Brett Rypien is only a sophomore in high school, but Mike Leach figures it’s never too early to chase talented recruits.
Leach, the Washington State football coach, offered Rypien a scholarship this week. Rypien, a record-setting quarterback at Shadle Park in Spokane, is the nephew of former WSU and NFL quarterback Mark Rypien.
The younger Rypien set a state record by passing for 577 yards in a game this season. In 10 games, he completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 3,591 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
“He’s extremely smart,” Shadle Park coach Alan Stanfield said this week. “His understanding of the game is way ahead of his age.”
High school players may not sign letters of intent until February of their senior year. Stanfield said Rypien has made unofficial visits to WSU and Washington and has drawn interest from such other schools as Boise State and Oregon State.
LEACH TALKS ABOUT WILSON
Leach described investigations into Marquess Wilson’s allegations of abuse by the coaching staff as a “total waste of time.”
Wilson, WSU’s all-time leading receiver, quit the team during a demanding conditioning session Nov. 4. Six days later, the junior wide receiver released a statement to the media shortly before Washington State’s game with UCLA that accused WSU coaches of “physical, emotional and verbal abuse.”
WSU president Elson Floyd ordered a review of the football program by the school and the Pacific-12 Conference. Results of those reviews have not been released, but Leach said Wednesday that Wilson “basically recanted everything he said.”
Leach questioned Wilson’s effort on several occasions. Leach said he started redshirt freshman Dominique Williams ahead of Wilson during Wilson’s final two games because Williams was working harder in practice.
LSU, MILES AGREE TO DEAL
Les Miles has a new seven-year contract at LSU that will result in a pay raise for one of the most successful coaches in team history.
A person familiar with the contract said that Miles’ new annual pay will be in the range of $4.3 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of Miles’ deal were not released.
Miles’ previous contract paid about $3.75 million annually through 2017.
EXTRA POINTS
With better facilities, a larger stadium and a longer history as a major college football program, Louisville was picked over Connecticut to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, with the Cardinals becoming the fifth football member to leave the Big East in just over a year . … Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o are among the five finalists for the Walter Camp player of the year award. … Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas said Tim Beckman will be the Fighting Illini’s coach again next season. … Middle Tennessee has accepted an offer to join Conference USA, leaving the Sun Belt. … Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch was named the Mid-American Conference’s player of the year.
McClatchy news services contributed to this report.
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