In college football you win consistently with seasoned fourth and fifth year players. It is a reasonable expectation for the roster to consist of approximately 35 fourth and fifth year players. UW currently has 21 fourth and fifth year scholarship players with 12 starters coming from that group.
QB Locker - FB Sylvester - WR Aguilar - TE Izbicki - OL Habben - OL Tolar - DT Elisara - LB Foster - LB Aiyewa - LB Dennison - CB Richardson - S Williams
How many All Pac 10 players do you see in that group? How many of them do you see starting for top tier teams in the conference? I actually could see 3-4 of these guys losing their starting jobs to younger players by the end of the year.
In 2006 the Huskies signed 23 players. Jake Locker was the star of that class and is now a fifth year senior. Only 7 players remain on the roster from that class and only 4 are current starters.
In 2007 the Huskies signed 26 players. Mason Foster turned out to be the star of this class. Only 14 players remain on the roster from that class and 8 are current starters.
In 2008 the Huskies signed 26 players. Jermaine Kearse and Chris Polk are the stars of this class. Only 16 players remain from Willingham's final class. 7 players are current starters but five other players from this class also have starting experience. This ranks as a solid class despite the attrition.
In 2009 Washington signed 19 players in what would be Steve Sarkisian's first recruiting class. Four were JC players who never made it into school. 14 players remain on the roster. 5 players are current starters.
In 2010 Washington signed 31 players in what you could say was the first real test of this currents staffs recruiting prowess. Two of those players failed to qualify and had to go the JC route. 14 of those frosh are playing currently. 2 of them have started in at least one game this year. Count on 4 or 5 more to work their way into the starting line up before the end of the season.