Washington State football coach announces 22 new recruits

SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State football coach Mike Leach announced a recruiting class of 22 players, led by quarterback Peyton Bender of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Leach said Wednesday that all the new recruits had other scholarship offers and that the Cougars did not have to settle for any players with questionable abilities.

Leach said this was the best class in his three recruiting seasons at Washington State.

Bender, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, is the 25th-rated pro-style quarterback in the nation. He played for Cardinal Gibbons High School, where he threw for 2,184 yards and 28 touchdowns in 10 games before breaking his collarbone.