PULLMAN, Wash — Mike Leach didn’t mince words when asked about his much hyped receiving corps the first day of fall camp.
“We’re plenty worried about them. None of these guys are in secure positions. They better compete and win their job everyday. The other thing is, is we have about ten of them that can plan and we’re going to play the best ones the most so the better they play the more snaps they’ll get.”
He never takes it easy with them, but one of the receivers that figures to play a big role in the offense this year is senior Dez Patmon, who is even bigger and better than last season.
“Football is a game of strength. When I’m 6’4, 225 and all the corners are 5’11, 180, obviously being stronger and faster than them is an advantage for… anything,” Patmon said with a chuckle.
According to Patmon, he’s put on about 13 lbs in muscle since he arrived on WSU’s campus in 2016.
It took awhile though for Dez to realize his full potential.
“They were just harping to me to start playing to my size,” said Dez of the coaching staff. “Eventually in the weight room, going out there, going on the field you get more confident with how you play. I definitely started playing to my size more.”
Patmon is just one of many receivers for WSU that figure to have a big season.
“We got the guys. We got the guys to compete with the rest of the nation for top receiver core.”
And he thinks that wideout group will remain strong, even after he graduates this season.
“When you start winning games, people want to flock to you. I think over the past four years since I’ve been a freshman, even the year before me, we’ve been winning games, showing everybody that we can compete with everybody in the nation, basically. People want to go and win games and especially receivers want to come and catch passes, so people flock to here.”
So about that criticism from Mike Leach? Well it’s no problem for Dez.
“I think he knows that we can be the best in the nation so he just harps everyday. He’s so hard on us. I think it helps us.”