Karstetter's athleticism is what Cougs seek

THE HIGHLIGHT CLIPS that WSU coach Paul Wulff showed last week at the annual coach's dinner in Seattle included three of the 141 passes that future Cougar Jared Karstetter caught over the last two seasons at Spokane's Ferris High. All three were nifty long-bomb TDs down the left sideline. Every word of Wulff's commentary, though, focused on what a great basketball talent Karstetter is.

Sure enough, 24 hours after Wulff's presentation, Jared Karstetter was named MVP of the state Class 4A hoops tournament after leading Ferris to its second-straight title and undefeated season.

Karstetter (6-4, 195) averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game in four state playoff contests.

Ferris finished its 29-0 season in convincing fashion, dispatching Federal Way 68-44 in the championship game last Saturday. The Saxons are 58-0 over the last two seasons.

Karstetter's work on the gridiron, however, cannot be overlooked. Over the last two seasons his 141 receptions produced 25 TDs and nearly 2,000 yards. In the process, he earned All-State recognition both seasons.

"Jared is a big, physical receiver and a good athlete," Wulff said last month after Karstetter signed his letter-of-intent with the Cougars. "He's got a bright future because he has a tremendous area for growth as a technical receiver.

"Coach Levenseller will get him steered in the right direction, but once he learns the ins and outs of the position, he has a very bright future to help this team."

The fact Wulff devoted his Karstetter commentary last week at the annual dinner to the kid's basketball exploits, rather than football, speaks to what Wulff is looking for in all his players: Athleticism.

He said the Cougars need to step up the overall athleticism of the team -- especially on the offensive line. and that was an emphasis in putting together the incoming crop of recruits.

During his video run-down of the new class, Wulff repeatedly used the phrases "highly athletic" or "outstanding athleticism" to describe players. For several players, those were the first words Wulff used in his evaluation. Among them:

Offensive lineman Alex Reitnouer of La Canada, Calif. (St. Francis)

Tight end/defensive end/offensive lineman Dan Spitz of Spokane (Mead)

Receiver/return man Kevin Norrell of Los Angeles (Long Beach Poly)

Receiver Michael Vandenkolk of Carlsbad, Calif.

We'll have more of Wulff's insights on recruiting and his incoming class in a story coming on Monday.