Game Daily 7 - WSU (Apple Cup)

GAME DAILY Seeking seven Amid disappointing season, UW has chance to extend Apple Cup streak

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Nov. 29, 1:00 p.m.

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THE DAILY

Friday, November 29, 2019

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Huskies could put all frustrations behind them with seventh straight Apple Cup victory

By Alec Dietz The Daily Disappointing. Frustrating.

Perplexing. Sick to their stomachs.

These were the words Chris Petersen used to describe the Washington football team’s recent performance against Colorado. He wasn’t able to wrap up the Huskies’ season, but he tried to explain it at this week’s press conference.

“If there wasn’t [frustration], I sure as heck wouldn’t want them in our team room,” Petersen said. “Nobody’s good with this, and they shouldn’t be good with it. It was a pretty spirited practice out there.”

In anticipation of the 112th Apple Cup, Petersen and the Huskies (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) are indeed in the midst of a disappointing stretch of games, having lost three of their past four and, for the first time since 2015, are nowhere close to competing for a conference championship.

While a lack of experience on the defensive end realistically has hamstrung the UW since the beginning of the season, Petersen made no excuses about his expectations every year.

“We should compete for a Pac-12 Championship,” he said.

“That’s the goal, and that’s what we should be able to do.”

But the Huskies won’t this year. With a losing record in conference and just one win in the Pac-12 North so far this year — against Oregon State — they have one more chance to salvage their season, against Washington

Lydia Ely The Daily Chris Peterson reflects on a failed offensive drive by Washington during its 20-14 loss to Colorado on Nov. 23, 2019, at Folsom Field.

Ethan Uehara The Daily Aaron Fuller breaks a huddle in Washington’s 20-14 loss to Colorado on Nov. 23, 2019, at Folsom Field. Fuller has contributed 650 receiving yards and six touchdowns through 11 games.

State on Friday at 1 p.m.

Working with a short week — which Petersen said he preferred given the 20-14 loss to the Buffaloes — the UW expected some drop off from its defensive unit this season, but didn’t from its senior-laden offensive squad.

Against some of the nation’s words passing defenses in Oregon State and Colorado, with both giving up more than 280 yards per game, quarterback Jacob Eason and the UW offense threw for an average of 190.5, with just one touchdown and three interceptions.

Welcoming another bottomfeeder secondary to Husky Stadium — the Cougars rank at No. 121 in the nation in passing yards allowed — the Huskies will hope to find those answers on offense.

“There’s not a common thread,” Petersen said. “If there was a real common thread, we’d get that fixed. Sometimes it’s on the protection, sometimes it’s on the wideouts making a play. Sometimes it’s on the QB when the ball isn’t as accurate

as it should be or in the wrong direction, it’s a little bit of all of those things.”

But one thing that Washington has always been able to rely on is a strong finish to the season. Disappointing losses and performances are not new to the UW, but a loss to Washington State in the Apple Cup would be. In five years, Petersen has yet to lose to Mike Leach and his Cougars.

A win wouldn’t necessarily alleviate all the pains and frustrations that have occurred for the Huskies this season, but a loss would be a devastating exclamation point to a dismal season that didn’t match expectations of a championship.

We’ll know Friday afternoon if the UW is up for the challenge and can make it seven in a row against their rivals east of the Cascades.

Reach Sports Editor Alec Dietz at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @AlecDietz Hailey Robinson The Daily

THE DAILY

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Cover Photos

left to right, top to bottom

1. Courtesy of UW Athletics 2-5. File Photo 6. Conor Courtney

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Kirshenbaum: How will the class of ‘19 be remembered? It’ll take a few years to know for sure

By Josh Kirshenbaum The Daily

Chris Petersen, famously, doesn’t look ahead.

The next game is the only one that matters, and stats are for losers — you know the deal. The next opponent is the only one he cares about, and he makes sure his players are feeling the exact same way.

But the Monday after the Washington football team’s second bye week, Petersen made a bit of an exception when asked whether he talked to his seniors about their time on Montlake waning.

“I try to bring it up a little bit, to our whole team,” Petersen said. “Because it’s like, every year it’s completely different.

It doesn’t matter, just the

teams here,” senior left tackle Trey Adams said. “Every team’s different. You lose dudes and you get really good guys. That 2016 team will always be that College Football Playoff team. Last year will always be that Rose Bowl team.

“This year, this team, even though we haven’t played as well as we wanted to, it’s still special.”

So what will this class be remembered for? At worst, it’ll be the last group to have touched the field in a College Football Playoff game — seven of them played in Washington’s matchup against No. 1 Alabama in the 2016 Peach Bowl.

But at most, it will be the group that helped get the Huskies from one era of success back up to the beginning of another.

Nobody wants to be the “bridge” class, but with so many

Michael Stickels The Daily Brandon Wellington (right) celebrates with fellow linebacker Kyler Manu after Manu’s sack in Washington’s 28-14 win against USC on Sept. 28, 2019. Together, the seniors have combined for 88 total tackles through 11 games. younger players pressed into chemistry changes.” service, 2019 could be the year Petersen, like most college that puts the Huskies back in a coaches these days, shuts his position to go into next season team off to the media on rivalry weeks to keep them from putting with momentum.

To do so, the Huskies just too much locker-room material need to end the year on a on the record. So if reporters positive note. And then they’ll wanted to talk to the Huskies’ need the year-to-year transition seniors about Senior Day, their — from this year’s team to next class, and their legacy, they had — to go as smoothly as possible. to get to them two weeks ago.

“I feel like everybody can “We’ve had some really good

Lydia Ely The Daily Offensive lineman Henry Roberts (center) hugs tailback Richard Newton after Newton’s touchdown in Washington’s 20-14 loss to Colorado on Nov. 23, 2019.

carry that flag,” junior defensive back Keith Taylor said. “Anybody can step up and lead.”

If there’s a goal for this year’s group in the grand scheme of things, maybe look back to 2015.

Washington’s class of 13 seniors helped lead the Huskies to a 7-6 record and a bowl win — the UW’s last bowl win, as a matter of fact. That small class was led by a few key players like Travis Feeney and Cory Littleton.

But zooming out to look at the course of the decade, 2015 was the runway for Washington’s take off into a span of three straight 10 win seasons.

So maybe this year’s class — which again, played a large role in that run of success itself — can also be remembered as the group that jump-started Washington’s next run of success.

We won’t know until two or three or even 10 years from now.

But if it does happen, it’ll be both because of how this group ends its last two games, and how the next ones take over, across the position groups.

Of the seven seniors on the UW’s offensive two-deep, four of them are on the line, including three starters. Assuming no injuries, Washington will go into next season having to replace 110 starts between Nick Harris, Jared Hilbers, and Trey Adams, as well as its most experienced backup in Henry Roberts.

That will leave Luke Wattenberg and Jaxson Kirkland — both of whom already have significant starting experience — to lead a line group having to replace more starters than in any year since Chris Petersen’s first at the UW. “We’ll definitely have to step up in that leadership area,” Wattenberg said.

Scott Huff came to Montlake to be Washington’s offensive line coach in 2017. In his first three seasons, he’s only had to replace three total starters — one center, one tackle, and one guard — and only one each year. Once spring rolls around, either by moving Wattenberg or Kirkland or by bringing in new faces, he’s going to need to find a new center — always a leader on the line — and two new tackles.

Conor Courtney The Daily Andre Baccellia sprints toward the end zone in Washington’s 20-19 upset loss to California at Husky Stadium on Sept. 7, 2019.

The senior has 280 receiving yards and four total touchdowns this season.

And no matter where they line up, Huff is going to need his two returning starters to show the way to the newer faces.

“We’ve already had some of those conversations,” Huff said.

“And they know that. It’s any every-year thing, it’s an everyteam thing. Everybody goes through that.”

On the defensive side of the ball, just look at the inside linebackers’ room. Two seniors — Kyler Manu and Brandon Wellington — got their first years as starters in their last on Montlake. They’ll go into their final Apple Cup in UW uniforms with 88 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

“It’s a lot of persistence, that’s for sure,” linebackers coach Bob Gregory said. “Those guys have been around here a long time, and the consistency those guys have played with, it’s a special time for those guys, their senior year. They have to make the most of it.”

Behind them, a legion of underclassmen — four redshirt freshmen and six true freshmen — have to grow up fast.

Three of those redshirt

freshmen — Jackson Sirmon, MJ Tafisi, and Edefuan Ulofoshio — have seen extensive playing time, combining for 69 tackles.

And they already know that next year, they’ll have to lead the middle of the defense as sophomores.

“It’s team, unit, me,” Ulofoshio said. “It’s all about getting everybody better, and getting ready.”

So what will this team be remembered for? The 2019 Washington Huskies won’t win the Pac-12. They won’t go to a top bowl game. They’ll end the season pretty far away from contention for either, with more disappointing losses than standout wins.

But while we might remember this class now as one full of key players from Washington’s last run of greatness, in coming years, we might also know them as the start of the UW’s next one.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Reach Managing Editor Josh Kirshenbaum at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @J_Kirshenbaum

Michael Stickels The Daily

Wide receiver Aaron Fuller (right) celebrates after a touchdown in Washington’s 52-20 win over Hawaii on Sept. 14, 2019. Fuller is averaging 12.5 yards per catch this season.

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The kid from Kirkland: Salvon Ahmed

By Anthony Edwards The Daily The Washington football team has had a string of successes with local products at the tailback position over the last decade. While Washingtonnatives Myles Gaskin and Bishop Sankey held the reins to the backfield on Montlake, it seemed inevitable that another local kid would follow suit. Growing up in Kirkland, a mere 15 miles from the UW, junior tailback Salvon Ahmed has filled that role for the Huskies this season.

“This is the thing kids dream of,” Ahmed said. “Playing in front of 70,000 fans every Saturday.

Getting to play in front of kids, families, people you grew up with.”

Now in his third season at Washington, Ahmed has burst

on to the scene after spending two years learning from his friend and fellow local Gaskin.

“I took everything I could from Myles,” Ahmed said. “As much as I could learn from him, and applied it to myself.

Obviously he was a great leader for this university, this team, so I just tried to embrace that role.”

Like Gaskin did in his four years as the feature back, Ahmed has become a reliable source for Washington’s rushing attack.

Through 10 games, Ahmed is averaging 91.5 rushing yards per game and has accumulated 1,065 total yards for the Huskies.

“He’s done a nice job, he really has,” offensive line coach Scott Huff said. “Not being a one-trick pony, where it’s just like, ‘Hey, let’s get him out on the edge and try to use his speed,’ but also running him between the

Lydia Ely The Daily Salvon Ahmed tiptoes along the sideline in the Washington’s 19-7 win over Oregon State on Nov. 8, 2019, at Reser Stadium. Ahmed has nine touchdowns on the ground this year.

tackles. Honestly, that’s probably been the most explosive stuff that he’s had, on some of our gap-scheme stuff.”

Paving the way for Ahmed is Huff ’s offensive line — one of the most experienced in Washington history — composed of three seniors, a junior, and a sophomore. The Huskies offensive line helped Ahmed break off an 89-yard touchdown rush against USC earlier this season. Key blocks by senior right tackle Jared Hilbers and senior center Nick Harris sprung Ahmed to the second level as he used his speed to race by the USC secondary on his way to the longest run of his career.

Salvon credits the offensive line for much of his success and is more than grateful for his teammates.

“I think you see the product of it with our running backs,” Ahmed said. “We all can go out there and make plays and they make it happen for us. It’s up to us to make the play if the hole is gonna be there. They work their tails off every day, and show it in the games.”

After three seasons at the UW, Ahmed has cemented himself as one of the key pieces for the university just across the water from his high school and hopes his success proves that other players from his hometown can be like him.

“When I go back to Kirkland, it’s inspiring to see,” Ahmed said. “Kids are coming up. We didn’t really have anyone that went to UW, or was the number

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Lydia Ely The Daily Salvon Ahmed evades a tackle during UW’s 35-31 loss to Oregon on Oct. 19, 2019. Ahmed has rushed for 915 yards and nine touchdowns through 11 games. one guy who got to be a part got something coming next year.’ of something like this. That’s Obviously just finish the season just what I want to be to my strong and kind of prove to community.” ourselves that we can.”

Ahmed is an inspiration for He still has a full season to his community members and finish writing his story at the as a leader in the clubhouse, UW, but Salvon Ahmed has gaining valuable experience already proved that the Huskies toward his future career path. success with local running backs Salvon studies education at the is no fluke. Does Ahmed still talk UW and hopes to become a to Gaskin, or has their friendship school adviser or counselor for faded since Gaskin finally left middle school students after his his hometown to join the Miami playing career is over.

Dolphins in the NFL? As for the rest of this season, “I still talk to Myles every Ahmed wants to build some day,” Ahmed said. “He’s my best confidence that can carry over to friend.” next year.

“It’s about finishing,” Ahmed Reach reporter said. “We’ve had glimpses of Anthony Edwards being a really good team this at sports@dailyuw.com. year. We have to go out there and Twitter: @edwardsanthonyb put a full game together with that glimpse and show, ‘Hey, we

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Sitting in the front

Myles Bryant is leaving behind dedicated habits

By Alec Dietz The Daily Three years ago, Myles Bryant sat in the back of the film room. The wide-eyed walk-on from Pasadena sat behind the likes of Budda Baker, Sidney Jones, and Kevin King on the depth chart and literally in the defensive backs room when the team watched film.

“They kind of broke down the game for me,” Bryant said. “If those guys were in watching film on the opponent, I’d just be in the back of the room taking notes on the opponent as well as how those guys were watching film … each year I’ve tried to master the game more and more.”

“When adversity strikes, we need to hear his voice. He’s done an excellent job of doing that.”

Then, he was given a scholarship and was starting on that defense in a space once occupied by Baker, now an All-Pro safety with the Arizona Cardinals. Now in 2019, Bryant is the Huskies longest-tenured defensive player and a three-year starter in the defensive backfield.

And he’s sitting in the front of the room.

“I’ve tried to start that early in the season,” Bryant said. “Just trying to get those guys to understand that every week they provide us film on these teams. That’s an opportunity to get an edge on your opponent. If you know what your opponent is going to do and what they are going to come out in then why not learn it, why not try to get that edge and play to the best of your ability.

I’m just trying to harp on that and get them to get into that routine.”

The senior had a pretty hectic offseason, having to move over from the nickel position to safety and then preparing for his final year on Montlake. While he continued to study NFL defensive backs like Earl Thomas and Ed Reed and implement their tactics into his own game, he had to step up as a vocal leader for a young and inexperienced defense.

While making a transition of his own, the Huskies were making a massive defensive overhaul around him.

“Every year it changes a little bit,” junior Elijah Molden said. “When we have different personalities on the team we evolve and develop into who we are now, and next year will be the same kind of deal.”

One of the few returning playmakers from the defensive side of the ball a year ago, the Huskies have broken in three true freshmen in the backfield — Trent McDuffie, Asa Turner, and Cam Williams — and two new full-time starters in juniors Keith Taylor and Molden.

When Bryant entered the program, he joined a program with established stars already. This year, he’s been tasked with helping build the future of the secondary.

“He’s been the figurehead of the DB room,” Molden said. “He’s the oldest, he’s the most experienced.

Whenever coach mentions something from years back, Myles and Isaiah Gilchrist are the only ones who were around during that time. He’s a leader and especially

Michael Stickels The Daily Myles Bryant (right) is brought down after intercepting a pass during Washington’s 52-20 win over Hawaii on Sept. 14, 2019. Bryant has two interceptions in his senior season. someone on the field, before the series, we’ll talk and he’ll get us ready.”

Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake has said Bryant has always been a lead-by-example type of player.

Even when he was a walk-on, Bryant was known for out-hustling, out-working, and even out-playing his older and more experienced counterparts. But while he didn’t take on a vocal role at the time, he has been forced to this year. And Lake says Bryant knows just the right times to step up.

“When adversity strikes, we need to hear his voice,” Lake said. “He’s done an excellent job of doing that.”

But Bryant won’t be allowed to sit in the front of the room forever. With just one home game left to play against Washington State, the senior’s time in the purple and gold is coming to an end.

Even as his time on Montlake runs out, Bryant is thinking about the future and mentoring UW’s freshmen, all the while reminiscing with his fellow seniors.

“We’ve had little talks, but mostly just how fast the time has gone,” Bryant said. “It feels like I just got here last year … you spend most of the time in the offseason and you only get a guaranteed 12 games a year and these games go by fast. I kind of stressed it to the younger guys, you have to take advantage of every game you get, every snap you get, just going out there and playing and having fun.”

Reach Sports Editor Alec Dietz at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @AlecDietz

Conor Courtney The Daily Senior Myles Bryant walks out of the tunnel before the Huskies’ 47-14 season opening win over Eastern Washington at Husky Stadium on Aug. 31, 2019. Bryant started his career at the UW as a walk-on.

Lydia Ely The Daily

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THE DAILY

The Daily’s picks for Week 14 WSU at UW Oregon State at Oregon Colorado at Utah Notre Dame at Stanford Cal at UCLA Arizona at ASU Alabama at Auburn

Pick ‘em Josh Kirshenbaum (75-35)

Alec Dietz (73-37)

Le Bui (78-32)

Andy Yamashita (69-41)

Friday, November 29, 2019 7

Josh Eddy (61-49)

Hailey Robinson (74-36)

Evan Wong (77-33)

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HUSKIES

1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 11 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 30 31 32 34 35 36 36 37 37 38 38 39 39 40 41 42 42 43 45 46 47 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 56 57 58 59 59 62 63 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 76 77 78 78 79 82 83 85 86 87 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 99

NAME Hunter Bryant Aaron Fuller Elijah Molden Terrell Bynum Andre Baccellia Myles Bryant Chico McClatcher Trey Lowe Benning Potoa’e Marquis Spiker Joe Tryon Miki Ah You Jacob Eason Alex Cook Jacob Sirmon Brandon Wellington Josh Calvert Blake Gregory Daniel Heimuli Puka Nacua Dylan Morris Cameron Williams Taj Davis Isaiah Gilchrist Austin Osborne Kyler Gordon Ty Jones Asa Turner Dominique Hampton Quinten Pounds Cameron Davis Trent McDuffie Brandon McKinney Kamari Pleasant Sean McGrew Salvon Ahmed Keith Taylor Ruperake Fuavai Richard Newton Julius Irvin Kyler Manu David Pritchard Kamren Fabiculanan Joel Whitford Mishael Powell Ben Hines Malik Braxton Dustin Bush Tim Horn Jack Westover Zechariah Brown Camden VerStrate Nick Juran Zeke Pelluer Alphonzo Tuputala Myles Rice Carson Smith Van Soderberg Jackson Sirmon Bralen Trice Race Porter Peyton Henry Corey Luciano Edefuan Ulofoshio A.J. Carty Sama Paama Jaxson Kirkland Ariel Ngata MJ Tafisi Drew Fowler Ryan Bowman Troy Fautanu Nick Harris Laiatu Latu John Clark Zion Tupuola-Fetui Draco Bynum Henry Roberts Noah Hellyer Cole Norgaard Henry Bainivalu Chase Skuza M.J. Ale Will Pliska Jared Hilbers Nate Kalepo Trey Adams Gage Harty Luke Wattenberg Julius Buelow Luke Lane Matteo Mele Victor Curne Jordan Chin Devin Culp Fatu Sua-Godinet Jacob Kizer Cade Otton Josiah Bronson Tuli Letuligasenoa Noa Ngalu Hunter Hansen Sam Taimani Levi Onwuzurike Jacob Bandes Faatui Tuitele

POS. TE WR DB WR WR DB WR WR DL WR OLB LB QB DB QB LB LB QB LB WR QB DB WR DB WR DB WR DB DB WR TB DB DB TB TB TB DB LB TB DB LB WR DB P DB LB TB DB PK TE DB TB DB TE LB OLB TE PK/P LB OLB P PK TE LB LS DL OL OLB LB LB OLB OL OL OLB DL OLB DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL LS OL OL WR TE WR TE TE DL DL DL OLB DL DL DL DL

HT. WT. 6-2 5-11 5-10 6-1 5-10 5-9 5-8 5-8 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-6 6-1 6-5 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-0 5-7 5-11 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-1 5-10 5-10 5-9 6-2 6-3 5-10 5-9 6-0 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-0 6-3 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-4 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-1 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-7 6-6 6-8 6-4 6-5 6-8 6-0 6-5 6-3 6-0 6-3 5-11 6-5 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-3

YR. 239 188 190 189 175 185 183 182 290 193 262 215 227 203 234 226 223 185 217 204 196 191 195 208 199 190 213 187 208 176 197 185 201 213 186 196 195 230 210 191 246 172 181 209 204 234 207 183 211 241 195 167 194 246 224 250 236 200 238 236 183 197 268 231 243 347 323 213 235 210 277 295 302 275 289 266 268 295 259 284 326 307 352 289 316 346 314 279 300 342 202 305 320 174 262 190 254 246 291 318 292 191 321 293 313 300

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HOMETOWN Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Jr. So. R-Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. R-Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. So. So. R-Fr. Sr. Fr. So. So. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. So. So. R-Fr. R-Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. Jr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Jr. R-Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr.

Issaquah, Wash. / Eastside Catholic McKinney, Texas / Lovejoy West Linn, Ore. / West Linn Long Beach, Calif. / St. John Bosco Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Westlake Pasadena, Calif. / Loyola Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way Portland, Ore. / Jesuit DuPont, Wash. / Lakes Wildomar, Calif. / Murrieta Valley Renton, Wash. / Hazen Laie, Hawai’i / Kahuku Lake Stevens, Wash. / Lake Stevens Sacramento, Calif. / Sheldon Bothell, Wash. / Bothell Kent, Wash. / Eastside Catholic Oak Park, Calif. / Oaks Christian Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline East Palo Alto, Calif. / Menlo-Atherton Provo, Utah / Orem Puyallup, Wash. / Graham-Kapowsin Bakersfield, Calif. / Bakersfield Chino, Calif. / Upland Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. / Mission Viejo Mukilteo, Wash. / Archbishop Murphy Provo, Utah / Provo Carlsbad, Calif. / Carlsbad Glendale, Ariz. / Centenniel Cypress, Calif. / Cypress Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Upland Westminster, Calif. / St. John Bosco Orange, Calif. / Orange Lutheran Rialto, Calif. / Etiwanda Torrance, Calif. / St. John Bosco Kirkland, Wash. / Juanita Long Beach, Calif. / Servite Auburn, Wash. / O’Dea Lancaster, Calif. / Palmdale Anaheim, Calif. / Servite Pocatello, Idaho / Highland Renton, Wash. / Eastside Catholic Camarillo, Calif. / Westlake Neerim South, Australia / Warragul Seattle, Wash. / O’Dea Snohomish, Wash. / Archbishop Murphy Lynnwood, Wash. / Meadowdale San Diego, Calif. / Mira Mesa Honolulu, Hawai’i / Punahou Bellevue, Wash. / Mount Si Seattle, Wash. / Cleveland Cheney, Wash. / Cheney Mountain View, Calif. / St. Francis Kirkland, Wash. / Lake Washington Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way Houston, Texas / Bush Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus Olympia, Wash. / Capital Brentwood, Tenn. / Brentwood Academy Phoenix, Ariz. / Sandra Day O’Connor Seattle, Wash. / O’Dea Danville, Calif. / Monte Vista Danville, Calif. / Monte Vista / Anchorage, Alaska Santa Ana, Calif. / Servite Waipahu, Hawai’i / Kaimuki Portland, Ore. / Jesuit Reno, Nev. / Folsom West Jordan, Utah / Alta Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue Bellevue, Wash. / IMG Academy (Fla.) Henderson, Nev. / Liberty Inglewood, Calif. / JSerra Catholic Sacramento, Calif. / Jesuit Marysville, Wash. / Marysville Getchell Pearl City, Hawai’i / Pearl City Wilsonville, Ore. / Wilsonville Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue Vancouver, Wash. / Skyview Clements, Calif. / St. Mary’s Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline Sumner, Wash. / Sumner Tacoma, Wash. / Fife Kirkland, Wash. / Lake Washington Beaverton, Ore. / Beaverton Renton, Wash. / Rainier Beach Wenatchee, Wash. / Wenatchee Spokane Valley, Wash. / University Trabuco Canyon, Calif. / JSerra Catholic Kapolei, Hawai’i / Kapolei Belleuve, Wash. / Bellevue Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic Houston, Texas / Second Baptist San Fernando, Calif. / Chaminade Prep Spokane, Wash. / Gonzaga Prep Honolulu, Hawai’i / Kamehameha Salem, Ore. / West Salem Tumwater, Wash. / Tumwater Kent, Wash. / Kentwood Concord, Calif. / De La Salle East Palo Alto, Calif. / Menlo-Atherton Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue Salt Lake City, Utah / East Allen, Texas / Allen Pittsburg, Calif. / Pittsburg Honolulu, Hawai’i / Saint Louis

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NAME

POS.

Davontavean Martin Tyrese Ross Cammon Cooper Derrick Langford Gage Gubrud Marcus Strong Travell Harris Jamire Calvin Easop Winston Jr. Renard Bell Lamonte McDougle Ron Stone Jr. Trey Tinsley John Bledsoe Dezmon Patmon Donovan Ollie Jahad Woods Armauni Archie Gunner Cruz Aaron Angelos Deon McIntosh Kassidy Woods Anthony Gordon George Hicks III Brandon Arconado Dominick Silvels Max Borghi William Overstreet Jouvensly Bazil Matthew Dandridge Cole Dubots Skyler Thomas Bryce Beekman Andrew Boyle Willie Taylor III Chad Davis Jr. Nnamdi Oguayo Pat Nunn Braeden Potter Jack Crane Mitchell Delmage Simon Samarzich Jacob Thoresen Armani Marsh Jake Wright Justus Rogers Damion Lee Clay Markoff Blake Mazza Brandy Okeke Dillon Sherman Halid Djibril Jamal McMurrin Tristan Brock Rocky Katoanga Henry Kimmins Dean Janikowski Karson Block Hank Pladson Jarrett Kingston Kyle Thornton Ricky Baker Sky Stefonic Austin Martin David Aldapa Peni Naulu Joshua Erling Brian Greene Quinn McCarthy Hunter Mayginnes Jon Denny Liam Ryan Michael Van Beek Josh Watson Ma’ake Fifita Seth Yost Jimmy Price Frederick Mauigoa Patrick Utschinski Abraham Lucas Robert Valencia Cade Beresford Tyler Williams Beau Braden Konner Gomness Syr Riley Blake McDonald Jake Siegal Brennan Jackson Billy Pospisil III Jack Mertens Lucas Bacon Travion Brown Brandon Gray Rudder Romo Jesus Echevarria T.J. Robertson Calvin Jackson Jr. Konner Beavers Zion Sorani Rodrick Fisher Mitchell Quinn Misiona Aiolupotea-Pei Will Rodgers III Christian Mejia Oscar Draguicevich III Ahmir Crowder Cosmas Kwete Johan Zetterberg Ty Garay-Harris Dallas Hobbs Nicholas Sheetz

WR DB QB DB QB DB WR WR WR WR DL OLB QB QB WR WR LB DB QB QB TB WR QB DB WR OLB TB DB TB DB TB DB DB K/P OLB DB DL DB TB K DB LS TB DB DB LB DB TB K OLB LB DB DB OLB LB DB K DL LB OL LB LB LB OL LS LB OLB OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL LS DL OL OL OL DL DL WR WR WR LB WR DL DL WR WR WR WR WR WR DL DL DL P DL DL K DL DL DL

HT. WT. 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-2 6-2 5-10 5-9 5-10 6-0 5-8 6-0 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-5 6-0 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-3 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-8 6-1 5-9 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-0 6-2 5-7 6-0 5-9 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-9 5-9 6-3 6-2 6-1 5-10 6-1 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-7 6-5 6-4 6-7 6-7 6-6 6-7 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-4 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-2 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-0 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-5 6-6 6-3

186 190 216 191 208 185 180 160 192 162 291 228 215 215 228 210 228 175 229 172 190 225 210 190 193 230 197 175 180 175 200 185 190 200 230 201 260 210 212 196 183 210 195 183 190 230 200 227 175 222 230 190 170 258 240 192 200 253 215 296 220 215 228 292 225 215 222 300 277 307 320 300 285 300 265 305 300 310 270 324 300 297 220 261 273 317 295 254 252 192 175 207 220 202 260 285 170 185 180 160 195 170 270 255 270 185 274 241 215 255 285 250

YR.

HOMETOWN

Jr. R-Fr. R-Fr. So. Gr. Sr. R-So. Jr. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-So. R-Fr. R-Sr. R-So. Sr. Fr. R-Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Fr. R-Sr. Jr. Gr. Jr. So. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-So. R-Jr. R-Jr. Fr. R-So. R-So. R-Sr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-So. Fr. R-Jr. R-So. R-Jr. R-So. Fr. R-Jr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Jr. Fr. So. R-So. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Fr. R-Jr. Fr. R-So. Jr. Sr. Fr. R-So. Sr. R-Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. R-So. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Sr. Jr. R-So. R-Jr. R-Fr. Fr. R-So. Fr. R-So. Fr.

Houma, La. / Ellender Memorial Jacksonville, Fla. / Westlake HS (Ga.) Lehi, Utah / Lehi Richmond, Calif. / El Cerrito McMinnville, Ore. / McMinnville Rialto, Calif. / Carter Tampa, Fla. / Jesuit Pasadena, Calif. / Cathedral San Francisco, Calilf. / Serra Los Angeles, Calif. / Cathedral Pompano Beach, Fla. / Deerfield Beach San Jose, Calif. / Valley Christian Lake Forest, Calif. / El Toro Bend, Ore. / Summit HS San Diego, Calif. / Patrick Henry Wylie, Texas / Wylie San Diego, Calif. / Helix Vallejo, Calif. / El Cerrito Gilbert, Ariz. / Casteel Philadelphia, Pa. / Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Pompano Beach, Fla. / Cardinal Gibbons Addison, Texas / Greenhill Pacifica, Calif. / Terra Nova HS ‘15 San Bernardo, Calilf. / Cajon Chino Hills, Calif. / Bishop Amat HS San Diego, Calif. / Patrick Henry Arvada, Colo. / Pomona Pleasant Grove, Utah / Lehi Naples, Fla. / Golden Gate Los Angeles, Calif. / Serra Murrieta, Callif. / Vista Murrieta Riverside, Calif. / Citrus Hill Baton Rouge, La. / Scotlandville Camas, Wash. / Camas Cochran, Ga. / Bleckley County Daytona, Fla. / Mainland Beltsville, Md. / High Point San Mateo, Calif. / Junipero Serra Gig Harbor, Wash. / Peninsula Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline Vancouver, Wash. / Mountain View Upland, Calif. / Upland Renton, Wash. / Liberty Spokane, Wash. / Gonzaga Prep Issaquah, Wash. / Liberty Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue Palm Springs, Calif. / Palm Springs Olympia, Wash. / Olympia HS Plano, Texas / Plano Aurora, Colo. / Grandview Mission Viejo, Calif. / El Toro Los Angeles, Calif / Cathedral West Salem, Ore. / West Salem Mount Vernon, Wash. / Mount Vernon Oceanside, Calif. / El Camino Denman Island, British Columbia / IMG Academy San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic Atascadero, Calif. / Atascadero Sammamish, Wash. / Eastlake Anderson, Calif. / Anderson Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Upland Monroe, Wash. / Monroe Woodway, Wash. / IMG Academy Battle Ground, Wash. / Battle Ground Diamond Bar, Calif. / Diamond Ranch Waipahu, Hawaii / Kapolei Snohomish, Wash. / Glacier Peak Yakima, Wash. / Eisenhower Tualatin, Ore. / Tualatin Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton Fairfield, Wash. / Liberty Chino Hills, Calif. / Damien Arlington, Wash. / Arlington Everett, Wash. / Cascade Snohomish, Wash. / Glacier Peak Coeur d’Alene, Idaho / Lake City Houston, Texas / Stratford Iliili, American Samoa / Tafuna Walla Walla, Wash. / Walla Walla Everett, Wash. / Archbishop Murphy Daly City, Calif. / Riordan Woodinville, Wash. / Woodinville Los Gatos, Calif. / Los Gatos Vancouver, Wash. / Columbia River Lemoore, Calif. / San Joaquin Memorial Los Angeles, Calif. / Pacific Palisades Danville, Calif. / San Ramon Valley Sycamore, Ill. / Sycamore Temecula, Calif. / Great Oak Arvada, Colo. / Pomona HS Vancouver, Wash. / Mountain View Spokane, Wash. / Mead Moreno Valley, Calif. / Linfield Christian Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech Katy, Texas / IMG Academy Everett, Wash. / Archbishop Murphy Roseville, Calif. / Granite Bay Pompano Beach, Fla. / Coral Spring Charter Amarillo, Texas / Boerne Champion HS San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic Spokane Valley, Wash. / East Valley Honolulu, Hawaii / Saint Louis Gold Coast, Australia / Porirua College (Wellington, N.Z.) Saginaw, Mich. / Valor Christian (Colo.)

Kailua, Hawaii / Kailua Hutto, Texas / Hutto Los Angeles, Calif. / Crenshaw Phoenix, Ariz. / Central Danville, Calif. / San Ramon Valley Oakland, Calif. / Bishop O’Dowd Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Washington Greenwood, S.C. / Emerald

9

COUGARS

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Friday, November 29, 2019

The Daily

10 Friday, November 29, 2019

THE DAILY

It may feel like ‘frickin’ 10 years,’ but Trey Adams’ time on Montlake is finally coming to an end

By Hailey Robinson The Daily Trey Adams’ journey with the Washington football team has been anything but easy.

It started out with a bang in 2015. Adams was the first true freshman to start on the offensive line in three years.

He started in nine of the 10 games he played that season and won the in-team award for Washington’s most outstanding freshman. The next season he started all 14 games and was named to the first-team AllPac-12 and second-team AllAmerican teams.

But soon things came grinding to a halt. First, a torn

ACL took him out halfway through the 2017 season. Then, surgery to repair two bulging discs in his back took him out for most of 2018.

“He’s shown that he can persevere through a lot of different stuff,” offensive line coach Scott Huff said. “I don’t think people realize the pressure that’s on a guy like him, the expectations, and then the injury, then to come back from the injury, and then that didn’t go well. This guy’s a stud. He’s gone through, in a year and a half, more than most people go through in their life.”

Adams was the UW’s star offensive lineman, and was

Ethan Uehara The Daily Trey Adams engages with a defender in Washington’s 20-14 loss to Colorado on Nov. 23, 2019 at Folsom Field.

named a preseason All-American in 2018 despite missing the back half of the previous season with an injury. There was a good chance he could leave early after his junior season and declare for the NFL draft. He was predicted to go as high as the first round.

The surgery changed that. He redshirted that season, playing in only the final three games and ending any chances of getting drafted in the early rounds.

While Washington missed Adams, the redshirt meant that this year, his senior season, the Huskies would have five returning starters on the offensive line. It gave his replacement, Jared Hilbers, a chance to get starting experience beside returning Adams for one more season.

Once Adams was returned, he fit right back in on the left side.

“He’s definitely come back to his old self after being hurt for so long,” junior offensive lineman Luke Wattenberg said. “It’s really good to see him back the way he was.”

Now that Adams has one more Apple Cup and one more bowl game, he’s reflecting on how far he’s come since his freshman year.

“Hopefully better looking ...

I’ve become more of a leader.

I’ve definitely gotten better at football,” he said.

And he’s savoring every moment that he has left. He’s imagining that final Apple

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Lydia Ely The Daily Trey Adams blocks a CU player during the first half of of Washington’s 20-14 loss to Colorado on Nov. 23, 2019.

Cup game and what it means after spending five years at Washington.

“I think about running out of the tunnel to my family with the flowers, just what that’s going to be like,” Adams said. “The last time playing here will definitely be special for me, just because I’ve been here for frickin’ 10 years, it feels like.”

Most importantly, does Adams still feel good about all five years, despite everything?

“Hell yeah,” he said.

This team isn’t quite like the one of his sophomore year, when they made it to the College Football Playoff, or even the Rose Bowl team last year, but

that doesn’t mean Adams is disappointed with the way things are wrapping up.

“This year, this team, even though we haven’t played as well as we’ve wanted to, it’s still special,” he said. “We’re going to go to a sweet bowl game, these dudes are going to be lifelong friends. You make so many good buddies and you work so hard, that just because you don’t win, you can’t be down on yourself.

It’s all about the experience.”

Reach Engagement Editor Hailey Robinson at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @haileyarobin

UW’s potential bowl scenarios

By Josh Kirshenbaum The Daily

The Washington football team’s season hasn’t gone the Huskies’ way as much as in recent years, but that win over Oregon State two weeks ago guaranteed that the Dawgs will go to a bowl game for the 10th straight year.

But where exactly will the Huskies be going?

What’s likely with a win • Holiday Bowl (San Diego vs. Big Ten)

What’s out Washington’s chances at a return to the College Football Playoff — like every team not named Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, or Ohio State — were slim to begin with going into the year, but they were pretty much shattered with the Huskies’ first loss. The Huskies stayed in the Rose Bowl hunt a lot longer, mostly on the backdoor chance that if Oregon makes the top-4, the Pac-12’s bid to Pasadena would fall to the second-best team in the conference. But with the UW’s loss to Utah in Week 10, that chance fell away, keeping the Huskies out of the New Year’s Six for the first time since 2015.

The UW’s loss to Colorado last week also guaranteed that the Huskies would finish behind USC, which has a bye this week, meaning they won’t go to the Alamo Bowl either.

Washington’s chance of going to the Holiday Bowl rest mostly on the possibility of both Oregon and Utah earning bids to New Year’s Six Bowls. That would either happen if Utah makes the playoff — giving a second-place Oregon the Pac-12’s spot in the Rose Bowl — or both finish the year in the top-12, guaranteeing both spots in New Year’s Six games.

If that happens, everybody in the Pac-12 would shift up a rung on the bowl ladder. USC would move up to the Alamo Bowl, putting the fourth-place team in the Holiday Bowl.

With a win in the Apple Cup, that could well be the UW. Fun fact: This year’s Holiday Bowl is on the sixth night of Hanukkah and the second day of Kwanzaa.

• Redbox Bowl (Santa Clara, California vs. Big Ten)

If Washington wins against WSU and finishes fourth in the Pac-12, but only one team ahead of it goes to the New Year’s Six, the Huskies would make a return trip to Levi’s Stadium, presumably hoping to find the end zone on offense this time.

Fun fact: Between the Pac-12 championship game and Oregon’s 7-6 win in last year’s Redbox Bowl, there were a combined 26 points.

What’s likely with a loss • Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas vs. ACC)

There’s a chance that Washington could win Saturday, finish in a tie for fourth, and get sent to El Paso. But the better chance of the Huskies going to the Sun Bowl comes with a loss in the Apple Cup. Fun fact: The last time Washington went to the Sun Bowl was in 2002, and the Huskies lost to Purdue. The MVP of that game? Kyle Orton. No, really.

• Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas vs. Mountain West)

Washington hasn’t played a bowl game in Vegas since 2012 — it was the last postseason game Steve Sarkisian coached at the UW — and the Huskies would definitely prefer not to go back.

Fun fact: The Las Vegas Bowl is played at Sam Boyd Stadium, which has a capacity of 40,000. It would be the smallest stadium Washington has played at this season.

• Cheez-It Bowl (Phoenix vs. Big 12)

Hailey Robinson The Daily

What would be more fitting for a school that bills itself as DBU than a bowl that saw nine (NINE) interceptions last year?

Fun Fact: Washington has never actually played a football game in Phoenix before. Seriously. The Huskies have played multiple times in Tempe and once in Glendale, but never in the Phoenix city limits.

Reach Managing Editor Josh Kirshenbaum at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @J_Kirshenbaum

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THE DAILY

Alec Dietz

Battle Royale

Friday, November 29, 2019 11

Josh Kirshenbaum

Hailey Robinson

Mira Petrillo

SPORTS EDITOR THE DAILY

MANAGING EDITOR THE DAILY

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR THE DAILY

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF THE DAILY

REPORTER THE DAILY EVERGREEN

REPORTER THE DAILY EVERGREEN

Score and prediction?

UW 28 / WSU 17 Until Mike Leach can show that he can beat Chris Petersen, I can’t pick against the UW. It definitely feels like WSU could pull this one out, even more than the game last year, but it would have to buck a sixyear trend to do so.

UW 17 / WSU 9 Like Alec, I’m going to have to see WSU beat UW before I believe it can happen. But I will go ahead and predict another blocked extra point returned for two WSU points, just for kicks.

UW 31 / WSU 28 I don’t think UW will score much, but I think WSU will score plenty … but I think UW will win.

So, let’s go with that?

WSU 24 / UW 18 The Huskies can continue the energy they brought to the Colorado game, or the UW can transform the pain and hopeful expectation from fans and family alike and win. I predict the former.

UW 28 / WSU 24.

I would love to see the Cougars win, but being realistic, I don’t think the defense of WSU will perform worse than the Huskies offense, leading to a UW win for another year.

WSU 27 / UW 21 Although it is horrifying betting on the Cougar defense to hold any opponent to 21 points, I do believe WSU turns more to the run game late in this contest while managing the clock well.

Will Anthony Gordon throw for over or under 300 yards?

Over Gordon has only failed to eclipse 300 yards once this season in a loss to Utah, and while the Huskies’ secondary is much improved, Gordon will have more than enough opportunities to rack up yards.

Over Racking up passing yards hasn’t been a problem for WSU quarterbacks in recent Apple Cups. But the bigger question will be whether Gordon can get it in the end zone.

The Cougars have thrown multiple touchdowns in the past five games just once.

Over It’s impossible for sports broadcasters to mention WSU without the words “air raid offense,” and there’s a good reason for that. I don’t expect the Cougars to do anything out of the ordinary and stop passing the ball, a lot.

Under The air pollution in Seattle will cause inflammation in Gordon’s muscles, thus impacting his game.

Over The Huskies have a very good secondary that will challenge Gordon, but that definitely will not stop the air raid and Gordon from throwing more than 300.

Over The secondary of the Huskies have proven themselves tough, but Gordon will still post 322 yards through the air, getting his recordbreaking season total to 5,242 yards.

Will UW eclipse 200 rushing yards?

Yes In the first five games of the Petersen era at UW, the Huskies have rushed for over 200 yards three times.

With the pass game often in flux, I think UW will look to their run game again to control the battle in the trenches.

Yes Especially with how the UW passing attack has sputtered the past few weeks, this feels like one of those games where Chris Petersen is going to let the tailbacks rack up yards and kill clock as much as they can.

Yes The Huskies are averaging around 150 rushing yards per game this season, but they’ve eclipsed their season average by a lot in every Apple Cup in the Petersen era and it isn’t a stretch to say they’ll do it again.

No We can hope, we can pray, but let’s face the hard, cold truth: The Huskies kind of suck this year. (But don’t worry, Chris Peterson will still make over $3 million, despite a commitment to Kantian ethics.)

Yes The WSU front seven is one of the most lackluster fronts in the country. It allowed Oregon almost 300 rushing yards in their close loss by one player, and the only game where the run game was stopped, was Stanford.

Yes WSU’s defense has been the most frustrating part of Cougar football and the 193 rushing yards by Oregon State was a good example why. I think WSU holds the passing game off enough to win, but the backs of UW will have a field day against a suspect front seven.

Do you like the Friday-afterThanksgiving afternoon kickoff?

Hell no I’m also saddened that two of the three years I’ve covered this game as a student have been in this situation, but I’m also lucky it’s been in Seattle two of three years.

Yes But then again, I don’t have to drive across the state Friday morning for this one.

No It means I can’t go Black Friday shopping.

I can’t say that I have ever attended an Apple Cup, though at one point in my college career, namely when I was a freshman keen on game day tailgates, I did feel left out of the perfect conditions to shotgun a beer (or seven).

Yes and no Since I live on the westside, I am not stressing about the travel that much since I can just stay through the Thanksgiving break and not have to leave on Black Friday, like last year.

Yes For me Thanksgiving is about family, football and food. Thursday my family and I will watch the NFL games, and rivalry college football on Friday is the cherry on top.

What is the best kind of apple?

Gala They may not be as crisp as other apples, but you can’t beat a Gala apple’s flavor. A good combination of tartness and sweetness, you really can’t go wrong with this variety.

Honeycrisp Good crunch, good juice factor, good sweetness.

Has to be high up on anyone’s list of apples.

Fuji My sister’s cat is named after it, and she’s the most beautiful cat in the world.

Asian Pears Though for the sake of the question, they are apples — slap.

Crunchy texture! Sweet flesh!

Cosmic Crisp It’s a product from WSU and this hits different. The juice factor is out of this world, the crunch value is perfect and the texture of the apple makes this a personal favorite for me.

Ambrosia. It’s not even close.

Week 13 winners and losers

By Josh Eddy The Daily

Kuria Pounds

Shayne Taylor

• Washington A couple weeks ago the Huskies became bowl eligible for the 10th year in a row. While this season has not lived up to preseason expectations, the Dawgs still have a chance to bounce back with a quality win. This week Washington will look to keep the Apple Cup in Seattle for the seventh straight year, which should be enough motivation to close out the regular season on a high note, especially in front of a home crowd that’ll surely be dying for a win in Seattle.

Winners

• Ohio State OSU and LSU have been neck-and-neck for the back half of the season. While LSU’s body of work is still better, Ohio State’s win over Penn State was certainly their biggest win of the season. The win punched their ticket to the Big 10 championship game regardless of what happens at Michigan this week. And, oh yeah, Chase Young is back after his suspension and had nine tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Losers • Oregon It really is tough to win in the desert, and Arizona State proved that. Oregon had no room for error following its Week 1 loss to Auburn, and it almost ran the table. With two losses, the Ducks have no foreseeable chance of sneaking into their first College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014. They’ll still be in the Pac-12 championship game where they have the opportunity to win the conference for the 12th time in program history.

• Penn State After dropping a game at Minnesota a couple weeks ago, Penn State only had one opportunity to sniff a chance at the CFP playoff. The Nittany Lions were not able to go into Columbus and beat the No. 2 Buckeyes, making their title hopes vanish. Quarterback Sean Clifford did not help much with his 10-for-17, 71 yard performance, but PSU still put up a good fight, the 11-point deficit was the closest any has gotten to knocking off OSU.

• Alabama It’s been a nightmare couple of weeks for Alabama. First they lost to LSU at home, then they lost star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the season. They find themselves just outside of the top-4, and even they won’t have a chance to play in the SEC championship game. This past week’s three touchdown performance from Mac Jones may give some hope that the Crimson Tide can still win it all. Oregon’s loss certainly • SMU helped open the door to the CFP. Following an arduous fight for relevance after the team’s death penalty, SMU found itself ranked this season for the first time since 1986. The Mustangs have not won a conference • Oklahoma title since joining the AAC, and they had a small chance going into Week 13. That is before Much like Alabama, Oklahoma’s a winner this week because of Oregon’s loss to blowing an 11-point halftime lead to Navy. It looks like SMU will have to try again for its Arizona State. Lincoln Riley has a chance to take the Sooners to their third straight first conference title in 33 years, but at least it appears to be back on track.

College Football Playoff, with three different quarterbacks. It looks like if Georgia fails to beat LSU in the SEC championship game, the final spot will be given to either Reach reporter Josh Eddy Oklahoma, Alabama, or Utah if it can win the Pac-12. That is assuming that none of at sports@dailyuw.com. those teams lose any of their remaining games which is easier said than done.

Twitter: @JoshTreEddy

12 Friday, November 29, 2019

THE DAILY of the University of Washington | since 1891 | dailyuw.com

BY THE

NUMBERS

By Hailey Robinson The Daily

Reach Engagement Editor Hailey Robinson at sports@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @haileyarobin

275

Washington’s average rushing yards in the Apple Cup the past three years. In those three years, the Huskies rushed well over their season average in the Apple Cup.

THE DAILY

2.5

SIX

6

Number of consecutive Apple Cups the Huskies have won.

5

Washington’s average interceptions caught in the past four Apple Cups.

In every other game, the Huskies average 0.96.

41

The number of games WSU would have to win to tie the Apple Cup series record.

The Cougars would finish evening it up in 2059.

The number of interceptions Jacob Eason has thrown in the past three games. He threw only three in his first eight.

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The Daily Evergreen

BY THE

NUMBERS

By Cody Schoeler The Daily Evergreen

6

586

The total number of rushing yards the Huskies have gained over the past two Apple Cups.

Wide receiver Brandon Arconado’s number of games with over 100 receiving yards this season.

NINE

9

Linebacker Jahad Woods’ tackles for loss this season.

Friday, November 29, 2019 13

252

Quarterback Anthony Gordon’s worst yardage performance this season, against Utah. UW quarterback Jacob Eason has failed to reach that mark in over half of his 11 starts.

5

Cornerback Marcus Strong’s passes defended the past two weeks.

14 Friday, November 29, 2019

The Daily Evergreen

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Started from the bottom, now he’s here His childhood shapes the way redshirt senior Eason Winston Jr. fights for greatness

By Sam Grant The Daily Evergreen With the deadline to commit to a school in just days, Easop Winston Jr. was ready to give up on his dreams of playing college football at a Power-5 school.

Easop was committed to Eastern Michigan, where the coach told him he would not be wanted by any serious Power-5 team, let alone any other team, his mom Renee Winston said.

More than 100 people from California attended WSU football’s matchup against Cal just for Easop because he lived in the bay area as a child.

With the Cougars, Easop has cemented himself in record books, caught game-winning touchdowns and helped put the team on the map.

But it wasn’t supposed to be

this way.

Despite his parents being excited for the receiver who had spent three years in junior college, Easop knew that there was something greater than Eastern Michigan.

“Easop wouldn’t sign with them,” Renee said, “and he said, ‘Mom, God has something better in store for me.’ That coach there tried to make him commit to that school.”

His father, Easop Sr., noticed his son’s hunger for a bigger opportunity. He said that Eastern Michigan wanted Easop badly.

“You could tell while he was talking to the coach at Eastern Michigan,” Easop Sr. said. “While he was excited to get an offer, he just felt like he wanted to be playing at a bigger program.”

Easop said he held on to the

thought of playing for a bigger school, and he used his faith to keep his dream alive.

Renee was heavily involved with the church while Easop was a child, something that Easop said he believes put him where he is today.

“My childhood was great,” Easop said. “I had both parents in my life. My mom is probably the most important person in my life.”

While his mother kept him involved with his faith, his father kept him involved in sports. He played a variety of them as a child. He saw Easop’s potential for football early in his life.

“Easop never really wanted to play with toys,” Easop Sr. said, “so that was really the first sign.

He was one of those kids where he was born to do something.

He was definitely born to play

Oliver McKenna The Daily Evergreen Senior WSU wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. looks on the field against New Mexico State on Aug. 31, 2019, at Martin Stadium.

Oliver McKenna The Daily Evergreen Senior WSU wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. runs after a catch in the Cougars’ 59-17 win over Northern Colorado on Sept. 7, 2019, at Martin Stadium. Winston has 11 touchdowns this season. football.”

His mother said that Easop used to sleep with a football in his arms, and she needed to pry the ball from his hands before bed every night, and soon she started to see his potential too.

Around age 7, Easop’s father enrolled him in Pop Warner football, where his career began.

“He played quarterback all along, which is funny because I played quarterback, so he kind of took after me in that aspect,” Easop Sr. said.

People doubted Easop throughout his career, he said. His school asked his parents to hold him back a year so he could grow into his position.

“I had a lot of doubters over the years,” Easop said.

“There’s people who said I wouldn’t be here, they said I was too small, but that internally motivates me.

I might not voice it, but I always internalize what people say.”

Finally, Easop was ready to make a change with his football career. He decided it was time to move positions

from quarterback to wide receiver.

“One day his dad said to try out receiver,” Renee said, “and so he started playing there in his junior year, and he did so amazing. I knew then that he was going to go somewhere.”

Along with his faith, Easop’s work ethic and humility are what his father said helped get him to where he is today.

“He would watch tons of wide receiver footage of top wide receivers in the country when he was in high school,” Easop Sr. said. “He’s soft-spoken and humble and I think that will take him a long way. As good as Easop is, he never brags, he always gives the glory to God.” After his senior season, it seemed he may be done with football. He was not recruited out of high school. His mother helped him with his doubts.

“I was at a time in my life where I was going to give up football,” Easop said, “just because I wasn’t being recruited, but she was the number one person in my life telling me to keep playing.”

And he did. He attended the City College of San Francisco for three years, where he met and developed a relationship with current WSU quarterback Anthony Gordon.

“Me and Easop go back to [junior college] days,” Gordon said. “I noticed that Easop was a special talent the first time I got to throw to him. I realized he could do things that other receivers really couldn’t.”

Gordon has thrown to Easop over 60 times this season already, and the combination has the potential to reach over 1,000 yards by the year’s end.

“Our connection through City and going through here has been a big part of my success this year as well,” Gordon said.

The two have known each other since 2014 and started playing together in 2015. The duo would lead City College to win a state title that year, not knowing they would continue their careers together down the line, Easop said.

“He was out there throwing me the rock a lot,” Easop said, “When you’re out there catching a ball from a quarterback

like that you just develop this relationship on and off the field.”

Gordon would move on to WSU following his freshman year, but Easop would not, continuing his junior college career for a bit longer, but his faith persevered again.

“My faith is something that I stand on,” Easop said. “I was at junior college for three whole years, it felt like I was never going to leave, but I’m here now in perseverance and faith.”

After his three years, Easop finally made his visit to Eastern Michigan. He verbally committed but was still itching for a bigger opportunity.

The day before the commitment deadline WSU Athletics reached out to Easop.

The coaches did not promise him anything but said they are watching him. The next day they called back and offered him a spot on the team.

“Tears came to my eyes.

Literally, my dream came true that day,” Easop said.

Eastern Michigan was the only visit Easop ever made. Now, he is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, the award for most outstanding receivers in college football. He is in the WSU record books. He has helped lead the team to 16 victories.

And even after all he has done for WSU football, he still has his doubters.

Easop said he will take a stab at the NFL following this season, looking to continue his career catching the ball, and will stick to his faith no matter what happens.

Reach The Daily Evergreen’s sport section at desports@dailyevergreen.com

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Friday, November 29, 2019 15

The Daily Evergreen

Apple Cup 2019 WSU Players to Watch OFFENSE DEFENSE

By Allen Leister The Daily Evergreen

Max Borghi

Skyler Thomas

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With the yearly Apple Cup game approaching between rivals Washington and Washington State, it’s time to look at some players who could make the difference in bringing the Apple Cup trophy back to Pullman for the first time in the last six years.

While the quarterback is the most important position on the field for the offense, sophomore running back Max Borghi is the player to watch for the Cougar offense.

Borghi leads all position players on Washington State with 14 touchdowns, 10 on the ground and four through the air. Although Borghi doesn’t get to thrive in the Air Raid offense that has been installed within the WSU football program he still averages 6.7 yards per carry and 7.4 yards per catch. If the Cougars can get Borghi established early and often, he will be a challenge for the rebuilding UW defense.

To put it bluntly, Washington State’s defense has been a liability all year, but a player to watch on the Cougars defense is junior safety Skyler Thomas. Thomas is arguably the most athletic defensive back on the field with a keen sense for the ball. He leads the team in interceptions with three, and fumble recoveries with two. In last year’s Apple Cup, Thomas showed his ballhawk abilities by intercepting then-Huskies’ quarterback Jake Browning in the endzone of the first quarter. If the Cougars can force Washington away from their rushing attack, Thomas will have multiple chances to showcase his talents and get his hands on the ball going against a suddenly struggling Huskies’ quarterback Jacob Eason.