Thursday Dots: What is in the Cards?

Ooh, each morning I get up I Dot a little

Can barely stand on my feet

• The Huskies may well have lost last week’s game against Arizona State if not for the heady and athletic play by Mishael Powell that turned into a Pick 6. Mike Vorel profiles Powell, who started at UW as a walk-on from O’Dea High School. Powell dreamed of playing for the Huskies and passed up scholarship offers for the chance. This season’s move to a coverage-focused nickel position has elevated his play and proved his decision to be a great one.

• The tidal wave of realignment over the last year makes it easy to forget that it all started with UCLA and USC jumping ship to the Big 10 more or less out of the blue. The legal proceedings between the SoCal schools and the other 10 schools in the erstwhile Pac-12 are still ongoing. Jon Wilner gives some updates on where that case stands, including the way that the remaining schools froze USC and UCLA out of planning after their announcement and the impact that could have on the proceedings.

• Jalen McDaniels played one year on Montlake that could hardly be characterized as a success. Offensive inefficiency, mental lapses, and a temper that too often got out of control all contributed to a disappointing season both personally and for the team. McDaniels slid to late in the first round of the NBA draft, but he has dedicated himself to becoming one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves rewarded McDaniels with a $136m extension to his rookie contract. McDaniels celebrated in the most opulent way possible: dinner at Olive Garden.

• While the offensive line did not have its best performance against Arizona State, Ryan Rosengarten was not one of the primary culprits. The RT continues to anchor his side of the line. Scott Eklund from Dawgman spoke to Rosengarten about how to get the line back on track against Stanford and how coach Scott Huff keeps them focused and motivated.

• Also at Dawgman, Chris Fetters has some comments on the defense from Zion Tupuola-Fetui. As anyone who has watched the Dawgs this year can tell, ZTF is primarily focused on playing his part in the overall defensive scheme, not putting up numbers for himself. He also talks about the road-trip to Stanford and how the team will prepare.

• Away from the football field, Go Huskies has its preview of the upcoming season for the UW Men’s Basketball team.

• The Huskies will also host the final Pac-12 Conference Championship meet for cross-country this weekend. The men’s and women’s events will both take place at Chambers Creek in University Place.