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At Eastern, Rasmussen was used to standing watch over the fax
machine, waiting for the NLIs to arrive. At WSU, he is relegated to
standing watch over his computer.“I can’t get used to waiting for
the e-mails.”
Once he does receive an e-mail, Rasmussen makes a congratulatory
call to the recruit welcoming him to the WSU program. Then
it’s back to waiting.
By 9:30 a.m., the tally of NLIs to come through the fax has
reached 18, and coordinator of football operations Shawn Deeds
drops off Wulff’s itinerary.
Wulff is slated for a Spokane radio show at 1:30 p.m., a news
conference at 2, a donor gathering at the Hotel Lusso in Spokane at
5, and a signing-day party for the general public at the Northern
Quest Casino at 6:30. Then it’s back to Pullman, where winter
conditioning begins for current Cougar players at 6 the following
morning.
But a winter storm is due this evening. Returning to Pullman for
the 6 a.m. workout is not a sure thing.
The University has experienced one of the worst winters to hit
the region in years, so bad that WSU was forced to close just a
week earlier due to heavy snow.
Wulff says the winter weather concerned a couple of kids he was
attempting to recruit.
Regardless, the appeal of the University and the Pacific-10
Conference made the recruiting process “a lot easier” at WSU
compared to Eastern. “I would say that 95 to 98 percent of kids out
there want to hear us out.”
Part of that allure is the ongoing renovation of Martin
Stadium.
At 11:30 a.m., with only five donuts remaining, all the NLIs that
the coaches were expecting have arrived—a total of 24.
Wulff heads to lunch with members of his staff at the Cougar
Fitness Café, just across the street from BAC. Rasmussen stays
behind to participate in an online chat at wsucougars.com.
After lunch, Wulff confers with sports information director Bill
Stevens on a quote for a press release, conducts his radio
interview, speaks with reporters at the news conference, and takes
off for Spokane.
The predicted severe weather holds off until Wulff and his party
leave the Hotel Lusso for the Northern Quest Casino. There, before
a standing-room-only audience, Wulff, defensive coordinators Chris
Ball and Sears, offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy, and Rasmussen
speak and take a few questions. Afterward, Wulff shows video
highlights of each signee.
It takes Wulff and his entourage nearly three hours to drive
back through the snowstorm to Pullman.
In the office early next morning, the coaches find a single
donut box still on the counter. Although the box is nearly empty,
the WSU football cupboard is much fuller than it had been just 24
hours earlier.
The 2008 season opener is 175 days away.
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