Live updates: Nick Rolovich signs six players, rounding out first recruiting class at Washington State
New Washington State coach Nick Rolovich is expected to sign six or seven players Wednesday, rounding out the 2020 class that predecessor Mike Leach began working on last December.
Find bios of each WSU signee below, with short summaries, Hudl highlight tapes and links to the player’s Twitter account.
Alphonse Oywak
Position: Cornerback
High school: Kentwood (Kent, Wash.)
Height/weight: 6-1, 175
Other notable offers: Arizona, Boise State, Air Force, Oregon State, Utah State
On Oywak: The in-state cornerback becomes the second four-star defensive player the Cougars have signed in as many years, joining linebacker Travion Brown. Oywak was committed to Arizona since last August, but Rolovich and his staff made a strong push for the Seattle-area defensive back and managed to flip Oywak earlier this week. He had four interceptions and five fumble recoveries last fall, and doubled as Kentwood’s top receiver, with 27 catches for 550 yards and five touchdowns.
Chau Smith
Position: Cornerback
High school: Simeon (Chicago)
Height/weight: 5-11, 175
Other notable offers: Pittsburgh, Purdue, Wyoming, Air Force
On Smith: Originally committed to Wyoming, Smith presumably changed his mind when three of the Cowboys’ defensive coaches – defensive coordinator Jake Dickert, cornerbacks coach John Richardson and defensive ends coach AJ Cooper – all accepted positions on Rolovich’s WSU staff. Smith became the coach’s first-ever commit at WSU and officially flipped on Super Bowl Sunday, choosing the Cougars over Wyoming and Power Fives Pittsburgh and Purdue.
Mike Pettway
Position: Wide receiver
High school: Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Height/weight: 5-10, 170
Other notable offers: Mississippi State, Indiana, Louisville, Cincinnati, Virginia
On Pettway: Rolovich spoke about the importance of recruiting in the state of Washington, but Pettway’s addition is a sign the coach is also willing to cast a wide net to find talent. An Alabama native, Pettway prepped at Thompson High in Alabaster and chose WSU over Mississippi State, Louisville, Indiana, Virginia Tech and a variety of mid-major programs. In 2019, he had 60 catches for 1,090 yards and 15 touchdowns, also contributing 364 yards on kickoff return and an average of 45.5 yards per return. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.
Antonio Pule III
Position: Defensive end
Previous school: Modesto Junior College (Modesto, Calif.)
Height/weight: 6-5, 255
Other notable offers: Missouri State, Alabama A&M
On Pule III: One of two American Samoa natives in Rolovich’s signing class, Pule III, potentially a diamond in the rough, didn’t have much FBS interest and only listed offers from FCS and Division II programs. Pule III brings an intriguing frame to the WSU defensive line, at 6-5, 255, and recorded 33 tackles last season at Modesto Junior College to go with 8½ tackles-for-loss and one pass breakup.
Fa’alili Fa’amoe
Position: Defensive line
High school: Leone (Pago Pago, American Samoa)
Height/weight: 6-5, 216
Other notable offers: N/A
On Faamoe: Cougars defensive line coach and American Samoa native Ricky Logo was the lead recruiter on Faamoe, as he was with Pule III, and WSU managed to land the 6-foot-5, 216-pound edge rusher, a three-star athlete who’s listed as the top-rated recruit in American Samoa. Faamoa was a team captain for Leone and was one of two players from American Samoa selected to play in the 2020 Polynesian Bowl, where recruiting guru Brandon Huffman labeled him one of the top performers.
Jay Wilkerson
Position: Wide receiver
High school: Heritage (Midlothian, Texas)
Height/weight: 6-1, 165
Other notable offers: Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Rutgers
On Wilkerson: A former Hawaii commit, Wilkerson opted to follow Rolovich and his staff to Pullman and the Pac-12, giving the Cougars another young slot receiver in the 2020 recruiting class. During his senior season at Heritage, Wiklerson caught a team-leading 66 passes for 1,226 yards and 15 touchdowns, to go with 12 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. He also held kick and punt return duties for the Jaguars, returning eight kicks for 156 yards and 13 punts for 158 yards.