Lets start off the week by talking a little recruiting. The Huskies currently have 21 commits and they could take as many as 7 more before it is all said and done. I have listed the known players still on the board but you can usually expect some surprises from this staff at the end. Things will heat up this week so keep an eye on the visit list over at Dawgman for potential surprise visitors.
Overall this isn't a high talent year in state or in the West in general. Truth be told there aren't enough great players to go around. Washington isn't going to have a top ten year. I think a reasonable expectation is to finish near the end of the top 25. I think that is just fine as long as they get their linemen.
Looking Around
CB Kameron Jackson...He says he has opened up his recruitment which means he is no longer committed to Washington. California is working him pretty hard and he visited Colorado over the weekend. Looks like this one will go down to the wire.
DT Danny Shelton...He visited UCLA this weekend. No worries here even though he is taking the courtesy visit he will be a Dawg. He said he was still solid with Washington after his trip.
The Board
OL Paulay Asiata...Washington still leads but Colorado still is a factor. I think he ends up a Husky when it is all said and done.
OL Marcus Henry...The Boise State commit was offered by Washington this past week. The Bronco coaches are turning up the pressure to keep him. He visits BSU on the 21st. If he visits UW on the 28th chances are he will be a Dawg.
DT Uriah Grant...Since Sark and Holt have traveled all the way to Florida to meet his family you have to realize the Huskies are pretty serious about getting his LOI. He is listed high on the Huskies but he will also be visiting Ole Miss which is a lot closer to home.
RB Bishop Sankey...He visited WSU this weekend and says he is still committed but will visit UW next week and make a final decision. We are hearing that it looks pretty good for Washington if they push hard for him next weekend.
WR/CB Marvin Hall...Washington is leading at this point and he visits UW on the last weekend of visits. He also has visits scheduled to Nevada and Oregon State. He could also be a visitor at Colorado if he can fit it in.
CB Marcus Peters...He visited UW in December and visited Oregon State this past weekend. It has been hard to get a read on him but he told Scout that he will choose between UW and OSU. He says he will make his decision this week.
RB/CB Malcolm Creer...He is an off the radar type of guy that has gotten a lot of attention lately. He is visiting UW and Nebraska. The school that offers first will likely get his commitment. Does Washington want him as a RB or a CB? Would they take Sankey and Creer?
OT Stephan Nembot...He visited UW in September but is a WSU commit at this point. UCLA and Washington are all over him but I think he ends up a Coug.
OG Travis Seafeldt...He doesn't have an offer yet and I have to imagine that he is a Plan B guy at this point. He committed to Utah State over the weekend. Not sure if he is still going to visit UW.
K Matt Wile...Washington and Nebraska are taking a closer look at Wile and have invited him to visit. Neither have offered yet.
Will they visit?
QB...Jacoby Brissett...Word is UW has a very good chance of getting a visit out of him. Sark plans to do an in home with him in Florida while he is visiting Uriah Grant. Florida, LSU, Florida State, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Miami are the competition.
DE...Juda Parker...He had a great All Star game and his recruiting has exploded. He will visit Oregon State and Colorado. Can UW squeeze a visit out of him on the 28th?
DE Akeem Gonzalez...He is visiting Oregon State and Nebraska. Can Washington get a visit from him on the 21st? He is definitely a guy that Washington would love to have on the roster.
S Patrick Onwuasor...ASU is in the lead at this point. The Devils envision him as a WR and that is where he wants to play.
CB Rahmel Dockery...He visited Oregon State this past weekend and will visit WSU on the 28th. I think he will be a Beaver. Washington could make a late push if things fall apart at CB.
Is it now Sarks team?
Bob Condotta of the Times brings up the point that it is now truly Steve Sarkisian's team because the roster is down to only 24 players from the Willingham era and that is after only two years on the job. Expect that number to drop even further since Washington needs to make more room for the 2011 class. That is a pretty dramatic change in only two seasons. Check out Bob's story.
LSU interested in Nuss?
Washington OC Doug Nussmeier is reportedly a serious candidate to take the same position at LSU now that Gary Crowton has moved on. Nuss does have some ties to the area since he played a number of years for the Saints in the NFL.
The biggest problem with playing true freshman
The biggest problem with playing true frosh is that they aren't physically ready to hold up to the pounding that goes on at this level. I was listening to the Dawgman show this morning on KJR and LB coach Mike Cox said that Taz Stevenson, Cooper Pelleur, Greg Ducre, and Princeton Fuimaono are all having shoulder surgery this winter.
The Dawgman Radio Show is available for replay by clicking on this link.
Stanford
David Shaw was named the head coach at Stanford last week. Keeping it in the family allows a lot more continuity going forward for the Cardinal.
Chris Petersen of Boise was the top candidate but he didn't have much interest. Brady Hoke was another guy mentioned but he is on his way to take over Michigan. I also read that Jim Mora was interested in the job.
"We want to do something that’s really never been done–a school with the academic standards we have to be a football powerhouse. We’re not there yet. We’ve had two good years. That’s not enough."
Ty Willingham is back in the coaching profession but this time it is a volunteer assistant coach to the Stanford women's golf team.
UCLA
Rick Neuheisel is struggling to put together a new staff only three seasons after putting together the best staff money could buy when he was hired by the Bruins. Norm Chow still has a job and a guaranteed contract but chances are he takes the first train out of town once a serious offer comes down. That offer could come from Utah.
In the meantime it was reported that Mike Johnson of the 49ers was hired as the new OC but that isn't coming together as smoothly as hoped. In the meantime Norm chow sits in limbo while the Bruins are struggling to put together a recruiting class.
"Mike and I are old friends and we've had conversations and he's interested in this wide receiver position," Neuheisel said. "But it hasn't been determined in what role he'd coach and how that would all get pieced together. He's still got a contract with the 49ers that he has to make sure he protects himself and his family. Those are things that cause this to be very, very premature."
Why doesn't Norm Chow just quit?
Chow has been around a long time. Does he really need all the drama? Why doesn't he just quite and start a new chapter somewhere else? If Chow quits, he will not receive any money from his two-year contract extension. If he is fired, he will receive the full amount. If Chow is hired elsewhere, the amount of his new contract will be deducted from what UCLA owes him.
Oregon State
The big news last week was Jacquizz Rodgers heading off the NFL. Most have wondered if his older brother James would join him but I think it is safe to say that James will stay another year at OSU. He is scheduled to have another surgery in a couple of weeks. QB Ryan Katz broke the list of his throwing arm against Oregon. He had surgery and should be back this spring.
Southern California
Many of you have asked how the Trojans are able to pull in a full class this year. They can because they are backdating a number of the recruits to 2010 through early enrollment. USC is still a recruiting juggernaut and always will be. They have been telling recruits that they expect their appeal to succeed with the NCAA which will help them in coming years.
The Trojans appeal is coming up on the 22nd and I think the air is going to be let out of the balloon again. I don't think they are going to be successful with the appeal. Only 10% of NCAA appeals are successful so the odds are against Troy.
Auburn Repeat?
Looking unlikely now with Cam Newton and Nick Fairly headed to the NFL draft. Oregon on the other hand is one of the favorites to play for all the marbles again in 2011. Count on the LSU-Oregon game to be one of the biggest of 2011. Stanford also figures to be ranked in the top ten to start the 2011 season. The early favorite to win it all is Oklahoma. Pac 12 championship game? Early pick is ASU at Oregon.