Graham-Kapowsin QB Joshua Wood commits to Fresno State
It didn’t take long for Graham-Kapowsin quarterback Joshua Wood to decide Fresno State was the right place for him, after the Bulldogs offered and Wood took an official visit on the weekend of Jan. 14. He announced his verbal commitment to Fresno State on Twitter on Monday afternoon.
“With the coaching staff, it was a connection right off the bat — an automatic bond,” Wood said. “It felt like home.”
Wood sat with Fresno State offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, breaking down film during his visit. That was just fine with Wood, who probably spent more time watching film than a lot of high school football coaches in Washington even did in the fall.
Wood was previously committed to Eastern Washington, but reopened his recruitment after a stellar performance in a nationally-televised GEICO State Champions Bowl Series game against Georgia 7A state champion Collins Hill in Las Vegas in December, following Graham-Kapowsin’s perfect season and 4A state championship in Washington. Against Collins Hill, Wood led his team down the field in the game’s final minute and connected with receiver Stephen Mars for the game-winning touchdown reception with just one second left on the clock.
In the weeks following the game, offers from Fresno State and Nevada came.
“They had watched it,” Wood said of Fresno State’s coaching staff. “They went back and watched the whole game and looked at my film. I really appreciate them going through.”
Wood, who was hosted by Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener on his visit, said everything felt natural.
“Plus, when I went down there, the weather was great,” Wood said, laughing. “Talking football, talking life, seeing how the coaches just treat my parents and how they were talking to me. When we were just talking football, it just felt to me that it could be a great place.”
Jeff Tedford, who coached at Fresno State during the 2017-19 seasons, is back as the head man, after Kalen DeBoer took the UW job. Wood said he thinks he’ll have no problem fitting into the offense.
“Just everything about the program, they’re obviously doing something great,” Wood said. “They’re doing something down there. Their offense is what a quarterback dreams of. You’re spread out, when it comes down to it, whatever you do to win and help your team win, that’s what you want to do as a quarterback. I feel like I can be in that position and lead the team to a championship.”
Wood was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2021 season and was The News Tribune’s All-Area player of the year. He never lost a game as a starter in his high school career.
Wood passed for 2,495 yards and 35 touchdowns this fall, adding 621 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
This story was originally published January 24, 2022 at 7:09 PM.
