Cougs add another TE/DE prospect to class

WASHINGTON STATE coach Paul Wulff has added another player to his 2009 class of recruits. The second-year head man surprised a gathering of alums in Seattle on Friday when he opened a video montage of his new troops with scenes of a hard-hitting Spokane product who turned down scholarship offers from Montana, EWU and others – as well as overtures from much of the Ivy League – to walk on at WSU.

Elliot Bosch, a three-year starter at Class 4A powerhouse Ferris High, is headed to Pullman as an invited walk on. “He’s going to work himself into being a real good player for us,” Wulff said of the 6-3, 230-pound two-way standout. “He’s a first-rate walk on.”

Bosch played offensive and defensive line at Ferris, but could develop into a tight end or defensive end.

BOSCH MAKES HIS CHOICE KNOWN

“He’s a tough kid, a real blue-collar kid in the tight end/defensive end mold type of body,” said WSU recruiting coordinator Rich Rasmussen. “We’ll try him out on defense first. He’s strong academically so that gives us an opportunity to consider moving him to offense and know he’ll pick things up quickly.”

Bosch was a first-team All-Greater Spokane League defensive lineman and honorable mention Class 4A All-Stater in 2008. He started as a sophomore in 2006 and earned second-team all-league honors as a junior in 2007. He has 4.67 speed in the 40.

Bosch’s uncle is WSU assistant athletic director John Johnson -- a fact that WSU coaches didn’t learn until two days ago when Bosch mentioned it in passing to Cougar linebackers coach Travis Neikamp.

“I didn’t say a word about Elliot to anyone,” Johnson told CF.C Friday following the annual "Night with Cougar Football" dinner in downtown Seattle. “Recruiting is the coaches’ deal -- I steered clear.”

Asked why his nephew would turn down full rides at other schools to walk on at WSU, Johnson was succinct: “He wanted to be a Coug.”

Bosch’s parents didn’t attend WSU, but they are big-time fans, having been Cougar season ticketholders for many years.

Paul Sorensen, the former WSU All-American, is an assistant coach at Ferris. He doesn’t mince words when asked to describe Bosch. “Helluva ballplayer –athletic, good speed and tough as nails.”

Bosch is the third member of WSU’s new recruiting class who hails from Spokane, joining Gonzaga Prep’s Travis Long and Lewis & Clark’s Chris Mastin.

Bosch also is the second invited walk on WSU has been able to make public this week because they’ve already been accepted for admission by WSU. The other is Redmond quarterback David Gilbertson, the son of former Idaho, Cal and UW head coach Keith Gilbertson. Like Bosch, Gilbertson turned down full rides from Big Sky schools. “His dad really wanted him in Pullman,” Wulff said of Gilbertson. “He’s a competitor. He’s going to be very, very good for us.”