August 2018
IN THIS ISSUE From the Athletic Director’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 THE OFFENSE: With records in sight, Myles Gaskin turns up the heat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 10 Questions With JoJo McIntosh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 THE DEFENSE: A unique bond among coaches keeps Huskies on top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 THE SCHEDULE: Everything you need to know about UW's 2018 foes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Olympic sports kick off fall seasons this month . . . . 26 The Shot: Indelible Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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GOHUSKIES VOLUME 12 / ISSUE 1 / AUGUST 2018
For Information on Advertising, Please Call Scott Boone at (206) 221-3071. GoHuskies Magazine is published seven times a year by Washington IMG Sports Marketing, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.
GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE Washington IMG Sports Marketing 3910 Montlake Boulevard – Box 354070 Seattle, WA 98195
All material produced in this publication is the property of IMG College and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from IMG College and the University of Washington Athletic Department. Please send all address changes to the attention of Tyee Club at University of Washington; Box 354070; 202 Graves Building; Seattle, WA 98195-4070 or by email at huskies@uw.edu. EDITOR Brian Beaky
FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK
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fter a record-breaking spring on Montlake, it’s time to turn our attention back to Husky Stadium, where in just a few short weeks our beloved Huskies will be back on the gridiron. It’s always a special time when our student-athletes report back to campus – to see their passion and energy for UW truly inspires me. With so much media emphasis around our season-opening game against Auburn and the upcoming season, it can be easy to overlook some of the things this program is doing off the field. Last spring, the NCAA announced its annual Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores, and our Huskies continued their upward trend, taking the top spot in the Pac-12. I could not be prouder of this group, as it shows their commitment to being tremendous both on and off the field. Coach Petersen continues to build a legacy that emphasizes the holistic approach to college athletics, one that truly embodies our core values as an athletic department. It’s a joy to work with him and his staff and see how they stretch and grow our student-athletes. Whether he’s interacting with his players and staff or fostering relationships within the Seattle community, Coach Pete makes everyone around him better. I can’t wait to see what this year brings both on the field of competition, and in the growth and
Jennifer Cohen
lives of our student-athletes. On behalf of our entire department, thank you for your continued investment and support of UW Athletics. I’ll hope to see you in The Greatest Setting in College Football, cheering on our Dawgs. GO HUSKIES!
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Senior tailback
MYLES GASKIN
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is blazing through the record books BY BRIAN BEAKY • EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
t some point — likely in the next 10 years, statistically — Myles Gaskin's football career will come to an end. And, that's when he'll have the chance to become a real hero. "I want to be a firefighter, down the road," he says. "Obviously, I'm focused on football right now, but when that's done, I want to bring that same level of passion and commitment to firefighting. It's everything I want." The danger? The rush of adrenaline? Nope. "I like to help people, and see people smile," Gaskin says. "And I don't like to sit around. It's not so much about what I could do, but just about helping somebody to feel OK in a tough situation." Informed that the day-to-day work of a firefighter consists largely of picking old ladies up off the floor, he laughs. "But, she's gonna be smiling, right?"
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o those who know him best — his teammates, his friends, his family — it's hard to imagine Myles Gaskin without a smile. "He's someone I'll be friends with the rest of my life," says quarterback Jake Browning. "He loves people," his coach at Seattle's O'Dea High School, Monte Kohler, told the Tacoma News-Tribune. "Just a great kid. Always had a smile on his face, very respectful, appreciative of everything that he has.” To those whose job it is to stop him, though? A smile is hardly what comes to mind. Over the last three years, Gaskin has run over, around and sometimes through just about every defender brave enough to get in his way, becoming just the third Husky back ever to post three-consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Amazingly, he's actually improved each year, posting 1,302 yards and a 5.7 yardsper-carry average as a freshman in 2015 (the most yards ever by a first-year Husky back) 1,373 yards/5.8 ypc as a sophomore, and
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1,380 yards/6.2 ypc as a junior. He already holds UW records for career yards per attempt (5.9), career rushing yards per game (101.4) and career rushing touchdowns (45, already eight more than the nextclosest Husky). And, with the decision to return for his senior year — a decision we'll get to shortly — Gaskin has put himself in position to break one of Washington's most hallowed records, Napoleon Kaufman's career mark of 4,106 rushing yards. It's a record that has stood for 24 years, and one that some thought, given modern football offensive trends, might stand forever — indeed, for the first 17 of those years, no player even came within 1,600 yards. Gaskin is just 51 away. Ask him about his goals, though, and you won't hear anything about Napoleon Kaufman. You won't hear anything about touchdowns, or rushing yards, or even next year's NFL Draft. Gaskin wants simply to set UW up to win — now, next year ... forever. "I want to be a leader for the young guys in the [running backs] room now," he says.
"It's your responsiblity to try to make the next dude better, and leave the place better than you found it." There it is again — that desire to help others; to, rather than put one's self on a pedestal, build a ladder that you and those around you can climb to reach the pedestal together. It's a lesson Gaskin learned from his family — his mother, Robbie and his father, Scott — but perhaps most significantly, from his brother, Ivan. Three years younger than Ivan, Myles developed a deep understanding of what it's like to be the underdog, to be the one having to scrap and claw for things that seemingly come easily to others. The boys would fight — "rasslin'," Ivan called it in a 2015 interview, "just boys being boys" — and Ivan would usually win. In doing so, though, he would always make sure that Myles learned a lesson — next time, be more patient; or, what could you do differently? Myles studied his brother and, intentionally or not, found himself following in
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his footsteps — Ivan was a good student, so Myles hit the books, too. Ivan played tailback and safety at O'Dea, so Myles did, too. "My brother taught me to work hard, and how to use what I have to get ahead," Gaskin says. "I'm never going to be the biggest guy on the field, so I've had to learn to be strong in other ways, and figure out a better way to get around." Ivan's lessons manifest themselves in nearly every Gaskin run. Some running backs barrel straight into the hole, head lowered, legs churning for every yard. Others take off for the corner, hoping to beat pursuing tacklers around the edge. Gaskin ... waits. That's right, he waits. Not for long, mind you — he's well aware of the 250-pound men on a mission to bring him down. But, he waits, for barely half a second, and in that brief instant, time slows down — Gaskin's eyes take in the movement of the offensive linemen, the pursuit angles of the defense, and the ever-changing proportions of the holes opening in front of him. He calculates, cuts .. and goes. Time returns to normal. PAGE 6
"I'm patient," Gaskin says. "I think that's my best gift. But, I can also take off and beat dudes when I have some space, or, if I have to, get the extra yards. I just try to do whatever it takes to be successful on each play." Like the play in the 2015 Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl, where Gaskin started right, saw the hole close, cut left, broke a tackle, and sprinted 86 yards to the end zone. Or the play in the 2017 Apple Cup where he broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage, sprinted 15 yards downfield, broke another tackle at the 10-yard-line, then lunged over a final would-be tackler for a touchdown. Google "Myles Gaskin highlights" and there are literally dozens of plays like this — plays where Gaskin's initial hole closes up quickly, or a defender makes a good read and gets a hand on Gaskin at the line of scrimmage, only for Gaskin to shuffle, slide, spin, shimmy or stiff-arm, and turn a short gain into a gamechanging touchdown. But, even those efforts Gaskin still refuses to take credit for, or pride in — again, lifting
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someone else onto the pedestal with him. “If you’re not getting touched, and you run in, you’re not really doing much, that’s the O-line,” Gaskin said after that Apple Cup win. “So, when you do get touched, you want to be able to do something for the O-line, break a tackle or take a guy for a ride with you. I think that’s most important, to show the O-line, ‘Hey, you all are doing your work and I’m doing mine.’”
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n the minutes after that Apple Cup win, it was natural to wonder whether or not Gaskin had played his last game at Husky Stadium. In three seasons at Washington, Gaskin had rushed for more than 4,000 yards and broken the school record for career touchdowns. He had been named first-team All-Pac-12, and a freshman All-American. Most importantly, he had lifted Washington — his hometown team — back into the upper echelon of the nation's college football programs. What was left to prove? That wasn't how Gaskin saw it at all. "I wasn't in any rush to run from college," Gaskin says. "Of course you want to go chase your dream, but nothing was pushing me to leave. I thought it would be good to get a degree — I've been in school for so long, I might as well get it. I love the environment. I love the guys on this team. I love playing football in front of my close friends and family. And, yeah, absolutely, I want one last shot with the guys who came in together. We came in together, and we're going to go out together, knowing we dug deep and gave it our all." One of those "guys" is quarterback Jake Browning, the yin to Gaskin's yang. As Gaskin has been breaking every UW rushing record, so, too, has Browning been tearing up the passing charts. Like Gaskin, he already holds the record for career touchdowns; like Gaskin, he will almost certainly be the school's all-time leader in yards by the time this year concludes, breaking a record that, like Kaufman's rushing mark, once seemed unattainable. It's rare in college football history for a school to boast two such outstanding contributors at one time; even rarer for the two to spend all four years playing side by side. They're aware of the circumstance, and embrace it. Indeed, to hear them talk, it's no coincidence that they've scaled these heights side by side. They lift each other up. "We both know our strengths and weaknesses," Browning told The Seattle Times earlier this year, "and we both want to win." "We're like brothers," added Gaskin. "We get mad at each other, and we hype each other up. I love that dude. I look to him as a leader. He's a brother to me now." Since making the decision to return for his senior year — one that Gaskin says, in typical understatement, "wasn't really a big deal" — he
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has found himself spending more and more time with the Huskies' talented young running backs, being the Ivan to their Myles: pushing them, challenging them, teaching them lessons ... and, too, lifting them up when they need a helping hand. "It's funny to see the mistakes they make," he says, "because I used to make those same mistakes. When I came in, I thought I was king of the world. And then, suddenly, I was low man on the totem pole — sometimes, dudes didn't even get my name right. Guys like Dwayne [Washington], Lavon [Coleman], Coop [Deontae Cooper], though ... they hit me up and let me know that I was going to be alright, that I was here for a reason. "Now, there's times when I can see it in a dude's eyes," he continues. "Dude ain't smiling like he should be, he's not acting like he normally is. So, I just pull him aside and have a quick little talk, just a check-in to make sure
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everybody's good. Everybody in life needs those from time to time." Gaskin organized a group text to keep up with his teammates when they're not together, checking in about workouts, classes, practices or personal plans. He sees himself as part of a lineage of Husky running backs that have passed down lessons from class to class, trying to make each group stronger than the one before it. "It's just something you have a responsibility to do, really. It wouldn't be right if I didn't," he says. "I take pride in that kind of stuff, because those guys are really my friends. "We're connected by more than football," he adds. "We're a family."
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ne day recently, Gaskin was walking out of the Husky football offices when he ran into Kaufman, who was heading in to meet with head coach Chris Petersen. The old Dawg stopped to meet the new, and the two shared a few words. Kaufman congratulated Gaskin on his accomplishments, and wished him luck this coming year. "It was neat to shake his hand," Gaskin says, "because he's a Husky legend, and that's the way I want to be looked at down the road."
Barring unforseen circumstances, Gaskin — who says he has reviewed every one of his 686 career carries since the end of last season, looking for things he could do better — will get the 52 yards he needs to break Kaufman's record sometime early this fall, and will etch his name atop the UW record books one more time. When he does, Gaskin says "it will be a blessing," but that he won't feel any specific sense of accomplishment. The achievement isn't his, he says — it belongs to everyone who has reached out their hands to help him climb that ladder. "I wouldn't be able to do what I've done without the O-line, the coaching staff, the strength staff, the defense doing its job," he says. "I can't take any credit for it. It's just God putting me in the right position at the right time, taking care of me, keeping me healthy. I'm thankful for everything about it, but it's not the reason I go out there." What is? "Going undefeated," he says, in a steady voice that conveys a single-minded focus. "Yeah. Not losing a single game. That's the one thing I'm looking forward to. We all want to have fun together, but at the end of the day, all of us have one common goal, and when you get a group of dudes working towards a common goal, there ain't nothing you can't do."
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10 QUESTIONS WITH... HUSKIES’ SAFETY JOJO MCINTOSH
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he son of Cambodian refugees who fled the country's Civil War in 1982, senior safety JoJo McIntosh isn't one to take a day for granted. The social justice major and two-year starter earned All-Pac-12 secondteam honors this year, and will be among the veteran leaders of another loaded Huskies' defense this fall. Here's what’s on his mind heading into his final season at UW:
What does it feel like to play in the greatest setting in college football? “It’s amazing. To play in front of Husky Nation is a blessing. The energy and excitement they bring to the games is second to none.”
What is it like to play in the Pac-12 Conference? “Best conference in the country. It’s a battle week to week, but it’s fun. You play for these moments.”
What is your favorite thing about living in Seattle? “The trees, the water, the mountains, it’s just beautiful out here.”
What are your favorite things to do in the summer in Seattle? “I love to go out to the lake or barbeque with some friends. Maybe go hiking or fishing.”
Why did you choose to come to UW? “The academics, the coaches, and the culture that UW brings is second to none.”
Describe your experience at UW so far? What has been the most exciting or challenging thing to happen to you? “UW is amazing. The people and professors are great. School is challenging, but good. Football is non-stop excitement.”
What is something that Coach Petersen has taught you off the field? “He taught me how to face different challenges in my life. How to go about different things and respond.”
How have "Real-Life Wednesdays," when outside contributors speak to the team about preparing for life outside of football, impacted you? What have you taken away from them? “I have learned so much. I appreciate Real-Life Wednesdays and the impact they have on our team. They help us grow as men.”
Can you talk about some of the experiences that have been opened up to you through sport, and how they have changed your life? “I recently took a trip to Costa Rica through sports. It was one of the most amazing experiences ever.”
What do you dream or imagine for yourself? “I see myself helping others. I want to be a positive influence in this world.”
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Kwiatkowski Lake
Team Player PAGE 14
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I
Pete Kwiatkowski’s selfless act this spring has the Husky defense primed for another big year
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BY MASON KELLEY
t was time for Jimmy Lake to become a defensive coordinator. Washington coach Chris Petersen knew it. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski knew it. The rest of the college football world knew it. Lake was going to leave. He had earned the opportunity to take the next step in his career. He had been patient, adding titles and responsibilities each year, but there were no more titles to bestow on the coach — all that was left was the defensive coordinator position, and the Huskies already had their man. That's when Kwiatkowski made an offer. He told Petersen, remarkably, that he didn’t mind if Lake became Washington’s defensive playcaller. If that would keep the band together, it was worth it. “My deal is, it’s who I work for, who I work with, to get better and be successful,” he says. Keeping Lake on Washington's staff checked all of those boxes for Kwiatkowski, so Petersen went to Lake with the idea. Lake wasn’t sure what to think, so he responded by asking, “What about coach K?” The two standout defensive coaches are longtime friends. Their relationship dates back to the late 1990s, when Lake was a senior at Eastern Washington and Kwiatkowski was the defensive line coach. So, as he tried to process what Petersen was saying, Lake asked another question: “What’s going on here?” Once Petersen explained that it was Kwiatkowski’s decision, Lake accepted, but not before checking with his friend. “Are you sure about this?” Lake asked. He asked once. Then he asked again. He kept asking, because he wanted to leave no doubt that Kwiatkowski was sure about his decision. But, while it was an unprecedented move, Lake wasn’t all that surprised. It’s the kind of thing Kwiatkowski would do.
In this case, coach Kwiatkowski put the team in front of himself and, really, it’s extraordinary,” Lake says. “It’s probably never happened in any situation I can remember on any staff in the NFL or in college.
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Kwiatkowski Lake
It’s never been about one person. It’s always a back-and-forth.. ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ ” Lake says. “We have a lot of chemistry between all the coaches.
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“He’s just an unbelievable, selfless human being,” Lake says. “In this case, coach Kwiatkowski put the team in front of himself and, really, it’s extraordinary. It’s probably never happened in any situation I can remember on any staff in the NFL or in college.” It is fitting the two men are now codefensive coordinators. After all, Kwiatkowski was one of the coaches who helped push Lake into the profession. “He was one of about four or five coaches who really talked me into wanting to be a football coach,” Lake says. Kwiatkowski would later help Lake advance in his coaching career, hiring him to be the secondary coach at Montana State in 2005 when Kwiatkowski was the Bobcats’ defensive coordinator. Lake used that job as a springboard to the NFL, working for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions. At each stop along the way, he worked to become a tactical technician. “People who know me best in this business know I love schematics,” he says. “I love scheme. I love trying to stop offenses. It’s what I’ve wanted since I was 24 years old, way back when I first started coaching. “It’s one of the reasons I made it to the National Football League,“ he continues. “I loved scheme, trying to game plan and stop the best in the business.” So now, here he is, working alongside good friends as they build Washington into a perennial powerhouse. His title is different. He has more responsibility but, really, the job remains the same. “We’ve really done this as a whole coaching staff anyway,” Lake says. “It’s never been about one person. It’s always a back-and-forth. ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ We have a lot of chemistry between all the coaches. It’s just really awesome the way this thing has panned out. “We see how to stop the run and how
to stop the pass the same,“ he says. “We’re always in coordination with each other in what is going to be the best game plan to stop offenses.” Back when the switch was made, reporters were quick to ask Kwiatkowski about giving up play-calling duties. He said he wasn’t worried about “ego” or “title.” He knows he can coach and he wants Washington to continue building on its success. As Lake said, the coaches work so well together, little changes. “The only difference is, he’s calling it,” Kwiatkowski says. “First-and-10, thirdand-2, third-and-1, he gets the added stress on gameday. That’s about it.” And, by making a selfless gesture, not only does it benefit the coaching staff, it sends a message to the players in the program about the importance of putting the team first. “We preach the same thing to our young men,” Lake says. “It is a great example of how we would want our guys to perform as a team. It all comes back to our head coach, coach Pete. He really fosters this culture, where it’s more about the team and not yourself.” Because this coaching staff works together so well, the core tenets of the Huskies’ defense — which has ranked in the NCAA's top-15 in scoring defense in each of the last three seasons (despite playing in one of the nation's highest-scoring conferences) and has seen eight defenders Continued on page 19 GoHUSKIES
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selected in the top-two rounds of the NFL draft since 2016 — will remain the same. “There are some things we’re going to make sure don’t change, and that’s making sure we play extremely fast, that we’re very sound, that we play very smart and we play physical, tough defense,” Lake says. “We try to recruit players who fit that mold and we’re making sure our game plans are reflective of that, so our guys can play fast, play smart, play physical and use their talents to make sure they can make plays for us.” However, this coaching staff also takes pride in adapting and evolving, so they spend time in the offseason studying the top defenses in both college and the NFL. “We’ve always made tweaks every single year and this year will be no different,” Lake says. “We’ve gone out and researched other defenses in college and the NFL. We do it every single year, so there’s always going to be some changes, but hopefully the anchors of our defense will never change.”
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rom Eastern Washington to Montana State and then Boise State to Washington, Lake and Kwiatkowski go back. Their families are close. Their history and camaraderie has been — and will continue to be — key to the development of Washington’s defense as their coaching journeys will remain intertwined for the foreseeable future. When Lake was asked to remember a moment shared between the two coaches, it took a minute for him to pick just
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one. Then, he brought up Stanford’s trip to Husky Stadium in 2016. It was a Friday night. The Cardinal were ranked No. 7 in the nation. The Huskies were No. 10. Each team was undefeated. Washington’s defense went into the game looking to contain Christian McCaffrey and Stanford’s offense. And, that’s exactly what the Huskies did. It was a 44-6 rout that helped propel Washington toward a Pac-12 championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff. It was the kind of game a coaching staff can look back on and savor. It was a job well done. And, once it was over, when the players were mobbed by fans storming the field, Lake remembers seeing Kwiatkowski. He was standing at the base of the Husky Stadium tunnel, watching as players, fans and the band celebrated. He was just soaking up the scene. “Everyone is going crazy,” Lake recalls. “I just remember looking at coach K and how proud he looked.” Lake walked over to join his friend. “We both gave each other a big hug,” Lake says. “It was definitely a great moment.” It was another great moment in a career full of them for the two coaches, a series of experiences they’ve been able to share at various stages. And, because of Kwiatkowski’s selfless act, there will be more wins to savor together in the future. “We’re all happy,” Kwiatkowski says. “We all get to stay together. We all get to coach together here for years to come.”
Kwiatkowski Lake
We’ve always made tweaks every single year and this year will be no different,” Lake says. “We’ve gone out and researched other defenses in college and the NFL, so there’s always going to be some changes. But there are some things we’re going to make sure don’t change, and that’s [playing] extremely fast, very smart, physical, tough defense.
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BY BRIAN BEAKY EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
SAT. — SEPT. 1 — 12:30 P.M. PT VS AUBURN ATLANTA, GA. The city of Atlanta hasn't been too kind to Seattle's football teams in recent years, including playoff losses by the Seahawks in 2012 and 2016, and a College Football Playoff semi-final defeat for the Huskies in 2017. The good news? The city blew up (or, rather, blew in) the Georgia Dome last November, taking all of that bad mojo with it. Instead, Washington will meet Auburn in the all-new MercedesBenz Stadium in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 1. The game could well match two top-10 teams — the Huskies return seven starters on offense and nine from the Pac-12's top-rated defense, while Auburn returns much of the team that went 10-4 in 2017, including wins over both of the CFP National Championship teams. The CFP committee will be watching this one closely.
SAT. — SEPT. 8 — 2 P.M. PT
NORTH DAKOTA
After its epic opener, Washington returns home in Week 2, welcoming North Dakota to Husky Stadium for the first time in program history. And, before you think, "Oh, that's an FCS opponent, I can skip that one," know this: senior tailback Myles Gaskin needs just 52 rushing yards this season to pass Napoleon Kaufman on the Huskies' career rushing list. If he doesn't do it against Auburn, he'll be a good bet to do so in this game — and either way, he'll no doubt be recognized in-stadium for his incredible accomplishment. Be there to let him know how much he's meant.
SAT. — SEPT. 15 — 7 P.M. PT AT UTAH This year's conference schedule kicks off early, with a Week 3 tilt in one of the West's toughest venues, Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium. The teams' last two matchups have resulted in two of the most exciting games of the year — both Husky wins. Utah fans are still smarting after a heart-pounding Dante Pettis punt return TD in the fourth quarter saved the day for Washington in 2016, while last year saw the Huskies score 10 points in the final minute — including a field goal as time expired — for a 33-30 win at Husky Stadium. What drama awaits this year? We can't wait to find out.
SAT. — SEPT. 22 — VS ARIZONA STATE It's payback time. Washington's run to a second-straight Pac-12 title was derailed last October in Tempe, when the Sun Devils mustered a remarkable defensive effort in a 13-7 win. While Chris Petersen and his players always insist that no game means more than any other, you can believe that there will be a little extra pep in their step when the Devils — led by first-year head coach Herm Edwards, dualthreat quarterback Manny Wilkins, All-America wide receiver candidate N'Keal Harry and All-Pac-12 defensive back Chase Lucas — set foot in Husky Stadium this fall. The Huskies will hope fans pack the house to make life just as difficult for ASU as the Sun Devils made it for Washington last season. PAGE 20
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FROM A TITANIC NON-CONFERENCE SEASON-OPENER, TO A NOVEMBER BATTLE OF THE LAST TWO PAC-12 NORTH CHAMPS, THERE'S PLENTY TO WATCH IN EVERY GAME THIS SEASON
SAT. — SEPT. 29 VS BRIGHAM YOUNG While many of UW's players may not remember the last time BYU came to Husky Stadium, in 2008, it's a game no Husky fan will soon forget, including a last-minute touchdown by Jake Locker to get the Huskies within one ... and a penalty for excessive celebration that pushed the extra point back 15 yards, where it was blocked. Known for its legendary quarterbacks, from Steve Young to Jim McMahon to Ty Detmer, the 2018 BYU offense could be much more ground-based than those of the program's past, with first-year offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes bringing lessons learned over four years at LSU and four more at Auburn. Husky fans will certainly be loud — just tell 'em it's the Cougars on the other sideline, and they'll take care of the rest.
SAT. — OCT. 6 — AT UCLA The UCLA team that Washington finds in the Rose Bowl this fall will look a lot different than the one they saw at Husky Stadium last year — even if the coach wearing the headphones looks a little familiar. Former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly will helm the Bruins' attack in 2018, taking over for Jim Mora after a 6-7 season. He'll be doing so, though, with almost an entirely new cast of faces, as quarterback Josh Rosen now slings pigskins for the Arizona Cardinals, while the team's top-two pass catchers, top-two offensive linemen, first-team all-conference linebacker and other highly regarded players have also moved on. Can dual-threat freshman quarterback Dorian ThompsonRobinson be Kelly's next Marcus Mariota? It may be a lot to ask right away, but the Huskies can count on an up-tempo, highintensity game in L.A.
SAT. — OCT. 13 AT OREGON After just one true road game in the season's first month, the Huskies head to Eugene for the second of back-to-back road contests on Oct. 13. Washington, of course, has won two in the row against their southern rivals, including a 70-21 drubbing in Autzen Stadium just two years ago. You know that game will be on the mind of every Ducks' upperclassman coming into this one, which will no doubt be one of the Huskies' toughest tests of the year. Quarterback Justin Herbert led Oregon to a 6-1 record and 52 points per game in the seven regular-season games for which he was healthy in 2017, and with new head coach Mark Cristobal calling the shots, and a defense returning nearly all of its biggest names, don't expect 70-21 again.
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SAT. — OCT. 20 — VS COLORADO The Buffs don't come to town often — just three times in the last 20 years — but when they do, it's can't-miss football. Colorado's two appearances since joining the Pac-12 have seen the Huskies score a combined 111 points, but it's the 1999 game — the first of eight-straight wins for Washington against CU — that stands out the most. It was on that September afternoon when, having gone 0-2 to start the year under first-year coach Rick Neuheisel, offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson first unveiled his new option offense, led by junior quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo. Washington rushed for over 200 yards, held the ball for more than 36 minutes, and scored 17 of the game's final 20 points to eke out a 31-24 win. It was the first game to showcase the hallmarks of those Tuiasosopo teams — the option attack; the slow-grinding power of the offensive line; the fourth-quarter comebacks. Washington would go on to win 25 of its next 30 games, including the 2001 Rose Bowl. We can only hope that this year's Colorado game spurs a similar streak.
SAT. — OCT. 27 — AT CALIFORNIA There are a lot of familiar names down at Cal, from head coach Justin Wilcox — the Huskies' defensive coordinator in 2012-13 — to quarterback Ross Bowers, who grew up watching home games at Husky Stadium while his mom, Joanne, coached the UW gymnastics team from 2006-2016. Cal started off hot last year with wins over North Carolina and Ole Miss, before injuries decimated both the offense and defense, leading to a 5-7 overall record. Nearly all of that talent is back, and Husky fans know well that Wilcox will get the most out of the players he coaches. The Huskies have scored 104 points against Cal the last two years, but this is a young and hungry Cal squad — it will be very important for head coach Chris Petersen to make sure his players aren't looking past them to next week's titanic Pac-12 north tilt.
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SAT. — NOV. 17 — VS OR. STATE SAT. — NOV. 3 — VS STANFORD When the conference schedule came out this spring, this was the one that every Husky fan circled on the calendar. Two years ago, Stanford rolled into Husky Stadium with a No. 7 national ranking, a Heisman candidate in the backfield, and three of the previous four Pac-12 titles on the shelf. Three hours later — after an evening that left bodies bruised, ears deafened and a national television audience in awe — they left with a 44-6 defeat that sent a signal that the road to the Pac-12 North title now goes through Husky Stadium. Based on preseason projections that rank both teams among the nation's top-15, it certainly appears that this year's Washington-Stanford game will once again go a long way towards determinining the Pac-12 North. If Husky fans can repeat their effort from 2016, the Dawgs will have a big advantage.
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The Huskies haven't lost to the Beavers since 2011 (with an average margin of victory greater than 28 points) and have lost at home to Oregon State just four times in the last 44 years. So, why be worried, right? Here's why: In each of the last two seasons, the Huskies have stumbled to unranked opponents in November, losing at home to USC in 2016, and at Stanford last season. With this game sandwiched on the schedule by much-anticipated matchups against Stanford and Washington State, it would be easy to overlook the Beavers, who are starting over in 2018 under firstyear coach Jonathan Smith. Doing so, though, could be fatal — not only will OSU be eager to knock off the Dawgs, but Smith (UW's offensive coordinator from 2014-17) knows the Husky playbook inside and out, both offensively and defensively. This is most definitely not a game to sleep on.
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SAT. — NOV. 23 AT WASHINGTON STATE If we have to give you a reason to get excited for the Apple Cup, then maybe this magazine isn't really for you. The Cougars find themselves replacing a number of key indviduals, including both quarterbacks (following the graduation of Luke Falk and the tragic death of Tyler Hilinski) and All-Americans on both sides of the line. And that's just on the field — in the booth, more than half of the team's assistants have been replaced since 2017 as well, including celebrated defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. That's a lot of parts to replace, but recent history aside, Apple Cups are almost always tense affairs — and with so much on the line for Washington this season, the Cougs would certainly love to play spoiler. GoHUSKIES
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What Time Is It?
SHOWTIME!
Football's not the only game in town this month Sure, this is the football preview issue, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about other sports, too. From Husky Soccer Field, to Alaska Airlines Arena, to the trails of Lincoln Park, Dawgs will be kicking into action throughout the Seattle area over the next month's time. Here's where to catch your favorite fall sports team:
VOLLEYBALL
MEN'S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER
CROSS COUNTRY
New Dawgs, same tricks. If there's one thing you can set your watch by in the Husky sports universe, it's that no matter how many new faces take the court for Husky volleyball each fall, they'll represent one of the toughest and most entertaining teams in town. Washington kicks off its 2018 season at Alaska Airlines Arena Aug. 24-25 with back-to-back matches against the University of San Diego, before welcoming Colorado, Iowa and Illinois for the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. It's your only chance to see the Dawgs before the Pac-12 season begins in late September, so join the Huskies as they begin the quest for their 17th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
What do you get when you add a top-10 recruiting class packed with eight stud players to a highly ranked team coming off its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven years? A recipe for one heck of a fall season. Fans can catch the men's soccer team in action twice this month, including an Aug. 16 tilt at Husky Soccer Stadium against cross-town rivals Seattle Pacific, and a live-televised match on Fri., Aug. 24, against three-time NCAA champion Maryland.
You think the Husky football team's defense is tough to score on? Try playing against Lesle Gallimore's women's soccer team. After proving themselves as one of the nation's top defensive teams in 2017 — allowing just 10 goals over their last 16 games — the Huskies have added a slew of offensive weapons this year, as they bid for a return to the NCAA Tournament. Check out the Huskies' new offensive attack — and the team's 11 incoming players — at Husky Soccer Stadium on Aug. 24 against Cal State Fullerton. Or, even better, make plans to attend the Husky Nike Invitational, Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, and watch Washington, Portland, Michigan State and Wisconsin all in action.
You thought we'd forget about cross country, didn't you? No way. First-year coaches Maurica and Andy Powell — who helped lead Oregon's men's and women's cross country teams to multiple national titles over more than a decade with the Ducks — have the Dawgs geared up for another run to the postseason in 2018. The Huskies will kick off the year on Aug. 31 at the Seattle U Open, before launching their own home slate Sept. 15 with the annual Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park.
For tickets to these or any Husky events, visit gohuskies.com, or call 206-543-2200. PAGE 26
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SPIRIT IN THE STANDS SUPPORT ACROSS THE STATE When Boeing supports what our employees are passionate about, it builds strong partnerships and stronger ties throughout our communities. That’s why we’re proud to be the title sponsor of the 2018 Boeing Apple Cup Series and celebrate two historic Washington universities.
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Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES
RECORD-BREAKER
Myles Gaskin enters his senior season on Montlake needing just 52 yards to become Washington’s all-time leader in career rushing yards.
To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit www.HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com
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