So to get an idea of how Sankey amassed 1439 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, I’ll look at the most important elements of running the ball and how they factor into Sankey’s personal style and approach. As you read, it might help to watch this video of highlight’s from the 2012 season:

Speed

Sankey’s speed is actually sort of tough to evaluate. He’s clearly fast. There were multiple occasions when he would catch a screen with a defender pursuing downhill with a good angle, only to have Sankey manage to skirt by him. He also has the ability to really turn it on and accelerate once he’s gotten through a hole and sees daylight. The big touchdown run to end the first half against Stanford is a good example of this.

That being said, I don’t think Sankey’s speed is elite, or exceptional for the position. I would think somewhere around 4.5 speed, if he were to run the forty combine-style. Not something that holds him back by any means, especially with his above average acceleration and, for lack of a better term, “situational speed” like I talked about above, but his style isn’t defined by his ability to burn defenders.

Strength

At 5’10″ and 200 pounds, Bishop is almost a little small for a feature back, someone who will carry the ball 20-25 times a game. He has a solid build, but he isn’t a bruiser in the Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, or Christine Michael mold (to point to the trio of frighteningly muscular Seahawks backs). He doesn’t just lower his shoulder and blow defenders up. But that doesn’t mean he struggles to get yards after contact. He breaks tackles by virtue of his great balance and footwork, and instead of bowling linebackers or safeties over, he bounces off of them or keeps his legs churning through arm tackles.

That takes strength, certainly, but there are bigger stronger backs in the conference. He is average, or even a bit above average, but like his speed, strength isn’t something he leans on. It doesn’t define him.

Nov 10, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Bishop Sankey (25) carries the ball and scores a touchdown against the Utah Utes during the 2nd half at CenturyLink Field. Washington defeated Utah 34-15. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Vision

To me, this IS what defines Sankey’s running style. Watching tape from last year, what really stood out is the way Sankey managed to quickly identify the hole, however small, and commit to it. No dancing in the backfield, no unnecessary changes in direction. He goes where the development of the play demands that he goes, and any cutting has a specific purpose. He hesitates or jukes only to make specific defenders miss, or to redirect towards an emerging running lane.

I hesitate to call Sankey a “downhill” runner, because it’s a bit more nuanced than that. He does a great job of limiting unnecessary east/west movement, but he is great at running at an angle to follow the grain of his blockers while still maintaining his forward drive and momentum. It results in even his lesser runs often going for three or four yards, and plays without obvious rifts in the defense going for six or seven.

Where a simple one-cut, downhill powerback might try to force the action, hitting a hole that is closing too fast in the hopes that the power behind his lowered shoulder will grind out some yards, Sankey is wonderful at avoiding running into unnecessary dead-ends. If a running lane is there, he’ll take it, but he rarely over-commits.

Balance

Another key to Sankey’s style. Despite what I see as roughly average strength and size, for defenders in pursuit, arm tackles just won’t due. Weakly try to grab at his jersey without squaring up and wrapping, and he will dismiss you with a stiff arm or run through the attempt with legs that never fail to churn. Launch like a missile, or simply try to shove him, and you’re likely to give him a boost five or ten yards forward without knocking him over (it happened two or three times, and it was almost comical).

This well above-average balance also allows Sankey to squeeze through holes that seem too small, and to emerge from a crush of linemen that seem likely to swallow him up.

Elusiveness

Sankey has such outstanding vision, and stays so focused on getting upfield, that his elusiveness isn’t on display in obvious ways during most plays. It is more subtle. The way he shifts the weight to his left or right side, while leaning that direction, to avoid a diving tackler without breaking his stride, or his ability to zoom up the sideline when it appears certain a defender will force him out of bounds.

He’s capable of some nifty planting to change direction, and can juke and spin defenders off balance better than most, but I believe that a true definition of Sankey’s elusiveness is…well, elusive.

Summary

These seem to me to be the most important elements of a back’s running style, and Sankey is at least average in every single one, with his vision and balance popping out the most. However, running isn’t all that a halfback has to do. Blocking and receiving are also key, and in both respects Sankey is very solid, and his relative lack of weakness, the well-rounded nature of his game, seems to bode well for an NFL future, and of course a great deal more success as a Husky in 2013.

Did I miss a category? Do you disagree, or have more to add? Comment below, or tweet @HuskyHaul. Thanks for reading!

Raphael Chillious is leaving Villanova to rejoin Lorenzo Romar’s staff at Washington, per multiple sources….

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 15, 2013

Chillious first joined Romar’s staff in April of 2009, and in the span of time before his departure in August 2012, Husky basketball was very successful. GoHuskies.com specifically credits him with the tutoring of UW’s guards, and also mentions his assistance as important to the Pac-10 Tournament Championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the recruiting classes in 2010 and 2011 that included Terrence Ross, Aziz N’Diaye, Desmond Simmons, Tony Wroten Jr, Shawn Kemp Jr, and Andrew Andrews, among others.

When combined with the recent hiring of assistant T.J. Otzelberger, formerly of Iowa State University, it is clear that Romar is looking to strengthen his bench, not only for player development and on-court instruction, but for recruiting, reportedly one of Otzelberger’s greatest strengths.

It’s impossible to be certain how much credit Chillious deserves for the successful run enjoyed by the program during his time as assistant coach, but I do know that he is held in high regard by many in the college basketball world, and that he has long been discussed as a future head coaching candidate. When you consider that the god-awful 2013 year occurred after Chillious departed, it seems as though his presence could go a long way towards righting the ship, developing some of the talented incoming guards, like Nigel Williams-Goss and Darin Johnson, and of course towards building up a solid 2014 class of recruits.

Rothstein is a respected voice, but he has so far been the only person I’ve seen report this move, so until it is announced officially by the university, it is not for sure. That being said, there has been pretty consistent rumblings that the Otzelberger hire wasn’t the last coaching move Romar planned to make, so this makes a lot of sense.

As soon as more info is available, I will update this post.

Coach Steve Sarkisian sent out a “Woof!” via twitter about an hour ago, leading to a mad dash to figure out who the commitment could be, but it wasn’t until Blakley tweeted out the news that the story truly broke. To put it simply: this is a big one. While rankings are far from cemented so early in the recruiting cycle, the Class of 2014 tight end is considered a four-star prospect by Rivals, and they also have him pegged as the #8 tight end in the nation. Scout has him listed as a three-star prospect, and ESPN hasn’t given him a ranking yet, but even if a consensus hasn’t formed around his exact ranking, Blakley is undoubtedly a top-10 tight end in his class.

Just committed to the University of Washington!! #UDUB #dawgs #WOOF

— Chase Blakley (@chase_blake208) May 14, 2013

There is also a bit of disagreement around his physical dimensions, but the Rivals listing at 6’5″ and 227 pounds appears to be fairly accurate next to the numbers listed by the other recruiting services. Over the course of his upcoming senior season and the next off season, it would be nice to see him add on 10-20 pounds, but he has plenty of time, and even as he stands Blakley appears to be a speedy (4.7 forty) and talented pass-catcher who could go a long way towards replacing junior tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who may declare for the draft after this season.

Of course, Washington will have to hold on to Blakley for the next several months until the February National Signing Day, which is no easy feat in the cutthroat world of college football recruiting. But if Blakley sticks to this decision even when more offers roll in during his senior season and beyond into early 2014, he will certainly be one of the gems of Coach Sark’s class.

Amosa served primarily as a lead blocker in his time at Washington, rarely catching the ball or receiving carries. He was very solid in this respect, and while it’s always tough to determine how much credit a fullback deserves for the success of his halfback, the fact that Amosa blocked for two different 1,000 rushers, Chris Polk and more recently Bishop Sankey, shouldn’t be ignored.

Sept 3, 2011, Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies fullback Jonathan Amosa (48) makes a reception against the Eastern Washington Eagles during the second half at Husky Stadium. Washington defeated Eastern, 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Along with Glenn, Amosa went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft in April, and it wasn’t really a certainty that he would get an NFL shot. With fullbacks a bit of a (slowly) dying breed in the league, while also being a position that is tough to evaluate when watching games unless there is a dramatic pancake block, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Amosa’s football career end with the Vegas Bowl loss to Boise State.

Apparently Amosa wasn’t having that. He earned a contract, which clearly indicates that the Packers coaching staff sees pro-level potential in his game. Still, with fan favorite John Kuhn and fellow undrafted free agent Ryan Roberson also on the roster at fullback, it will be a tough fight for Amosa to remain on the roster all the way until September.

If he manages to keep his spot, it will likely be as a 2nd fullback, which would mean serving on the practice squad. Still, for a guy that didn’t get a lot of acclaim as a Husky, collecting a paycheck as a professional player is a victory (and should probably be a victory in anyone’s book), and I hope that this is only the beginning of Amosa’s NFL career. More on both Glenn and Amosa as more news becomes available.

Glenn had a solid career for the Huskies, including a senior season in which he amassed 68 total tackles and 3 interceptions. Despite this, the 5’10″ 220-pound defensive back went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft back in April, and it was unclear whether or not he would be able to earn an NFL contract.

November 02, 2012; Berkeley, CA, USA; Washington Huskies safety Justin Glenn (20) carries the ball after the fumble recovery against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Now that he has his shot, it is still far from a given that Glenn will stick to the Kansas City roster all the way until opening day, as the Chiefs had previously signed 13 other undrafted free agents, who will compete with the rookie draft picks and those veterans already on the roster for a limited number of spots.

Glenn is a local product, having played high school football at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington. He was recruited as a cornerback, and was considered a three-star talent by both Scout and Rivals when he committed as part of the Class of 2008.

Even if it will be difficult to survive the various waves of roster cuts over the next several months of the off season, this is obviously an important first step in that journey, and Andy Reid and his staff must have been impressed in rookie camp in order to offer Glenn the opportunity in the first place.

We will keep you updated on his journey through Kansas City’s OTAs, and if Glenn manages to make it all the way through to the beginning of the 2013 season, he will join a growing list of Washington grads playing in the NFL.

The one man that is largely forgotten in this preseason talk? Travis Feeney, who recorded 76 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 interceptions as a redshirt freshman. I find it interesting how similar that stat-line appears to the 67 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 interceptions amassed by Shaq Thompson. It makes good sense that fans and the media are more enamored with Thompson. He came in as a five-star prospect, put up those numbers in his first year in the program, and possesses such rare physical tools that many believe he has the potential to do much more in future years.

October 6, 2012; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Colt Lyerla (15) runs the ball against Washington Huskies linebacker Travis Feeney (41) in the first half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

But that doesn’t make Feeney’s season less impressive. The guy came in as a two/three star defensive back prospect out of Pinole, California. He then took a redshirt year in 2011, and spent the season practicing as a safety on the scout team. Then Sark had him move over to outside linebacker last offseason, and despite being pretty seriously undersized with his wiry 6’4″ 209-pound frame, he flew all over the field making plays.

He also struggled with some injuries, and did not compile any stats against Portland State and Oregon State. That makes his season statline a bit more impressive, but it also does provide a reason to worry just a bit about Feeney’s potential for success over the course of his Husky career. He is entrenched as a starter heading into the 2013 season, but he has already had to deal with some minor injury issues in spring camp. I don’t know if he is an injury-prone player, if his lack of size at such a physically demanding position could be contributing, or if it’s just been bad luck over a fairly brief sample size.

But if Feeney can work to add a bit of bulk to his frame by the time August 31st rolls around (I don’t know if he came in heavier than 209 in the spring, but I would hope so) while also staying reasonably healthy, I would expect him to have a pretty huge 2013. Throughout last year, he was noticeably active, roving sideline to sideline making tackles. He played with impressive speed, which leads me to believe that he really only needs to get up to right around 220 to avoid sacrificing any of his speed, and his ability to snag a few picks while also getting to the quarterback showed off his versatility.

And all of this happened in his first year playing linebacker, his first year seeing the field. We have no clue what sort of leap he might make with another full offseason at the position. With two other experienced, talented ‘backers alongside him, there may not be room for the crazy tackle totals a guy like Mason Foster put up when talent was much thinner, but there is always room for more play making. Look for more picks, and most importantly, more sacks for a guy that looked pretty natural wreaking havoc in the offensive backfield.

Be excited about Shaq. Be excited about Timu. Just don’t sleep on Travis Feeney.

After a dominant senior season in ’05-’06 in which Roy averaged 20.2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field to go along with over 5 rebounds and 4 assists, the Garfield High School product was drafted 6th overall by the Timberwolves, who quickly traded him to the Trailblazers for the rights to Randy Foye (ha). He quickly established himself as a star in Portland, winning the 2007 Rookie of the Year award and rattling off three straight All-Star appearances from 2008 to 2010.

Nov 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy (3) shoots over Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the second quarter at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, in 2011 Roy underwent several knee surgeries, and his role on the floor began to rapidly diminish as the bone on bone grinding in his knees became unbearable. He announced his retirement in 2011 at the age of 27, when a star of his caliber with healthy knees would have just been entering his prime.

In 2012, Roy underwent the platelet-rich plasma surgery that famously aided Kobe Bryant and signed with the Timberwolves on July 31st in an attempt to restart his career. Unfortunately, he was only able to play five regular season games before his knee problems got the best of him, and now that he has been waived, it is likely that his career is permanently over.

Roy didn’t play long enough to establish himself as a hall of fame type talent, but in the Pacific Northwest, he will be remembered as a true great whose unique craftiness at the shooting guard position was undoubtedly as unique as it was effective. Regardless of how rough the last few years were on his body and his mind, Washington fans will remember him as a guy that put up 20 a game at UW, and the people of Portland will remember him as a player capable of averaging 22 point a game in only his third year in the league.

His number hangs in the rafters of HecEd, and while it’s easy to wonder what could have been, it’s safe to say that Roy will never be able to walk the streets of Seattle or Portland without fans recognizing one of the best basketball players in the history of the Northwest.

The proceeds from the game will benefit the Urban Family Center and the Rainier Beach Foundation, and while it’s unclear exactly how much success the game will find in it’s very first year, the level of star power behind it is impressive. Of particular interest? Former Sonic and future hall of famer Gary Payton, Husky great and current Chicago Bull Nate Robinson, Beach product and LA Clipper Jamal Crawford (which explains the picture of Crawford…in case that was confusing.), and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

As far as players who will be hitting the floor, two Class of 2013 seniors already signed on to play for Washington, Darin Johnson of Sheldon High in Sacramento and Jahmel Taylor of Pacific Hills in Los Angeles. I profiled Darin Johnson, and many of the other players who will be contributing for the first time during the upcoming season, just a few days ago. This game also appears to be part of Jahmel Taylor’s visit to the Seattle area this week, meaning he will be using the trip to get some basketball in while also seeing the University of Washington for the first time.

Not to say I’m worried for Taylor, or second guess his decision. Washington is a wonderful place to live and to attend school, and Romar runs a great program. It seems that for the 5’11″ 160-pound guard out of Los Angeles, it could be an especially good fit, given Romar’s success in sending under-6′ guards to the NBA (a couple sites list Taylor at 6′ flat, but I’m guessing that if more than half of the sources peg him at 5’11″, he’s probably no taller than that).

Taylor also seems to be bringing a very straight forward, business-like attitude with him up to Seattle, which I think bodes well for his chances of succeeding in his time at Washington. “I’m really looking forward to meeting up with the players and seeing what goes on at school,” Taylor said. “I just want to see the community. From my research, it’s a great community. People are really into the Husky Nation. And I’m really excited about meeting the players. They seem like great guys. I’m looking forward to meeting them in person and actually getting to know them better.”

As discussed in this post from a few days ago discussing Darin Johnson and the rest of the incoming players, Taylor is one of the least heralded members of the 2013 class that includes Nigel Williams-Goss, Johnson, and JUCO transfer Mike Anderson. However, he is a solid three-star recruit according to Rivals, Scout, and ESPN, and what limited video I’ve seen of his play has shown a guard that scores creatively from just about anywhere on the floor (including some dangerously deep threes), and even if Taylor seems likely to redshirt in his first year (though that’s just my assessment from looking at the roster, not anything Romar has indicated), that doesn’t mean there won’t be a demand for that kind of scoring prowess down the road.

Hopefully Taylor enjoys his visit this week, and hopefully the Husky faithful enjoy Taylor’s contributions on the court in year’s to come.

That makes Washington the third highest school in the Pac-12 (truly the finest set of academic institutions playing top-tier college athletics) behind Stanford (fourth) and Berkeley (fifth), with UCLA just behind the Huskies at ninth. Harvard is unsurprisingly numero uno, with Michigan (sixth) and Oxford (seventh) providing the filling in the Pac-12 sandwich. And that sentence is brought to you by a current student at the eighth best college in the country.

To be fair, this study is pretty specific in considering a university’s research, mostly in the field of science, to determine these rankings. It isn’t measuring the quality of undergraduate education, or even necessarily the quality of the graduate schools or doctorate fields. It analyzes the number of science articles published, the research impact of these articles, the sustainability and continuity of scientific productivity, research quality as determined by both impact of scientific journals and quality of received citations, and the level of international collaboration.

It has long been clear that UW is one of the premier research institutions in the country, and in the world, so the ranking, which is quite a bit higher than UW’s usual placement by other college ranking services (typically around 15-25th in the world), should come as no surprise.

What does this have to do with college athletics? Not a ton. Mostly I figured that a good chunk of Husky fans probably either went to UW, have relatives that have attended the school, or at least have an interest in the educational institution as well as the athletic program. It is certainly plausible, however, that this sort of sky-high ranking could be used by Romar and Sark to persuade recruits that are also stand-out students that UW is a top-notch university.

It isn’t as if this was unclear before this ranking, but it can certainly serve to strengthen the argument. Say there is a basketball recruit that may be a local product, or at least someone who really loves Romar’s program. But say he’s also a top-notch student who wants to earn a degree from a great school. He might, based on preconceived notions, think that means he should head to Stanford or Berkeley. But Romar could use news like this to point out that Washington is certainly on the level of those institutions. And he wouldn’t be wrong.

It’s easy to hear that the Huskies are trying to speed up the offense and dismiss it as lip service, the kind of thing coaches and sportswriters throw around in the doldrums of the off-season, but not something that represents a fundamental change to the way a team operates. When I first heard the “up-tempo” buzzword being thrown around, I had that very reaction. It was interesting, but I figured it was a natural coach-speak reaction to what was clearly an ugly, indecisive offensive year for Keith Price and his team.

But as spring practices continued, it became clearer and clearer that this is a serious shift in offensive strategy in the works. As mentioned in this post on the change from GoHuskies.com, Washington regularly ran well over 100 plays each practice, often going with a full no-huddle. And while it may not have been apparent in the Spring “Game” (scrimmage/practice), which featured entirely vanilla everything in order to guard scheme secrets from prying eyes, this new approach to the offensive side of the ball appears to be here to stay. Barring a major change, it should be very apparent to Husky fans in the August 31 opener against Boise State.

Oct. 20, 2012; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback (17) Keith Price against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In the meantime, practicing in the no-huddle also gives the defense a chance to work against the kind of attack they’ll face regularly in the high-octane Pac-12. An above average defensive team in 2012, the Huskies nevertheless did their best work against simpler, pro style teams like Stanford and USC and struggled against Oregon-type no-huddle spreads.

I think the change in offensive approach also has a chance to help out Keith Price, though I will not claim to be confident in any projections involving Price, who went from break-out sensation in 2011 to mediocre at best in 2012. The addition of quarterback coach Marques Tuiasosopo, three different four-star wide receivers from the Class of 2013 added on to the return of Kasen Williams and ASJ, and a healthy offensive line all point to some sort of improvement for Price. But for a guy that seemed to struggle so badly making his reads and making the right throw, this change seems like it can’t hurt.

Coming quickly out of a no-huddle, Price will have an edge on the defense. He will, in theory, be able to more easily establish a rhythm moving from play to play so quickly. Even if this isn’t the case, making the defense try to figure things out so quickly while the offense knows exactly what it’s doing certainly can’t hurt.

So what does the offensive line have to do with this change? Well, to put it simply, this year they make it possible. Or at least feasible.

Last season, as you probably heard many times, the Huskies entered week one with an offensive line ravaged by injury. In fact, at a certain point senior center Drew Schaefer was seriously the only starter on the line with any career starts. Having to throw that many young guys into the fire at the same time was not a recipe for success, and Price paid for it, both physically and mentally. Though he certainly didn’t enjoy top-notch pass protection previously in 2011, he seemed to lack any confidence in this ragtag line, and though it probably doesn’t explain all of his struggles, it was certainly one large element.

But all those guys, Ben Riva, Dexter Charles, Mike Criste, Micah Hatchie, Shane Brostek, that struggled playing too much too early are now one year older, and they’re now reaping the benefits of that uncommonly early playing experience while they work through a complete off season. And they’re all reasonably healthy! Meanwhile, many of the guys that would have started last year if they hadn’t been knocked out for the season are returning to health as well. Erik Kohler and Colin Tanigawa in particular should be ready to go by the fall.

Nov 10, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian greets quarterback Keith Price (17) after the Huskies scored against the Utah Utes during the 2nd half at CenturyLink Field. Washington defeated Utah 34-15. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

So while the young guns have received the benefit of a whole healthy spring together working as starters, they will be reinforced in the fall by the presence of several even more experienced veterans. Maybe the actual starting five will be interspersed with a few of both categories. Either way, with Coach Sark serious about running a fast paced offense, this depth will not only be helpful, it will be necessary.

You can’t sprint your offense up and down the field without huddling between plays if you’re rolling out a starting offensive line that needs to play the vast majority of the snaps. The guys are 300+ pounds. Even well conditioned offensive linemen completely adjusted to that style of play need solid players behind them on the depth chart to rotate in and keep everyone fresh. Look at Oregon’s O-line. They aren’t playing 5 or 6 guys. They’re playing 8 or 9 or 10.

Sark has already said out loud that this is his intention. That it really isn’t too important who is listed at the top of the depth chart, because a ton of big bodies will find their way onto the field. That couldn’t have been the case last season, not without walk-ons and unprepared true freshmen coming in to relieve a bunch of first time starters.

But now Sark has his depth, he has a full off season to implement his changes. Add on to that a redshirt senior quarterback who enjoyed a very good spring running the no-huddle, a 1400+ yard rusher in Bishop Sankey, what should be much-improved depth at wide receiver, and a quality defense returning a majority of starters, and the results come next season could be exactly what the fans have been waiting for since the day Coach Sarkisian took over.

Well, he did just that in his senior season. While the Huskies as a team were defined largely by a rugged defensive identity, which helped to compensate for a struggling offense, Trufant was instrumental in allowing that change to take place. He refined his technique and took over as a team captain, and he was clearly more physical against the run game. Pretty much everything he needed to do to boost his draft stock.

If there was one game that demonstrated Trufant’s dominance and the influence it had on Washington’s success, it was the physically grueling 17-13 victory over then-#8 ranked Stanford at CenturyLink Field. While the Cardinal didn’t have a specific go-to wide receiver, Trufant basically took away Stanford’s number-one read on nearly every down, and with the Huskies hanging on to a thin lead late in the 4th, he picked off a pass intended for the 6’8″ Levine Toilolo, sealing the win.

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Desmond Trufant catches a pass during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

He did that time and time again, against even the most talented of receivers. In the loss against USC, Trufant held Marqise Lee, the most productive wide receiver in the nation (118 catches for 1721 yards and 14 touchdowns), to 2 receptions for 32 yards. When you consider that Lee never had another game with fewer than five catches or fewer than 41 yards, and that he averaged (including the Washington game) 9 catches, 132 yards, and a little over a score per game, it was one instance that proved Trufant’s ability to lock down NFL-quality receivers.

As you probably know, Desmond followed up his fantastic senior campaign with a great showing at the Senior Bowl and well above average Combine numbers. A 4.38 forty, a 37.5 inch vertical, 3.85 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle, and 16 reps on the bench press. It looked to be enough to lock him in as a first round pick in the draft.

And sure enough, the Atlanta Falcons traded up to nab him with the 22nd overall pick. You don’t have to be a Washington fan to realize that this was a wonderful decision on Atlanta’s part. An elite team in the NFC South, with a 13-3 record and a close 28-24 loss to San Francisco in the NFC Conference Championship game in 2012, Atlanta’s biggest weakness throughout the year was pass defense. An inability to defend the deep ball even proved to be their downfall in the loss to the 49ers.

Add on to this the fact that Atlanta has parted ways with every corner that took meaningful snaps last year except for starter Asante Samuel, and the need for help at the cornerback position was a no-brainer heading into the draft. So they took Trufant, and right after that, in round two, they grabbed Robert Alford of Southeastern Louisiana.

The hope is that both players can come in as rookies and play serious time, presumably Desmond Trufant across from Samuel as the 2nd starter, and Alford at the nickel spot, which in the pass-happy NFL, is becoming more and more of a 3rd starting role. Is it safe to assume that both players will be fully ready to step in like NFL vets against the likes of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers (all quarterbacks on the 2013 schedule)? Probably not.

Even if both players earn the 2nd and 3rd corner spots in training camp, there will likely be some growing pains. But while I didn’t watch Alford play in college, I had the pleasure of witnessing just about every game Trufant played, and when you combine his on-field ability with his terrific work ethic and off-field focus, what you end up with is a player ready for the league. I’m confident that even if he has a rough game or two against Hall of Fame level quarterbacks and wide-outs, the Falcons have picked up a guy that can start for them for years to come.

In my eyes, the real question is how far Trufant’s game still has to grow. Can he pick up the ins and outs of the defense and transition to the pro game so well as to challenge the aging, but still talented, Asante Samuel for the number-1 spot? In a few years, will he be a solid, serviceable starter, or a pro bowl type? Impossible to know, though given the way Trufant jumped forward from his junior to his senior year, it wouldn’t surprise me if Atlanta fans look back at the 2013 draft and see the picking of Desmond Trufant (and perhaps also Alford) as the moment the cornerback problem was solved.

What do you think? Am I being too optimistic about Trufant, giving him too much credit? Comment below or tweet @HuskyHaul. And as always, thanks for reading.

Notes: Worth mentioning that it was Trufant that stopped new teammate Alford from scoring on a long kickoff return in the Senior Bowl, and that Toilolo, the massive tight end against which Trufant was matched up when he picked off the game-sealing pass against Stanford, was drafted by Atlanta in the 4th round. Small world. More on Trufant and Alford’s new bond, and that 6’8″ behemoth of a Stanford product, in this USA Today story.

Out of the entire nation, Washington came in at 24th. Pretty impressive when you stack them up against the Midwestern and Southern schools like Texas (1st), Ohio State (2nd), and Florida (5th) that have huge stadiums and a history of long-term, national success in both basketball and football.

Within the conference, UW’s $82.5 Million in total revenue ranked 2nd behind only the University of Oregon (16th in the nation with $94 Million). Though, realistically, if the private schools were included in the list, I have to imagine that USC would have ranked either 1st or 2nd. Football is king in revenue, and even if the Trojans haven’t succeeded in comparison to expectations in the recent past, they have a very large fanbase.

As for the rest of the conference, the News Tribune put together a really comprehensive list of all ten public schools, including major revenue and expenses. Utah is last, and 61st in the nation, and Washington State is just ahead of that at 9th and 59th in the NCAA.

The New Tribune piece also brings up an interesting and highly divisive element of these stats: public subsidies. All ten Pac-12 universities accepted subsidies in 2012. Washington took just over $3 million in subsidies, or 3.71% of total revenue. You can certainly take issue with the fact that an athletic department that made over $8.7 million in “profit” (subtracting expenses from revenue) is being subsidized, but that number absolutely pales in comparison to the subsidies taken by other schools.

Oregon State accepted a whopping $18 million, good for 31% of their total revenue. Even Washington’s own WSU took $8.7 million, far more than UW, and due to their lesser revenue, it equaled 20.58% of total revenue.

I plan on delving further into the idea of subsidized athletic departments later in the offseason, but please, feel free to offer your own take on this issue in the comments or @HuskyHaul on twitter. Just be respectful, and as always, thanks for reading.

There are the two transfers that sat out 2012 in compliance with NCAA transfer rules, 6’9″ power forward Perris Blackwell from the University of San Francisco and Gilles Dierickx (I still don’t know how to pronounce his name) originally of Belgium but more recently from Florida International. Blackwell will have one year of eligibility, and figures to make a large impact, perhaps even in the starting lineup. Dierickx has two years of remaining eligibility, but at this point he appears to be more of a role-player.

Then, of course, there is the fairly large Class of 2013. The most highly touted of them all, Nigel Williams-Goss, is a 6’3″ point guard out of Findley Prep (originally from Oregon) who was a consensus four-star type at the time of his commitment around this time last year. But over the last few months his stock has risen, from his undefeated season at Findley to his solid play in the McDonald’s All-American game. With recruiting rankings totally settled, Rivals and Scout still have him as a four-star, but Rivals pegs him at No. 6 in their point guard rankings, with Scout a little less optimistic at 10th. ESPN is very, very high on NWG. They list him as the No. 4 point guard, the No. 19 overall 2013 prospect, and award him five stars. Rankings are flawed, and can often be flat-out wrong, but NWG does look likely to receive serious playing time in his first year, and may even find himself starting.

Though he may be the most talked about prospect in Washington’s 2013 haul, he is certainly not the only one. Romar also signed Jahmel Taylor, a 5’11″ scoring point guard out of Pacific Hills in LA. He is a consensus three-star kid, so there hasn’t been much hype around him, but his highlights (whatever those really tell you) are solid, and at this point it seems dangerous to doubt Romar and his under-6′ guards.

Mike Anderson, a 6’5″ JUCO swingman from Moberly Area CC in Missouri, who I recently discussed in this post, has also been signed, and his efficient 50/40/80 shooting percentages and 17-point, 10-rebound per game averages have me excited that he will be a solid contributor off the bench, with the potential to do even more.

But there is also one final element to this class, a guy that has been lost a bit in the shadow of Nigel Williams-Goss, someone who I myself have sometimes nearly forgotten about in the shuffle of names this offseason: Darin Johnson, the 6’4″ shooting guard out of Sheldon High School in Sacramento, Ca. He has great size and length for a shooting guard, and seems to fit the mold of successful scoring guards in Romar’s system. He has a good outside shot (in fact, Johnson’s high school coach called him a “Ray Allen-like shooter” in this Percy Allen piece), and above average athleticism. Dude can fly a little bit.

As far as what the recruiting experts think? Scout and Rivals awarded him four stars, while ESPN stuck with three. Despite the difference, all three sights have him pegged between #22 and #25 in the Class of 2013 shooting guard rankings. According to Rivals, he also held offers from a ton of West Coast programs, including UCLA, Gonzaga, Oregon, and San Diego State.

I didn’t write this post to serve as some sort of hype-man for Johnson, to over inflate expectations for his freshman year. While Romar has specifically stated that he expects Johnson to contribute as a freshman, it seems fairly likely that his contributions will come off of the bench in this first upcoming season. But, as baseless as this may sound, something about Johnson’s demeanor, both on the court and in interviews, and the style of his game has me thinking that he will adjust to college very well, and serve as a dependable scorer off the bench from near the beginning of his career.

If you didn’t follow the link to the Percy Allen story, do it. Johnson states that he signed with Washington because Romar is a coach he can relate to, because he enjoys his honesty and straightforward nature, and because he wants to get to the NBA, and knows that Romar has had success developing league-bound scoring guards. To me, those are the exact reasons a kid should be interested in UW, and to see that Johnson sees this so clearly, while it obviously has no direct impact on his basketball talent, is also encouraging

Jan. 7, 2012; Provo, UT, USA; San Francisco forward Perris Blackwell (22) shoots against the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half at the Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming I’m correct, and Johnson’s skill and attitude allow him to play solid minutes off the bench, he will be another part of the solution to a problem discussed in the aforementioned Mike Anderson post: a lack of fundamental, dependable players, especially off the bench. Watching last year’s team, it was sometimes surprising to me that they won as many games as they did, simply because their on-court performances were so much uglier than their sub-par record.

Guys just played stupid, often passionless basketball. I’ve gone into this a lot, but it’s worth mentioning again. Terrible free throw percentages almost every game, a lack of hustle in transition, the allowing of back-door dunk after back-door dunk, saving the ball in bounds under their own basket.

And beyond this lack of mental toughness and hustle, there were also big issues with the make-up of the team. The starting lineup struggled badly to put up efficient points due to a lack of scoring aside from jumpers. No one could be depended on to score in the post (N’Diaye was solid, but his inability to catch the ball and his constant turnovers hurt. Kemp also began to develop a post-game late in the year, but it is still a work in progress), and with no one able to put pressure on the defense with inside scoring from the guard position, that meant highly contested jumpers from Wilcox and Suggs. There is a reason Wilcox regressed so badly. He wasn’t open after a possession of running around screens, because he was the only guy defenses had to worry about.

And when the starters turned over the ball or threw up clunkers, Romar couldn’t turn to his very thin bench and expect a change. This year, while there is a lack of defined roles and even experience with three starters graduating, there will be no shortage of solid basketball players. So many, in fact, that there is bound to be near starter-quality contributors off of the bench.

With Mike Moser headed to Oregon, the chance that Perris Blackwell gets a starting spot alongside, presumably, Shawn Kemp Jr, seems higher. So play along with me and assume, though it is in no way guaranteed, that the starting lineup next season is Nigel Williams-Goss, Andrew Andrews, C.J. Wilcox, Perris Blackwell, and Shawn Kemp Jr. Depending on just how well NWG and Blackwell play, and how much Andrews and Kemp improve, that isn’t a top-flight starting five. But do you realize who that would leave on the bench?

In the frontcourt, Desmond Simmons would be there to sub in for rebounding and defense. Jernard Jarreau, an intriguing player due to his shooting touch and length, but someone held back by his thin frame, would be there as well. Gilles Dierickx, if he’s really a player capable of getting minutes, would be a sort of wildcard thrown in there as well.

In the backcourt, the bench contributors would be, in my opinion, more exciting. Mike Anderson, who judging by his JUCO stats is capable of scoring from everywhere on the floor while also rebounding much harder than the average two or three, would be there. Darin Johnson, who I just spoke pretty highly of, would be there.

Dec 14, 2011; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward James Padgett (35) goes up for a shot as FIU Panthers center Gilles Dierickx (15) defends in the first half at Comcast Center. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

With both Andrews and NWG capable of playing point guard in shuffled lineups, Romar would have a well-rounded nine man rotation right there, with NWG, Andrews, Wilcox, Blackwell, Kemp, Simmons, Jarreau, Anderson, and Johnson.

That would leave Dierickx out of the rotation, but for all I know he would be ahead of Jarreau, or simply serve as a tenth man in Romar’s pocket. This scenario would also allow him to redshirt Jahmel Taylor, while leaving Hikeem Stewart, who has given me no reason to believe he’ll crack the rotation, and walk-ons Dion Overstreet and Quinn Sterling on the far end of the bench.

Having Moser in that starting lineup would have obviously made the depth much more impressive, and the team more of a threat to compete for the Pac-12 tournament. But now that he’s a done deal to Oregon, this is where the Huskies stand (Unless Romar adds another JUCO player).

How well the rotation I just laid out actually performs next year will vary widely. On the development in returning players like Kemp and Andrews, who showed a ton of potential last year but who were still very raw. On the ability of Williams-Goss and Johnson to come in and play Pac-12 level basketball in their first year on campus. On the successful transition from smaller schools to the big-time for transfers Mike Anderson (coming from a community college) and Perris Blackwell (much less of an issue, coming from the WCC).

But unless they all fall way short of reasonable expectations, this team looks miles ahead of last year’s sorry squad, and to me it looks like year one of a return to the “Romar Way,” even if it may be a rough return at times.

With such a deep bench, Romar can rest his starters early and often. He won’t need to play his best guys into the ground like he did last year (when despite a nagging injury, Wilcox played 34.8 minutes a game, more than any player in the Romar era). Everyone will be fresh, and combined with the subtraction of the placid seniors and the addition of natural leader NWG and a greater role for the fiery Andrews, it should mean a more aggressive squad on offense and defense.

Does that mean they’ll win the Pac-12? Probably not. But they will have serious potential, and should grow over the course of the year, and after last year’s purgatorial season, that is big-time progress.

While the information itself broke on twitter, with Dave Softy Mahler appearing to be the first one reporting, Washington posted Otzelberger’s bio on GoHuskies.com just a handful of minutes later, almost instantly proving Softy’s “sources” absolutely correct.

The bio focuses particularly on Otzelberger’s experience as a recruiter, and runs through a pretty thorough list of the players that have found success at Iowa State during his tenure, including Royce White and Craig Brackins. It also goes over Iowa State’s success in the classroom and in the community over that seven year period, and finishes with a rundown of Otzelberger’s personal history as a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and his time as an assistant at Chipola Junior College.

It is always tough to determine how much of an impact an assistant will have on a college basketball team, especially as they do not usually control specific position groups like a quarterbacks coach or a defensive line coach in football. Recruiting is certainly the place where their impact can be felt the most blatantly, and so it makes sense that recruiting history would be the meat of Otzelberger’s bio.

Hopefully he manages to make a positive impact here at Washington, though at this point I do not know enough about Otzelberger, or how his addition could impact the existing members of Romar’s staff. More information as soon as it becomes available.