Becoming a Husky...

Good Morning Husky Fans,

My name is Ben Glassmire and this is my first piece for UW Dawg Pound! I could not be more thrilled to be joining this site and working with this incredible team. I have spent the last four years as a draft analyst for a number of different sites (you can find much of my work on my Twitter @BenGlassmireNFL), this past year was my first year getting to experience Husky football in person and the itch to cover the team grew and grew. I reached out to Max about joining the site because I thought my talent evaluation background could bring another element to this wonderful community.

But first of I need to confess something just so it is all out in the open, growing up I was a Duck fan...I know, I know, but I was able to see the light, don't worry. I grew up idolizing Marcus Mariota, De’Anthony Thomas, and Ifo-Ekpre Olomu. I shed tears when Auburn beat the Ducks in the 2011 National Championship and again when Oregon lost to Ohio State in 2015, and I cheered when Washington lost in the playoff semifinal in 2016, but I’m working to come back from these mistakes. I’m so excited to bring (and have brought) this same passion to the Huskies over the past two years and into the future. I am now in my second year as a student at Washington and could not be happier making the switch.

My background likely doesn't fit the traditional mold of a Husky writer. I come from four years of honing my craft as a draft analyst. Writing in-depth reports on over 100 players for last year’s draft class I have become very familiar with identifying (or at least trying to) talent. I will be bringing that knowledge here to the Dawg Pound, my first task will be writing scouting reports on all of the Husky prospects in the draft this year, so be on the lookout for those over the next few weeks! This background will give me a unique perspective on many of the players on the team as well as how to view opponents' star players, I look forward to breaking down those matchups and players as we move into next season.

Last year was a rough first year to be a Husky fan in person but I am still holding out for the future. I am a big supporter of Kalen DeBoer both with what he can bring to the team in his energy and schematically. The team is not without talent: Sam Huard, Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Sav’ell Smalls, and (hopefully) returning stalwart Jaxxon Kirkland give the team a foundation of talent that can set the stage for their success down the line. After the disaster that was last season, the team’s trajectory seems to finally be back pointing in a positive direction. It may take some time to rebuild but I along with many of you will be here for the climb.

I look forward to getting to know many of you in this community and discussing Husky football on a daily basis. There is so much I have to learn about covering a team in-depth and I am excited to have this passionate fanbase as my audience as I start this journey.

As always, Go Dawgs!