SEATTLE – Almost one year ago to the date, the Division 1 Council proposed six rule changes to college football recruiting, some of which have already been implemented by several Pac-12 programs.
In January, Washington hired San Jose State defensive backs coach Will Harris, a former safety at USC from 2005-09 during the Trojans run of four consecutive Rose Bowl appearances, as the first-ever 10th assistant coach.
The additional full-time assistant coaching position adds effectively a bonus recruiter, with coaches able to do off campus recruiting in addition to on campus, and another set of eyes in the film room.
With the calendar turned to April, another one change is now in effect. For the first time, FBS programs can host high school recruits during the spring for an official visit, traditionally a 48-hour all-expense paid trip by the university that takes place in the fall or after the football season.
Chris Petersen has been outspoken in his stance on the landscape of college football recruiting for year, and the latest adaptation hasn’t changed his opinion.
“I see no positives in it,” Petersen said Wednesday, after the Huskies wrapped up their ninth practice of the spring. “I don’t know of any coaches that want spring visits. You can visit in the spring, and then sign months, months later. It’s hard enough when they during the fall.”
UW has added two verbal commitments to its 2019 recruiting class already this spring, landing three-star DB Kamren Fabiculanan and three-star defensive lineman Sama Paama.
Both players took unofficial visits before making their pledge to the Huskies and Petersen, and more recruits are expected to make their way to the Emerald City between Wednesday and June 25, when the dead period begins and runs through July 24.
With six commitments UW has the No. 15 ranked class in 2019 by Rivals, gaining an early lead on the rest of the Pac-12 Conference. Colorado is the next closest, ranked No. 31, followed by Oregon at No. 36, Oregon State and Stanford in a three-way tie with Louisville at No. 55.
Just missing the top five cut, Washington State sits at No. 58, tied with Vanderbilt. Cal and USC are tied at No. 60, leaving Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and Utah as the four to no hold a ranking on Rivals.
Nevertheless, the Huskies are expected to host a couple recruits for officials this spring, but Petersen still prefers to have players visit later rather than earlier.
“We’re at the far other extreme, Petersen added. “We like when kids play their senior year and visit us after the season is over. So now you’re talking about spring. But it is what it is. We’ll make adjustments and figure out if there’s guys we have to visit in the spring.”
Of the 21 recruits that signed with UW in 2018, eight committed to the program by the end of spring football, pushing the total to even dozen by the end of the first week of fall camp.
The Huskies almost made it through the entire 2017 regular season without adding another commit. Days before the Apple Cup and fresh off an official visit to Washington State the weekend prior, UW landed three-star defensive end Mosiah Nasili-Liu, a 6’3, 260-pound lineman who de-committed from Utah after UW offered in early November.
In total, nine players joined the class in the final two-plus months, including five four-star recruits: defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa, safety Julius Irvin, cornerback Kyler Gordon, linebacker Ale Kaho and defensive lineman Sam Taimani.
Kaho and Irvin, who finished ranked No. 82 and No. 95 overall in the final Rivals100 for 2018, both picked Washington over Alabama, two major statements on the recruiting trail for Petersen and Co.
The former made his commitment during an official visit Dec. 15-17, the last weekend recruits could take officials before the first-ever early signing period on Dec. 20-22. Kaho, a long-time BYU commit, surprised many by his decision, and even more so when he signed during the 72-hour window.
Then came Irvin, who took his official to UW in September 2017 and was scheduled to make his decision in December before a family emergency pushed it to late January.
Petersen and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake made their in-home visit (Lake allowed multiple as an assistant, head coaches are only allowed one) and, again, pulled a talented recruit away from Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.
Time worked in the Huskies favor ultimately for the 2018, but the overall trajectory of recruiting in college football isn’t going where Petersen prefers it.
“I think it just continuously accelerates,” Petersen added. “That’s another thing that pushed guys deciding earlier and earlier, and I think that’s when people make bad decisions. Coaches, players, recruits, families. They got time. Let’s see them play. Let’s let them play more. But it is what it is.”
