Nov 26, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Kasen Williams (2) jumps over Washington State Cougars cornerback Nolan Washington (2) during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

The new football year is now less than a week away. This season looks to be promising in many ways, some of the big time talent is back, other positions have been reloaded, there are new coaches calling the shots. Excitement is in the air for Husky Nation.

The Husky Haul is also in the process of re-loading and re-tooling. There are some changes happening here, which I am sure by now you have picked up on. There are a few that are very exciting and others that are just re-tooling. All-in-all we will continue to bring you great opinions and coverage.

I, (Mark) am taking more of a backseat this year. I will still be around, but won’t be the day in and day out guy that is constantly posting content. I have taken on a bigger role at Fansided and am going to really hone in on that. However, I still get scoops on basketball recruiting from time to time. I still have opinions, and so you will still hear my voice.

The current all-stars for Husky Haul will be still rocking it. Griffin and his boys from Montlake Madness are still going strong with their basketball coverage. Carl will continually be dropping his quirky and history-filled pieces. Jeff will be around with his aggressive opinions, Sean is just getting started, and of course Walter will keep the links filled up for you at the hub.

I am close to picking out a content editor. But want to also extend the invite out to others that want to write for the site. Whether you can give a post a week or you are shooting for twice a day. Go ahead and fill this out.

Lastly, thanks to you the readers! This site turned out to be WAY MORE than I ever expected or dreamed. I really never expected to have over 1100 followers on twitter with thousands checking out the site a day. Thanks!

ASU lost assistant Scott Pera last night to Penn. Today, assistant Lamont Smith informed Herb Sendek that he is leaving for Washington.

— Doug Haller (@DougHaller) August 23, 2012

JArizona State Sun Devils head coach Herb Sendek loses coach Lamont Smith to Washington. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

This will be Romar’s second hire in the past couple weeks as he also pulled away D-II championship coach, Brad Jackson from Western Washington. The only known departure from the staff is Raphael Chillious who went closer to home to be an assistant at Villanova.

Smith was a graduate assistant at St. Louis for Romar but has spent his last few seasons coaching at Arizona State. He has also been the assistant coach at Santa Clara and St. Mary’s. He is known for his ability to help recruit and work with the big-men down-low. There is no word on what his specific role for UW will be yet.

This is another good hire for Romar who seems to have been spending his days recruiting coaches to continue to compete in the re-loaded Pac 12. Adding these two assistant coaches will help, especially since Romar had zero new recruits in 2012. These two coaches were his big recruits for the season.

Jackson can seriously help the offense and game-plans and Smith may be helping fill the void that Chillious left in recruiting.

Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Mark McLaughlin decided to leave the University of Washington to “pursue other opportunities” and sources are indicating that it may be paid opportunities overseas.

However, in light of his departure there is a hole that needs to be filled. This is not indicative of the hole that was left in the 2012 recruiting class that now has zero recruits listed in it. The hole that needs to be filled is his spot in and on the rotation. He was going to play a big role in it.

There were some that even thought he could start over one of the other guards because of his ability to score. He was the leading point scorer in the country last season on all collegiate levels at over 26 points a game. His ability to find a seam in the defense, shoot from deep, and take it to the hole would have fit extremely well in the Husky system.

Now, Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies are left with just a few pure shooting guards.

There are two shooting guards on the roster in Scott Suggs and CJ Wilcox. There is also Hikeem Stewart who we have yet to determine how he fits best in the rotation (point guard or shooting guard). Then the Dawgs have a couple point guards in Abdul Gaddy and Andrew Andrews.

This may leave the Huskies with some of the least amount of guards they have had in years. There is now no room to red-shirt anyone, especially with two transfers already on the bench.

Possible help in the rotation:

• Gaddy and Andrews may need to play alongside each other a little more. This would most likely push Gaddy into the main role while they look for Andrews along the perimeter. He is known for his deep three-point shot.
• Stewart will need to find his rhythm and get fully adjusted to the college game. Husky fans saw glimpses of what ‘could be’ last season and a few times of a young basketball player nervous on the floor. Stewart will be the guy off the bench to help Wilcox and Suggs.
• Suggs and Wilcox will have a lot more minutes between the two of them. They will need to get in condition for this extra work-load. Similar to the run Isaiah Thomas had to have when Gaddy went down two seasons ago.
• There is also Martin Breunig, that in high school played more of a perimeter big-man role anyways. He can shoot from outside and was fairly inconsistent inside last season. They may find him feeling more natural outside.

This shouldn’t completely hurt the Huskies because Suggs and Wilcox are very talented. But this does hamper much depth. If Stewart takes a big step forward this year, then there won’t be much missing of McLaughlin. However, if an injury happens, this could be a tight situation for the Huskies.

Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian was hoping to have Cooper this season in the RB rotation. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

I am still saddened about Deonate Cooper tearing his ACL in his right knee. I am saddened not as a fan but as a human being. This is frustrating for a young man that has been doing it right, yet still can’t find his way onto the field after two seasons. He now he enters his third, injured again.

Cooper did it right. He was a stellar athlete in high school, accepted the scholarship to the University of Washington, qualified and in Fall camp tore a ligament in his left knee. He needed surgery and after almost completely recovering he re-tore that same knee.

Now, as he faces another surgery and another season watching his friends play in the game he fell in love with, and live out the dream he is still chasing.

This is frustrating because Cooper wasn’t doing something stupid to get this injury. He wasn’t even playing another sport. What he was doing was simply practicing football. As many fans and media members have noted; he doesn’t deserve this.

I had a friend growing up that was ridiculously talented. A top wide-receiver in the state who was about to accept a scholarship from Oregon. However, he decided to show off in a pickup basketball game and he tore his ACL. Oregon rescinded the scholarship offer because of the injury. He lost his opportunity to chase his football dream because of a basketball game.

This was an accident the first time, but he did it again. He began to train in track and he even was participating as an individual at track meets all over the West Coast. I had a chance to watch him at a University of Washington track meet. And because he was an amazing athlete, he went to Olympic trials and was headed to the 2008 Summer Olympics. However, a couple weeks after the trials, he decided to have another dunk contest at a pickup basketball game.

He re-tore his ACL. At this point, he deserved it. He couldn’t keep focused on his goal. He ruined his dream twice because he wanted to show off on the basketball court.

Cooper did not do this. He recovered right, stayed smart off the field. And he was simply running a non-contact drill and he tore his ACL. It is saddening, frustrating, and discouraging. My heart truly goes out to Cooper.

He has already missed two seasons and will now have to sit out for a third. This torn ACL will need surgery and will force Cooper to spend this season recovering. It is sad for any Husky fan and really any fan as he simply cannot get on the field. Disheartening.

Here is the statement from CoachSark.com:

I am saddened and dismayed to report that Deontae Cooper has torn the ACL in his right knee while participating in a non-contact drill during practice. Deontae has done everything we have asked of him, and has been an example to his teammates with his hard work in the classroom, and the dedication he showed in returning from two previous ACL surgeries in his left knee. Our football program will do everything we can to support him in this tough time.

Cooper was a highly rated running-back out of high school and was expected to be a big-time contributor for the Huskies. Yet injuries have kept him from even playing in one collegiate game.

Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

Yesterday, was the mark of the first day of Husky football camp. Here are some important tweets, links, and other related content you as the Husky fan will want to check out.

Let me also point you to this landing page, where we have a wonderful staff writer that takes the time to constantly update that information. We will be changing the logo soon as he has expanded to football links too.

Drew Schaefer worked as the first team left tackle with Kohler at center before the injury.

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) August 7, 2012

UW updated roster out.Two scholarship players not on it — redshirt frosh LB Matt Lyons and true frosh WR Dwayne Washington.

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 6, 2012

UW QB Keith Price, who said he played last year at 185 pounds, listed at 202 as camp begins. …

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 6, 2012

Guys coming off injury such as Colin Tanigawa, Deontae Cooper, Hau’oli Jamora were pretty limited. But all were out there. …

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 7, 2012

Video from Ryan Divish of Tacoma News Tribune. Keith Price after Day 1 camp.

This is a good link from the Kitsap Sun about the Day 1 for the Dawgs.

Spoke w/ Deontae Cooper 2day. Not only is he not afraid of contact, he’s looking forward to his knee taking a hit yfrog.com/o0ao9mgj

— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) August 7, 2012

Shaq Thompson is going to be everything people have told us. Needs to earn it, but stood out from the pack today. Fast, strong, instincts

— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) August 7, 2012

ESPN says that the Huskies are opening with a lot of “maybes”.

Finally, notes from Bob Condotta and video of Sark’s press conference.

The Pac-12 has some really talented quarterbacks at the top, some average ones in the middle, and then there are the situations where I could run quarterback and there would still be success. That’s saying something.

12. UCLA- Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince, Richard Brehaut

Truth be told, it doesn’t really matter which of the three win the job. None of them are that great, and that is why they are in this mess of a three way quarterback battle. It is rare to find a team that has three exceptional quarterbacks and they have to “pick” one. Usually, when there is a clear winner, he reveals himself pretty quick. This is not the case. By the end of the season, we may have even seen all three of these quarterbacks start at one time or another.

California Golden Bears quarterback Zach Maynard (US PRESSWIRE)

11. Arizona State- Mike Bercovici or Michael Eubank

Eubank is the more physically gifted of the two but Bercovici may be the most ready. I think in the end Eubank wins this battle and reminds people of a faster Osweiler. He is big, strong, and likes to move around. But he is not nearly elite, yet.

10. California- Zach Maynard

Maynard is so inconsistent, Cal fans can’t be mad at me for having him so low. He will hit a receiver on a dime once, then the next throw is in the ground or sailing over the head of his target. He has the ability to be talented and his receivers, especially Keenan Allen, are special. They will make him look better than he actually is.

9. Colorado- Jordan Webb or Connor Wood

Webb is a transfer from Kansas with experience under his belt and Wood is from Texas. In the end, it will probably be Webb because he only has two years left and already has experience. Webb isn’t going to “wow” anyone but he can hold his own in the Buffalo offense.

8. Oregon State- Sean Mannion

By now, we all know Mannion. He is an average quarterback on a team that seems to consistently under-achieve or over-achieve depending on who you are. This year Mannion should be slightly better but don’t look for him to be elite in the Pac-12.

7. Stanford- Brett Nottingham

Nottingham is my guess right now and looks to be the favorite to replace Andrew Luck. The offensive system will center around the running game but Nottingham has good ability to manage the game. There isn’t a lot to pull from, but reports are that he will be a pretty good QB for the Cardinal.

6. Oregon- Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota

This is a system. It won’t matter which one wins the job and in the future, Chip Kelly may figure out how to have his worst player do it so he can save his athletes for other positions. They are ranked high because it is a system that works. They score lots of points, but it is more about the play calling and knowing how to run the system more than actually being an elite quarterback.

5. Arizona- Matt Scott

Rich Rodriquez is excited to have Scott on his newly inherited team as Scott fits into the spread offense. He was red-shirted last year for his senior year and now he comes in ready to start in his fifth year. Scott ran the spread offense in High School where he quickly became one of the better “athlete” recruits. He should be able to put up big numbers for the Wildcats.

Washington State Cougars quarterback Jeff Tuel (10). Mandatory Credit: James Snook-US PRESSWIRE

4. Washington State- Jeff Tuel

The Cougars have had a trio of quarterbacks make their mark over at WSU. There have been surprises come out of Pullman and out of that depth chart. Tuel is still the best on the team, and if he can stay healthy should put up huge amounts of numbers in the Mike Leach offense.

3. Utah- Jordan Wynn

Wynn should have a good year. Last year, he was in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-12 but a shoulder injury pushed him to the sidelines. This year he is once again poised and ready to be one of the better quarterbacks in this conference. His shoulder seems to be completely healed and according to reports out of Utah, he has a lot of confidence to have a big year.

2. Washington- Keith Price

Price already has his name in the Heisman race because of his breakout year last season. If he continues to put up numbers and shine like he did in 2011-2012, then he will cement his name in that race.

1. USC- Matt Barkley

If you are reading this post and don’t know his name already, I am surprised you made it this far. He is elite. He could find himself as the Heisman winner, top pick in the NFL draft, and even holding the National Championship trophy. This is a big, big, season for Barkley.

Client Everette Thompson from the University of Washingtonian will be signing with the Arizona Cardinals today….good job Everette

— Donte Robinson (@DRobinson_Elite) August 3, 2012

Sep 24, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Zach Maynard (15) passes the ball while Washington Huskies defensive tackle Everrette Thompson (92) tries to block the pass in the 1st quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

This is great news for Thompson as he has been looking for a spot since graduating from the University of Washington. This contract is most likely just a spot for training camp with the potential of earning a position on the team.

Thompson has experience playing defensive tackle in college but spent the majority of his time at the defensive end. His Senior year at UW, he recorded 41 total tackles, 19 being solo, five were a tackle for loss, and he also recorded two sacks. In the game against Hawaii, Thompson blocked two PATs.

He has been a productive player from the beginning for the Huskies in his freshman year he had 18 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss in 11 games.

The depth chart for the Arizona Cardinals could be improved at the defensive end position. Right now the Cardinals list (in order); Calais Campbell, Vonnie Holliday, and Ronald Talley as the ends. Thompson will look to find his way on the roster or the practice squad. And Arizona is looking for Thompson to add more size to the position. Thompson is listed at 6’6, 272 on the Huskies website. It is unknown if he has added or decreased weight since school.

Either way, Thompson is a former Husky to watch as he looks for a way onto the Arizona roster.

Oregon State Beavers guard Ahmad Starks. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

This year in the Pac-12 the teams have less proven “super-stars” but yet as a whole the conference will be stronger. There is a lot of talent in the Pac-12  and someone at the end of the year will hold up the award for the conference’s best player. I decided to go through and give each team their best player (or my opinion of their best) and rank them. Therefore, while there are some teams that will have multiple candidates for the award, I picked just one. For example, Solomon Hill is not on this list but he might be a legit contender in the end.

These are my very early preseason candidates for the conference player of the year award.

12. Arizona State- Jahii Carson

A red-shirt freshman from Arizona State may have to be the big-man on the roster as it is a completely re-tooling and re-loading roster. He does have some good talent and he has had a year to get better and learn the system. However, when compared to other players on this list, he still has a ways to go.

11. Oregon State- Ahmad Starks

Another team that is reloading. They will miss their star from last year, Jared Cunnigham, and other guards will need to step up in this system. Starks could be the leading scorer for the team by mid-season. However, similar to Carson, on this list he has more work to do.

10. Arizona- Nick Johnson

There is a lot of talent on Arizona, especially young talent. I thought about Solomon Hill but I really think that Johnson will take a huge step forward and he was already impressive last year. Johnson has a knack for scoring and he will help lead this team, the ball will be in his hands a lot.

9. Oregon- EJ Singler

He can score, and he will have to lead this team.

8. Stanford- Chasson Randle

Randle was the leading scorer last season for the Cardinal and should take another step forward this season. He will have the help of Aaron Bright and Stanford will rely on his hot hands.

7. Utah- Aaron Dotson

Utah will look like a different team next season. They have some big time play-makers coming in. I doubt they are going to compete for the crown but they will surprise a lot of people. Part of that success will come from Dotson. He is a pure-scorer and can hit from deep or take it to the rack. When he is motivated, he will score.

6. USC- Jio Fontan

The Trojans will also look like a completely different team, having their starters back again. Fontan is explosive and a very skilled scorer. He can also distribute the ball with ease and accuracy. Fontan has a shot as the Pac-12 best player but it needs to be seen.

5. Washington- CJ Wilcox

You know what Wilcox can do. He can shoot from three, and last season he added to his arsenal the ability to take it to the hole. He needs to do more of that to be really considered in this race. There is a chance that another Husky could emerge too (Mark Mclaughlin, Abdul Gaddy) but most likely Wilcox is going to be the one in the mix.

4. Washington State- Brock Motum

Motum showed that his motor is constant. He can shoot and he can play with his back to the basket. He is hard to defend and may have a legitimate shot at the Pac-12 player of the year award.

3. California- Allen Crabbe

Crabbe was the go-to-guy last season for the Golden Bears outside of Jorge Gutierrez and he will now be the focus point of the offense.

2. UCLA- Shabazz Muhammad

The top ranked recruit in the Pac-12 is also a contender for the Pac-12 player of the year award because of his ability to take-over basketball games. He should be a one-and-done player and a potential top 10 pick if he continues to dominate the way he did in high school.

1. Colorado- Andre Roberson

This is one of those guys that will make or break his career on this season. He can be one of the top picks in the NBA Draft next season if he continues to tear it up on the hardwood. However, if he takes a step back that could hurt both his player of the year chances and his draft stock. He is impressive on defense and on offense. The Buffs will really utilize his decision to come back to Colorado for another year and he has my very early prediction as Pac-12 player of the year.

July 29, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterbacks Jake Locker (10) and Matt Hasselbeck (8) talk during training camp workout at the Titans training facility at Baptist Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE

Mike Lombardi of the NFL Network says that Jake Locker may hold a slight lead in the Tennessee Titans quarterback competition against 37 year old Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans may be moving towards their first round pick from last season to help bring youth and speed to the position.

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com said this about the competition:

Despite Matt Hasselbeck’s solid performance last regular season, Locker’s explosive skill set can’t be denied. The hope and expectation inside the Titans’ building is that Locker will take the job. The second-year pro is the man the Titans want leading the team, even with a difficult early schedule.

Former Washington Husky, Jake Locker is the faster, more athletic of the two and the quarterback the Titans want for the future. If they feel he is ready to take the helm, even if he isn’t as polished as Hasselbeck, the Titans may feel it is time to develop him as the starter by being the starter.

However, reports out of training, from The Tennessean, state that the battle is close. The day after Lombardi declares Locker with the lead, Hasselbeck has an amazing day at camp and Locker isn’t as impressive.

John Glennon said:

The veteran finished 17-of-22 passing with one interception, while second-year pro Jake Locker went 8-for-20 with no interceptions.

Hasselbeck looked especially sharp in the two-minute drill. He went 7-for-9, deftly leading the first-team down the field and into the end zone. He utilized a number of different receivers and threw a touchdown pass to Nate Washington.

I covered the Huskies when Locker was the QB and saw what he could do. I also watched the Seahawks as a fan and saw what Hasselbeck can do. In my mind, it depends which way the Titans want to go. Hasselbeck is a safe and smart QB but Locker is a freak of an athlete that can make special plays, but that comes with the downside of forced plays or balls thrown in tight locations.

While Hasselbeck impresses in training camp, the reality is that it will come down to if the coaches want to go with the future now or the future later.

November 19, 2011; Columbus, OH, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Khairi Fortt (11) waves to supporters as the team arrives for their game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram

Ryan Nowicki and Khairi Fortt are both looking at transferring out. Nowicki has decided to move on from Penn State while Fortt is still uncertain with his decision. Both are close to deciding, and a decision from either could come as early as today (Tuesday).

Nowicki is done with all of his visits. He visited in a hurry; Washington, Illinois, and Arizona State. He will decide between the three of those and different “insiders” have a different perspective. There are some that think that Illinois is the favorite, others that say it’s Washington, and Arizona State had the last visit giving them a great shot, they are also the home-state. In reality, it could be any of those three.

Nowicki is a big offensive lineman out of Arizona. He would provide immediate depth and starter minutes for the Huskies if he chooses UW. Look for his decision any day now.

Forrt on the other hand has only visited California and yet is set to decide soon. He has officially eliminated UCONN states Dave Ruden of Stamford Advocate. Ruden also provides this insight:

Guy Fortt said that he thinks a decision about whether Khairi will remain at Penn State or head elsewhere should come by midweek. Guy has stressed throughout the process that his son is very much enamored with the Nittany Lions’ new coaching staff. Khairi reportedly liked his visit to California but there is some trepidation about moving to the West Coast. It is believed Baylor also remains in the mix.

There is no mention of the University of Washington and it doesn’t look like Fortt will visit and already has hesitation about coming to the West Coast for Cal. It looks like UW is out of the running for Fortt especially with his decision imminent and no scheduled visit to Washington.

Washington may be able to grab Nowicki but it appears Fortt is out for UW.

January 10, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Nate Robinson (2) shoots the ball during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Heat 111-106 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Former University of Washington guard, Nate Robinson, is expected to sign with the Chicago Bulls as early as tonight and as late as tomorrow morning. Robinson played for the Golden State Warriors last season.

Nate Robinson will sign a one-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, according to sources close to situation. The deal should be finalized soon.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 30, 2012

Rumors are circulating that it will be just a one year contract for the veteran minimum. This is not official yet but many estimate that is what his market will bring. He is a backup guard and will most likely see roles as both in the shooting guard capacity and on the point. However, the point guard role is currently a log-jam. The Bulls have Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich, and Marquis Teague all currently listed on their depth chart.

His role as a veteran on the team will provide leadership and depth. As a player coming off the bench last season for the Warriors he averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 assists per game on 23.4 minutes a game.

One fan has already given a look at what Robinson will look like in a Bulls jersey:


The deal should be finalized soon and Robinson will join his fifth NBA team in his career; New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and now the Chicago Bulls.

Chastain is a former Olympic soccer player for the USA team where she won two gold medals and two world cups as part of that team. However, Solo was not happy about the comments that Chastain made and specifically, targeted Chastain as someone that should help grow the sport not criticize it.

Here were Solo’s tweets:

Its 2 bad we cant have commentators who better represents the team&knows more about the game @brandichastain! #fb

— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 28, 2012

Lay off commentating about defending and gking until you get more educated @brandichastain the game has changed from a decade ago. #fb — Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 28, 2012

Its important 2 our fans 2 enjoy the spirit of the olympics.Its not possible when sum1 on air is saying that a player is the worst defender! — Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 28, 2012

I feel bad 4 our fans that have 2 push mute, especially bc @arlowhite is fantastic.@brandichastainshould be helping 2 grow the sport #fb

— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 28, 2012

Solo has drawn criticism for her comments and even has had to have a special meeting with the coach. However, in a USA Today article they stated that others have defended Solo and stated that Chastain and her generation is nervous that this new generation will eclipse the past one. That article also showed Chastain’s reply which was:

“I’m here to do my job, which is to be an honest and objective analyst at the Olympics,”

Solo has always shown a high amount of confidence and ‘swagger’ and that is one of the things that makes her such a great goalie. She doesn’t back down from anyone on or off the pitch, and she defends her team as much as she defends the net.

The Husky Alum and the rest of her USA team will be playing North Korea on Tuesday to finish up their “Group G” play.

Would you pick Marcus Lattimore? Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

The Penn State situation, where any player can freely transfer to another university with no repercussions, can play immediately, and can be recruited by another coach, leads rise to the question: If you could have only one free transfer, from any school, who would you want?

It got me thinking about who I would pick for the Huskies? That led me to a few different things to consider; do I simply pick a player off the Heisman list, the player most likely to go first in the NFL draft, a player that would help a weaker unit, or an impact player that can make plays all over the offensive side of the ball?

Heisman Hopefuls

The 2012 Heisman hopeful list put out by the Heismanpundit.com has 18 players on it.

Tavon Austin, Sr., AP, West Virginia

Montee Ball, Sr., RB, Wisconsin

Matt Barkley, Sr., QB, USC

Tajh Boyd, Jr., QB, Clemson

Tyler Bray, Jr., QB, Tennessee

Knile Davis, Jr., RB, Arkansas

James Franklin, Jr., QB, Missouri

Landry Jones, Sr., QB, Oklahoma

Collin Klein, Sr., QB, Kansas State

Marcus Lattimore, Jr., RB, South Carolina

Aaron Murray, Jr., QB, Georgia

Keith Price, Jr., QB, Washington

Denard Robinson, Sr., QB, Michigan

Geno Smith, Sr., QB, West Virginia

De’Anthony Thomas, So., RB, Oregon

Sammy Watkins, So, WR, Clemson

Tyler Wilson, Sr., QB, Arkansas

Cierre Wood, Sr., RB, Notre Dame

First off, it is great to see Price on that list and thus you may as well eliminate any QB as the free transfer. Then there is guys like Montee Ball or Marcus Lattimore, who would be a huge boost for the Huskies, but if you only get to pick one would you pick a running-back? Same goes for a wide-receiver.

First Pick in the 2013 NFL Draft

Let’s be real, this is probably Matt Barkley or Tyler Bray. The quarterback position is simply too valuable in the NFL and unless a beast emerges on either the defensive or offensive line, it will almost always go to a QB.

Thus, we arrive at the same dilemma; it would be foolish to waste that free transfer on a QB with Price being certainly capable of running the show. However, maybe you feel differently, you can vote at the bottom.

Husky Biggest Need

The Huskies have a few needs that could be addressed, for example, depth on the line. Therefore, do you grab a guy like Chris Faulk a big offensive tackle from LSU who is regarded as one of the best at his position? OR do you consider the bigger need not a unit that needs depth but talent like at the corner-back position.

The best corner-back in the game is generally regarded as David Amerson from North Carolina State. However, getting a guy like Tyrann Mathieu is better when it comes to a player that can make plays on both sides of the ball. Do you grab one of those guys? That would make it so Desmond Trufant would move to guarding the second best wide-receivers on most teams, freeing up some of that responsibility.

Impact Player

There are a few impact players that already reside on the Husky offensive like Kasen Williams and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. But can you really have too many impact players?

Mathieu who we listed above is one of those, Robert Woods and Keenan Allen are a couple more that many consider as high impact guys especially on the offensive side of the ball.

My Selection

That gives a pretty solid list of players to pick from, but I think if all is said and done I would pick someone that would change the course of games on the defensive side of the ball and in kick returns; Tyrann Mathieu.

Your Vote

November 19, 2011; Columbus, OH, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Khairi Fortt (11) waves to supporters as the team arrives for their game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram

Khairi Fortt is another name that has popped up in connection with a Penn State transfer to Washington. He is a talented linebacker that according to reports from Dave Ruden has interest from 12 schools.

ESPN.com lists Washington in that mix and currently Fortt is on the West Coast visiting the California Golden Bears. If there is any mutual return in interest, UW may be able to get him to swing up before flying back to Penn State. Currently, Ruden says he has no other visits scheduled but that could change. He also doesn’t plan to make a decision by Monday.

I talked with Tim Tolley from VictoryBellRings.com, the Penn State affiliate for Fansided.com, about Fortt. Tolley told me that Fortt is a freak of an athlete.

“Big, strong, fast. He’s fast enough to play any LB spot but he’s a mlb on our depth chart.  Highly recruited out of high school in Connecticut. Was partially recruited to PSU by silas redd, who’s from his hometown. He added like 8-10 pounds this post off-season.”

He also went on to explain that he was going to be competing for the starting MLB role this season with the returning starter from last season. Fortt is more athletic and talented but sometimes over relies on his speed/athleticism and loses his discipline. Tolley said, “If he plays more disciplined, he has all-conference caliber talent.”

It is no surprise that Washington is interested in Fortt as he would be a veteran linebacker with much needed talent and ability. He would most likely start on the Husky defense and with his ability to play other linebacker positions could find himself putting in lots of minutes.

However, the chances look slim that he will find his way to UW, with the amount of schools that are pursuing him and he has even mentioned he is willing to stay at Penn State. But certainly a name to keep an eye on.