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Looking back at recruiting

Since we are in the bye week and everyone is a bit down because of the teams performance over the last couple of weeks I think it is a good time to take a look at exactly how this team has been constructed over the past five years.

When it is all said and done solid top 20 recruiting and steady player development over the years is what it takes to build a solid football program.

2005 Class Recruiting Class - Willingham - National Class Rank - 55

Most fans gave Tyrone a mulligan for his first class. Truth is he didn't really hit the pavement too hard because he spent his first three weeks as Husky coach in vacation in Hawaii. Only five players remain from that first class with four of them being current starters.

This was a strong in state class as you can see below but Willingham gave it barely a sniff and decided to wait till next year.

Notable In State Misses: RB Jonathan Stewart (Oregon), RB Leon Jackson (Nebraska), RB Taylor Rank (South Carolina), DB Jordon Carrey (Oregon), OL Adam Grant (Arizona), OL Mat Webb (Oregon), OL Kenny Alfred (WSU), LB Anthony Felder (Cal), LB Adam Leonard (Hawaii).

OG- Morgan Rosborough - Depth

 WR- Marlon Wood - (JC) Showed promise till injured

OT- Ben Ossai - 4 year starter

CB- Qwenton Freeman - (JC) Did not qualify

DE- Daniel Te'o-Nesheim - All Pac 10 Quality Player

RB- J.R. Hasty - Dismissed from team

LB- EJ Savannah - Two year starter

TE- Tim Williams - TE Quit team

DE- Darrion Jones - One year starter

DE- Tyrone Davis - Did not qualify

LB- Chris Stevens - Backup

QB- Johnny DuRocher - Backup

PK- Ryan Perkins - Retired due to injury

2006 Recruiting Class - Willingham - National Class Rank - 35

Tyrone picked up the top player in Washington who really never considered seriously going anywhere else. He didn't show a lot of aggressiveness on the recruiting trail and that cost him Taylor Mays (UW) and Steve Schilling (Michigan). Mays whose father and uncle played for UW said that he had nothing against UW but Pete Carrol seemed a lot more fun to play for. TB James Montgomery was an early commit but defected to Cal late in the process leaving Willingham without a top RB in the class. Ty tried to fill in some holes with JC talent but that didn't work out. He did pick up a top transfer named Michael Houston from Texas but a wild night at Ricks in Lake City followed by a hijacked cab ended his brief career at UW without a single carry.

Notable In State Misses: DE Kevin Kooyman (WSU), OT Steve Schilling (Michigan), DT Alex Linnenkohl (OSU), S Taylor Mays (USC), CB Brandon Jones (Cal)

QB- Jake Locker - All Pac 10

FB- Paul Homer - Three Year Starter

WR- Marcel Reese (JC) WR Occasional starter who was out of shape

WR- D'Andre Goodwin - Leading receiver for two years

RB- Leilyon Myers - Did Not qualify

RB- Michael Houston (T) Dismissed from team

OG- Ryan Tolar - Three year starter

OT- Aaron Mason (JC) - Never played quit the team

DS- Danny Morovick - Four Year Deep Snapper

OT- Cody Habben - Two Year Starter

OT- Brandon Jefferson (JC) - Did Not Qualify

DT- Cameron Elisara - Two Year Starter

DT- Derek Kosub - Quit the team

LB- Anthony Atkins - (JC) Never played quit the team

LB- Donald Butler - All Pac 10

LB- Matt Houston - Depth

CB- Jordan Murchison (JC) - CB Kicked off the team

CB- Matt Mosley - Has spot started and is now on the spot team

S-   Ashley Palmer (JC) - Did not qualify

S-   Jason Wells (JC) - S One year starter- Injured since second year

S-   Jake Merrill - Quit after first practice

2007 Recruiting Class - Willingham - National Class Rank 29

WR Devin Aguilar and LB Mason Foster seem to be the only players in this class with star potential after three seasons.

Notable In State Misses: QB Kellen Moore (BSU), TE Trey Henderson (USC)

QB- Ronnie Fouch - Backup who started last season when Locker was injured

TB- Brandon Johnson - Quit school

TB- Willie Griffin - Depth

TB- Curtis Shaw - Depth

WR- Devin Aguilar - All Pac 10 Talent

WR-    Alvin Logan - Scout team safety

WR- Anthony Boyles - Scout Team

TE- Chris Izbicki - Backup

OG- Scott Shugert - Scout Team

OT- Tyler Fancher - Probable starter in 2009 till injured

OG- Mark Armelin - Scout Team

OT- Imeka Eweka - OT Did not qualify

DT- Tyrone Duncan - Back Up

OG- Nick Wood - Surprise starter afte rmoving over from defense this year.

DE- Kalani Aldrich - Back up

FB- Austin Sylvester - Back up

LB- Mason Foster - All Pac 10 talent

CB- Marquis Persley - Scout Team

CB- Byron Davenport (JC) - Injured lost of his career

CB- Vonzell Mc Dowell - Spot starter

CB- Quinton Richardson - CB Starter

S-   Nate Williams - Two year Starter

RB- Brandon Yakaboski - Likely retired because of injuries

S-   Victor Aiyewa Backup Safety

PK- Kevin Folk - Overcame injuries to have a very good 2009 so far

P-  Jared Ballman - (JC) Punted for two years

2008 Recruiting Class - Willingham - National Class Rank 14

This was Tyrone's finest class at Washington and he was aided by signing 11 players from the state of Washington. It is a fine class that is performing well in year two despite above average attrition (6).

Chris Polk obviously is the star of this strong class. Kavario Middleton, Jermaine Kearse, Alameda Ta'amu, Senio Kelemete, Everrette Thompson, Justin Glenn, Adam Long, and Mykena Ikehara  All have very gright futures.

What is notable though is that Ty whiffed on three in state players that could be starting right now on the offensive and defensive line which are very depth challenged.

Notable In State Misses: OL Nick Cody (Oregon), OL David DeCastro (Stanford), DL Trevor Guyton (California)

QB- Dominique Blackman - Did not qualify

QB- Luther Leonard - Scout Team WR

RB- David Freeman - Grades

RB- Terrance Dailey - Grades

RB- Chris Polk - All Pac 10 Talent

WR- Cody Bruns - Backup

WR- Jordan Polk - Backup

WR- Jermaine Kearse - Starter

TE- Kavario Middleton - Starter

OT- Terrance Thomas - Probably career ending injury

OT- Drew Schaeffer - Backup

OG- Mykena Ikehara - Backup

OG- Allan Carroll - Grades

DT- Craig Noble - Retired due to congenital heart condition

DT- Alameda Ta'amu - Starter

OG- Senio Kelemete - Starter

DT- Everrette Thompson - Spot Starter

LB- Bradley Roussel - Grades

LB- Kurt Mangum - Scout Team

S-   Justin Glenn - Starter till injured this season

CB- Anthony Gobern - Scout Team

CB- Adam Long - Current Starter

S-   Vince Taylor - Injured

S-   Greg Walker - Backup

RB- Johri Fogerson - Started at safety last year and is the primary backup at RB this year

2009 Recruiting Class - Sarkisian - Class Rank 66

Sarks first class got off to an extremely late start. Like Willingham before him he was picking up the pieces of a coach who was fired early in the season and stopped recruiting in September.

The difference though is rather than go to Hawaii and golf for three weeks Sark hit the recruiting trail within an hour of his first press conference and that visit yielded a player with NFL potential in CB Desmond Trufant.

Another immediate star was WR James Johnson who moved into a starting job in his first game. Sark did visit Hawaii but rather than spend his time golfing he brought back three players.

To be fair S Nathan Fellner, TE Marlion Bennett, DE Andru Pulu, all committed under the previous regime.

Sarkisian gambled by bringing in six late qualifying JC's. Three of them qualified and only two are on the current roster.

Notable In State Misses: WR Gino Simone (WSU), WR Kirby Moore (BSU), OL Grant Enger (OSU), DT Deandre Coleman (Cal), Jamal Atofau (WSU), DB Casey Locker (WSU), CB Nolan Washington (WSU)

QB- Keith Price - Scout Team RS

WR- James Johnson - Starter

TE- Marlion Barnett - Scout Team RS

TE- Dorson Boyce (JC) - Backup

FB - Kimo Makaula - Scout Team RS

OL - Daniel Mafoe (JC) - Did not qualify

DT- Chris Robinson - Injured RS

DT- Johnny Tivao - Did not qualify

DT- Semisi Tokolahi - Special teams

DE - Talia Chrichton - Backup

DE - Andru Pulu - Special Teams

LB- Jordan Wallace - Special Teams

LB- Tim Tucker - Scout Team RS

CB- Desmond Trufant - Starter

CB- Dominique Gaisie - Did not qualify

CB- David Batts - Dismissed from team

S-   Nathan Fellner - Spot Starter

S-   Will Shamburger - Injured RS

P-   Will Mahan - Starting Punter