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SEPTEMBER 2021
IN THIS ISSUE
From the Athletic Director’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Dawg Shows — 2021 Opponent Previews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 OFFENSE: Raising The Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10 Questions with Tight End Cade Otton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 DEFENSE: Smash Mouth Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Edefuan Ulofoshio — Sky's The Limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The Return: The Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Shot: Dawg Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
GoHUSKIES
PAGE 1
FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK VOLUME 15 / ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2021
For Information on Advertising, Please Call Brandon Forbis at (206) 695-2562. GoHuskies Magazine is published five times a year by Huskies Sports Properties, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.
GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE Huskies Sports Properties 2825 Eastlake Ave E — Suite 320 Seattle, WA 98102 All material produced in this publication is the property of Huskies Sports Properties and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from Huskies Sports Properties 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.
G
reatest Fans, We hope that you are staying healthy and enjoyed your summer with all the beautiful Pacific Northwest has to offer. It’s hard to believe we are already flipping our calendars to September and the start of another year for Husky Athletics - this is truly going to be a special one for our department and university. I can’t wait for Coach Lake to have his first opportunity at a full season. It’s been such an exciting training camp and it’s been so fun to open up several practices to each of you. The roster is filled with veterans who are ready to put their stamp on already impressive careers. We have a strong home schedule after we make our trip to Michigan for a showdown with one of college football’s perennial powers. Our home slate is highlighted by visits from rivals Oregon and Washington State and we are going to need each of you to give us a home-field advantage. We have all been challenged in new ways over the course of the last year and a half. This has forced us to think differently, change how we operate and appreciate what we have. This couldn’t be truer of you, Husky Nation. Our inability to gather has left a gaping hole in our department. What we
Jennifer Cohen
do, and the experiences we provide for our students isn’t possible without your support. We know that we remain in a fluid situation this fall and understand that things could change at a moment’s notice. As has been our priority throughout the pandemic, we will provide real-time updates to each of you and continue to rely on state, county, conference and university officials to make any necessary COVID-related decisions for our events on campus. We can’t wait for September 4 and The Return to the Greatest Setting. See you there! Go Dawgs!
EDITOR Dick Stephens WRITERS Mark Moschetti and Bob Sherwin PHOTOGRAPHERS UW Athletics ADVERTISING
Brandon Forbis, Molly Mueller (206) 695-2562 brandon.forbis@ HuskiesSportsProperties.com DESIGN Robert Becker
Football & Men’s Basketball Flagship Radio Station: 950 AM KJR Seattle Sports Radio
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GoHUSKIES
DAWG SHOWS BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
DYLAN MORRIS
2 21 HUSKY OPPONENT
GAME PREVIEWS
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GoHUSKIES
UW is 19-1 against The Griz in past 100 years University of Montana Grizzlies SEPT. 4 • 5 p.m. • Seattle • Pac-12 Networks History has not been kind to Montana in its 19 previous meetings with the Huskies. The Grizzlies are averaging one victory every 100 years or so. In fact, it has been a century since their one — and only — victory, a 18-14 decision on Oct. 16, 1920, the inaugural meeting. The Huskies have gone on to win 17 straight (one tie) with nine shutouts. The last time these teams met was 2017, a 63-7 UW victory. It should be, as prescribed, an adequate tune-up for Michigan in week two. It will get all the youngsters — particularly young QB Dylan Morris and possibly freshman QB Sam Huard (if not redshirted) — a taste of what’s ahead. It is difficult for the Huskies to know what to expect from the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies might not even know. They played just two spring games (vs. Central Washington/Portland State) and won both by a combined score of 107-10. The Griz can showcase an offense behind senior QB Cam Humphrey (via Issaquah High/Boise State/Saddleback JC), who is 5-0 as a starter, and WR Samuel Akem, who had 59 catches for 848 yards and 10 TD in 2019, and WR Samori Toure, who had 87 catches for 1,495 yards and 13 TD in 2019. Both are NFL prospects.
Dawg fight match up on national TV University of Michigan Wolverines SEPT. 11 • 4:30 p.m. • Ann Arbor, Mich. • ABC Who emerges from a three-way battle for the starting Michigan QB naturally will have a major impact on the course of the Wolverines’ season? The three are: Sophomore Cade McNamara, transfer Alan Bowman (Texas) and intriguing incoming freshman J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy was 36-2 in high school and led his team to three state titles. Great arm, legs, poise, but he’s 18. Whoever it is, he’ll be helped by the receiving skills of junior WR Ronnie Bell. UM has a strong backfield that includes redshirt freshman Donovan Edwards, who gained 2,460 yards with 42 touchdowns in his final two high school seasons. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, whose team went 2-4 last season and seems always shadowed by uncertain job security, better pay most of his attention to the defense. The Wolverines allowed 34.5 points per game last season. This will be the 13th meeting ever between these two college football titans — four times in the Rose Bowl. Washington has a 5-7 record against The Blue. The last meeting was 2002, a 31-29 Michigan win in Ann Arbor. Michigan comes to Husky Stadium next season.
First-ever match for Red Wolves at Montlake Arkansas State University Red Wolves SEPT. 18 • 1:15 p.m. • Seattle • Pac-12 Networks This will be the first meeting ever between the two teams and if the game goes as expected, the Huskies will want them back for more — and more. Last season, the Red Wolves, playing a complete schedule (4-7), allowed 37.2 points per game. Opponent gained 6.3 yards per play. And their two best defensive players have graduated. But there is hope that eight returning defensive starters can tighten the unit along with a revised approach from a new defensive coordinator Bob Harley. ASU also has a new head coach, Butch Jones, who was on Alabama’s staff the past three seasons. Jones has a potential ‘breakout’ offense with an experienced passing attack. Redshirt junior QB Layne Hatcher, once an Alabama recruit who transferred in 2018, threw for 2,058 yards last season with 19 TD. Senior WR Dahu Green and sophomore WR Corey Rucker combined for 10 TD receptions. Rucker had four in one game. The Red Wolves can erupt, with 22 plays of 40 yards or more last season. GoHUSKIES
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Pac-12 opener — UW has a 55-44-1 history vs. Cal University of California Golden Bears SEPT. 25 • Seattle • TBD Washington opens the Pac-12 campaign against a Bears’ team that has hung a couple recent home losses on the Huskies. Cal put a demoralizing 20-19 lightning-delayed loss on the Huskies to open the 2019 season and also won two years earlier. The Bears have won eight of the last 11 meetings, but the Huskies still hold a 55-44-1 overall edge. The Bears played just four games last season (1-3) so, like the Huskies (3-1), it’s hard to fully measure roster quality. Cal QB Chase Garbers has 34 TD and 16 INT in his 25 career games. The fifth-year senior has not lived up to his promise, but he has QB whisperer Bill Musgrave, in his second year as O coordinator, as his mentor along with blocking support from four returning linemen, a decent running game and experienced receivers. Still, Musgrave has plenty of a heavy lifting to do to get this offense back among the conference’s upper tier. Defensively, the Bears’ strength is a veteran secondary – although not as solid with the departure of CB Cam Bynum (Vikings, 4th round). The defensive line needs someone who can consistently threaten the quarterback.
Tough D-line to test new OSU RB transfer Fenwick Oregon State University Beavers OCT. 2 • Corvallis, Ore. • TBD The Beavers have gone out of their way to find an elixir for their offense. Like 3,000 miles away. OSU lured in junior running back Deshaun Fenwick — a transfer from South Carolina — to carry the ball and the load in the Beaver backfield this season. OSU already had one of the top run-blocking lines in the country (all five starters return) and hope that sets free Fenwick, a 6-foot-2, 226-pounder who also has nifty receiving skills. Another transfer (Nebraska in 2018), junior QB Tristen Gebbia, coming off hamstring surgery, likely will run the offense. However, QB Sam Noyer arrived in June as a transfer from Colorado. That position will need sorting out in preseason camp. The Beavers’ defensive strength might be yet another transfer, CB Elijah Jones (Kansas). Their linebacking corps is solid, Avery Roberts, Omar Speights and Andrzej Hughes-Murray. The Huskies have an overwhelming record against OSU — 66-34-4, thanks to a 23-of-24 stretch from 1975-2000. But Beavers then won eight of 10 while the Huskies snapped back with what is now a nine-game win streak.
GoHUSKIES
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Chip Kelly brings Bruins for West Coast showdown UCLA Bruins
OCT. 16 • Seattle • TBD Bruins QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson had four TD against both USC and Colorado last season, ran for 109 yards and threw for 303 against Colorado, had .833 completion percentage (30 of 36) against the Trojans and finished with a 156.29 passing efficiency rating, highest for a Bruin QB in 15 years. Yet, it was not enough. The Bruins’ senior has been widely criticized for under-performing in 2020, not generating the offense enough or making use of super skilled junior WR Kyle Phillips and talented junior tight ends Greg Dulcich and Mike Martinez. Tough crowd. The Bruins were 2-4 in the truncated 2020 season, but all four losses were by six points or fewer. As DTR goes, so go the Bruins, who are stacked on both sides of the ball. The defense returns 10 starters to a unit that led the Pac-12 in sacks and second in run defense. This may be the year that Head Coach Chip Kelly (10-21 with Bruins) returns to prominence. The Huskies are 32-40-2 against UCLA and the Bruins have won the past two.
Dawgs and Cats — UA has tall order vs. UW in desert University of Arizona Wildcats OCT. 22 • Tuscon, Ariz. • TBD
Anybody else want to play quarterback for Arizona this year? Just don’t get caught in the revolving door. The Wildcats offense suffered mightily last season under QB Grant Gunnell and he won’t get another chance to fix it — he’s outta there, transferring to Memphis. Two others, however, have transferred in, Gunner Cruz (Washington State) and Jordan McCloud (South Florida) join redshirt freshman Will Plummer, who played in three games last season. It’s up to first-year head coach Jedd Fisch and his staff to make the best decisions as they begin the rebuild. That rebuild needs to extend far beyond their fledgling offense. The defense was last in points allowed a year ago as well as yards per play. The Cats had just two sacks. New defensive coordinator Don Brown, who came over from Michigan, has reconstruction on his agenda. Washington has a four-game win streak over the Wildcats and a 23-11-1 overall record. The Huskies, who historically have averaged 31 points per game vs. UA, are 8-6-1 in Tucson. The last Wildcat win was 2014, a 27-26 decision in Tucson.
Cardinal has one of the toughest schedules in NCAA Stanford University Cardinal OCT. 30 • Stanford, Calif. • TBD
By the time Stanford hosts Washington in week eight, the Cardinal may be a tested and robust team, or simply a busted one. Stanford opens with one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Cardinal begin with Kansas State, not a power but no Appalachian State. Then they begin the Pac-12 campaign with the favorite USC on the road. That’s followed by another road game at Vanderbilt before facing three straight Pac-12 powers, UCLA, Oregon and at Arizona State. They play at Washington State on Oct. 16, then a fortuitous bye week before Washington arrives. Sophomore Tanner McKee, with just seven career pass attempts, likely will guide the Cardinal through this meat grinder. Coach David Shaw, however, might believe senior QB Jack West could give them a steadier hand. The team’s top two receivers have moved on but there’s talent in senior WR Michael Wilson and junior WR Elijah Higgins. Junior RB Austin Jones, who had 550 yards in six games last season, is solid. Then there’s another issue. The Cardinal have to find enough talent on the roster to turn around a defense that ranked last in the conference in many categories. With the first of 91 encounters held in 1893, UW and Stanford have the closest rivalry in the conference, with Stanford holding a one-game lead, 44-43-4, and is trending well. The Cardinal have won two in a row, three of the last four and 12 of the last 16. GoHUSKIES
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Week 9 defensive showdown will have Pac-12 watching University of Oregon Ducks NOV. 6 • Seattle • TBD There is clear evidence that the Huskies have had success over the Oregon Ducks, with a 60-47-5 record in 112 meetings. But that was so last century. Over the past two decades, the Ducks have had their way with the Huskies, including a 12-game win streak (2004-15). The Huskies did have satisfying back-to-back wins (70-21 in 2016; 38-3 in 2017), but the Ducks have won two close ones since (30-27 in OT in 2018; 35-31 in 2019 at UW). The teams skipped (Covid) their game – and Autzen Stadium — last year so the game returns to Husky Stadium, where the Dawgs are 33-20-2 at home vs. the Ducks. Also missing will be the Ducks' insufficient QB Tyler Shough, who transferred to Texas Tech. The offense will be in the hands of Boston College transfer QB Anthony Brown. He’s keeping the position warm for touted five-star freshman Ty Thompson. All five starters will line up again on the offensive line to open holes for junior RB C.J. Verdell and RB Travis Dye. The defense is solid, led by sophomore edge Kayvon Thibodeaux, freshman LB Noah Sewell and sophomore CB Mykael Wright. Oregon, like Washington, will play a Big 12 power in week two – Ohio State. It will be week 9 when the Ducks travel to Husky Stadium, sufficient time to know where each team could be heading in the postseason.
ASU still under NCAA investigation — QB Daniels is standout Arizona State University Sun Devils NOV. 13 • Seattle • TBD Perhaps the only thing that might prevent the Arizona State Sun Devils from a Pac-12 championship season is sleuths in suits. The program is under an active NCAA investigation for alleged 2020 recruiting violations. Depending on what’s uncovered, the Sun Devils might be denied the opportunity to secure the 2021 title. That would be devastating because just about everyone returns, including third-year starting QB Jayden Daniels. He has thrown for 3,644 yards in 16 games with 22 TD and just three INT. Daniels also has rushed for 578 yards and seven scores. With his entire backfield returning and all but one of his receivers, Daniels also will has four offensive linemen back protecting him. All four of the secondary starters also return, led by CB Chase Lucas, CB Jack Jones and S Evan Fields, all Pac-12 honorees. That Devil defense led the conference in scoring defense and was third in yards per play (5.4). ASU’s series with Washington is tight with the Devils holding a 20-17 edge, helped by a 10-game Devils win streak (2002-15). The Huskies won the last matchup in 2018, 27-20.
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GoHUSKIES
6.125 × 9.25 SPINE: 1
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FEAR NO MAN
DON JAMES, THE ’91 HUSKIES, AND THE SEVEN-YEAR QUEST FOR A NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
MIKE GASTINEAU
FOREWORD BY NICK SABAN The inside sTory of one of The mosT elecTrifying college fooTball Teams of all Time augusT 2021 $29.95 HC
“Fans oF the Don James era and anyone who loves college football are in for a gourmet feast. In meticulous yet breezy detail, Mike Gastineau recounts n 1984 the University of Washington the greatest team in Washington HusHuskies won every game but one, rankkies football history. Never-before-told ing second in national polls. For most storiescoaches, about the indomitable Steve Emtsuch a season would be a career man, the irrepressible Joesecond Hobert, pinnacle. But for DonBilly James place and the savviness coordinators motivated him of to set aside what heJim knew about football and Gilbertson rethink the game. Lambright and Keith lightJames up made radical changes to his coaching phithe drama of James’s pinnacle achievelosophy, from recruitment to becoming one ment.”—Art Thiel, Sportspress Northwest of the first college teams willing to blitz
I
on any down and in any situation. His new
“the passage oF time approach initially failed,has yet made it finally culminated inofone the most explosive teams the greatness theof1991 Washington in college football mystical, history. Huskies seem almost and it In Fear No Man, Mike Gastineau takes incredible effort to humanize them recounts the riveting story of Don James while also appreciating their team criminally and the national champion he built. underrated significance college footUndefeated, the 1991 to Huskies outscored opponents by an average of 31 points ball. Mike Gastineau accomplishes thisper game on their way to winning the Rose difficult task and then some in a definiBowl and a national championship. The tive account of these national champions. team included twenty-five future NFL playThis book frames properlygripping all the account dimeners, and in Gastineau’s sions of Don James’s masterpiece of aand they come alive with all the swagger joy they brought to the game. A brilliant team.”—Jerry Brewer, Washington Post examination of one of college football’s coaches and teams, Fear No Man “mikegreatest gastineau pulls back the is the inspirational story of an improbable purplejourney curtain and gives the reader an that led to one classic and unforunvarnished, up-close, and surprising gettable season.
view of what was happening behind the scenes. If you care about University of Washington football, this is a must-read.” —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times “as someone who has been Fortunate to grow up around the University of Washington, I can recall firsthand how special the ’91 season was. A team and staff led by Don James, an individual who had an incredible impact on me, put together one of the most notable seasons in Husky history that will be forever remembered on Montlake. This book tells that story.”—Jen Cohen, University of Washington Director of Athletics
AvAilAble At bookstores And online · uwApress.uw.edu
2 21 HUSKY OPPONENT
GAME PREVIEWS
Mile high matchup against 2020 Pac-12 surprise squad University of Colorado Buffaloes NOV. 20 • Boulder, Colo. • TBD Colorado was the surprise team in the conference a year ago, going 4-2, ranked 21st in the country at one point, and earning a trip to the Alamo Bowl to play Texas (a 55-23 loss). That was followed, in June, by another surprise when senior QB Sam Noyer, who started all six games, transferred (to Oregon State). That left second-year head coach Karl Dorrell with five options, all modest, at quarterback, freshmen Brandon Lewis and Drew Carter, transfer J.T. Shrout (Tennessee) and a couple walk-ons, Grant Ciccarone and Jordan Woolverton. Lewis played in the Alamo Bowl, passing for 95 yards (6 of 10) and rushing nine times for 73 yards and a score. Shrout played in eight games over two seasons for the Volunteers, passing for 494 yards (37 of 69) with five TD and four INT. Whomever emerges in August, likely Lewis or Shrout, will have some talent around him, sophomore WR Dimitri Stanley, and a slew of solid RBs, sophomore Jarek Broussard, the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2020, returning (from hip surgery) junior RB Alex Fontenot and four-star recruit freshman Ashaad Clayton. The O-line lost just one starter. There is plenty of room for improvement on defense, which was ranked near the bottom of the conference. Much depends on the recovery of LB Nate Landman, an All-American candidate coming off Achilles surgery. The Huskies have a 12-6-1 edge, 6-2 at Colorado. UW lost to the Buffaloes, 20-14, in 2019 to end a nine-game win streak (1999-2018).
Boeing Apple Cup back in Puget Sound — UW 71-31-6 overall Washington State University Cougars NOV. 26 • Seattle • TBD The abridged Cougar 2020 season — just four games — did not allow then first-year WSU coach Nick Rolovich and his staff to implement their pass-happy offense. Now, with a year to sort things out, he needs to decide which one of his three quarterback candidates can best carry it out. QB Jarrett Guarantano transferred in from Tennessee to join sophomore Jayden de Laura and junior Cammon Cooper in the duel. A fourth, backup Gunner Cruz, transferred out, to Arizona. De Laura, who started all four games and threw for 886 yards and five TD, was suspended from spring practice because of a previous DUI arrest. But Rolovich said he’s back in the hunt this fall. There is offensive talent to work with, senior RB Max Borghi and senior WR Travell Harris and WR Renard Bell. The defense has seven returning starters, which is good news. The bad news is the Cougars gave up 38.5 points per game last season and ranked 11th in the conference. The Huskies, 71-31-6 overall, are on a roll. They have won the last 10 over the Cougars, the longest streak in the series history. The two teams didn’t play last season (Covid). The last Cougar victory was 2007 in Seattle, a 42-35 decision.
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GoHUSKIES
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RAISING THE BAR PAGE 14
GoHUSKIES
HUSKY OFFENSE IS PACKED with experience, poise and power in the air and on the ground BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T SEAN MCGREW
hey are the so-called ‘skilled players’ on a football team, ones who capture the fans’ fascination with the way they throw, carry or catch the football. Yet for any offense to be competently measured, it is not necessarily based on the quotient of ones who slash and flash but also on those who smash and mash. Without the rigidity and resolve of experienced offensive linemen to open holes, block threats and impose their will, the skills of the clever ball-handlers would be suppressed. That is why, for the Washington Huskies football team this upcoming season, Dec. 28 was such a momentous day. That was the date when Jaxson Kirkland, the team’s 6-foot-7, 315-pound left tackle anchor and potential NFL first-round draft choice, announced that he was returning to the school for a fifth season. Kirkland, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection, wrote then on social media: ‘Got some unfinished business with my brothers…I’m coming back for another year Husky Nation!!! #Go Dawgs.’ His band of brothers include center Luke Wattenberg, who previously announced he was coming back for a sixth season, along with redshirt sophomore left guard Ulumoo ‘M.J.’ Ale, redshirt junior right guard Henry Bainivalu and redshirt sophomore right tackle Victor Curne. Veteran ruffians all. “We have guys who have a lot of experience,’’ second-year offensive coordinator John Donovan said. “You do somewhat know what you’re getting with those guys. Guys who have been productive, good leaders, good people, good players. To have those guys come back, it’s definitely something you get fired up about.’’ According to various preseason publications, UW’s O-line is among the five best in the nation. Kirkland and Bainivalu are on the Outland Trophy (top collegiate lineman) watch list while Wattenberg is a candidate for the Rimington Trophy (top collegiate center). “We have so much talent on our roster, so many great players, up and down the board, talent everywhere at each position. Depth is great, too,’’ Kirkland said. “I think great things are in store for this team.’’ Kirkland, son of three-year UW starter Dean Kirkland (1988-90), is the critical element on the line. He made the switch to the all-important protective left tackle spot last season and yielded just one sack. The line yielded just 0.25 sacks per game, second nationally.
Continued on page 14 GoHUSKIES
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DYLAN MORRIS
Kirkland, who calls himself a ‘late bloomer,’’ was largely undervalued in terms of post-season honors his first two seasons at right guard. He said last season’s move to left tackle “fueled me,’’ making him determined “to make this team the best and myself the best. I hopped in the weight room and did it damn near every day — because I wanted to be great." A measure of his greatness will come in the Huskies second game, Sept. 11 at Ann Arbor. He will be matched across the line from Michigan’s Aiden Hutchinson, one of the top defensive ends in the country. Further, Kirkland’s announcement was not the only impactful development on Dec. 28. Later in the day, tight end Cade Otton announced he also was returning for a fifth season with the Huskies. “Jaxson and I talked a lot before, weighing our decisions,’’ said Otton, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection last season. “We came to the same conclusion. If we come back and have a great offseason, do things the way we want to do, work hard, execute, and focus on details, we could have a special season this year. That was a great reason to come back. “I think we have great potential to do big things this year,’’ he added, “and I wanted to be part of it.’’ Otton, the team’s 2020 Offensive MVP and a candidate for the John Mackey (top collegiate tight end) Award, is one who can both slash and smash. He led the team in receptions (13), yards (258) and scored three touchdowns in the four games. He’s also valued as a highly effective blocker, adding to what will be the most tenacious front six in the conference. “We had a few players that had a chance to go on to the National Football League,’’ UW Head Coach Jimmy Lake said, “but they decided to come back and wear that gold Washington helmet one more time to end it the right way.’’ Otton is the latest in a chain of versatile tight ends (Mark Bruner, Jeremy Stevens, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Will Dissly and Drew Sample) developed by UW, which demands much from the position. The next TE wave on this year’s roster includes sophomores Devin Culp, Jack Westover and Quentin Moore. There’s also an array of freshman candidates such as Mark Redman, Mason West, Javon Forward, Zeke Pelluer, Carson Smith, Caden Jumper, Wilson Schwartz and Griffin Waiss. No one will benefit more from this fortified and experienced forward wall than redshirt sophomore quarterback Dylan Morris. Morris threw for 897 yards and four touchdowns during UW’s truncated 2020 season. Donovan, who doubles as the quarterback coach, didn’t know what to expect from Morris in his college debut Nov. 14. They opened with Oregon State, played in a downpour. “Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me,’’ he remembers, “first-year guy who had not played a snap and it’s raining! Let’s see what happens.’’ Morris was steady, throwing for 141 yards on 14-of-24 passing attempts with one rushing touchdown. Most importantly, he hung onto the ball, did not throw an interception and facilitated an effective running game as the Huskies rushed for 297 yards in a 27-21 victory. “He did a good job, handled himself very well,’ Donovan said. “He does not let things he can’t control affect him.’’ Morris, who had a solid spring camp, begins the season as the clear starter. Touted QB newcomer Sam Huard, son of former Husky signal-caller and former radio analyst Damon Huard, is an intriguing candidate. But barring inconsistencies or injuries to Morris, he likely will use this year as his redshirt season. The Huskies have an insurance backup in graduate transfer QB Patrick O’Brien, who began his career at Nebraska then played two seasons for Colorado State. “We’re happy to have him (O’Brien),’’ Donovan said. “He has played a lot. He kind of gets it. He’s good for our team. He’s smart; he throws a good ball. He’s going to play.’’
Continued on page 16 PAGE 16
GoHUSKIES
ULUMOO ‘M.J.’ ALE
JAXON KIRKLAND
RICHARD NEWTON
CADE OTTON HENRY BAINIVALU
SEAN MCGREW GoHUSKIES
PAGE 17
COACH JIMMY LAKE
Two other transfers enhance the UW’s offensive potential where it has the most concern — wide receiver. Giles Jackson comes in from Michigan and Ja’Lynn Polk came through the portal from Texas Tech. They join the team’s most experienced WR in redshirt junior Terrell Bynum, who had eight catches for 130 yards in 2020. Other candidates include Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze, Taj Davis, Sawyer Racanelli and incoming freshman Jabez Tinae. The primary ball-carriers will be Sean McGrew, who had 234 yards on 43 attempts and a team-high four touchdowns, and RB Richard Newton, who had 123 yards on 23 carries in three 2020 games. “We have good depth at our skills (positions),’’ Donovan said. “We’ve had a lot of kids who have played and others who haven’t played but we foresee being good.’’ The Huskies’ offense will depend on the development of a young backfield behind a hard-nosed veteran front line. Linemen such as Wattenberg, Kirkland and Otton, who each decided to return to Washington for one more season they all hope will be special, have a combined 92 starts among them. “We’re working hard as a unit, as an offense and as a team to get better,’’ Otton added. “We had a pretty good year last year, but we know that we want to raise the bar and be a team everyone remembers.’’
ULUMOO ‘M.J.’ ALE
JAXON KIRKLAND
CADE OTTON
PAGE 18
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ALL CONFERENCE TIGHT END
CADE OTTON
BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
C
ade Otton, the Washington Huskies’ highly-celebrated
tight end, had the opportunity to enter the 2021 NFL Draft but decided to return to Montlake for one more season. That’s a road not often taken by a fifth-year junior, especially when taking it with your spouse – Otton married longtime sweetheart Sierra Snyder in January. “It’s such a blessing to be married,” says Cade, the only married player on the team. “We’d been together for a long time, and we were ready.” The two met as 12-year-olds in their tight community of Tumwater, and stayed close thereafter. “A window of opportunity opened, and we decided to go for it,” says Otton. He also wanted to go for it with the Huskies, having been short-changed to just four games last season by Covid-19 restrictions. He believes he can get better as a player and that the Huskies can get better as a team. And he knows life will be better with Sierra. “She helps me a lot with football stuff,” he says. “She studies plays a lot, and watches all the tapes, off my shoulder. She’s awesome that way.” If the Huskies perform as they hope to this season, Sierra might just end up a Pac-12 championship trophy wife. Here are 10 questions for the 6-foot-5, 245-pound 2020 All-Pac-12 first-team selection.
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You’re part of a remarkable football family. Your grandfather, Sid Otton, the winningest coach in state history, was your head coach at Tumwater. Your father, Tim Otton, was the defensive coordinator, and your uncle, Brad Otton, was a former USC quarterback. How have they influenced you? “I think the biggest thing is just the love for the game. I grew up around the game, around football. I started as a water boy in kindergarten. Then I graduated to ball boy in eighth grade. Then I was part of the team, and my grandpa was the coach for a long time, my dad, my uncle, my cousin, now my brother (Ryan). They all gave me a love for the game. I’m so lucky to be part of the program basically since I was four. ” What was it like growing up in Tumwater and playing football in that community? “I was born and raised there. I loved it. Football is a big part of that community. I was right in the middle of that. Every Friday night in the fall to be under the lights, hanging with friends and family and being part of the game, it was a blast.” You were pursued by many college programs, why did you choose Washington? “Hometown was definitely a factor. Another thing was that UDub is big on developing you as a man. That really resonated with me. My grandpa put a big emphasis on that. I grew up in that (environment) and when I met with Coach Pete (Chris Peterson) and the other coaches it felt like a fit. I don’t regret it at all.” When did you believe you had a chance to play college football? “I didn’t know if I could play until my first offer. I just focused exclusively on high school football and doing the best I could to win the state championship. When the first offer came in, I was shocked, completely surprised. It was after my junior year, from Eastern Washington. I didn’t think about it again until just before my senior year when the recruiting season began. It was a real learning experience. I’m lucky the University of Washington called.” You could have declared for the NFL this winter but decided to come back to play for the Huskies. What factored into your decision? “I think about all those factors, the timing of getting married, being around here (another year), I wanted to develop more as a player and accomplish more with the team. Our season was cut short. We didn’t get to play in the Pac-12 title game, in a bowl game. This is our chance to accomplish some big things. I just felt we had great potential to do big things this year, and I wanted to be part of it.” What have been among your biggest thrills at Washington? “I think about the noise of the crowd, the energy from the crowd, and celebrating with my teammates. Those are my most cherished memories. We’ve put the time in the gym during the off-season, doing the hard things. By game day with 70,000 people watching, it’ll be amazing. I’m so looking forward to that this year.” You are part of the legacy of quality tight ends at UW — ‘Tight End U.’ How does the school keep developing players such as Mark Bruner, Jeremy Stevens, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Will Dissly and Drew Sample? “I keep in touch with some of the former UDub players in the NFL, especially tight ends like Will and Drew. It’s definitely helpful to have resources in the league you can ask questions and get information from. I think it (quality TE) has to do with the fact that we’re heavily involved in the offense. We’re asked to do a lot. If you want to play, you have to be a really developed player and a smart player. It seems like that’s what the NFL is looking for. It’s definitely great to be part of this program as a tight end.” You were an All-Pac-12 first team selection last season, and this year you’re mentioned as potential All-American. What does that mean to you? “It’s definitely an honor to receive all that recognition. But honestly, the thing I most pay attention to is the respect of my teammates and what they think of me. That’s who I work with every day. They see the work I put in and I see the work they put in. What matters is how we interact with each other.” For those of us who never had the opportunity, what is it like to play for such a high-caliber program at such a high level for a common goal? “It’s really hard to describe. You hear about the military, about platoons going off to war together and they all become like brothers, even though they had no idea who they were before that. Maybe it’s not at that level for a sports team, but it’s pretty close. You go through so many things together, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. When you are doing that on a daily basis, it brings everyone together and you bond. It’s hard to describe, but it’s definitely palpable on the team.” After this season, the NFL could be next on your horizon. How does that make you feel? “It’s surreal. I don’t think about it very often because I want to be present where I am. But it’s pretty neat. It’s really kind of crazy, honestly.” GoHUSKIES
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SMASH MOUTH DEFENSE PAGE 22
GoHUSKIES
HUSKY DEFENSE IS LOADED with journeymen, transfers and All-America candidates in 2021 BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
W
All-America Candidate TRENT MCDUFFIE
ashington’s Bob Gregory, heading into his 34th season as a college football coach but first as the Huskies’ defensive coordinator, has enough background and experience to cover all the gaps. Gregory, who began his coaching career in 1987, comes into the job well prepared having previously served as defensive coordinator at four schools – Washington University (Mo.), Willamette, Boise State and California. He joined the UW defensive staff in 2014, coming over from Boise with the newly-hired Husky head coach Chris Petersen and current Head Coach Jimmy Lake. He has seen everything and can draw up any defense, nickel, dime, quarter and make the exact change. He can have his players stack, shed, stunt, spin and cover 1, 2, 3 to infinity but, as he says, “those Xs & Os can be really overrated”. He wants his Husky defenders to be as instinctual as they are conceptual. And his version of a base defense is one that has been played for more than a century, never-out-of-style, smash-mouth football. “Now we want to give our guys a great scheme,” says Gregory, “but you have to play violently. You got to play physically. It’s still football. You still have to put on the pads and tackle, you have to hit people. If we do that, on both sides of the ball, we’re going to win some games. In all the years I’ve been around Washington football or in this league, and I’ve been in the league a long time now, the history of Washington football is you play great defense. It has always been physical, fundamental defense here, no question about that.” It is no coincidence that since the Boise boys arrived in 2014, Washington has not finished lower than third in the Pac-12 in scoring defense. The Huskies have established a stellar defensive reputation and the primary reason is their secondary. A long string of talented defensive backs began in 2013 when Desmond Trufant was taken in the first round (22nd pick) by Atlanta. Two years later, Marcus Peters was a first rounder (18th) by Kansas City. In the 2017 NFL draft, three Husky DBs were taken early — Kevin King by Green Bay (33rd), Budda Baker by Arizona (36th) and Sidney Jones by Philly (43rd). In 2019, Bryon Murphy went to Arizona (33rd) and Taylor Rapp was taken by the Los Angeles Rams (61st). Then in this past draft, Elijah Molden was selected by Tennessee (100th) and Keith Taylor went to Carolina (166th). DB University indeed. “Going to UDub is nice,” says Trent McDuffie, an All-America candidate and projected first-round draft selection. “You look at film of all the past DBs and it’s like a blueprint, how to get in the League. Coming into the leadership role this year, it’s my job to hold the standard of the Death Row Dawgs – just mean, hitting, smash-mouth defense that you hear about. No matter what, for four quarters, we’re flying to the ball.”
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DOMINIQUE HAMPTON
CAM WILLIAMS
TULI LETULIGASENOA PAGE 24
Gregory, no doubt simpatico with that attitude, adds “on the outside we have as good as we’ve had here. It makes you feel really good when you have one corner. I feel blessed to have two.” The other starting corner is redshirt sophomore Kyler Gordon, a developing player who started three games last season and is expected to insert himself into the UDub-to-NFL pipeline. How about three? Last March, junior Brendan Radley-Hiles came through the transfer portal from Oklahoma, playing 37 games for the Sooners and starting 32. He could play a versatile role for the Huskies, especially in the nickel. The Huskies also have plenty of competition at safety in Cam Williams, Julius Irvin, Asa Turner, Kamren Fabiculanan or Dominique Hampton. It all plays into the strength of this team that has grown stronger with McDuffie as the rock. “(McDuffie) is ahead of those corners who played in 2016 (King, Baker, Jones),” says Lake, responsible for the secondary for six seasons before his promotion to head coach last year. “He’s played at a high level since he’s been on campus.” McDuffie has played 17 games for the Huskies, starting 15. He has 59 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three recoveries. He is on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award (top DB), Chuck Bednarik Award (top defensive player) and Bronko Nagurski Award (top defensive player). McDuffie says Coach Lake has instilled the DBU ideology across the whole team. There is plenty of talent on this defense beyond the secondary, such as inside linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio. The former walk-on who led the Huskies in tackles last season (47) is also on the Bednarik and Nagurski watchlists. “He’s (Ulofoshio) a different guy in terms of level of preparation and love of football,” says Gregory who’s also responsible for the linebackers. “He’s the first guy in the office in the morning, and at night he’ll be there studying film with a chemistry book open. He’s a special guy. He’s smart, physical. I’m not sure I’ve been around anyone who’s more of a competitor than he is.” Ulofoshio is a remarkable story of persistence rewarded. He grew up and played in obscurity in Alaska before his family moved to Las Vegas when he was 14. He then played for nationally-recognized power Bishop Gorman High but was virtually unrecruited. UW invited him to walk on in 2018 and he played in just three games, all on special teams. He continued to play on special teams in 2019 until injuries forced him into the game in the 11th week against Oregon State. He led the team in tackles and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week. He has started every game since, was awarded a scholarship, and is being mentioned in preseason All-America circles. Just a redshirt sophomore with seven career starts, Ulofoshio is now the most experienced Husky inside linebacker. He is joined by redshirt sophomore Jackson Sirmon, who started all four games last season, along with redshirt sophomore M.J. Tafisi, redshirt freshman Daniel Heimuli and redshirt freshman Alphonzo Tuputala, who had a right leg injury in spring camp and may be slow to work his way back. “If you have a bunch of guys like Eddy, you’re going to win bunch of games,” says Gregory. However, the team may have taken two steps back this past spring after a pair of critical injuries to outside linebacker/defensive line corps. It was determined that a neck injury to junior Laiatu Latu was too risky to continue his career, so he was declared medically-retired in April. Then redshirt sophomore Zion Tupuola-Fetui, who landed on various preseason All-America lists and projected as an early NFL draft choice, suffered an Achilles injury in the spring. He likely won’t be back. That leaves senior Ryan Bowman, entering his sixth season, as the anchor on the thin D-line. “Ryan Bowman is a great competitor, great pass rusher,” says Gregory. “We’re really excited about him. Besides him though, we have a couple of untested guys - (redshirt freshman) Sav’ell Smalls and (redshirt
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ASA TURNER
KYLER GORDON
TRENT MCDUFFIE
KAMREN FABICULANAN
RYAN BOWMAN GoHUSKIES
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COACH JIMMY LAKE
KYLER GORDON
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freshman) Bralen Trice. We like their ability and talent, but they really have not played a lot of football around here. We’ll see how it plays out. We’ll see how they grow.” Also in the mix is junior Jeremiah Martin, a transfer from Texas A&M, and the big guy in the middle, 6-foot-2, 300-pound tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa. Molding how players grow and develop as young men, physically, mentally and emotionally, is the part of the job that Gregory loves the most. “You really do get a chance to make a difference in some of these kids’ lives,” he says. “That’s one thing we take pride in around here, developing guys, putting them in the NFL.” Some players, some units will need plenty of quick growth this season. The Huskies open at home with Montana, which shouldn’t be a threat, but they follow that with a road trip to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face the Wolverines. How they play against Michigan will depend on how well they can answer all their questions from the opener. “Overall, how do we play as a team,” Gregory asks, running down the list of questions he may have following the game against Montana on Sept. 4. “Are we running to the football, are we playing with great fundamentals? How do we respond to a tough play? If a guy gets beat or misses a tackle, how does he respond? Or after a good play, are we keeping the grind on or are we going to relax a little bit? I’m interested in those kinds of things. The older you get, the more you’ve been doing it, those are the things that really make a difference in a team. How are we on the sideline? How do we communicate in the field? That stuff matters, and is what intrigues me about coaching college football.”
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SKY’S THE LIMIT
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Edefuan Ulofoshio’s rise from unknown Alaskan to the All-American stage has everyone talking
S
So much of Edefuan Ulofoshio’s energy as a young, aspiring, football player was spent just trying to be noticed when no one was looking. The Washington Huskies redshirt sophomore linebacker was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where quality football players are as plentiful as flip flops and tank tops. Let’s count them. There’s Mark Schlereth, a guard who had a 12-year NFL career with Washington and Denver. Then there’s…well, that’s where it ends. Ulofoshio, who began his Husky career as a walk-on, is in position to one day add his name to that modest list. He was named second-team AllPac-12 in his first season as a starter a year ago and is getting All-America mentions this season. He’s also projected as an NFL prospect. Who knew? Back in Alaska, no one. “The thing about Alaska,” says Ulofoshio, whose father moved there from Nigeria in 1984, married and raised five boys, “is that it’s a hard place to go. There’s not a big talent pool there, so they’re (college recruiters) not going to visit that much. It’s actually hard for athletes to get out of the state.” Despite playing in the isolation of the Last Frontier, Ulofoshio held onto the dream of playing college football as he endured the weather and the hardships playing for Anchorage’s South High School. “As a kid, you have adrenaline going and just playing warms you up, but honestly you need to put heat packs everywhere, sometimes in your pants,” he says. “I used to play with snow gloves instead of football gloves. I wore hoodies and jackets. And so many times after practice I’d get in the car and put my hands on the heater, my fingers were throbbing.” In 2016, Edefuan (Nigerian for ‘Sun Has Risen’), or Eddy as he is called, was turning 16 when he learned his parents were considering business opportunities in the fundamentally disparate city of Las Vegas. Eddy was all for it. Not only could he
GoHUSKIES
BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
finally thaw out, he could play for highly visible Bishop Gorman High, a national prep powerhouse. Gorman, a multiple state and national prep champion, has produced dozens of big-time college players and a handful that have played in the NFL, including RB DeMarco Murray, OT Nick Gates and OT Ronnie Stanley, a 2016 first-round draft pick (sixth overall) by Baltimore. “I jumped on that,” says Eddy. “This was my chance to play football at a higher level. I was bugging my parents about it for the longest time.” The family did move, but the Anchorage-to-Vegas transition required adjustments for which Eddy wasn’t completely prepared. “Alaska was super calm; everything’s slow,” he says. “But in Vegas, everyone’s moving fast. That’s how football was. It’s a whole different culture. My first year was horrible. I was gassed out. The sun was too hot. I needed to be drinking more water or something. You didn’t have to drink much water in Alaska. It was a whole new experience.” But Eddy survived. In his senior year in 2017, he helped Gorman win its ninth straight 4A state title and was voted the No. 1 in America by USA Today. Eddy collected 100 tackles, 15 ½ for losses, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. How about that college recruiters? See me now? Not exactly, unless you count two offers from small-school programs, including Robert Morris, a 3,900-student university in Moon Township, Penn. Meanwhile, Eddy would see so many big-time college recruiters surround his teammates, giving them full spiels and full rides. Eddy acknowledges the guys he played with were talented and deserving of attention from college recruiters, but it was clear to him those recruiters were wasting their time. “My teammates were never going to commit to those schools,” he says. “So I thought ‘why don’t you just offer it to me instead?’ They saw me, but turned a blind eye. Some coaches talked to me,
got my number and texted, but then completely abandoned me. There were hurtful feelings. You wonder why. But it was out of my control, and I tried not to dwell too much on that.” The Robert Morris offer was considered. Good Education. Free Tuition. Big fish. His parents could redirect family funds intended for Eddy to their other boys and their college aspirations. But Eddy couldn’t let himself settle. He believed he could play for, and contribute to, a national football power. The only way to do that was to walk on. That became a kitchen table project for Eddy and his parents. They prepared a list of colleges, which included all the Pac-12 schools, and narrowed their search down to Washington. Without an official invitation from UW, they visited the Seattle campus and liked the direction and history of the school’s football program. They then communicated with the coaching staff, and the next day Ulofoshio was offered a ‘preferred walk-on’ spot. Eddy was in the middle of history class one day when he got a call. He told his teacher he had to take it and went to the gym. “They offered me the spot and I accepted,“ he remembers. “Then they asked if I wanted to talk to my family first, and I said ‘nope.’” “I felt bad because I didn’t want to go to Robert Morris,” says Eddy. “But my parents said there was no point getting a scholarship to a school where I might be miserable. That took the weight off and allowed me to make my decision.” Still, he now faced paying full out-of-state tuition for an undefined spot on a college football team that offered no guarantees of getting onto the playing field or even making the roster. Eddy went through the grueling 2018 preseason camp trying his best every day on the scout team for one nibble on the kickoff team. He didn’t play in any September games. None in October as well. By
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Nov. 17, the Huskies were 7-3 (5-2 in the Pac-12) and hosting Oregon State in their final home game. Eddy got word that he would be part of the kickoff team against the Beavers, and he made the most of his first time on the field with his first play. “I’m running down the field and the runner juked me,” Eddy remembers. “I got so mad. I turned around and like punched him and the ball came out. And everyone’s going crazy and stuff.” The Huskies recovered the fumble and scored on the ensuing series in a 42-23 victory. Eddy, who later forced a second fumble, was named Special Teams Player of the Game. He had been noticed. Eddy played the final three games — still preserving his redshirt — including the Rose Bowl against Ohio State. He played on kickoff returns again and says it wasn’t so much a thrill to play in the Rose Bowl as it was scary. “I was like a freshman blocking these seniors,” he adds. “That’s the day I realized I’m going to start eating,” (he’d go from 224 pounds as a freshman to his current 245). He entered the 2019 season at third string and played primarily on special teams. But in the team’s 11th game — on Nov. 7 against Oregon State again — Eddy was rushed into the game due to injuries. He finished with nine tackles and 1½ sacks to help preserve a 19-7 victory. He earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. The unheralded, unknown understudy was turning some heads. At season’s end, Eddy and his teammates had their first meeting with new UW head coach Jimmy Lake, Chris Peterson’s successor. Lake pointed to Eddy, using him as an example of how aggressively he wanted the Dawgs to play. “Then he paused for a full second and yelled ‘you’re on scholarship’,” says Eddy, “and the whole team started jumping on me.” “The call to my parents
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Ulofoshio
was one of my favorite phone calls ever,” he says. “I was able to tell them that we did it. It would give my four brothers opportunities. They (parents) didn’t have to spend their money on me. But now they wouldn’t have to worry about my college career anymore.” Eddy’s education was covered. And it promises to be an education of substance. The biology major hopes to become a doctor. His initial intention was to be a pediatrician, but Covid-19 changed that. “It (pandemic) gave me a chance to understand how precious life is,” he says. “It was a new disease, and no one knew what to do about it.” Instead of working with one patient at a time, Eddy expanded his vision to helping whole communities by developing vaccines or treatments that would benefit the masses. “I really want the chance to work with the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) or the WHO (World Health Organization),” he says. With a scholarship securely in his pocket and a starting linebacker spot earned before the 2020 season, Eddy was ready to deliver on the faith the coaching staff had placed in him. “I didn’t want to be a one-hit wonder,” he says. “I wanted to show people I was the real deal. I wanted to show other teams that I’m a good linebacker. I didn’t get recruited by a lot of schools, so I had like a hit list of teams that didn’t want me.” It’s a bit ironic that in the Huskies’ shortest season in 100 years — limited to just four games last season — Eddy attracted the most attention and praise of his entire football career. Taking over as the core of the defensive middle, Eddy led the team with 47 tackles — 18 against Stanford — had a sack, two forced fumbles and one recovery. He was voted to the All-Pac-12 second team, earned the school’s Earle T. Glant Tough Award and was an honorable mention All-America. Even though he’s played just seven games in his UW career, there are already predictions that when Edefuan Ulofoshio declares for the NFL draft, he could be a second-round pick. Clearly, he is unnoticed no more. “That’s truly a blessing,” he says. “That’s a goal of mine. Obviously, I can’t go to the NFL right now. I’m not worried about that. What I can focus on is trying to be the best linebacker I can be, the best leader, the best defense and, ultimately, a part of the best Washington team. We’re trying to win the Pac-12 championship, and beyond.” PAGE 32
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SAFETY AND FUN ARE NO. 1
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As Husky fans return, new programs and safety steps are in place for a great in-stadium experience
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BY MARK MOSCHETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ow. It’s. Real.
With planning and preparation winding down, excitement and anticipation are ramping up at the University of Washington with the kickoff of the 2021 football season inside a fan-filled Husky Stadium almost here on the calendar. That season opener, set for Saturday, Sept. 4 against the Montana Grizzlies, will be the first time since the Apple Cup on Nov. 23, 2019, that fans have been allowed inside the stadium. Last fall’s four home games were played without fans because the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “Championship fans are essential to a championship program,” UW Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen said on June 22 when the school announced a return to 100 percent capacity for this fall. “We have a great home schedule this year, and we can’t wait to have our loud, passionate and loyal Dawg fans back in Husky Stadium.” That home schedule includes seven games. Along with Montana, the other non-conference contest is set for Saturday, Sept. 18 against Arkansas State. Highlighting the Pacific-12 Conference home slate are visits from Oregon on Saturday, Nov. 6, and the Apple Cup against Washington State on Thanksgiving Friday, Nov. 26. Laying the groundwork for a full reopening has been a meticulously thought-out, ongoing process that kicked up in earnest last spring with the season-ticket renewal process. While that was in progress, UW Athletic Department staff delved into a multitude of other things, ranging from plans for tailgating (it will be allowed, with safety protocols in place) to solidifying public transportation options to Husky Stadium for fans who can’t or don’t want to drive to the game. Throughout that process, the emphasis was always on following state, local, and school health guidelines, and that will continue to be the emphasis when the gates to the stadium swing open on Sept. 4. “The only certainty along the way has been uncertainty,” Jason Butikofer, the Athletic Department’s Chief Operating Officer, said during a springtime interview. “Our north star is ensuring a safe environment and that we follow all protocols.” Department officials got to do a dry run of sorts earlier this year. As restrictions on gatherings gradually were eased, a small number of fans, which were limited to family and guests of UW athletes and coaches, were permitted at home events, including spring football. “It was exciting and energizing to have fans at games in person,” Butikofer said at that time. The Huskies are planning to operate express buses on football game days from key Metro Park & Ride locations. In addition, Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail now operates all the way to Husky Stadium from Angle Lake, Sea-Tac Airport, Tukwila, the Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, downtown Seattle, and Capitol Hill. One noticeable new element for fans at home games will be the sale of beer and wine during games throughout the stadium. That announcement was made on Aug. 10. Previously, those beverages had been available only in premium seating areas and in designated beer gardens. However, it will not be allowed in any of the “Dawg Pack” student sections. “We have consistently heard feedback from our fans that this amenity would benefit the fan experience on game day, and we have carefully monitored the successful rollouts for (baseball and softball) and at basketball games,” Cohen said in a school statement. All ticketing will be mobile only. Fans will need to download tickets to their mobile device prior to arriving at the stadium. In addition, all concessions inside the stadium will be payable only with a card. Parking at the stadium also is going cashless, and fans will need to use the pay-by-phone app to purchase parking in select lots on central and west campus. The water taxi in Husky Harbor also will be going cashless. The Zone, which will have music, food trucks, and interactive photo booths, opens two hours before kickoff. It is part of Husky Stadium and requires a ticket for entry. Each of the seven home games also will have a specific theme, starting with The Return for the Montana contest on Sept. 4. Among the other themes, Homecoming is set for Oct. 20 against UCLA. To stay up-to-date with any changes to safety and Covid protocols, visit GoHuskies.com for the latest information.
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