Calgary Colts (a CFL development team) catching 37 passes for 702 yards and nine touchdowns. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada native may be eased into the rotation, but should threaten for time this season.
Finally, true freshman Gino Simone will enter fall camp with a chance to earn playing time. Simone was a spectacular performer at Skyline High School (WA), and a bit overlooked nationally. The 5-11 174 pound wideout was one of the major reasons that Skyline won back to back state titles, with a combined 2,282 receiving yards and 33 TDs during his last two years in high school. His production alone makes him a viable candidate for playing time in Pullman.
Tight Ends
The likely starter at tight end this season will be senior Tony Thompson. At 6-2 241 pounds, Thompson does not have the height of a prototypical tight end, but he does have pedigree going for him. Thompson is the son of legendary Washington State QB Jack Thompson, also known as “The Throwin’ Samoan”.
Last season, Thompson saw action in 10 games, but only caught four passes for 30 yards on the season. Thompson has spent most of his career on special teams, appearing as the team’s deep snapper for the early part of his career. The former walk-on from Seattle (WA) must continue to develop if he is to be the starter for a full season.
Behind Thompson on the depth chart right now is senior Zach Tatman. The Salem (OR) native is also a former walk-on and enters 2009 without any game experience after redshirting last season. The 6-5 245 pound tight end has a big frame, and should provide the offensive line with blocking help.
Other receivers and tight ends competing for time are: freshmen Dominique Jackson, Esa Johnwell, Skylar Stormo, Andrei Lintz and Elliott Bosch, and juniors Easton Johnson, Randy Johnson, Aaron Gehring, and Anthony Houston.
My Take
Like many positions, this will be a year of development at receiver for the Cougars. That’s not to say that there isn’t talent, because there is, but the wideouts are young.
Obviously it all starts with Anderson, who really is a spectacular athlete. I expect him to surpass his production from the last two years, but the coaches will need to be creative because every defense that plays WSU will be focusing their efforts on stopping Anderson. I also think Norrell and Karstetter can be good contributors, but expect growing pains along the way.
Cougar fans should keep an eye out for Forzani and Simone. Both of them can give the overall skill position talent a real boost if they are as good as advertised. Forzani is the only vertical threat besides Anderson, and I expect to see him on the field early in the season. Simone has tremendous instincts, and I think he can help out right away too.
Unfortunately, I do not see a ton of upside at tight end. It is very important for Thompson to solidify the position, because depth is scary-thin for this unit.
Overall, this year is about building a foundation at receiver for the Washington State Cougars.
Washington State Cougars
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Daniel Blackledge, Footbal, Gino Simone, Jared Karstetter, Jeff Solomon, Jeshua Anderson, Johnny Forzani, Kevin Norrell, Tight End, Tony Thompson, Wide Receiver, Zach Tatman
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