Huskies hire RB coach

by John Berkowitz on Jan 12, 2009 8:24 PM PST Comment 28 comments

The Huskies hired a RB coach today and it wasn't Kennedy Pola. Joel Thomas who has been working under Joe Tiller the past three years at Purdue was named Husky RB coach today according to the Times and PI.

Thomas was a running back at Idaho from 1995 to 1998. He is the Vandals' career leader with 765 rushing attempts, 3,929 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. As a senior, Thomas was named the Big West Conference Player of the Year by the Football News.

Thomas spent two years at Idaho as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach under Nick Holt. In 2002 and 2003, Thomas was running backs coach at Louisville. The Cardinals ranked 10th nationally in rushing offense - averaging 228.2 yards per game - during the 2003 season.

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Seems like a decent hire. A little disappointing we couldn’t snag Pola, but not surprising really – without the ability to offer him an OC position and/or a significant salary, hard to see him leaving the NFL.

More proof of how important coaching trees/contacts are in assembling a staff – we have Trojan assistants or former Trojan assistants (connections via Sarkisian, and Vandal assistants or former Vandal assistants (connections via Holt) plus Michalczik from Cal, an in-conference rival familiar with Sarkisian as an opponent (and seemingly with similar offensive philosophies).

by kirkd on Jan 12, 2009 8:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Recruiting...New Names Surfacing

Owen Dixon WR, Pasadena C College? Jamal Burrell OG, I believe he’s from the Compton School District, a BIG body guys! LT Filiaga a big MLB out of ? Utah

by dawgfan22 on Jan 12, 2009 9:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Filiaga is a guy the Huskies have been after from the start. Sarkisian’s hire probably helped the Huskies stay in the hunt after the 0-12 season, but he’s still expected to stay in-state. He’d be a big pick-up if the Huskies can get him, but even then he may not stay – he’s planning on taking his mission and he’ll be a recruitable guy again after he comes back.

by kirkd on Jan 12, 2009 9:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's probably a stretch...

…but who knows? Once they get to Montlake funny things happen! It is a fantastic University in a fabulous city. After all you have to live and go to school where you choose to play football.

by dawgfan22 on Jan 12, 2009 9:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully the next three Mondays will be full of happy blogs

about how we just landed another recruit. I think Sark should do everything in his power to get 25 guys in this year. Even though the state has A Lot of talent next year you can’t count your chickens before they hatch. I am hoping that Sark can lock down guys before the year starts for the 2010 class so he can concentrate on other non committed recruits who need more attention.

They say you can’t teach size or speed. If Sark gets guys that have the numbers the hope should be with the coaching staff he has, he should be able to make them good players. I like were the recruiting is going all things considered. Lets hope for a BIG weekend in Seattle!

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 6:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Visits

I expect quite a few more names that will come up as we get closer tot he days visits will be made. It was nice to see a few more yesterday in the Scout database but count on quite a few more being added.

The thing that makes it tough write now is since Sark has only been recruting for a month the services aren’t sure who they are in on till some of them actually show up in Seattle.

by John Berkowitz on Jan 13, 2009 7:24 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Here's his Bio

http://purduesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/thomas_joel00.html

Another NW guy with Idaho connections.

I like having NW guys on the staff. If they are like me they couldn’t wait to get back to the PNW. Hopefully these PNW will be here for years and years. I tried living in LA…..it sucks, from my perspective…too many people…not enough big green trees.

Jack

by T9ODawg on Jan 13, 2009 8:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Recruits

Its amazing to me how different Scout and Rival rank players. Scout has Talia at #109 DE and Rivals has him as the #32…That is a HUGE difference. He definitely has the size at 6’4.5 and 245 lbs. It will be interesting to see where both sites rank this recruiting class. Scout has us at 77 and Rivals has us at 97. Still way to early.

Only time will tell i guess…

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 8:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

That' why...

…I trust the coaches evaluations more than the websites.

by doubledeucedawg on Jan 13, 2009 9:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you on this one.

They had Matt Barkley as the #1 QB but Keith Price’s numbers were better during their senior years. Now Barkley looked great at the Army All American game but its not like Keith was given a shot there too. To much emphasis on Junior years for my liking.

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 10:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

BIG Man in the Middle?

Eddie Williams DT/NT out of Mt SAC (6’ 1" 330 lbs) is visiting Washington according to Realdawg.

by doubledeucedawg on Jan 13, 2009 11:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Correction...

…Offensive Lineman.

by doubledeucedawg on Jan 13, 2009 12:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I expect quite a few players to be added to the visit lists

I expect quite a few players to be added to the visit lists. I think you will also see some surprises on visit day that arrive without anyone knowing about it till other kids who are on the visits let the (Scout-Rivals) reporters they were there.

This is all pretty common when you have a new staff coming in and you haven’t been able to track interest or condidates for a few months.

by John Berkowitz on Jan 13, 2009 12:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

6'1 seems a little short for a Div 1 guard...

maybe they move him to Center or DT. Being a JUCO player he could add instant depth which is what we need.

6’1 330 is a big boy, reminds me of Ta’amu but just a little shorter. Could you imagine two 330+ DT’s…No Linebacker should ever get touched. But what am i saying, getting WAY ahead of myself.

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 1:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

James Boyd

what are you guys hiring about this USC DE commit that may be checking out UW for the opportunity to play QB? A 6’4" DE / QB? Anyone seen him sling the rock?

"Greed is Good."
So is Rudy.

by Gekko Mojo on Jan 13, 2009 12:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not a bad QB

Not a bad QB but not Trojan QB material….neither was Locker or TUi who were recruited as safeties.

by John Berkowitz on Jan 13, 2009 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

at 6'4 220

he is a little light in the britches to play DE without a major weight program. Not to say it couldn’t be done but he would definitely be a canidate to redshirt, if he stayed at DE. Locker and Tui were mobile QB’s and USC does not do “mobile”. They will take your pro style pocket kid any day of the week.

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 1:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

clip of James Boyd

You can see a clip here:

http://www.recruitingplanet.com/forum/washington-huskies/16111-09-ca-ath-james-boyd-usc-verbal.html

Also it looks like Stan Hasiak committed to Cal.

http://www.recruitingplanet.com/forum/washington-huskies/5243-09-hi-ot-stan-hasiak-cal-verbal.html

by john_s on Jan 13, 2009 1:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hasiak

It says that he really connected with our new OC during his visit. Maybe we still have a shot…fingers crossed.

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 4:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, he still has 1 official visit spot open, so if the UW can convince him to visit on the weekend of the 30th, we have a shot. It’s always nice to be the last visit.

That said, he’s already committed twice to two different schools – UCLA first, now Cal. Maybe that means we can convince him to switch again, but maybe he’s ready to be done with the process. Hopefully the presence of Michalczik here is enough to get him to take a visit to the UW.

by kirkd on Jan 13, 2009 5:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Joel Thomas will get kids like Chris Polk ready to play. Thomas was a bruiser when he played at Idaho- a punisher. But I have a question for all of you- are you excited about hiring a lot of ex Idaho guys?

Here’s the deal that gets me. Idaho hasn’t been competitive since the days of John L. Smith. That’s been quite some time so I guess we’ll just see how some of these coaches turn out.

Please oh please- do not hire Tom Cable! Thankfully the Oline coach has been hired, because Cable has bumped around from Colorado, Idaho, Ucla, and now with the dysfunctional Raiders. This guys seems like he is trying to schmooze his way to a head coaching job. Don’t ever hire this clown!

by crazidawg on Jan 13, 2009 4:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I have thought the same thing...

but i am hoping for the best.

by bigdave967 on Jan 13, 2009 5:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed, just say no to Tom Cable;

by 206 on Jan 13, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Idaho connections

Correct me if I am wrong, but Idaho has not been successful since they bad the jump to Division 1A. You think it’s tough having a program in Pullman? Moscow Idaho isn’t much different. I like the fact that the coaches have worked at a small school where they had to develop talent.

"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"

by Lear Pilot on Jan 14, 2009 8:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not correct

They made the move up to Division 1-A in 1997 under Chris Tormey, and went 5-6, 9-3 & 7-4; then Tormey was hired away to Nevada. Since then under Tom Cable, Nick Holt, Dennis Erickson and Robb Akey they have yet to do better than Cable’s initial season at 5-6.

by kirkd on Jan 14, 2009 11:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Frontrunner Doug Nussmeier...great pickup for QBs coach

Crazi didn’t you call Nuss as the next QBs coach for the Huskies?? Looks like we’re creeping that way now, Molly has all but confirmed the rumor as a done deal.

Can you imagine the offensive gameplanning sessions with Coaches Sark, Mich, Thomas and Nuss?!?
OMG already sounds like some serious brainpower for an offfense that needs it!
Add a serious offensive mind at receivers and there’s a real braintrust to get some points on the board next year.

by 206 on Jan 13, 2009 6:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs