Damien Washington seems to be just what the Bobcats need. And Montana State has what the Charter Oak (Covina, California) High senior wants.
Washington is a 6-foot-1 cornerback with fluid hips, solid ball skills and the ability to play man coverage. Last season, Montana State ranked near the bottom of the Big Sky Conference by allowing a passer efficiency rating of nearly 150 to opposing passers.
[restrict paid=”true”]Washington loves the relationship he developed with Montana State running backs coach Michael Pitre and linebackers coach Kane Ioane during his recruiting process. He wants to study architecture, although that’s a tall task for any Division I athlete. Regardless, Montana State offers a top notch program in the field. It seems like a perfect marriage.
Washington gave his verbal commitment to Pitre in October while Rob Ash was still Montana State’s head coach. Ash was fired on November 23 and Jeff Choate took over on December 4. MSU’s new head coach retained Pitre and Ioane and will still honor Washington’s scholarship offer. Washington is one of 12 players verbally committed to sign with MSU in February.
“I liked the atmosphere of Montana State,” Washington said earlier this week. “I feel like they wanted me as much as I wanted to be there. They were giving me more love than the other colleges.”
The two-star cornerback also received an offer from MSU Big Sky Conference rival Northern Arizona along with the University of San Diego and Holy Cross. Montana State rose to the top because of consistent contact.
“I liked how they approached me and they kept pace with me and asked me about my games,” Washington said. “I talked to the players, the good the bad, stuff about the area. It wasn’t really bad, just how it gets cold. I’ve seen a lot of pictures. It looks good.”
Montana State has consistently recruited Charter Oak, Los Angeles County and the San Gabriel Valley region since Ash took over in 2007. Ioane has primary manned the territory over the last five years and Pitre, a native Southern California, has chipped in since joining the MSU staff before the 2014 season. Montana State junior safety Khari Garcia is a Charter Oak product.
“They tell me the good and the bad, like that it gets really cold but also how the fans are, how the facilities are, how their program is, all the coaches and stuff,” Washington said. “I visit on (January) 15th. I think I’ll like it.”
As a senior at Charter Oak, Washington notched 20 tackles, including 13 solo stops to go with an interception and nine pass breakups. He returned his interception 35 yards into opposing territory.
Last fall, Charter Oak advanced to the championship game of the CIF Southern Section State playoffs before falling to San Marino 45-28. Running back Zion Echols has given his soft verbal to Cal. Offensive lineman Kyle Morales has committed to UC Davis. Star receiver Dareon Nash is committed to Montana. Quarterback Kamden Brown has received college interest and Washington said he is interested in Montana State.
“I think the level we play at, the athletes we see at our level, everyone we play is mainly college level,” Washington said. “There is always college level dudes on the field with us. The situations we are put in and how much we need to know for certain coverages and the IQ level that we have to have at our school prepared me.”
Washington has never been to Montana but he will make his first trip on his official visit to Montana State the weekend of January 15. The conversations he’s had have not shied away from the sometimes harsh Bozeman weather. Washington is excited to see the Treasure State.
“I expect it to be a nice, beautiful, friendly, calm,” Washington said. “They told me it’s a beautiful area and it’s cold. I kind of wanted to wait it out a little bit but then I wanted to go. I wanted to be at Montana State.”
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