The board was never static. Fresno State defensive line coach Pete Germano kept digging, kept scouring areas for players. A name would come off the board, and he would find a capable replacement. Options were important.
The Bulldogs needed reinforcements, so the names on that recruiting board were constantly updated. Some were known commodities, such as freshman Kevin Atkins and junior college end Austin Vaimili. Others took some looking and some luck to come up with, including Malik Forrester.
Freshman Elijah Piper, who is from Curtis Senior High in University Place, Wash., outside the Bulldogs’ usual recruiting territory, was one that Germano didn’t find and start recruiting until the fall.