Washington Huskies

SEATTLE -- It was something Kevin Smith had done 100 times before.

The receiver was going through Washington’s first practice in San Antonio as the Huskies prepared for last year’s Alamo Bowl when, all of a sudden, his knee gave way.

“That one time it just happened,” Smith said.

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BELLEVUE, Wash. -- When Butch Goncharoff agreed to travel to play Katy (Texas) in 2009, the coach at Bellevue (Wash.) didn’t believe in “Friday Night Lights.”

He didn’t watch the movie. He didn’t see the TV show. The longtime coach thought high school football in Texas was more myth than reality.

“I thought it was a joke,” he said.

It didn’t take long for him to change his mind.

“It is real down there,” he said. “It is fanatical.”

The Wolverines practiced at Katy (Texas) Cinco Ranch and there was football being played on every corner -- powder puff, little league and middle school. Football was everything, all the time.

Then there was the game. On a humid September night, Bellevue kept the score close. But there was a point when "you could just see we had insulted somebody,” said Goncharoff, whose team lost 35-17.

That loss was the first of two defeats against out-of-state opponents that season -- the other came against Sacramento (Calif.) Grant, which featured current Washington safeties James Sample and Shaq Thompson. Those remain the only two out-of-state losses Bellevue has endured under Goncharoff, who was hired in 2000.

The Wolverines, ranked No. 7 in the ESPN 25 Power Rankings, are 5-2 against prominent, out-of-state competition, heading into Thursday’s 6 p.m. game against Euless (Texas) Trinity at Seattle Memorial Stadium. They snapped Concord (Calif.) De La Salle’s 151-game winning streak in 2004 and knocked off Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian last season.

Bellevue has never been a team that backs away from big games and, considering Texas teams don’t often travel, Goncharoff said this is the second-biggest matchup his program has played in behind the win over De La Salle.

“It means a lot, especially from a Texas team that we’ve heard has never traveled anywhere,” junior defensive back Bishard “Budda” Baker said. “This is the first time they’re getting to travel and I just feel like this is going to be a really fun game.

“State titles are great and all, but beating a team from out of state means a lot.”

Trinity heads to Seattle with a formidable line on both sides of the ball. Defensive end Gaius Vaenuku -- he has a Washington offer -- is 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, while Sam Tevi, the other defensive end -- a Utah commit -- is 6-5, 265.

Whether it’s Salesi Uhatafe, 6-5, 300, or Arizona State tight end commit Jason Reese (6-5, 222), Trinity is tall and talented with no shortage of size.

The Wolverines don’t have the same size, but Bellevue boasts big-game experience and Division-I talent, including Baker and linebackers Sean Constantine -- a Washington commit -- and Myles Jack -- a UCLA commit.

Baker said he started marking a calendar 180 days before the game. On Wednesday, he had one more to cross off. Bellevue has prepared all summer, but the true test comes when the lights are turned on and the teams take the field.

“You don’t know what you get in any game going under the lights,” Goncharoff said. “We’re hopeful experienced guys will come through and we’ll do the things we need to do, but I don’t know. Sometimes we look really good and, sometimes, we look awful, but that’s high school.

“You can be as prepped as you want, but when you’re trying to block 6-6, 6-7, 350 pounds, there’s only so many things you can do. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out. I don’t know. I’m as curious as everybody to find out.”

SEATTLE -- When Keith Heyward heard the question, he had to laugh.

It was simple, but not easily answered: How good is safety Shaq Thompson?

“Pretty good,” said Heyward, Washington's defensive backs coach, punctuating his understated response with a wry smile. “He’s pretty good.”

Thompson, rated the No. 16 prospect in the ESPN 150 coming out of Sacramento (Calif.) Grant this year, is good enough to crack the starting lineup as a freshman. He is good enough that the Huskies’ base defense is becoming their nickel package. He is good enough to make impressive plays in every practice.

“It showed up early on, picking the ball off, batting it down, making a tackle for a loss and not always 100 percent knowing exactly what’s going on, but just having some football instincts,” Washington defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox said. “The guy’s got a lot to learn, but he’s got really good tools.”

Heyward added, “He’s a great athlete. He’s big. He’s fast. He can run.”

Thompson has experienced the struggles all freshmen face while learning Division I defenses and adapting to the speed of the game, but he has done enough to force his way onto the field.

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ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach looked at which teams have the toughest schedules in 2012, and two of his top 10 are from the Pac-12.

Schlabach ranks Washington No. 3 and California No. 10.

Here's what he says about Washington:

Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian might know his team's postseason fate after the first six weeks of the season. Between Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, the Huskies play four nationally ranked opponents: No. 3 LSU (road), No. 21 Stanford (home), No. 5 Oregon (road) and No. 1 USC (home). Then Washington plays four of its last six Pac-12 games on the road, including trips to Arizona and California.

And here are his thoughts on Cal:

If Cal coach Jeff Tedford is going to climb off the hot seat, the Bears might have to pull off an upset or two this season. Along with a difficult Pac-12 slate, the Bears play nonconference games against Nevada this Saturday and at Ohio State on Sept. 15. After playing the Buckeyes, the Bears open their Pac-12 schedule at No. 1 USC on Sept. 22. At least Cal gets to face No. 21 Stanford and No. 5 Oregon at home.

I think you could throw Arizona in there. It plays Oregon, Stanford and Washington in its North Division crossover games as well as a nonconference contest with Oklahoma State.

USC's schedule also is no cakewalk. It plays Oregon, Stanford and Washington in North Division crossover games, as well as California, and it's on the road at Utah. The Trojans miss Oregon State and Washington State. As far as the nonconference slate, it plays Hawaii, at Syracuse and Notre Dame.

SEATTLE -- While Justin Wilcox would like another month to prepare his defense before Washington takes the field for its season opener, the Huskies’ defensive coordinator doesn’t have that luxury.

After spring practice and three weeks of fall camp to install his defense, Washington is down to a final few practices before Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. PT season opener against San Diego State at CenturyLink Field.

After a little fine-tuning this week it will be time for the Huskies to “put our cards out there on the table,” as Wilcox put it.

“I think they’re excited for it," he said. "I know we are, too. We just need a couple more days of good work to make sure we can get as ready as we can possibly be.”

With a new system, injuries and players switching positions, it has taken time to develop the defense, but Washington’s players are ready to line up against some fresh faces.

“I think it’s definitely time,” Wilcox said. “They’re tired of beating up on each other. It’s time for them to go play somebody else. It’s important for us to make sure we’re getting the screws tightened this week and getting our alignments, all the things we’ve worked on all fall and now gearing toward another opponent.”

Tight end ready to make plays

Michael Hartvigson still remembers staying up late every night during his freshman season, memorizing the playbook.

The 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end would sit down with receiver Kevin Smith, and they would quiz each other on routes and formations.

It took time, but now a redshirt sophomore, Hartvigson has settled into the system.

“Now I would say I have most of the playbook almost in the back of my head,” Hartvigson said. “From my freshman year until now, I would say I’ve definitely come a long way.”

While sophomore Austin Seferian-Jenkins receives the bulk of the headlines, Hartvigson will see plenty of playing time this season. He isn’t worried about attention or accolades. He simply wants to find ways to contribute.

“Whether it’s in the run game, in the pass game, whether it’s blocking, receiving, I’m just going to do whatever coach Sark (Steve Sarkisian) wants me to do, whatever’s best for the team,” he said.

Walk-on cornerback earns starting spot

In a perfect world, Washington’s cornerbacks would all be 6-1 -- and fast.

With that in mind, how did 5-9, 183-pound walk-on Tre Watson earn a starting job opposite senior Desmond Trufant?

“Tre makes up for it by playing a little bigger than he is, his instincts, finishing -- he never gives up on plays,” Wilcox said. “He’s earned it.”

Watson edged Greg Ducre and Marcus Peters in a three-player, fall-camp battle for the starting spot.

“All three of those guys will play,” Wilcox said. “Tre was a little more consistent throughout fall camp. The work he did in spring, we thought really started it and then he validated it this fall camp.”

Note:

• Washington receiver DiAndre Campbell was in a yellow, non-contact jersey during Tuesday’s practice.

SEATTLE -- After an eventful three weeks of fall camp, Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said the “volume gets turned up” this week as the Huskies prepare for the season opener against San Diego State.

“I thought the guys brought a real sense of energy and enthusiasm, a little bit of an edge to practice today,” Sarkisian said Monday during his weekly news conference.

Whether it was injuries or position changes, Sarkisian said the adversity has shaped the team that will take the field at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at CenturyLink Field.

“We got dealt our fair share of things early on, obviously, from some injuries to guys moving around to some different positions, but the end result, I believe we’re better for it and excited to go play,” Sarkisian said.

Callier, Sankey to split reps: Jesse Callier said his father always told him it’s best to “come from the bottom.”

With Chris Polk in the NFL, Callier gets his chance to force his way into the spotlight as a junior.

“Come from the bottom and no one is expecting you and, next thing you know, you’re on them,” Callier said.

Callier is listed at the top of the depth chart with sophomore Bishop Sankey. Both backs will get carries. Both backs will get a chance to prove they can play.

“I think we’ve got a good plan in place for both those kids to, hopefully, put them in position to do what they do to be successful,” Sarkisian said. “We’ll get a better feel for them as the game goes on.”

Sophomore captain John Timu: Only a sophomore, linebacker John Timu was named one of the Huskies' three defensive captains over the weekend.

When asked about the decision, Sarkisian praised Timu’s maturity.

“He’s a really mature guy,” Sarkisian said. “Sometimes he doesn’t show as much emotion as maybe we would all like, but that calming effect that he has, I think, is why he has been able to persevere so much in his own personal life with some of the injuries and things.

“There’s some natural leadership that comes out of him that guys really recognize. I think it speaks volumes to the maturity that he possesses.”

Injury report: No new injuries were reported Monday.

Steve Sarkisian listed Hau’oli Jamora, Deontae Cooper, Nate Fellner, James Johnson, Jamaal Kearse and Cooper Pelluer as the six players out for Saturday’s season opener.

Pelluer and Cooper are already dealing with season-ending injuries. Cooper (knee) and Jamora (knee) will have surgery on their respective injuries Thursday.

Quotable: When asked about his goals for the Huskies in 2012, quarterback Keith Price said, “We’re trying to win the Pac-12; that’s our goal. Obviously we’ve got to earn respect and we have to win games.”

Other notes

 

• Washington released its depth chart Monday and Derrick Brown and Cyler Miles were both listed as backup quarterbacks. “I wanted them to keep battling, keep competing,” Sarkisian said.
• Walk-on Tre Watson won the starting cornerback spot opposite Desmond Trufant. “It’s hard to deny a guy who keeps making plays,” Sarkisian said.
• Erik Kohler is listed as the starting right guard. After suffering a knee injury on the first day of camp, Kohler has now worked his way back to a point where he can rejoin the first unit.
• Sarkisian said at least five freshmen will play this season -- punter Korey Durkee, safety Shaq Thompson, receiver Jaydon Mickens, receiver Kendyl Taylor and defensive end Pio Vatuvei. As far as the rest of the class, “time will tell,” Sarkisian said.

Mason Kelley from HuskyNation gives some insight on the current state of construction on the new Washington stadium.

Washington defensive line commit Andrew Basham (Lynnwood, Wash./Lynnwood) talks about the 2012 season and accepting his role as a senior leader in this video interview.

Recapping the weekend's prime-time performances from Washington's 2013 recruiting class:

Lavon Coleman (Lompoc, Calif./Lompoc): The big back -- Washington's only running back recruit in its current class -- rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, leading the Braves past Arroyo Grande (Calif.), 31-0.

Darrell Daniels (Oakley, Calif./Freedom): The 6-foot-3, 211-pound receiver returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass, but the Falcons were edged by Pleasanton (Calif.) Amador Valley, 29-27.

Damore'ea Stringfellow (Moreno Valley, Calif./Rancho Verde): Stringfellow, rated the No. 72 prospect in the ESPN 150, had a huge night in his first game of the 2012 season, catching six passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, but the Mustangs fell to Wildomar (Calif.) Elsinore, 46-42.

Elijah Qualls (Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande): The 6-foot-1, 282-pound defensive lineman had five solo tackles in a 43-14 win over Wildomar (Calif.) Eureka. Qualls also contributed on offense, rushing for 36 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

--Washington high schools open the 2012 seasons this week.