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Saves you time. Saves you money. Makes you smarter.The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:06:23 pm

Sorry for the lack of news today ... I was traveling for Pac-10 men's basketball media day Thursday.

I might yet get a few notes from Ty Willingham's afternoon press briefing, but meanwhile, here are this week's power rankings... with a new team at the bottom.

1 Arizona State 8-0, 5-0. One of five unbeatens nationally, and only one in conference play.

2 Oregon 7-1, 4-1. GameDay returns to Eugene ... Ducks must be doing something right.

3 USC 6-2, 3-2. Defense unlikely to win this season's Pac-10 championship.

4 California 5-3, 2-3. Tedford has raised bar high enough where this feels like a flop.

5 Oregon State 5-3, 3-2. Three of next four on the road ... all except UW game.

6 UCLA 5-2, 4-1. Seven-game league win streak ended hard in Pullman.

7 Arizona 3-6, 2-4. QB Tuitama’s 517 total yards at UW third best in Pac-10 history.

8 Stanford 3-5, 2-4. Have already matched ’06 interception total and have almost doubled sacks.

9 Washington State 3-5, 1-4. WR Bumpus four catches from school career record.

10 Washington 2-6, 0-5. Needed a win, got a kick in the gut instead.

Categories: Huskies

Tuesday, October 30th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:07:49 pm

Listening to Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh this week, it's obvious that he just loves starting quarterback Tavita Pritchard, the sophomore from Clover Park. I mean, loves him beyond his stats, loves him even beyond that victory over USC. Harbaugh is a former quarterback himself, and he just sounds like he sees the right stuff -- quarterback right stuff -- in Pritchard.

Because of Pritchard's Tacoma background, the UW sportswriters got a conference call interview with him Tuesday. And, I gotta say it's hard not to like him (although not everyone reading a Husky blog will agree, because Pritchard is no fan of the Huskies).

Anyway, here are some of his comments beyond what will appear in my story in the Wednesday paper:

On how his life has changed since beating USC:
I’m the starter now, but I like to think that I always prepared like the starter so not a whole lot has changed in football except I’m on a conference call with some newspapers right now, which I wouldn’t have been otherwise. As far as regular life, I guess it hasn’t changed too much. I get recognized a little bit more, but other than that it’s been pretty normal.

On how the campus has changed since beating USC:
People are starting to get excited about football again. I think we gave them a reason when we went down to the (LA) Coliseum and came back with a win. I don’t know if you guys heard, but there was a big group waiting for us. People on campus are a lot more excited. The confidence on the team, it’s been a tremendous building block for us, knowing that we can compete with the best and go out every week and win ball games.

On if opponents take Stanford more seriously now:
I would say they probably have. I think we were kind of looked at as a doormat for a while these past couple of years. I think we might have opened some eyes when we got a win in the Coliseum. A lot of people think we don’t have the depth or the talent that a lot of Pac-10 schools have, but that’s not the case. We have some tremendous athletes down here, some tremendous football players, and we feel like we can compete with anybody.

On why Stanford is improved:
I think we’ve really been growing up as a team. We have sort of a younger team last year – we had some vets, but as a whole I think we were pretty young and we’re just starting to grow up and learning how to win.

On growing up a Husky-hater:
Honestly, My Uncle Jack (Thompson) went to Washington State, as did my dad. To make a long story short, I grew up hating the Huskies. I was a big Cougars fan, I made a lot of trips to Pullman. I remember when I was a kid my dad wouldn’t allow purple and gold in the house. When my college recruitment came around I wasn’t recruited that much by Washington State, which opened the door a little bit for Washington, so I did look at them – I took some unofficials up there. I got recruited by Coach Willingham a little bit at Notre Dame and then talked to the staff a little bit when he got to Washington. But I think by that time I might have been committed to Stanford already, so the recruitment was pretty much over at that point.

On coach Harbaugh:
Obviously he had a long career in the NFL and in college – a successful one. For the obvious one would be he brings a tremendous knowledge for the game. But he also brings passion and intensity that carries over to the team. We attack every day, whether it be practice or a game, with intensity and a work ethic.

On his career since leaving Clover Park:
It’s been a lot of fun so far. It’s been a tremendous experience thus far – I hope it continues. I didn’t have any kind of time frame. I just came down here ready to work hard to earn every minute. It’s finally here and I’m having a blast.

On the UW game:
I’m a Stanford guy through and through now ... most of my Cougars ties are pretty much cut. I kind of look at this as just another Pac-10 game, keeping in mind that I did grow up with a little rivalry with the Huskies. I remember a lot of those teams. I remember a lot of those Apple Cups – I went to quite a few of them. There is a lot of history there for me, but as a quarterback I just look at this as another Pac-10 game and another step in trying to reach our ultimate goal.

On former Stanford starter T.C. Ostrander:
First of all, T.C. is a good friend of mine and I think very highly of him as a quarterback and as a person. It was kind of a different situation how it went down. It was kind of a freak accident that happened to him. But at the same time, this is something that I worked for and prepared for and I feel like I’m ready for. And I’m going to continue to do my job and prepare each week as the starting quarterback.

On his calls home:
I’ve got to talk to Mom, because it’s Mom obviously. I talk to my dad quite a bit, he’s a coach at Clover Park, so I get the update on Clover Park. And my little brother is a freshman this year on the football team – he’s was the starting quarterback – so I talk to him as well and see how his season’s going. (talks to jack three or four times a week, advice this week is to beat the huskies)

On advice for his brother:
I didn’t even start as a freshman. That’s an incredible amount of pressure for a kid that age, right out of middle school. I had the opportunity during our bye week to go up for a game. They played Franklin Pierce – I don’t know if you guys know it, but they’re a pretty good football team. he’s still learning a lot. He’s learning how to play at the next level. But I tried to give him as much advice as I could, as much as I could remember from playing high school ball. And my dad does a really good job – he’s the offensive coordinator. I try to give him my input on the offensive calls.

On working at wide receiver last season:
We had quite a few injuries last year at the wide receiver position. Coach came to me one day and said we need some bodies there and to maybe move over and play an emergency role. I already knew the offense, just maybe from a different perspective. And so they put me over there. It was kind of refreshing to play a different spot after playing quarterback since third grade. It was fun for a little while and then I was ready to go back.

On the UW defense:
Very athletic. I knew a lot of the guys – not personally, but I knew their names from high school. A lot of the guys are from Washington. I know what they’re capable of. Tremendously talented. We don’t look at this as an opportunity to get tons of yards. We look at this as another Pac-10 game. We feel like they’re a team similar to ours, they’re beginning to learn how to win as a team. They’re fairly young, their quarterback as well, and they’re learning how to win in all three phases. I think there are a lot of similarities.

On classes at Stanford:I’m studying communication. Maybe I’ll be one of you guys someday. I haven’t decided what to do with that. I’m taking a journalism class right now, so that will be interesting. School is going well.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:40:47 am

This is the explanation coach Tyrone Willingham gave this morning regarding tailback J.R. Hasty's return to the team.

"It simply was a young man and his family who needed just a little time to reflect," he said. "… I’m kind of patient about certain things – you just kind of wait and talk your way through things, and it worked out where he was able to kind of see and visit with his family and was able to come back. I thought it was the right decision for him to do that."

We also heard from Hasty.

"We cleared a lot of air up," he said. "We all spoke about the whole situation. After listening and taking some time to think about I was just like, Well, I don’t want to leave the team – I have a strong relationship with the team and the state – so was just like I’ll grind it out, take care of my mental mistakes and take advantage of the advantage I’ve been given."

He says he believes he has the same chance to earn time as anyone else: "When my turns come I’ll try to take advantage of that and give them the confidence to trust me during the game they’ll put me in. ... Everybody gets their fair shot."

He will be at practice today, and says he has been welcomed back warmly by his teammates: "I was welcomed back all positive. Everybody seemed like they were real happy – and the coaches as well. I didn’t feel like I was looked down upon or anything. It went pretty good.
"

Willingham also confirmed that former walkons OT Eric Berglund, LB Josh Gage and WR Charles Hawkins have been awarded scholarships for this season.

Willingham cited them as players who "have really sacrificed to be a part of the program" and "were doing things in the right manner: being a student, having the work ethic and being a citizen that I thought was deserving."

Categories: Huskies 4 comments

Monday, October 29th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:14:09 pm

Tailback J.R. Hasty has returned to the Huskies, coach Tyrone Willingham confirmed tonight.

Just last Thursday it was publicly announced that the former Bellevue star had left the team, apparently dissatisfied over playing time.

However, he never left school and after meeting with Willingham, has been cleared to return.

Hasty is expected back at practice Tuesday.

Categories: Huskies 11 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:48:18 pm

If it's any consolation, UW coach Tyrone Willingham and athletic director Todd Turner know you're frustrated with the Huskies' performance on the football field. And while it may not do much good, they say they share that frustration.

Willingham met the media today and admitted that the 48-41 loss to Arizona on Saturday was among the most painful of his career.

However, he said it is more important for the coaches and staff to listen to each other than to fan criticism. And he said that he has no indication that the discontent is costing him any recruits.

Willingham also was sorta, almost, kinda given asked if he would give a vote of confidence to defensive coordinator Kent Baer. Willingham didn't, but explained later that he simply doesn't believe in taking such issues public.

All of that will be the main topic of my story in the Tuesday paper.

Meanwhile, Turner's blog on the UW web site addresses fan frustration.

Categories: Huskies 5 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:47:49 pm

The depth chart released Monday shows Byron Davenport back in the starting lineup at cornerback. Davenport had started three straight weeks, but he was beaten on consecutive plays in the first quarter of the Arizona game, was benched and didn’t return. “Byron will be back,” Willingham said. “Byron will be fine.”

No significant new injuries were reported in the Arizona game. However, linebacker Donald Butler nor receiver Quintin Daniels remain physically unable to perform.

Finally, Willingham indicated that something is happening behind the scenes involving tailback J.R. Hasty, who left the team last week while apparently unhappy about playing time. Hasty remains enrolled at UW.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:40:34 am

UW coaches honored quarterback Jake Locker (offense), defensive tackle Jordan Reffett (defense) and linebacker Chris Stevens (special teams) as players of the week from the Arizona game.

Honored for work on the scout teams were tight end Romeo Savant, defensive end Darrion Jones and linebacker Linus Chou.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:22:59 am

Washington has opened a 3-point favorite for it's game Saturday at Stanford.

The Cardinal is 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-10 in their first season under coach Jim Harbaugh.

Here is a link to the Stanford football site, and another to the Stanford coverage from the San Jose Mercury News.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments

Sunday, October 28th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:26:08 pm

There will be more football news tomorrow. But just for a short breather, I thought I'd weigh in with a few basketball lists.

First, I finally sent in my Pac-10 picks, which will be part of the media poll that will be released Thursday.

Here's what I sent:

Pac-10
1. UCLA
2. Washington State
3. Stanford
4. Oregon
5. Arizona
6. Washington
7. Southern California
8. California
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State

Also, this season I will be this state's voter in The Associated Press men's basketball poll. I'll drop in my Top 25 ballot here each week.

For the preseason poll they asked us for our Top 25, plus a first-, second-, and third-team All-Americans.
Here are my lists:

MEN’S NCAA PRESEASON TOP 25
1. UCLA
2. North Carolina
3. Memphis
4. Kansas
5. Georgetown
6. Louisville
7. Washington State
8. Tennessee
9. Michigan State
10. Indiana
11. Oregon
12. Marquette
13. Gonzaga
14. Duke
15. Texas A&M
16. Texas
17. Stanford
18. Arkansas
19. Pittsburgh
20. Kentucky
21. Arizona
22. Southern Illinois
23. North Carolina State
24. Davidson
25. Villanova

(Sharp-eyed readers will notice that I put Stanford ahead of Oregon in the Pac-10 poll, and vice versa in the national poll. I did that because 7-foot Brook Lopez will miss November and December due to academic issues, but I am assuming he will return in January for the start of conference play. Or something like that.)

And finally:

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
G Drew Neitzel, Michigan State
G Chris Lofton, Tennessee
F Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
F Kyle Weaver, Washington State
C Roy Hibbert, Georgetown

SECOND TEAM
G D.J. Agustin, Texas
G Darren Collison, UCLA
F Chase Budinger, Arizona
F Jon Brockman, Washington
C Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga

THIRD TEAM
G Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State
G Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga
F Brandon Rush, Kansas
F Ryan Anderson, California
C Robin Lopez, Stanford

Final note, the "teams" don't have to necessarily line up by positions, but they should be a team that could actually reasonably share the same court ... which is why I have Weaver as a small forward, etc.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:50:59 pm

LAST WEEK
Washington (2-6 overall, 0-5 Pac-10) squandered a 15-point lead in the final quarter, losing to Arizona, 48-41. The mild upset leaves UW as the only Pac-10 team without a conference win. It also was the Huskies’ sixth straight defeat, and this one clearly stung coaches, players and fans more than most.

SOMETHING TO BUILD ON
The Huskies put up big offensive numbers. Their point total was their highest since the opener at Syracuse. Their 572 yards of total offense was their highest of the season. Quarterback Jake Locker set career highs in passing (336 yards) and running (157). His 98-yard TD to Marcel Reece is the longest play in UW history.

SOMETHING TO WORK ON
The defense is being torched. Over the past two weeks, the Huskies have given up 103 points and 1,171 yards. Arizona QB Willie Tuitama passed for 510 yards, a Wildcats record and the most ever against UW. The offense contributed to the problems with five turnovers and couldn’t close the deal, being shutout over the final 13 minutes.

PERSONNEL ISSUES
Guard Casey Bulyca, tackle Ben Ossai and linebacker E.J. Savannah were all held out of the starting lineup for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Savannah remains limited with a stinger. CB Byron Davenport was benched after being burned twice early, but replacement Vonzell McDowell wasn’t an obvious upgrade.

THE WEEK AHEAD
This could be one of those pivotal weeks where the team pulls together or falls apart. Fans are ablaze with calls for the firings of the coach, the athletic director and the defensive coordinator ... for starters. UW visits Stanford (3-5, 2-4) – beatable if the Huskies survive the distractions. A loss assures a fourth straight losing record.

Categories: Huskies 10 comments

Saturday, October 27th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:58:36 pm

The Huskies didn't pretend that this one didn't hurt more than most. But they vowed not to let it sink the season. The offense vowed not to point fingers at the defense. Some Huskies even restated their belief that they can win out from here and still make a bowl game.

But even coach Tyrone Willingham indicated that this likely won't be the breakthrough season they had all hoped, while still pointing out that the next five games offer some promise of ending on a better note than now seems likely.

And everyone seems to understand that this is the kind of loss that will set off a firestorm. The home crowd of 61,124 was the smallest of the season, the Huskies heard some boos, and certainly they will hear more calls for Willingham's head.

Braced for that climate, offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said it's time to circle the wagons and hang together.

Some notes:

Player of the game
Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama threw for five touchdowns while completing 38 of 51 passes for 510 yards and five touchdowns. His passing yardage is a Wildcats’ record and the most ever by a UW opponent.

Husky of the game
Quarterback Jake Locker set career records with 336 passing yards and 157 rushing yards. His 98-yard completion to Marcel Reece is the longest play in UW history. With five games to go in his redshirt freshman season, Locker has 694 rushing yards, 3 yards shy of Dennis Fitzpatrick’s quarterback record set in 1974. Locker moved into second place Saturday, passing Marques Tuiasosopo (574 in 1999).

Turning point
Washington had a 41-33 lead and possession about 11 minutes from the end when Locker and tailback Louis Rankin botched a handoff. The ball popped free and was recovered by Arizona linebacker Spencer Larsen at the Washington 30. Just over a minute later, the Wildcats tied the game.

Personnel report
No new UW injuries were reported. However, guard Casey Bulyca, tackle Ben Ossai and linebacker E.J. Savannah were all held out of the starting lineup for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Replacing them in the starting lineup were Jordan White-Frisbee, Cody Habben and Mason Foster respectively. Bulyca and Ossai ended up playing most of the game, however Savannah played less due to a lingering stinger. Cornerback Byron Davenport was burned for a 66-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and was replaced thereafter, primarily by freshman Vonzell McDowell. Linebacker Josh Gage also saw his most extensive playing time.

Extra points
Locker’s pass to Reece completed the third 99-yard drive in UW history. The others came vs. Stanford in 1999 and San Jose State in 2004. … UW linebacker Chris Stevens returned a fumbled punt attempt 30 yards for the second touchdown of his career. The first came on a blocked punt in the 2006 Apple Cup. … UW safety Mesphin Forrester had his second interception of the season. Before that, UW had had eight interceptions on the season by eight different players. … UW senior Anthony Russo has caught at least one pass in 32 consecutive games. … Arizona’s Mike Thomas, the top pass-catcher in the Pacific-10 Conference, had 10 catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns including a 66-yard touchdown catch that was Arizona’s longest play of the season. … UW game captains were Greyson Gunheim, Roy Lewis, Louis Rankin and Juan Garcia.

Next
Stanford, 3:30 p.m. Saturday, at Stanford, Calif.

Categories: Huskies 33 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:46:18 pm

Things calmed a bit. Maybe the most important quarter of the season is dead ahead.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 01:44:27 pm

Jake Locker already has a career high in passing yardage.

The Huskies already have over 400 yards of total offense.

And yet, the Wildcats are right behind them.

Individual numbers: Locker 269 yards passing and 98 rushing. Rankin, 42 yards rushing. Reece three catches for 142 yards.

Arizona has 281 passing yards, but are minus-18 on the ground.

Total yardage is UW 415, Arizona 263.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:51:52 pm

The Huskies opened the second quarter with a 98-yard post from Locker to Reece ... the longest play in UW history.

Categories: Huskies 4 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:49:23 pm

Washington got into Arizona territory on its first two drives, and fumbled it away both times.

Arizona scored first when Mike Thomas beat Byron Davenport down the sidelines.

Washington answered with a long drive capped by a 14-yard Locker run.

UW has 184 total yards, Arizona 87.

The normal offensive line is back in, raising the possibility that the ununual starting lineup was discipline-related. I assume we'll find out after the game.

Davenport was yanked after giving up the long TD pass, with Vonzell McDowell stepping in.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:20:56 pm

Three surprises in the starting lineup today.

On the offensive line, Jordan White-Frisbee is in in place of Casey Bulyca and Cody Habben in place of Ben Ossai.

On defense, Mason Foster is in for E.J. Savannah, who has had stinger issues much of the season.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:47:12 am

It was a foggy drive up, but it's a beautiful day at Husky Stadium. The leaves on the campus are changing to autum colors, and the like is still and there's a nice morning haze toward the mountains. All we need now is as good a game.

We'll run the usual gameday drill: I'll report any pregame notes as I learn them, make quarterly reports during the game, turn it over to you folks for postgame discussion, and then report back with notes and quotes.

It's a big game, and it should be fascinating to watch it play out.

A reminder: They're on Channel 11 today.

Noon: The UW captains are Greyson Gunheim, Roy Lewis, Louis Rankin and Juan Garcia.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:17:52 am

Potentially huge game today. Arizona at Washington feels like one of those possible turning point games to me. Just talking with the Huskies, looking in their eyes over the past couple of weeks, they look like a team that needs its efforts validated by a win.

And from all indications, the Wildcats are in the same boat.

Today's winner gets a bounce. Who knows what happens to the loser.

A quick look at how things project in these final hours before kickoff:

ARIZONA (2-6 OVERALL, 1-4 PAC-10)
AT WASHINGTON (2-5, 0-4)

Kickoff:
Noon, Husky Stadium
Television: Channel 11. Radio: 950-AM.
The series: Washington leads, 16-6-1, including wins in the last two meetings: 21-10 last season, and 38-14 in 2005.

What to watch: Arizona has the lowest-rated running game in the Pac-10, and Washington has the lowest-rated run defense. The Wildcats’ spread offense is significantly different from the Oregon one that ran up 55 points on the Huskies last week. Arizona’s version is almost a pure passing offense. When the Wildcats run, they generally do it from an obvious running formation. Meanwhile, Washington’s offense and Arizona’s defense have both shown signs of improvement recently. QB Jake Locker will try to build on what offensive coordinator Tim Lappano calls the best game of his career last week. Lappano will once again work the game from the sideline, rather than the coaches’ booth. UW’s new Legends Center will open to the public at 9 a.m. in the Graves Building just north of the stadium.

What’s at stake: Both teams see this game as a potential win that could turn around seasons that so far have been short on success. An Arizona loss knocks the Wildcats out of bowl contention, while Washington must win five of its last six to be bowl eligible. There are questions in Tucson about coach Mike Stoops’ job status in his fourth season. The Huskies need a good result after a long week full of personnel controversy and questions about their loss to Oregon.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:01:41 am

Given the controversy about which national titles UW should or should recognize )below) blog contributor jayjaydean wrote:

Hey Don -- if you are in favor of a playoff, how would you do it? Personally, I'd go with 20 teams - 11 conference champions and 9 at-large bids, pair off the lowest 8 teams to get to 16 and play it out from there. If Boise State or TCU or North Texas can build a team good enough to go 12-0 they should have a legit shot at the championship, and for all of the whining about how the student-athlete would be imposed on by a playoff like that, you are only talking about eight schools that would play more than one or two additional games (not to mention that they have playoffs at every other level of NCAA and NAIA football).

I'd much rather be arguing about which 9-3 or 8-4 team got left out than which 11-1 team is going to be denied a chance at the title. Who remembers the best team that didn't make the basketball tourney? We all remember Auburn not getting a shot despite being undefeated though.

I've moved the question up here into its own post, because I thought it would make a great discussion for all of us.

I'll start.

Categories: Huskies 4 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:27:52 am

No. 9 USC at No. 5 Oregon. First match of top 10 teams in Autzen Stadium history. Ducks, 37-34.

No. 18 California at No. 7 Arizona State. Home field gets Devils past toughest test yet. ASU, 30-27.

UCLA at Washington State. Where are Cougs mentally after Oregon disaster and week off? UCLA, 31-21.

Stanford at Oregon State. Both teams coming on lately. OSU, 37-24.

Arizona at Washington. Encouraging for winner, disaster for loser. UW, 31-24.

Last week: 1-3 (As someone suggested a couple of weeks ago, flipping a coin would have been better.)

Season: 28-12.

Categories: Huskies

Friday, October 26th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:52:55 am

In discussing the Legends Center, which will open Saturday morning before the Arizona game, UW athletic director Todd Turner also repeated that the university is considering the national championship claims of the 1984 team, and may eventually recognize them in the same way that was done this season with the 1960 team.

The 1984 Huskies went 11-1, including a season-capping Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma, but the Associated Press and coaches’ polls voted Brigham Young No. 1. Washington was selected by Berryman, the Football News, the National Championship Foundation and a Chicago Tribune fans’ poll. Florida and Nebraska also were recognized by other organizations.

“I think we need to take a look at that,” Turner said. “If they won a national championship, then their time’s coming. Any measure of success, you need to celebrate it, you don’t need to defend it.”

Categories: Huskies 15 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:50:03 am

Scratch that previous note. I've been bumped from the KJR list today due to a variety of reasons.

As of now, it looks like I'll be on next Thursday from Pac-10 basketball media day.

Categories: Huskies 3 comments

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 03:37:28 pm

Former Bellevue star tailback J.R. Hasty has left the team, coach Tyrone WIllingham just said.

Hasty didn't practice Wednesday and officially broke from the program today. The decision was based on what he apparently sees as a lack of opportunty for playing time. Hasty apparently has been bumped from the No. 2 tailback job by true freshman Brandon Johnson.

This season, Hasty has appeared in two games, carrying six times for 18 yards.

Willingham said Hasty gave no indication on where he plans to pursue his football career.

Categories: Huskies 14 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:09:54 am

Washington junior forward Jon Brockman is among 50 preseason candidates for the Wooden Award, which annually goes to the nation's best college player.

Ten Pac-10 players were named to the list, the highest representation from any conference.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:00:28 am

1 Arizona State 7-0, 4-0. One of five unbeatens left in nation... but the real tests are ahead.
2 Oregon 6-1, 3-1. School-record rushing total vs. the Huskies, as you may have heard.
3 USC 6-1, 3-1. Pete Carroll says QB Booty “real close” to return, but no starter named yet.
4 California 5-2, 2-2. Lead Pac-10 in turnover margin, but that hasn't overcome QB troubles.
5 UCLA 5-2, 4-0. Held Cal to lowest point total of season last week.
6 Oregon State 4-3, 2-2. Have outscored opponents 85-6 in first quarter.
7 Washington 2-5, 0-4. Hoping easier schedule turns close losses into wins.
8 Stanford 3-4, 2-3. Already tripled last season’s win total.
9 Arizona 2-6, 1-4. Held last two opponents under 300 yards of offense.
10 Washington State 2-5, 0-4. Losses threatening Doba and dimming the career achievements of Brink, Bumpus.

Categories: Huskies 1 comment

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:16:03 pm

I know some of you read this blog from other parts of the state and country -- world, even -- so here's a release from FSN regarding this weekend's TV situation:

FSN Northwest announced today that it will produce the Washington Huskies versus Arizona Wildcats game live on Saturday, October 27th and distribute the matchup on local broadcast stations throughout the Northwest. The (noon) kickoff time prevents the game from airing live on FSN Northwest due to a previously selected National FSN game, but allows the game to be distributed locally on other outlets as it is a non-exclusive television window.

Husky fans will be able to catch the game live on the following stations:
KSTW Greater Seattle area
KHQ Greater Spokane area
KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities/Yakima
KRCW Greater Portland area

Fans outside of the broadcast areas will be able to find the game live on FSN West and Fox College Sports Pacific. Fans are encouraged to contact their local cable or satellite provider for local channel positions and availability.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:10:57 pm

A few personnel notes from today's UW player and coach contacts:

*UW middle linebacker Trenton Tuiasosopo will return to the starting lineup Saturday for the first time since Sept. 22 due to a knee injury suffered by Donald Butler.

“I can’t wait to get out there and do all I can for the team,” Tuiasosopo said. “When I’m out there I just want to hit somebody, but at the same time focus.”

Tuiasosopo started the season’s first two games – both wins – but Butler had started four of the five since.

This start is also interestingly timed, as Trenton is a nephew of Arizona defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo.

Meanwhile, starting linebacker E.J. Savannah, starting cornerback Byron Davenport and reserve fullback Luke Kravitz of Olympia all have practiced in protective red jerseys this week, but Willingham called that precautionary and said he expects all three to be available Saturday.

And finally, Willingham confirmed that redshirt freshman defensive lineman Derek Kosub of Nevada “has removed himself from the program.”

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 03:19:39 pm

Once again this week, Washington will be facing a spread offense. However, that name is about all the Oregon offense of last week and the Arizona offense of this week have in common.

Which is good news for UW defensive coordinator Kent Baer.

"It’s not the same at all," Baer said. "Oregon, that’s maybe the most explosive offense I’ve ever seen."

The difference isn't only personnel. The Arizona spread is the Texas Tech variety ... meaning it's a pretty pure passing offense... they throw two-thirds of the time. And when the Wildcats plan to run, you'll know it because they line up in what actually looks like a running formation. When they're spread out with three and four receivers, that means pass.

They've got a pretty good passer in three-year starting junior Willie Tuitama. And while he's good, he doesn't put up Dennis Dixon's running numbers and he isn't as efficient passing. Similarly, TB Nick Grigsby is a nice freshman back in the Brandon Johnson mode, but he's not Jonathan Stewart.

We'll look at the Arizona offense and the Washington defensive plan in more detail in the Thursday paper.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:02:54 pm

My weekly KJR conversation with the Groz has been moved from today to Friday this week as part of some schedule changes around the World Series. It looks like it'll be around 2:30 Friday afternoon. I'll post something Friday morning once the time is certain.

Categories: Huskies

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:46:14 pm

It's pretty much unanimous that the decision to move UW offensive coordinator Tim Lappano from the coaches booth to the sideline was a good one: coach Tyrone Willingham liked it, Lappano liked it, quarterback Jake Locker liked it. And I can't think of three opinions that matter more.

Therefore, Lappano will be on the field again Saturday when the Huskies celebrate homecoming against Arizona.

He also confirmed Brandon Johnson as the Huskies' No. 2 tailback.

“I thought that worked out really good,” Lappano told us in a very interesting 20-minute session this afternoon. “I wanted to be able to communicate not only to Jake Locker, but to the offense in general. I especially wanted to communicate with our receivers – to let them know what we were thinking so they would have an idea of what to expect a little bit. I just liked the interaction with all the offense down there.”

In the new configuration, the Huskies scored 34 points -- their second best output of the season -- and Locker had what Lappano considers the best day of his young career.

A couple of other notes from the day:

Lappano said he was intrigued by Oregon’s no-huddle offense and thinks Locker might be able to handle something similar as a sophomore next season.

The Legends Center, a new facility dedicated to Washington’s football history, will open to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday – three hours before kickoff. The center is located adjacent to the Graves Annex, just north of Husky Stadium. (I'll have more on this as the week goes along.)

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:40:43 pm

There wasn't much sizzle out of the Pac-10 coaches teleconference today, but there should be plenty of steak on Saturday: No. 9 Southern California visits No. 5 Oregon at noon, while No. 18 California meets No. 7 Arizona State that night.

We'll take a bit of a look at those games in the Wednesday paper.

For now, a few other notes from around the league:

ARIZONA: In his fourth season, coach Mike Stoops acknowledges questions about his job security and that some of his players may feel pressure to try to help. “They understand what’s going on around them and winning is important,” Stoops said Tuesday. “But my message has always been … not to worry about it. … You’ve got to play for yourself, your school, your family and your friends.”

ARIZONA STATE: After watching Cal’s game tapes coach Dennis Erickson said the Bears are as good as anyone in the country. … Fewer than 5,000 tickets remain for that game. … Erickson said Keegan Herring and Dimitri Nance have stepped in nicely since a toe injury knocked out star tailback Ryan Torain for the season.

CALIFORNIA: Coach Jeff Tedford said that quarterback Nate Longshore was “very courageous” in playing despite an ankle injury last weekend.

OREGON: Coach Mike Bellotti said concerns about Washington quarterback Jake Locker’s running ability contributed to his secondary giving up touchdown passes of 83, 43, 38 and 26 yards against the Huskies.

OREGON STATE: Coach Mike Riley lamented the potential loss of 40 percent of his offensive line as tackle Tavita Thompson has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA and guard Jeremy Perry (broken left fibula) is questionable for this week. Guard Roy Schuening also has been sick, but he is expected to be well enough to play this weekend.

STANFORD: First-year coach Jim Harbaugh played under Riley with the San Diego Chargers and each spoke warmly of the other in advance of their coming meeting. … Harbaugh also continues to be impressed with Cardinal quarterback Tavita Pritchard, a sophomore from Clover Park, praising his “moxie.”

UCLA: Starting middle linebacker Christian Taylor (concussion) is questionable for the WSU game.

USC: Senior Chauncey Washington will remain the starting tailback despite the better statistics of sophomore Stafon Johnson and the emergence of prize freshman Joe McKnight. However,coach Pete Carroll still doesn’t know if Mark Sanchez or John David Booty will start at quarterback. … After watching their performance at Washington, Carroll called the Oregon offense “extraordinary” and “the best offense that we’ve seen probably since we’ve been here.”

WSU: Coach Bill Doba said he thinks his team made the most of its time off and of its work time during their bye week. The Cougars return to action Saturday vs. UCLA in Pullman.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:47:21 am

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell told the Pac-10 football writers this morning that those Southern California fires are burning disturbingly close to his own home, although the winds seem favorable.

Meanwhile, USC coach Pete Carroll said the fires are quite distant from his campus, but that the Trojans are monitoring the air quality for their practice sessions.

And while coach Tyrone Willingham said he doesn't have specific information about the family situation of all of the Southern Californians on his roster, he did single out freshman guard Skyler Fancher of Costa Mesa, Calif., and freshman defensive tackle Nick Wood of Poway, Calif., as players with "very much concern from their part and their families part about their home situation."

Categories: Huskies

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:36:10 pm

Much has been made of Washington's difficult schedule, but less about how front-loaded the thing was. Granted, when you have the 107th-ranked defense among major college teams few wins are going to come easy. But here's a look at how the schedule breaks, and that also will be my main topic in the Tuesday paper.

THE UW SCHEDULE BEHIND
Opponent, current record (Pac-10 record)
Syracuse 2-6
No. 22 Boise State 6-1
No. 10 Ohio State 8-0
UCLA 5-2 (4-0)
No. 1 USC 6-1 (3-1)
No. 14 Arizona St. 7-0 (4-0)
No. 7 Oregon 6-1 (3-1)

THE UW SCHEDULE AHEAD
Arizona 2-6 (1-4)
Stanford 3-4 (2-3)
Oregon State 4-3 (2-2)
No. 18 California 5-2 (2-2)
WSU 2-5 (0-4)
No. 16 Hawai 7-0
(Past opponents show rankings on day of game, future opponents show current rankings.)

The first of those supposedly easier opponents shows up at Husky Stadium on Saturday: Arizona, actually the first UW opponent to take a losing record into the game.

Here's a look at the Wildcats:

ARIZONA WILDCATS
(2-6 OVERALL, 1-4 PACIFIC-10 CONFERENCE)
Noon Saturday, Channel 11, Husky Stadium

Coach:
Mike Stoops (14-28 in his fourth season at Arizona).

Last week: The Wildcats lost to Stanford, 21-20. Arizona had three drives of 80 yards or more, but those were wasted by a failed fourth-and-1 in Stanford territory in the final minutes. A missed 29-yard field goal in the third quarter also came back to haunt them. Freshman TB Nic Grigsby had his second 100-yard rushing game, and freshman receiver Delashaun Dean had a career-high eight catches.

Against the Huskies: Washington leads the series, 16-6-1, including wins in the last two meetings: 21-10 last season, and 38-14 in 2005. The schools hadn’t met in football until the Arizona schools joined the Pac-10 in 1978.

Washington connections: The Arizona roster includes just one player from Washington, sophomore tight end Adam Grant of Puyallup. UA defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo is a cousin of Manu Tuiasosopo, father of former Huskies Zach and Marques Tuiasosopo and uncle to current UW linebacker Trenton Tuiasosopo.

Scouting report: Arizona runs a spread, however, unlike Oregon, the Wildcats use it more as a passing offense. The Wildcats have the lowest-rated rushing offense in the Pacific-10 Conference, and this week they will face the league’s lowest-rated run defense. Quarterback Willie Tuitama has been up and down, which evens out to a No. 5 conference ranking in pass efficiency. Grigsby ranks sixth in the conference in rushing. Mike Thomas leads the league with an average of 6.6 catches per game. Stoops arrived on campus with a defensive reputation, however the Wildcats rank fifth in total defense and seventh in scoring defense. In his fourth season, Arizona fans are growing impatient with Stoops’ rebuilding. The Wildcats haven’t been to a bowl game since 1998, and their next loss would eliminate them from bowl eligibility again this season.

Categories: Huskies 7 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:58:41 pm

UW senior defensive end Greyson Gunheim said that coaches and upperclassmen led a team meeting this week after giving up 55 points and near-record rushing yardage to Oregon on Saturday.

The main topic, he said, was each player doing his own job only, and trusting the other 10 guys to handle their own assignments.

"We’re disappointed with how many yards they got and what they did, Gunheim said. "It really kind of made our defense learn that you have to stick to your responsibility and not worry about what everybody else is doing. You can’t try to make too big of a play or try to do something extra because it’s just going to mess you up and mess everybody else up. With Oregon, when they do the option stuff, you can’t be looking for the ball ... just doing your responsibility. After looking at the film of our game, people were trying to look for the ball and do too much.

"After watching that the seniors are just fed up with how our year has been going and fed up with losing. We know what to do and how to fix it to be able to win, so we were talking to the young guys and just everybody to come together and trust one another."

Gunheim admitted that such meetings aren't likely to transform everything instantly, but he hopes an important message got through.

"Probably not right away everything’s going to be fixed," he said. "But you could definitely tell that the attitude of our team has definitely changed. It’s kind of getting on each other. It’s sometimes better to hear it from other players than just the coaches."

A couple of other Monday notes: Linebacker Donald Butler is expected to miss at least two weeks with a knee injury. However, fullback Luke Kravitz, who left the Oregon game with a stinger, is expected to be available. ... Redshirt freshman Derek Kosub of Reno, Nev., is no longer listed on the UW roster and has apparently left the team.

Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:39:10 am

Washington coaches have honored quarterback Jake Locker on offense, and Ryan Perkins on special teams for their performances Saturday against Oregon.

No defense player was honored.

Service team honorees were fullback Tobias Togi, linebacker Cort Dennison and center Gregory Christine.

Categories: Huskies 3 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:26:51 am

If fans are looking for a signal that the second half of the season might be different, there it is: UW has opened a 3 1/2 point favorite over Arizona.

After playing five ranked teams over the first seven weeks, UW now gets a steady diet of teams that project as much more on the Dawgs current level: Arizona, at Stanford, at Oregon State, Cal, Washington State and Hawaii.

I'll click in this afternoon with more UW preview of Arizona's visit, but for now, here is a link to the official Arizona football site, as well as the Wildcats coverage by the Tucson Citizen and the Arizona Daily Star.

Categories: Huskies

Sunday, October 21st, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:55:44 pm

Friday is my deadline for casting my ballot in the annual Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball poll. So, as I did in football, I figured I'd drop in my early thought here and then take any advice you'd care to share.

As of now:
1.) UCLA
2.) Washington State
3.) Stanford
4.) Oregon
5.) Arizona
6.) Washington
7.) Southern California
8.) California
9.) Arizona State
10.) Oregon State

I think UCLA will be the popular pick this season, and I think Oregon State might be near unanimous for 10th. After that, I think it looks like an amazingly wide-open race without a whole lot of difference between No. 2 and No. 8.

As for me, I'm a little shaky on Arizona, just because history says the Wildcats don't finish in the middle of the pack.

The other picks I'm least confident on are Southern California -- who I think will be a popular high pick this season, but I just don't see it. And Cal, who I think could be pretty good, but I just think the conference is so good this season that I don't see how to get them any higher.

I'm also just not that sure about the Huskies yet. Something tells me they'll be improved ... even with a lot of sophomores and freshmen playing, and even without Hawes. But again, this may be as deep and tough a conference as I've ever seen.

Categories: Huskies 5 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:32:19 pm

It's that time to take our weekly look back at Oregon and then turn ahead to the Arizona Wildcats:

LAST WEEK
Washington (2-5 overall, 0-4 Pacific-10 Conference) remained even with No. 7 Oregon for three quarters before dropping a fifth-straight game, 55-34. It was the Huskies’ top scoring output since the opener at Syracuse. The No. 7 Ducks were Washington’s fifth ranked opponent over the first seven weeks.

SOMETHING TO BUILD ON
UW ended its third-quarter blues by outscoring the Ducks, 14-7. Quarterback Jake Locker threw for career highs with 257 yards and four touchdowns. Tailback Louis Rankin ran effectively (73 yards) and caught a career-long 43-yard TD pass. The team fought back after quickly falling behind 14-0.

SOMETHING TO WORK ON
Oregon rushed for 465 yards. UW is now allowing 241.7 rushing yards per game this season, the second-to-last run defense in all of the Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A). That’s 118th out of 119 teams. Wins will remain few and far between until that total drops significantly.

PERSONNEL ISSUES
Linebacker Donald Butler suffered a knee bruise that could keep him out a while. FB Luke Kravitz, C Juan Garcia and LB E.J. Savannah all sustained what seem to be less serious injuries. OT Chad Macklin played despite the death of his grandfather last week. True freshman Brandon Johnson emerged as No. 2 tailback.

THE WEEK AHEAD
Arizona (2-6, 1-4) arrives at Husky Stadium at noon Saturday, which signals the beginning of the relatively easier portion of the schedule. (Other games: at Stanford, at Oregon State, Cal, WSU and at Hawaii). Washington must win five of those to reach bowl eligibility, so Saturday projects as either rejuvenation or devastation.

Categories: Huskies

Saturday, October 20th, 2007

Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:22:06 pm

Here is my game story. Here is John McGrath's column. And here is Ryan Divish's take on Jonathan Stewart's amazing homecoming.

Oregon put up some awesome offensive numbers, and those dominated the postgame discussion with UW players and coaches. Oregon rushed for a school record 465 yards. The Ducks also totaled 39 first downs and 661 yards.

Everyone gave lots of credit to Oregon skill and scheme, but the Huskies continue to blame themselves for physical and mental mistakes.

There was some controversy about Tyrone Willingham's decision to to go for an onside while trailing 41-34 with just under six minutes remaining, It was recovered by Oregon at the Huskies 44, and the Ducks quickly covered the distance, increasing their lead to 48-34. “I wanted to create something to give our team the best chance to win,” Willingham explained.

The Huskies were pleased to get that third-quarter drought behind them, but there wasn't much celebration about that because of the final result.

It was UO's fourth straight win over UW, and all by 20 points or more. I asked Willingham if there was anything in that run of defeats to indicate that the Huskies were closing the gap on the Ducks, but he simply replied that it doesn't matter because a loss is a loss.

Finally, without actively insulting Arizona, the Huskies did generally note their awareness that the schedule looks to get a bit more managable from here, starting next Saturday against the Wildcats.
At 2-5, Washington must win five of its final six games to reach bowl eligibility.

Other game notes:

Player of the game
Oregon tailback Jonathan Stewart, a junior from Lacey, rushed for a career-high 251 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 7.8 yards per carry. His rushing total is the second highest in school history. It was his 10th 100-yard rushing performance of his career, one shy of the school-record shared by three former Ducks. Stewart also moved into a tie for 10th on the Oregon career scoring list (162 points).

Husky of the game
Washington quarterback Jake Locker completed only 12 of 31 passes, but four went for touchdowns, and all from long distance: 83 yards to Anthony Russo, 26 and 38 yards to Marcel Reece, and 43 yard to Louis Rankin. Locker had a career-high 257 passing yards and also led the Huskies with 78 rushing yards.

Quote

“It’s disappointing because we’ve played great teams, we’ve played great backs and that’s all fine, but it’s time for the Huskies to start winning. It’s disappointing. I’m a senior and we’re going get it right next week against Arizona when they come into our house.” – Jordan Reffett, UW senior defensive tackle.

Personnel report
Linebacker Donald Butler suffered a knee bruise and did not return. Willingham called this potentially the most serious injury the Huskies suffered Saturday. Fullback Luke Kravitz of Olympia suffered a stinger and didn’t return. Center Juan Garcia (finger) and linebacker E.J. Savannah (stinger) suffered injuries, but finished the game. … Oregon true freshman wide receiver Aaron Pflugrad made his first career start and junior receiver Terence Scott made his Ducks debut.

Extra points
This was Oregon’s fourth straight win over Washington, but the Ducks first victory at Husky Stadium since 1997. … Locker’s pass to Russo was the fourth-longest in UW history. … Russo now has at least one reception in 31 consecutive games. … Cornerback Byron Davenport’s interception on the final play of the first half gives UW eight interceptions this season by eight different players. … Oregon’s opening drive marked the first time this season that a UW opponent had scored a touchdown on its first possession. … Washington scored in the third quarter for the first time since the opener at Syracuse. … Rankin’s 43-yard reception was the longest of his career. … Rankin contributed 248 all-purpose yards: 132 in kickoff returns, 73 rushing and 43 receiving.

Next
Arizona, noon Saturday, Husky Stadium, Channel 11.

Categories: Huskies 13 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:13:58 pm

UW actually outscored the Ducks 14-7 in the previously cursed period. TD passes to Russo and Reece.

Jonathan Stewart has 198 rushing yards.

Get to a TV.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:44:01 pm

The Washington Huskies, who hadn't scored in a third quarter since the opener at Syracuse, needed less than three minutes to score on a career-long 43-yard TD reception by Louis Rankin to pull even with Oregon, 24-24.

Categories: Huskies 1 comment
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:11:59 pm

Give the Dawgs this much, they weathered a pretty good early punch from the Ducks and they are absolutely in this game heading into the -- shudder -- third quater.

Plenty of offense out there: 334 yards for the Ducks, 209 for the Dawgs. Twenty first downs for the Ducks, eight for the Dawgs.

For Washington, Locker is six of 12 passing for 132 yards, and he's run for 31 yards. For Oregon, Dixon is 12 of 21 for 140 yards, and he's run for 44 yards.

For UW, Rankin has carried four times for 42 yards. For UO, Stewart has run 18 times for 144 yards and has looked amazing.

Categories: Huskies 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:22:18 pm

Locker hit Russo running wide on on a post for an 83-yard touchdown ... fourth longest in UW history.

However, the rest has been all Ducks: They lead 13-1 in first downs, 201-93 in total yards. And time of possession must be amazing as UW's three drives have been three-and-out, 1 play touchdown, and three-and-out.

Categories: Huskies 1 comment