Happy hump day, Husky fans. Here’s some mid-week Husky links. Anybody else packing for Sasquatch today?

Steve Sarkisian, like many other college football coaches, is the highest paid state employee.

Huskies basketball coach Lorenzo Romar was paid $1.35 million and the highest paid state employee in Washington is Huskies football coach, Steve Sarkisian, who made $2.7 million. Compare that to former Gov. Christine Gregoire who was paid $161,000 in 2012.

As part of its Pac-12 Preview series, Saturday Blitz is ranking players at each position. Luke Brietzke calls Keith Price the fifth-best signal caller.

Price’s ability or failure to take the next step could play a huge role in head coach and noted quarterback whisperer Steve Sarkisian keeping his job at Washington. Despite his struggles in 2012, Price has already shown he’s capable of plenty more.

ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog examines the bye weeks for each team in the Pac-12. Ted Miller grades the Huskies’ bye weeks as a C.

If the first weekend is the worst for a bye, the second shouldn’t be much better. On the other hand, the matchup with Boise State in a remodeled Husky Stadium should be loaded with pre-game hype, so a break after that emotional showdown — win or lose — might be a good thing.

Good morning, Husky fans. It’s been a while without a Morning Haul, so let’s catch up.

How do you keep out of trouble as a student-athlete in the offseason?

The Oregon Ducks have boasted some of the all-time best off-season ventures with athletes like Kiko Alonso, La Michael James, Rob Beard and the immutable Cliff Harris all helping to prove that nobody does off-season like Oregon. And, of course,who could forget the day that Tyler Thomas, an Oregon State offensive lineman, got tased?

Kevin Gemmell says the Huskies’ most important player this season is Sean Parker.

As stated above, quarterbacks are excluded from this series. But we never said anything about excluding the quarterback of the defense. And that’s exactly what Sean Parker is for the Huskies — a quarterback at safety who headlines a surging secondary.

ESPN.com has a video on one of the Huskies biggest strength this season: their offensive line.

The Huskies have good experience and depth across the offensive line.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins’ pre-trial hearing for his DUI was postponed until July 1.

UW tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence in April, had a pre-trail hearing in Seattle Municipal Court today postponed until July 1. Defense attorney Bill Kirk asked for the delay and a release of a $1,000 bail on the condition that Seferian-Jenkins abstain from drinking and not drive without an Ignition Interlock Device.

 

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!

Oct 13, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard John Martinez (59) blocks Washington Huskies defensive tackle Danny Shelton (71) during the game at CenturyLink Field. Southern California defeated Washington 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier today, the watch list for the 2013 Lott IMPACT Award was announced. The list of 42 players around the nation included 11 from the Pac-12. Representing Washington are linebacker John Timu and defensive lineman Danny Shelton.

The award is named after former USC Trojan and San Francisco 49er, Ronnie Lott. It is more than just a defensive award, it is also an award based on character. IMPACT stands for: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

It is always nice to see two Huskies on an award watch list, but this seems even better, seeing as character and academics are taken into account. We all know Timu and Shelton are monsters on the field, but to be recognized for their character off of it many times means even more to the athletes.

After not having a player on the watch list last season, the Huskies have two this one. UCLA joins Washington as the only Pac-12 schools with multiple nominees.

The full list of Pac-12 players on the watch list is: Henry Anderson (Stanford), Anthony Barr (UCLA), Scott Crichton (Oregon State), Alden Darby (Arizona State), Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Oregon), Jake Fischer (Arizona), Eric Kendricks (UCLA), Devon Kennard (USC) and Ed Reynolds (Stanford).

This year the Pac-12 makes up more than a quarter of the nominees and will try to win the award for just the second time. The only Pac-10/12 player to ever win the award was California’s Dante Hughes in 2006. Last season, Manti Te’o took home the award.

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

After a long few weeks of pre-draft, draft and post-draft coverage, the storm is clearing and we have a good idea of where our first-year Dawgs are going to end up. Obviously, Desmond Trufant is the big name of the group and was selected No. 22 overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Unlike the others, he should have no problems making the roster. His biggest battle will be that of a starting role. No other Huskies were drafted, but two were signed as undrafted free agents. After tryouts with their respective teams, fullback Jonathan Amosa and safety Justin Glenn both sign NFL contracts; Amosa’s with the Green Bay Packers and Glenn’s with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now, simply signing the contract doesn’t in the slightest mean you have a roster spot. There are already UDFAs getting cut around the league. What it means for Amosa and Glenn is that they are getting their shot in the NFL.

Both are going to need to hone their special teams skills in order to stick in the league (at least at first), as the Packers are set at fullback with John Kuhn and the Chiefs at safety with Eric Berry among others. Glenn is already a step ahead of many other rookies in that category. Even as a college star, Glenn still played on special teams and excelled at it; he was named the Special Teams MVP at the end-of-season banquet.

Amosa joined the Huskies as a walk on. Not as a fullback, but as a linebacker. The Rainier Beach product spent each of his first three years on campus either on the bench or practice squad as a linebacker before switching sides of the ball and becoming a fullback. In his two years of starting, he caught three passes while blocking for Chris Polk and Bishop Sankey.

While Amosa was lead blocking, the Huskies had two of the most prolific rushing seasons in school history. Polk rushed for 1,488 yards in 2011 (second), while Sankey was good for third, with 1,465 rushing yards in 2012. With the lack of running success the Packers have had recently, it couldn’t hurt to add an extra body. Amosa’s tackling ability as a former linebacker and blocking ability as a fullback should translate well into the Green Bay special teams scheme as well.

Lots of things can change from here until the season starts, but if I had to guess if we’d be seeing these two guys in NFL uniforms in September, my guess would be “yes.” Glenn has the better odds, as he brings more depth and experience to the table on a worse team, but Amosa will have every chance Glenn does to make a roster.

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.

From what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote Monday, it sounds like he is doing pretty well.

Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford were buzzing around the field with ease. You could really see their speed and agility in the special teams stack drill. They’d run and then re-route around the dummy as if they were running down to cover a punt. “It was nice to see Desmond out there,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “The competition was fun. The guys were getting out there working against each other. Desmond has a very good skill set. He’s going to get thrown a whole bunch of things at him over the next month, month and a half.”

Like Jesse wrote on Thursday, Trufant seems to be the real deal and the solution to Atlanta’s hole in the secondary.

As he continues to impress the Falcons, here are some photos of him in his first NFL gear.

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) shown on the field at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

May 4, 2013; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (21) participates in drills at Falcons Rookie Camp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Other Huskies getting their shots in the NFL include Justin Glenn with the Chiefs and Drew Schaefer with the Seahawks.

Oct 27, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Bishop Sankey (25) celebrates his touchdown run against the Oregon State Beavers during the fourth quarter with Washington Huskies quarterback Keith Price (17) and Washington Huskies fullback Jonathan Amosa (48) at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

As seemingly everyone else is doing right about now, I decided to compile some power rankings now that Spring Practice is over and we wait for Fall Practice and finally for the season to get underway. It seems to be the consensus that the Pac-12 has two top-10 teams, if not top-5, in Stanford and Oregon. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, both those teams are in their division. After that, there is a second tier that contains Arizona State, UCLA and Washington. I think Utah, Oregon State and USC are just sightly behind those three with Arizona a little further back. Then, there are the bottom three that don’t really stand a chance to compete this season in California, Washington State and Colorado. Remember when the Cougs and hot, new coach Mike Leach were the favorite underdog to get to a bowl game last season? That optimism has faded away a little.

Because the rankings are totally objective, we’d love to hear your opinions either in the comments or on Twitter, @HuskyHaul! Also, make sure you “like” us on Facebook for even more Husky coverage and interactive goodies, too!

1. Stanford

It really is a toss-up in the top-two of the conference. You can’t go wrong either way as both are fantastic teams that have BCS dreams. I went with Stanford at No. 1 because they offer a more proven entity. Oregon is going through a coaching change and while Mark Helfrich should be able to take over seamlessly, it is never easy replacing a coach such as Chip Kelly. Once the Cardinal figured out Kevin Hogan should be the starter, things turned for the team. Josh Nunes (who is now retired due to injury) wasn’t able to take the team to the heights that Hogan can. Stephan Taylor is a huge loss, but David Shaw has been able to bring in players to fill the hole and the offensive line should be just as massive as it has been in the past.

2. Oregon

There is very much a chance that Oregon comes out on top this season, but I’m a little hesitant to crown the Ducks champions right now. Before I step onto the Helfrich train, I’m going to need to see a map of where it’s going. No matter whether the change takes a little time or not, Marcus Mariota will be running a Heisman campaign that will certainly lead to at least a 10-win season for the Ducks. For them to eclipse that mark and be Pac-12 champs, it depends on how smoothly Helfrich can take over for Kelly.

3. Arizona State

Sept. 22, 2012; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive tackle Will Sutton (90), defensive end Davon Coleman (43), safety Alden Darby (4) and linebacker Brandon Matthew (50) celebrate after beating the Utah Utes 37-7 at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Seeing Todd Graham take a team with less talent than Dennis Erickson had and turn it into a bowl game winner impressed me last season. The Sun Devils aren’t going anywhere; in fact, they have only improved. They lose Cameron Marshall, but he didn’t see the field much at all last season due to the arrivals of D.J. Foster and Marion Grice. Both should be dark-horse candidates for first team All-Pac-12. I’ve managed to write four sentences without even mentioning the dominant defensive line led by Will Sutton or star quarterback, Taylor Kelly. The only presumable weaknesses the Devils might face are at wide receiver (no worries, Chris Coyle can catch 60 passes from the tight end spot) and the secondary. If things play well for Graham and the Sun Devils, look for them in contention for a BCS berth when they are playing in the Pac-12 title game.

4. Washington

Ah, yes. My first gripe with the ESPN rankings. I said in my reaction that ASU, UCLA and UW could be rearranged in any order and make sense. In my mind, Washington is an eight- or nine-win team. With an improved offensive line that won’t be changed on a weekly basis, Keith Price can have some semblance of normalcy in the pocket and adding three four-star receivers to an already impressive group can only help the quarterback get back to his sophomore domination. Losing Desmond Trufant hurts a lot, but Marcus Peters seems ready to step up and fill that slot. This is Steve Sarkisian’s make-or-break year; if he can’t break the seven-win threshold, his job could be in jeopardy.

5. UCLA

One thing you’ll find in common with all the top teams: they all have a quarterback. UCLA might have one of the best, too, in Brett Hundley. I’m still not a big Jim Mora Jr. fan after seeing what he has done in the pros, but there are no questions that he led his team to an impressive season last year. Like Stanford, the Bruins lost their key running back in Jonathan Franklin, but expect Hundley to lead the offense while the offensive line and backfield try to find their identity. Projected first round draft pick Anthony Barr will lead the defense, but it is far from perfect as there are still some question marks in the secondary.

6. Oregon State

The Beavers won’t be catching anyone off guard this season, like they did last year. Mike Riley is one of the best coaches in the conference, if not the country. The Sporting News sure thinks so, ranking him 14th in the nation. Both Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz have made their cases to be the starting quarterback, but neither have proven to be dominant college quarterbacks. Even with the QB controversy, it’s hard not to like the Beavers after last season.

7. Utah

I was tempted to let the Utes jump Oregon State, but I’m not quite sold on them. I was also tempted to drop them below USC and Arizona. It just goes to show how much depth the Pac-12 has this season. Either way, Utah is a very solid team with a quarterback I like a lot in Travis Wilson. Like ASU’s Kelly, Wilson was a freshman starter; however, he didn’t put up quite the numbers Kelly did. He still showed signs of potential, especially in his 300-yard, 2-touchdown game against Arizona. If the Utes can find a way to replace Star Lotulelei, they can contend in a South Division that doesn’t have anyone standing out right now.

8. Arizona

November 10, 2012; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Ka’Deem Carey (25) runs for 46 yards against the Colorado Buffaloes during the second half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Two words: Kadeem. Carey. The loss of Matt Scott hurts, sure, but you don’t need a great signal caller when you have the best running back in the conference. Like Cal and Oregon State, the Wildcats will be rocking some fancy, new Nike uniforms and they can only hope to run like Phil Knight’s boys next season. Even at No. 8, the Wildcats are a near-lock for a bowl game, again presenting the depth that the conference has this season. Even USC at No. 9 has the ability to jump up and be a very good team next season.

9. USC

Like I said, the Trojans have a chance to be one of the top teams in the South and even compete for the title. There is simply not enough for me to put any confidence in them right now, though. In my opinion, Lane Kiffin is near the bottom of the conference in coach rankings and he doesn’t have a quarterback like Matt Barkley to lead the way for him. Along with Barkley went Robert Woods to the NFL. Those were two key pieces to the Trojan offense, leaving Marqise Lee to fend for himself with a first-year starter at quarterback.

10. California

And we’ve hit the drop off. All of the first nine teams in the rankings have realistic shots at seven- or eight-win seasons depending on how things pan out, but it will take a serious miracle for the Golden Bears to come close to that. After a few years of mediocrity under Jeff Tedford while possessing some of the top NFL talent in the conference, they decided to part ways and hire Sonny Dikes. After losing the one truly “sure” part of their offense in Keenan Allen, the Bears will need some players to step up in order to climb out of the cellar with WSU and Colorado.

11. Washington State

Sep 14, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Connor Halliday (12) drops back to pass while UNLV Rebels defensive lineman Parker Holloway (90) rushes during the second quarter at Sam Boyd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Funny how much can change in year. Coming into last season, Mike Leach was going to be the savior of Cougar football. They were going to be the surprise team out of the Pac-12 and make a good bowl game! Oh wait. That didn’t happen? All the Cougs have to hold onto last season is an Apple Cup victory and wins over Eastern Washington and UNLV. They also lost to Colorado at home (on homecoming, nonetheless!). Jeff Tuel and Marquess Wilson always seemed to be the rocks in an ever-changing WSU program, but both are gone now. It looks like Leach will turn to Connor Halliday under center, a guy who took Tuel’s job and then gave it right back to him. It will be an interesting battle to see who can be worse: WSU or Colorado.

12. Colorado

Right now, I’m picking the Buffaloes to bring up the rear this season. A young team with a first-year head coach didn’t do so well last season. All that means they can only get better from here on out, though. An extra year of experience for everybody should mean more than one win next season. Unfortunately, Colorado plays in one of the best conferences in the nation and even three or four wins probably won’t keep them out of the cellar.

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.

Sept 1, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Kasen Williams (2) makes a reception against the San Diego State Aztecs during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

• 1. USC
• 2. Washington
• 3. Oregon
• 4. Washington State
• 5. Oregon State
• 6. UCLA
• 7. Utah
• 8. Stanford
• 9. Arizona
• 10. Arizona State
• 11. California
• 12. Colorado

Here is what she wrote about the Huskies:

Austin Seferian-Jenkins may be a Heisman finalist dark horse. He is that good. Last season Seferian-Jenkins had 69 receptions for 852 yards and seven touchdowns. More please.

Kasen Williams was the league’s seventh-leading receiver with 77 catches, 878 yards and six touchdowns.

Quarterback Keith Price wasn’t very consistent last season but the offensive line’s woes didn’t help. Still, Price’s passing game mostly consisted of the five-yard dink.

That may change with the addition of these incoming freshmen 4-star receivers: Darrell Daniels, John Ross and Damore’ea Stringfellow.

It’s a little early to call this corps the best in the Pac-12 but it has serious potential.

Like ESPN yesterday, Horne gives the Huskies some serious props, but this time, they rank No. 2, rather than No. 5.

The biggest discrepancies between the wide receiver rankings and the power rankings are Washington State, Stanford and Arizona State. Horne says the Cougars have the fourth-best wide receivers, while still being the second-worst team. Stanford was No. 1 in ESPN’s rankings, but only No. 8 in Horne’s and ASU ranked fourth in ESPN’s, but third-to-last in Horne’s.

With the departure of Keenan Allen, Cal dropped significantly and rank just ahead of the lowly Buffaloes. New head coach Sonny Dikes will have his hands full his first season.

USC also lost a major contributor in Robert Woods, but still having Marquise Lee, they stuck in the first slot. Their major problem will be the man throwing the ball to the wideouts.

The Huskies kept their core of Kasen Williams and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, but lost a key role player in Cody Bruns. The additions of Darrell Daniels, John Ross and Damore’ea Stringfellow more than make up for Bruns, however. If they perform up to expectations, there is no doubt that the Huskies will compete to have the best wide receivers in the conference, if not the country.

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.