Kentucky Wildcats forward Enes Kanter sits on the bench and watches his teammates. He was never allowed to play college ball. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE

This is Part II of the series looking at the academics of student-athletes at Pac-12 institutions. If you missed Part I, you can click on it here. Today, we will examine the average SAT, GPA, and the use of Special Admits to Pac-12 universities. In Part III, we’ll examine what happens once those student-athletes arrive and see which universities are most successful at keeping these athletes eligible and ultimately graduating them through analysis of the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR).

It is sort of a well known fact that universities generally “bend the rules” when it comes to student-athletes, particularly those in the major revenue sports like Football and Men’s Basketball. While getting hard evidence for this can be quite difficult, most people probably just assume that if a coach really wants a player, they will find their way into the university, no matter how exclusive or demanding the entrance requirements are for normal students.

Some universities are known for not making any exceptions to their high academic standings. Stanford for instance actually takes advantage of that by only recruiting athletes who would have already made it through the admissions process (or at least would have been competitive) without sports. Perhaps there is a little bit of rule bending, benefit of the doubt, or advantage to being a star recruit, but for the most part, the players who are on the field for Stanford were straight-A high school students with high SAT scores. Stanford is able to recruit nationally in a way few other schools can primarily because they have the advantage of having an Ivy League reputation while still playing in a BCS conference (and they actually offer scholarships). They have turned what could have been a major disadvantage into an asset and have been able to field BCS bowl football teams and make deep runs in the NCAA tournament in basketball. In addition, Stanford has more national championships than any other university in the country (102) except UCLA (108).

Interestingly, UC Berkeley (Cal to most of us) is also one of the best universities in the world and generally accepted as the best public university in the United States. Yet, they have not been able to sell their academics to recruits like Stanford has. Cal focuses recruiting much more intently on the west coast and seems to recruit the same type of student-athletes that most of the rest of the Pac-12 does. Thus, they are forced to downscale their academic requirements for athletes and use “special admit” procedures to get those players they do recruit onto campus. Despite lowering these expectations, they have not been able to be nearly as successful on the football field or in other sports as Stanford over the last few decades. In fact, when it comes to men’s basketball, one could argue it took hiring Stanford’s old coach, Mike Montgomery, to finally get a leg up on the court.

While some universities will allow any athlete who makes the NCAA’s bare minimum eligibility requirements in, there are some universities who do hold athletes to a higher standard, if not all the way up to the level of the general public. While evidence is difficult to find, the talk around Montlake for years is that Schmitz Hall does scrutinize the academic preparedness of potential recruits carefully and has told coaches of the various sports that they would not accept certain players. This may may result in the quiet backing off of recruiting certain players or players “changing their minds” when the message comes across.

The highest profile case in recent years was that of Charles Garcia. Lorenzo Romar really wanted Garcia to transfer from Riverside JC. But, despite gaining NCAA eligibility, admissions would not let him in because they determined that “he was not likely to be successful” in the academic setting. While this angered a lot of Husky fans, in the end it ended up being exactly the right call. Those on Seattle U’s campus almost immediately reported that Garcia was having trouble in classes and/or didn’t even show up for classes. In the end, he left the Redhawks after just one season and attempted to enter the NBA draft. But, after going undrafted, he has been toiling  in the D-league for the past two seasons, playing for three different teams, most recently the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

It is also rumored that Lorenzo Romar backed off his recruitment of Enes Kanter when he heard that Kanter had not yet received a passing score on his SAT tests. Whether Kanter ever did get that score was never released. Nonetheless, Kanter was permanently banned from playing college ball at Kentucky or anywhere else because of his professional status back in Turkey. Didn’t hurt him too much though as he now makes millions playing for the Utah Jazz. One of the rumors regarding why we’ve heard absolutely nothing about 2012 recruit William Howard, despite reports that it was UW coaches that “placed him” at the prep school in Maryland, is that he might not be able to get eligible.

Anyways, I was curious to see which universities have the biggest differential between their admittance policies of the general population and those of their student-athletes.  So, I surfed the web for some statistics on this. It is surprisingly hard to find or at least compile. I did find that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looked at data collected by the NCAA for every BCS conference school and that gave me a start. But, because the data is compiled by the NCAA on a rotating basis, the data spans a decade of information. So, it is not a direct side-by-side same year comparison. But, it does give you a sense of how different universities stack up. I also gleened information for the U.S. News and World Reports college rankings.

One article I found indicated that in 2004, 95% of Cal’s football players were allowed in through the use of “special admits”. In fact, Cal and UCLA have the 2nd and 3rd worst differentials in the country between the academic status of the athletes they let in and those of the general student body. But, that makes sense doesn’t it? Cal and UCLA are two of the best public universities in the country (maybe THE two best). So, you would expect the difference between the highly competitive selection process of its student body and the non-competitive academic status of its athletes to be high. By the way, the winner for the largest differential is Florida.

Below you will see a chart showing the SAT scores and GPA’s of the overall male population, male athletes as a whole, football, and men’s basketball players for the 9 public universities in the Pac-12 for which data was available. As private universities, Stanford and USC are not required to divulge this information and do not do so. I was unable to find Utah’s information. One thing we can say based on their public statements is that Stanford makes virtually no exceptions. But, I think we are safe to assume that USC probably ends up being in a similar situation as Cal and UCLA, being a good academic institution that takes on a lot of academically marginal student-athletes.

*Ranking differential between football and overall population out of 54 public universities surveyed.

A Stanford Cardinal fan holds up a signagainst the Baylor Bears in the 2012 women's semi-finals.

Looking at the University of Washington, it appears they about where you would expect them to be based on the various academic rankings out there. They have the third highest average SAT score of the nine schools listed (behind Cal and UCLA) and the 2nd highest male athlete SAT scores. Most academic ranking services usually rank UW slightly behind Cal and UCLA, but ahead of virtually every other university in the western half of the country (other than Stanford of course). But, when you look at the SAT scores for football and basketball, its right in the middle of the list. That means, they are bending the rules quite a bit in the revenue sports.

When looking at “special admit” numbers, you can see that every university for which the data is available let’s in far more athletes under those procedures than the general population. For UCLA the number really stands out (61.1% to 2.6%). Cal is not far behind at 44%. Washington comes in a distant 3rd at 23%. But, again, that is to be expected given the relative difficulty for students in general to get into these institutions compared to other Pac-12 schools.

If we operate under the assumption that other than Stanford, all 11 other Pac-12 universities more-or-less let in any athletes who qualify by the NCAA standards, then their athletes all start at the same baseline and the differences between them and the general public will be based solely on how difficult it is for the general public to get into the university. Now, this is only a problem if gaining access to these top-notch academic institutions results in athletes who can not cut it in the classroom and end up either becoming academically ineligible or they do not ultimately end up graduating and earning their degree.

In Part III of this series, we’ll take a look at the APR to see whether this liberal use of the “special admit” procedures ends up costing a university when it comes to their APR scores and graduation rates.

Comparing the Acceptance Rates of Athletes to the General Public - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

May 11, 2012; Berea, OH, USA: Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden (3) and quarterback Darron Thomas (8) work out during rookie training camp at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

Darron Thomas made a terrible decision to turn pro. Everyone knew it immediately when he decided to do it, and the verdict remains the same today, a few weeks after the draft.

It was  curious decision, one that didn’t make sense. Did he really have that bad of advisors? Advisors that told him he would be selected or was even ready for the NFL? Was he just a rogue player that decided on his own that he was ready? Did Chip Kelly try to convince him to stay or go? These are just a few of the questions that popped in my mind after I heard he was headed to the NFL Draft.

However, now some of those questions are being answered. Well, they sort of are being answered.

Rashad Floyd, a small time media member that has recently covered the LaMichael James draft party, said the reason Thomas went pro was because of an argument with Chip Kelly, and Kelly essentially told him to leave. The following interview took place on 750 The Game in Oregon.

“He should be the starting quarterback at the University of Oregon right now.” Floyd said.

“Why did he leave?” The radio personality asked.

“Because of Chip Kelly. 100%. 1oo%. Him and Chip Kelly got into it. Just saying, ‘Coach what do you think my chances would be if I declared in the draft?’ He is going to Chip Kelly as a mentor, coach, as a father figure. ‘You know Coach, I have aspirations to play at the next level. Like any other player does at the college level.’”

“What did Chip tell him?”

“Chip was like ‘WHAT? You want to leave? You think you are going to go to the draft? You think you will get selected in the draft? We don’t want you back. Kick rocks.’”

“That’s what Chip said?”

“YES! Him and Darron got into it heavy.”

The interview continues a little bit more about how Kelly and Thomas got into a loud discussion and that Floyd is completely in the Thomas camp.

However, the following day Joey Harrington comes to bat for Kelly on the same radio station, 750 the game. He basically debunks everything Floyd said about the Kelly and Thomas discussion.

“I’ll tell you right now. Absolutely, 100-percent, nothing happened between Chip Kelly and Darron Thomas. It’s not a Chip Kelly and Darron Thomas issue but a Darron Thomas issue.

There are two sides to this. One is a kid who had, it’s sort of a case,  he’s a kid nobody every said no to. He came in and played as a true freshmen against Boise and then Masoli got kicked off the team and he had a chance to play early. In high school he had some success, and no one ever said no to him. He went to the national championship game, he went to a rose bowl. He had tremendous amount of success combined with the fact he didn’t have the support system at home. He didn’t have the logical people at home. Everybody bought into the hype, everybody bought into the fact that he was destined for the NFL, well and he wasn’t…

Darron was a case of a guy getting a lot of bad advice and really kind of believing your own press clippings and not working on becoming a better player. And unfortunately it may come back to bite him. He might land somewhere as an intriguing guy, but when he went to the combine and ran 4.8 a lot of that intrigue went away. People thought of him as this fascinating athlete and he didn’t perform that way. But by no means was it a conflict between Darron and Chip. Chip was always supportive of Darron in everything he did.”

Now there are two stories both from people in the “know” about the Chip Kelly/Darron Thomas discussion about going to the NFL Draft. Who do you believe? They both say it with 100% certainty that this did or did not happen.

If the first report is true, this just provides more Kelly haters to throw gas on the fire. If it is not true and the media member was reporting this hearsay or based on opinion, the problem is still a real problem. That Kelly allowed his starting quarterback to leave and make an awful decision. Harrington’s comment “Chip was always supportive of Darron, in everything he did.” Seems to equate with the fact that Kelly was supportive of Thomas’ decision to go pro. Which either Kelly is at best, overly supportive or at worst, terrible at helping players (at least Thomas) decide what is best for them. Either way it doesn’t exactly look good.

Regardless of what happened, Thomas made a terrible decision to enter the NFL Draft and most likely won’t find himself on any team. He has been tried out by the Steelers, Cardinals, and now the Browns but none have appeared to be overwhelmed with his QB ability.

Darron Thomas, Chip Kelly And the Decision to Go Pro - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Russell Westbrook Speaks to Media After Game 1 vs. Lakers. (image NBAtv)

Back in the day, listening to Wilt Chamberlain give an interview was pleasurable.

His perspective was interesting, and his responses were intelligent and well-reasoned but, above all, like with so much else, Chamberlain’s English – both word selection and diction – was exact, superior to that of most peers. The same could be said for Michael Jordan.

Televised interviews with most NBA players, however, are often cause for leaving the room or switching the channel. What I hear all too often is offensive, sometimes mentally grating, occasionally almost mindless gibberish.

I was listening to an interview the other night where I held my head. Yes, certainly that player was making an enormous amount of money but does the enormity of a salary compensate for an enormity of English impoverishment? More to the point, does making a lot of money playing basketball preclude the importance of speaking well?

Obviously not. In fact, never. Certainly, Wilt made a great deal of money at everything he did, in part because of his ability to effectively communicate.

Too many players have been pampered academically because they could play basketball well, and their conversational ability has suffered accordingly. This is, of course, a travesty.

The other night, when I held my head, the thought of the opening song to my favorite musical, My Fair Lady, came to me. The song is entitled Why can’t the English learn to speak? In a fit of pique, I’ve taken the lyrics of that song and tweaked them to fit the NBA.

Professor Higgens
“Look at him, a prisoner of the gutter!
Condemned by every syllable he utters!
By rights, he should be taken out and hung
For the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue!”

NBA player
“Shiiiiiiyihh.”

Professor Higgens
“‘Shiiyihh.’ Heavens, what a sound.

“This is what the American population
Calls an elementary education.”

Colonel Pickering
“I think you’ve picked a poor example.”

Professor Higgens
“Did I?

“See them down at Madison Square
Garden in short outerwear,
Slurring English any way they like.
You, sir, did you go to school?”

NBA player
“Wun-a’-dun a’ LSU.”

Professor Higgens
“I hope he never stands before a mike.

“Hear a Cavalier…or worse,
Hear a Timberwolf converse.
I’d rather hear a choir singing flat.
Chickens cackling in a barn…
Just like this one.”

NBA player
“Aaaywuzzupdawg?”

Professor Higgens
“‘Aaaywuzzupdawg.’ I ask you, sir, what kind of word is that?

“It’s ‘shiiyihh’ and ‘aaaywuzzupdawg’ that keep him in his place,
Not ‘one-and-done’ or ring-pierced face.

“Why can’t the NBA teach their players how to speak?
This verbal class distinction by now should be antique.
If you spoke as he does, sir, instead of the way you do,
Your “vocabulary” would be multiple tattoos.”

Colonel Pickering
“I beg your pardon.”

Professor Higgens
“A player’s way of speaking absolutely classifies him.
The moment he talks he makes someone literate despise him.
One common language I’m afraid we’ll never get.
Oh why can’t the players…learn…to…
Set a good example for people whose English is painful to your ears?
Carmelo Anthony leaves you close to tears.
There even are places where English completely disappears.
In Denver they haven’t used it in years.

“Why can’t the NBA teach their players how to speak?
J. R. Smith is incoherent; Kenyon Martin slobbers Greek.
Derrick Rose’s verbiage makes you wonder what he said…
(The Bulls don’t care what they say, actually,
Since no-one understands the others anyway).

“Dwayne Wade does a crossover at the speed of summer lightning.
Nate Robinson does it backwards which is absolutely frightening.
But use proper English? You’re regarded as a freak.
Why can’t the NBA…why can’t the NBA…teach…their players…to speak?”

A solution? Perhaps the NBA Players Association Player Services division could establish a literacy program with vocabulary, grammar and elocution segments. A player would have the option of completing the program before, at some point, stepping in front of a microphone.

You smile. Unrealistic? Too little too late? Oh, be serious, you say?

If player welfare is to be taken seriously – not to mention that of their younger fans – some type of effort should be made. It would be beneficial for the players under any circumstances, if for no other reason than there is life after the NBA.

Will something like this be considered? Probably not unless the Players Association is convinced there’s money in it, so, no, it probably won’t. And players will continue to unremittingly embarrass themselves while grating the ears of more sensitive listeners, and reinforcing poor English among those to whom they are role models.

Wilt, yet once again, we miss you.

English and the NBA: Why Can’t the Players Learn to Speak? - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Andrew Luck earned a 3.5 GPA at Stanford, while also leading them to two BCS Bowls. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

This is the first in a three part series examining the discrepancies or consistencies between the academic requirements of Pac-12 universities for the general student population and those of student-athletes. In Part I, we will lay out the potential costs and benefits of allowing student-athletes who do not meet the minimum academic requirements of a university in as “special admits”. We’ll ask the somewhat philosophical and rhetorical questions about these practices and then try to address some of them.

In Part II, we’ll focus on the actual statistics (SAT, GPA, etc) of which universities actually do lower their admittance standards the most, which allow the highest percentage of “special admits”, and whether that really is necessary to be a successful athletic program in a major conference.

In Part III of this series, we’ll examine what happens academically to student-athletes once they arrive on campus by examining the Academic Progress Rate (APR) and graduation rates and will discuss whether it has been worth the risk to admit athletes who did not appear to be prepared academically to compete in the classroom.

There is often a jestful give-and-take between fans and alumni of various universities about both the athletic performance of their favorite university on the field or court, as well as, the relative academic strength of the institution. While some people crow over a university’s athletic success in football or basketball, often others will rationalize the results by pointing out their institution has a much higher academic ranking or overall prestige.

But, what does it mean for instance that the University of A won a national championship in football with players who could barely make it into college and probably won’t graduate, while the University of S managed to also make a BCS bowl with a team full of valedictorians who will have careers as engineers, doctors, and professors? I mean, what is college all about anyways? What impact will this have on these players once they leave college?

The use of “special admits” is a controversial practice that has largely flown under the radar among general sports fans, but is a contentious issue among university administrators and admissions officers. Some people decry the thought that someone with a 3.8 GPA in high school, high SAT scores, who played varsity sports, or was in the band, or was involved in community service may get rejected from a highly respected school like UC Berkeley (one of the best public universities in the world), while a football player with a 2.3 GPA, barely a high enough SAT on the NCAA’s sliding scale, and no real extracurricular activities to speak off beyond HS football can not only get into the university, but gets a full-ride scholarship. Then, take into account the many hours of practice and days of school missed for games and one has to wonder which student will be more prepared to be successful in the college classroom and in the “real world” workplace after graduation.

On the other hand, there are many people who will rightfully point out that there is no realistic way for the Top 30 or so academic institutions in the country to compete on the field or court against lower-tiered universities who have acceptance rates close to 100% when they hamstring themselves with high entrance requirements for the top athletes. How could UC Berkeley compete with lower tiered universities like Houston, Memphis, UNLV, UTEP, or others who are ranked near the absolute bottom of major academic rankings and who accept virtually any high school student with a pulse who applies?

The fact is, if the NCAA required Division I universities to only accept student-athletes who meet each universities’ academic requirements, the balance of power in athletics would shift dramatically toward the mid-majors and down South. Sure, there would always be athletes who would want to play for the major state universities, but for those who struggle even to graduate high school, their only options in such a scenario would be the lower tier. This would make the Toledo’s and Wichita State’s of the world kings of college basketball!

Rainier Vista

One thing many academic reform proponents would like to see is the NCAA raise its minimum academic standards for athletes both to make sure these athletes are more prepared for college when they arrive and to even the playing field between the higher academic universities and the lower ones. But, these lower tiered universities would then complain that athletes are being held to a higher standard than their general student body. Can you imagine a scenario in which it is more difficult for athletes to get into South Florida (rank #181) or West Virginia (#164) than it is for local state residents?

The only way college athletics can remain more-or-less on an even plane is to set a minimum standard that all universities must stick to and then let individual universities decide if they want to maintain higher standards on a case-by-case basis. The NCAA has slowly raised its standards over the years, but they are still letting in far too many athletes who could not possibly be successful at a university without full-time tutors and special “easy” classes or majors to ease them through.

While there are some universities who do maintain higher standards for their athletes than the NCAA bare minimum (University of Washington is one of them) and there are others who who not change their expectations at all (Stanford), most major Top 100 universities regularly let in any student-athlete they want on the floor regardless of their academic preparedness. That is because most universities have what is called “special admit” status. This gives the university admissions and athletic departments the ability to waive their academic requirements for students who they decide bring value to the university in other ways.

Now, having a “special admit” process is not necessarily a bad thing, as there are numerous cases where making an exception can be extremely beneficial to both the university and the student. Occasionally there are students who have a gift for music, or the arts, or come from an unusual background (a 91-year old WWII vet, a Tibetan monk, a woman who had a child at 13 trying to turn her life around, etc) whose mere presence can be beneficial to the college experience of the general student population. In fact, approximately 1-2% of students at major universities are accepted under “special admit” status.

But, more often than not, they are admitted simply because they can dunk a basketball, hit someone really hard on the football field, or can hit home runs. In fact, it is estimated that 30% of student-athletes are enrolled under “special admit” procedures in the Pac-12. Now, one can not deny that athletics does bring value to a university. Football teams often provide nearly 90% of the revenue to an athletic department, which provides the funding and opportunities for the golf team, women’s swimming, or cross-country to compete. That gymnast on scholarship probably has one because of the exploits of the free safety or running back on the football field. Men’s basketball often brings in another 10% of the revenue, with women’s basketball, baseball, and soccer often chipping in only around 1-2% of the revenue overall.

There is also a definite case to be made that having athletics on campus enhances the overall college experience of the rest of the student body. I know it did for me! I was a season ticket holder for Husky football as a student and attended basketball games (during the dreaded Lynn Nance Era). I briefly dated one of the women’s soccer players and attended a number of their games, as well as, the men’s soccer team games. The weekly countdown to gameday and having Saturday dedicated to eating, dressing in purple, and walking from the dorm to Husky Stadium was every bit as much of my college experience as riding my bike down Rainier Vista to class, cramming for finals, and hanging out with friends on The Ave.

Cherry Blossom in the Quad

There is also evidence that successful college athletics programs have tangible effects on the universities’ non-athletic bottom line. There is evidence that successful athletic programs enhance application rates, overall student populations, and rates of giving to non-athletic funds. Dubbed the “Gonzaga Effect“, there are a number of universities (Boise State, TCU, George Mason, to name a few) that have documented increased rates of applicants following successful seasons and many universities are able to raise more funds to build libraries or offer academic scholarships to students when their athletic teams are more successful. In addition, making a university a part of a larger community by involving people who are not or were not students enhances the pressure on lawmakers to supply adequate funding for academic needs as well.

That being said, one has to ask, is there a line by which too many special exemptions can be offered? If you are one of the most difficult universities in the country to get into or be successful in, is it fair to the student athletes and the general population to put those players in that position? Would it be better for the student-athlete themselves to attend a lower-tiered university where they might have a better chance at academic success or increase their graduation rate? Those are the questions that will be addressed in Part II of this series.

The Ethics of Using “Special Admits” at Pac-12 Universities - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

April 03, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) goes up for a shot against Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash (13) during the fourth quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. The Phoenix Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-100. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

Isaiah Thomas was told he couldn’t play in the NBA. He was scoffed at when he declared he was headed to the NBA after his junior year playing for the Washington Huskies. He was ridiculed during the draft as name after name was called and Thomas’ was not.

Finally, the last pick in the NBA draft came and the odds didn’t look in Thomas’ favor for being drafted. In fact, the Sacramento Kings were on the clock and they had already drafted a point guard in the draft (Jimmer Fredette).

The chances were low that they would grab another one. However, they did, and this decision gave Thomas the title of “Mr. Irrelevant”. The title that goes to the last pick of the NBA (and NFL) draft.

Mr. Irrelevant is typically, or should I say, always irrelevant. This player often won’t make the squad for the team that drafted them. Often they are sent to the developmental league or cut all together after preseason training. They never win the Rookie of the Month award, much less win it twice. And it is essentially a ridiculous idea to even mention them in the discussion of Rookie of the Year.

Thomas did all of that. He made the team, he then won the starting job, he won the Oscar Robertson award, he won Rookie of the Month award twice during the season, and he was even in the discussion for Rookie of the Year.

Kyrie Irving has, reported by Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports, won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Source says Kyrie Irving will win Rookie of the Year (no surprise there) with trophy handed out early next week. Best bet is Tuesday.

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) May 13, 2012

This came after many speculated that Thomas was in the running and some, including myself assume he even received a few votes.

If you look at a comparison of the stats between Irving and Thomas you can see why Thomas was right in the mix with the Rookie of the Year.

In that table you can see why Kyrie won it over Thomas but how far has Thomas come from being Mr. Irrelevant to being a candidate for Rookie of the Year?

I think Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.com explains it better than I would. Kennedy examines how big of impact Thomas has made in Sacramento and in the NBA.

Isaiah Thomas doesn’t let expectations hold him back. He sets his own expectations and he is just getting started.

Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving and The 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Sept. 5, 2009; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies tight end (80) Kavario Middleton against the LSU Tigers at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

There are a few Huskies that have already signed contracts or were drafted (or both) by NFL teams. These Huskies are obviously in NFL rookie camps for their respective teams. There are other Huskies however, that went undrafted and did not sign an undrafted free-agent contract. These players are trying out for teams and looking for jobs in the NFL.

The Huskies that are signed or drafted are Senio Kelemete to the Arizona Cardinals, Alameda Ta’amu to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chris Polk to the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jermaine Kearse to the Seattle Seahawks.

The others are looking for a team by trying out in different locations:

• Cort Dennison has tried out for the Dolphins and is now reported as being at the Raiders’ camp.
• Kavario Middleton (a defunct from the Huskies) is trying out for the Seahawks, reports Danny O’Neil.
• Erik Folk has been at the Falcons rookie camp.
• Everette Thompson hasn’t received any tryouts yet.

Out of these four players look for Dennison and Folk to find their way on to rosters. Both have a the ability to play in the NFL, but both have to fight an uphill battle to get on a squad.

Dennison was part of a terrible defense but was the most productive player for that defense. He isn’t flashy but he makes tackles, this alone will help him get an invite to a training camp. He won’t impress in speed or agility but not many will work as hard or have such a nose for the ball like Dennison.

Folk is a very accurate kicker with a pretty proven track record. However, kicker jobs are hard to come by, it may take him a few team tryouts before he lands a gig. Kickers are even known to go a few years out of college before they land a job in the NFL. Supply is high for kickers but the demand is low.

Middleton is a very talented player but lacks motivation off the field, or at least he did when he was playing for the Huskies. But if he gets his act together, he could be a very impressive professional athlete.

Lastly, there is Thompson who may find his way onto a practice squad but as of now he is not getting any looks by teams.

Huskies in NFL Rookie Camps - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Nov 26, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies cornerback Desmond Trufant (6) prior to the game against the Washington State Cougars at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

The 2012 NFL Draft ended two weeks ago and the Huskies saw two former stars get selected in the the NFL Draft. There are more that signed contracts after the draft but Alameda Ta’Amu and Senio Kelemete were the only two to hear their name called during the draft.

Looking on to the 2013 NFL Draft there shouldn’t be much of a representation from the Huskies. There are currently 12 listed seniors on the Husky roster and none stick out as a major draft pick.

Current Seniors:

• Jonathan Amosa
• Cody Bruns
• Talia Crichton
• Nate Fellner
• Justin Glenn
• Anthony Gobern
• James Johnson
• Adam Long
• Cole Sager
• Drew Schaefer
• Semisi Tokolahi
• Desmond Trufant

There is a lot of quality Huskies on that list. However, not any that appear overwhelming as a draftable commodity. There may not even be a first, second, or third rounder on that list. The most likely players to be drafted out of that Senior list are Desmond Trufant and Drew Schaefer. Some experts may even look at that list and say, this may be another year in which the Huskies don’t have any players drafted.

The last time the Huskies had no players taken in the NFL draft was in 2009. However, I can say that I have been contacted by NFLMocks.com about Trufant and they see him as a draftable player in the 2013 draft but a lot of that depends on what Trufant does his senior season.

The junior class isn’t that much better, in terms of NFL ready talent, there are a few players I think will be great draft picks come 2014 NFL Draft. There doesn’t appear to be anyone that will leave early in the junior class, Keith Price could potentially be the only non-senior to declare. However, many think even with a good year he will stay around for his senior year. This debate will be more relevant come January/February.

The 2013 NFL Draft may not be as full of excitement for Husky fans as the previous two years have been.

Washington Huskies In 2013 NFL Draft - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Mar 2, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Terrence Ross (31) dunks the ball against the Southern California Trojans at the Galen Center. Washington defeated USC 80-58. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

I don’t know about you, but in his two short seasons with the Huskies, Terrence Ross made me all but forget about that other Terrence; at least until that other Terrence won a national championship…but I digress.

After sitting out his senior season at Jefferson High School in Northeast Portland, Ross showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman as he adjusted his game to D-1 level. His sophomore year revealed the depth of his talent, as he often carried the young Huskies offensively. There were points in the season where coach Romar called upon Ross to check the opponent’s best scorer. He did so, and in that fashion, helped his team to victory.

On Thursday, June 28, 2012, Ross will be chosen in the first round of the NBA draft by a team who will no doubt not only need and covet his services and skill set, but drool at the possibilities his athleticism brings to the NBA style of play. How does Ross project as a pro?

I, like a majority of Husky fans, wish Ross and Wroten could have stuck around for another year. Oh, what could have been?! But, when you size up Ross’ skill set, can you blame him for declaring early? No. At 6’6”-6’7” he’s a big 2 guard, and his uncanny athleticism allows him to slide down to the 3, if the situation calls for it.

Many players who declare early for the NBA draft are picked on the basis of their upside; how they project as they improve their game and adapt it to the rigors of the NBA style of play. Some haven’t developed an outside shot, for instance. Some big men may not be polished in the block offensively. Sure there are improvements Ross can make, but he’s not a project; he’s pro-ready. He has a wet jumper, as they say, and when committed, can be stellar defensively.

Recently SLAMOnline had a nice write up and a corresponding video on Ross’ workout with Impact Basketball’s LA branch. Workouts included long-time NBA vets and the audience included half a dozen NBA executives. Needless to say, Ross was impressive with his range on his jumper and skill around the basket.

So what, besides athleticism, does Ross bring to the NBA?

First, the ability to create and find his own shot. This is crucial as a 2 guard when every night you face big, long, versatile defenders. Second, the moment Ross walks onto the floor, the other team is forced to consider matchups, particularly if Ross is drafted by a team with an offensive-minded point guard. Third, I believe Ross has the ability to be a great defender, even a lock-down defender. But this is the NBA, where defense is an afterthought, right? Yes, if you’re the Golden State Warriors! But if you look down the line at the teams that will make deep playoff runs, they play defense. They have to if they want to win.

A few of the online draft boards have Ross going 17 to the Dallas Mavericks, who could be a good fit, given their style of play and the possible departure of certain key free agents, like Jason Terry (15 ppg). On the 28th of June we’ll find out where Terrence Ross lands, and the team that drafts him will find out first hand what we’ve known for some time – Ross is boss.

Guest Post: Terrence Ross and the NBA - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Endzone pylon with the Pac-12 logo. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

I think the Pac-12 is very happy right now to be sitting at 12 teams. Two times now in the last few years, the Pac-10/12 Conference flirted very seriously with adding Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M. In the end, most of us were very happy with the fact that this did not end up coming to fruition. While there was at least some appeal to the idea of having the old Pac-8 reunited and with the idea of Texas and Oklahoma showing up to Husky Stadium every few years, the pros did not seem to outweight the cons; noteably Texas wanting to become the dictator of the conference. In addition, other than Texas, most of us were very leery of the idea of adding schools who ranked in the 300+ range academically to a conference with so many prestigious Top 100 schools.

Larry Scott seemed to make the most of the situation by bringing in the two most respected academic FBS institutions in the western half of the country, who also happened to be located in the two largest media markets west of the Rockies not already included within the Pac-10 sphere of influence. Colorado and Utah definitely seemed like the best possible schools to add to bring the conference that coveted championship game and more eyes on TV sets. His bold move was rewarded handsomely with a huge TV contract and the beginning of the Pac-12 Network next year.

I think most Pac-12 watchers seem to think there is no reason the Pac-12 would expand again. They did their dance with the Texas/Oklahoma crowd, twice, and it seems highly unlikely they would go that route again. But, I don’t think anyone is convinced that the national conference realignment shuffle is over yet. While it has gone from the big boys (SEC, ACC, Big 12) down to the lower rungs (Sun Belt, Colonial, Atlantic 10), there is every reason to believe that another round of realignment is right around the corner and it will again include the major conferences.

As each major conference comes up to their next TV contract, they will be looking at ways to enhance their revenue and overtake each other in bragging rights. Then, there are the issues of scheduling difficulties and conference alignments. For instance, how weird is it that Missouri is in the SEC East? Working out football and basketball schedules can be tricky when you have 13 or 14 members and may be a lot easier to coordinate with 16 teams. There are also big time programs or major media markets to be claimed. So, do not be surprised to see conferences like the ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten start making moves in a year or two to get those numbers up to 16.

While there will certainly be some poaching of each other, I’d also expect to see schools in the Big East, Conference USA, and Mountain West become targets. Then of course, there are the independents like Notre Dame and BYU. Will the Big Ten aim for the New York City and Washington DC markets? Will the ACC aim for more Northeastern exposure? Will the Big 12 reach further west and north?

Which begs the question; If the other  five major conferences decide to go for 16, would the Pac-12 sit pat at 12? Maybe they will and maybe they should. Geographically speaking, it isn’t as easy to poach suitable schools from other conferences as it is for the other five whose overall ranges and media markets overlap with each other. On the other hand, if Boise State and San Diego State can play in the Big East, I guess anything is possible. But, I doubt the Pac-12 would reach out west of the Rockies unless it includes Texas. But, given the dance the past few years, that seems unlikely.

It does seem that the Pac-12 and Big Ten wouldn’t need to expand given their new scheduling alliance that gives each conference many of the benefits of expansion without having to actually add teams. But, Could the Big Ten say no to Notre Dame? Could the Big Ten give up a finger in the big East Coast markets? While the Pac-12 options are certainly not as palatable as the other conferences, there are a few that might fit in and give the Pac-12 a stranglehold on the western half of the country.

So, my question to you, the readers of Husky Haul is this; Should the Pac-12 start exploring expansion again, which schools would be acceptable to you? I’ve put together a potential list of schools based on institution size, academic reputation, and media market size. They are listed in the table below.  After checking out the table of data, please take the survey above asking which universities would be acceptable in an enlarged Pac-1X. You may click on more than one university.

In case you were curious, here is how Pac-12 schools rank academically based on the 2012 U.S. News and World Reports Academic Rankings.

The Coming Apocalypse: If “Events” Force the Pac-12 To Expand Again, Who Shall It Be? - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Tony Wroten. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Tony Wroten Jr. is labeled as an enigma by many, not only on the court but off. He has been called a “showboat”, “head-case”, “selfish”, and many other such names by his critics. His fans have used words like; “impressive”, “powerful”, “personable”, “charming”, and other similar adjectives. This has always been a debate since he set foot on the campus.

However, what isn’t debated is that Wroten has an extreme amount of talent. He is strong, athletic, and can find his way to the hole. He has decided that with his talent and mindset that he is ready for the NBA and about a month ago decided to enter his name into the draft.

He said he was projected between the picks of 5-25. This is a huge range! Many of you are probably thinking, if the committee is giving out that big of ranges, where do I submit my resume?

I think that this extreme range is partly due to the fact that he isn’t like any other player in the NBA. Or is he? Jeff Goodman tweeted yesterday this message:

The most difficult player thus far when playing the Comparison Game is to find someone like Washington’s Tony Wroten.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) May 8, 2012

I started to think about it, and mind you I don’t watch a ton of NBA especially once the Sonics were stolen, but I also couldn’t come up with a clear-cut example of who Wroten plays like. Therefore, I did some digging.

Draft Express says he plays similar on offense to Tyreke Evans:

He’s a very ball dominant player who sees the majority of his looks in isolations or pick-and-rolls, being aTyreke Evans-esqe force at times lowering his shoulder and barreling his way into the lane.

In the NBAdraft.net forums, a commenter questions if Wroten’s skill set is more similar to John Wall:

After seeing today’s Washington game I’m convinced that Wroten is a better passer than tyreke [evans] and I would say a more “willing” passer as well, with all this tyreke/wroten comparison, I was thinking to myself what other player is there at that size with similar skill set?

John Wall?

The TrailBlazers SB Nation site had a discussion on drafting Wroten and someone brought up a comparison to Rajon Rondo:

Rondo. Wroten has the tools to be the next Rondo, and truthfully he has the court vision, the question is, once in the NBA can he learn to make the easy pass, instead of the highlight one.

Obviously, these last two are not from experts but from fans. However, fans are more willing to offer their opinions on the comparison game than many experts are at this point. Goodman received replies to that tweet from fans saying: John Wall, Rajon Rondo, Iman Shupert, Antonio Daniels, and a left-handed JR Rider.

No one seems to have a grasp on who plays like Wroten. He seems to have his own unique style and/or holes in his game that many point guards don’t have. However, if you had to nail it down to one player, who do you think Wroten plays most like?

What do you think?

Tony Wroten Is Compared to Who? - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Jabari Parker Sits Down With Time

Jabari Parker is a standup kid. For a young man that has grown up on south-side Chicago, he has a level head on his shoulders and a good attitude about life and basketball.

Time.com recently released an interview with him that gave everyone a glimpse into this young phenom’s head. If you haven’t seen the interview, you can watch it here. It was a fantastic interview, and Parker comes across as a student and an athlete in an exceptional way.

I wanted to break down my thoughts on it. Even though the Washington Huskies are never mentioned in the video, it has long been thought that he would at least consider UW and Lorenzo Romar. Mainly because his brother is a student assistant for the basketball program and Romar is friends with his father.

Let’s address that first, there is one mention of recruiting in the video. Time says, “Pinning him down on where he’ll go, is just about impossible.” And Brook Silva-Braga (seen in the above picture) asks him, “It has to be Kentucky or Duke right?” Jabari’s reply is curious, he chuckles and says, “Yeah but um, other schools too like Kansas and you never know about these mid-majors because they surprise everybody.”

Silva-Braga replies, “So you are leaving the door open to anybody,”

“Yeah, anybody at this point.”

This may scare some Husky fans away or may just cause them to pause for a minute. But in context of the whole interview, he basically says, any school has a shot. He isn’t the type to just go to an NBA factory for that reason alone, but because he fits there best. He even says mid-majors can come and recruit him because “they surprise everybody.”

His talent is off the charts, and that is recognized in this video.

• Derek Rose calls him more polished than he was in High school. Which is obviously a big statement coming from the reigning MVP of the NBA.
• Parker’s coach says in five years he will be in the top five of the NBA.
• He has been receiving scholarship offers since he was in seventh grade.
• He receives about 200 letters a week from Universities.

Jan 16, 2012; Springfield, MA, USA; Chicago Simeon Wolverines forward Jabari Parker (22) dunks the ball against the Findlay Pilots during the second half at Blake Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

The list goes on and on in this video. One thing that is not surprising, Parker plans to take the fast route to the NBA. He will play a year or two if need be and then head off for the Draft. He says he will wait for when he is projected in the top five of the draft. Which could be after just his first year.

Lastly, the coolest or craziest statement, depending on who you ask is when he says he models his game after Brian Scalabrine. Not necessarily what Scalabrine does on the court but how he conducts himself off. He is humble and is always happy to be in the NBA and where he is at in life. Parker wants to play humble basketball for his whole career, even if he becomes the best.

All in all, if Washington finds a way to stay in his recruitment and even land him. He is not only good on the court and in the classroom but he is an excellent all around player. He is a game changer both on and off the court. He doesn’t love all the pressure or attention and he even said “it sucks”. He knows there are lots of expectations attached to him and that it is a burden.

However, this mindset is rare in basketball circles especially when that player can then turn on the killer instinct as soon as he laces up his shoes and hits the court. He is a rare breed of a human and as a basketball player and that combined with his talent could elevate him to one of the top NBA players.

Jabari Parker On Time.com - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Idaho Vandals quarterback Brian Reader passes against Texas A&M

With the WAC about to go under, the Idaho Vandals are left with some unpleasant choices. The Mountain West Conference does not seem likely to expand further, given that it will be at 12 teams for the 2013 season, unless they decided to go with 14 or 16 at some point in the future. Are the athletic directors altruistic enough to put out a helping hand to Idaho and New Mexico State? That seems likely, since neither program brings in much in terms of media markets (Moscow and Las Cruces?) or pizzazz. But, perhaps if UTEP and BYU came crawling back, they might be amenable to going to 16 teams.

But, without an invite to the MWC, the Idaho Vandals are left with two choices. They could either drop down to FCS and rejoin their old partners in the Big Sky Conference or they could remain as a FBS Independent. The Big Sky would seem a logical fit for their other programs both geographically and athletically. But, the Big Sky has recent gone through their own set of expansion adding teams like North Dakota and Southern Utah in all sports and UC Davis and Cal Poly in football only. That puts them at 13 football playing members and 11 in other sports. So, maybe there is room for one more.

But, dropping down to FCS, after rising up to the FBS level in 1997 would be an embarrassing result. Idaho has been scrambling around looking for conference since they made the jump to FBS football after leaving the Big Sky in 1996. First they went to the Big West until 2000, then the Sun Belt until 2004, and have been in the WAC since. But, with WAC about to dissolve, could there be a future for them as an FBS Independent? Could Idaho could still rejoin the Big Sky in other sports, most importantly basketball, and still maintain its FBS status as an independent?

Being an independent has its disadvantages for three main reasons:

1) No realistic chance for bowl games

2) No regional TV contract that brings in money

3) No logical scheduling partners for late season games

The Idaho Vandals celebrate a touchdown against the Boise State Broncos at the Kibbie Dome. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s examine each of these and see if any of them are deal breakers for the Vandals. First of all, bowl games are already exceedingly difficult for Idaho to get to. Since rising to FBS, they have only played in two bowl games in 16 years, both of which were near home-town Humanitarian Bowls. Besides, the money they would receive for a lower tier bowl compared the costs to travel to them make it a break-even proposition anyways.

In terms of being able to share revenue, including TV money, with a conference affiliation, it isn’t as if the WAC is a huge cash cow. I am not sure being in the WAC means all that much. Perhaps a strengthened Mountain West Conference would mean something. But, outside of the major conferences, the TV money split up 12+ ways just isn’t that much for a team like Idaho.

So, lastly comes the biggest issue; scheduling. Really the biggest source of revenue for lower tier FBS teams like Idaho are the non-conference games they play against BCS conference teams. The going rate for bringing a team like this into the home stadium of a Washington or USC is over $1 million. That is why so many BCS teams have gone in the direction of scheduling FCS opponents in non-conference play. These big time programs want a lackey they can beat up and get some practice in before the conference schedule begins, but do not want to spend a lot of money to do so. Since the NCAA allows them to schedule one FCS opponent to count as a DI victory toward bowl eligibility, virtually every program now does that. Even the Huskies, after having never scheduled an FCS opponent in their history, went that direction in 2011 with Eastern Washington, and will have Portland State in town in 2012.

But, there are certainly opportunities for Idaho to schedule games in the first month of the season, especially if they are willing to go on the road for a paycheck. Where it gets more difficult is scheduling in October and November. Once teams begin their conference play, there will not be many open dates for an independent to find games. There are a couple of opportunities though for Idaho to find games in this scenario. Perhaps they could arrange for a scheduling deal with fellow independents like Notre Dame and BYU (and maybe New Mexico State too if they went the same route). Under this scenario, Idaho would agree to play every year in South Bend and perhaps could arrange 2-for-1 deals with BYU. BYU might be willing to head to Moscow every third year given that Idaho has the 2nd highest total Mormon population (460,000) in the country outside of Utah and the 2nd highest percentage of its population (26%).  It would be a way for BYU to reach out to its followers in other locations.

Idaho could probably arrange for Washington State to play home-and-away series with them, since they are just 8 miles apart, as well as, some lower tier teams to make some trips to Moscow, such as teams in the Sun Belt, as well as, their normal rivals in the Mountain West. But, given that they are an independent, they would not need to worry so much about how many FCS games they play, and could probably make arrangements for local Big Sky opponents like Eastern Washington, Montana, and Idaho State to come to town.

So, could Idaho make it as an independent? I think they could. If they can earn some paydays for road trips to BCS opponents in September, they might make enough money to cover their expenses for the rest of the season as they fill out their schedule however they can. It might just buy them some time until the next conference realignment apocalypse happens and suddenly they find themselves a home once again. Idaho is certainly used to instability and scrambling to find a home and if they use a little imagination, they might just be able to survive this one.

Could The Idaho Vandals Survive As An FBS Independent? - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Stephen Domingo

Stephen Domingo has announced his final four which consists of Georgetown, Stanford, Washington, and Harvard. Each school has a special reason to be in the final four and each school will try to get an official visit from Domingo.

In fact, he has already unofficially visited all four of the schools and was impressed by each campus and program.

Stanford is the school close to home and has a good education system which is something that Domingo values. He wants to go somewhere that challenges him academically as well as on the court. Harvard also qualifies in this mix and Harvard is doing a good job recruiting him.

Georgetown and Washington also both have quality educations and have been recruiting him from the beginning. UW was one of the first schools to go out and watch him play basketball. He loves that they let their wings shoot, and in a past interview with him he has said that he likes that “CJ Wilcox has the green light.”

Right now there doesn’t appear to be a favorite.

Domingo is one of, if not the best shooter in the class of 2013. The basketball community uses a few words to describe his shot; “pure”, “wet”, “nasty”, “deadly”, etc. He is an efficient scorer from all over the court, he can drain it from deep, he has a good mid-range shot, can shoot off the dribble, and he can take it to the hole.

He projects best as a 2 or 3 in college and  is one of the highest rated players on the west coast. All the major recruiting sites have him listed as a 4-star guard. He could make the jump a 5-star if he continues to build off of his junior season.

His mixtape by YAYAREASFINEST is below:

Stephen Domingo Sets Final 4: Washington Still Involved - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

New Mexico State Aggies celebrates winning the WAC title. Maybe for the last time. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE.

May 5th, 2013

The Western Athletic Conference, known fondly to its friends and neighbors as the WAC, died this week a year after it was diagnosed with an untreatable illness, following the departure of five of its schools. The venerable old WAC is survived by its orphaned older children Idaho and New Mexico and its young infant children Seattle U, Denver, and UT-Arlington.

The WAC has been ill for years, but he was a resilient old codger who just would not give into adversity.  This proud conference of 50+ years managed to survive the first massive defection back in 1999 when eight of its most important and long standing members, including BYU, Utah, New Mexico, and San Diego State jumped ship.  They managed to regroup by picking up the pieces of the Southwest Conference by adding teams like Rice, SMU, TCU, and Tulsa, only to seem them jump ship (along with UTEP) to Conference USA in 2005.

In came Boise State, Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico State, Utah State, and Louisiana Tech (always seemed a strange fit) and the WAC seemed to have found stability. They had established themselves as a regional minor football conference where the universities they represented were all similar in size, academic standing, and quality of athletics (with Boise State being the obvious outlier). I always thought it would be better for both conferences had the WAC and Conference USA swapped UTEP (70 miles from New Mexico State) with Louisiana Tech.

But, the beginning of the end really began when that little statement from Bill Delaney stated that the Big Ten was interested in possibly expanding. People immediately began to envision and ultimately exaggerate what they might do; talking expansion to maybe to 14 or 16 teams, and how they would pick and choose the best universities from the ACC or Big East or Big 12 and possibly even Notre Dame and suddenly expansion panic hit all across America. While the Big Ten ultimately chose to add just one team (and only after Nebraska asked to be invited in), the chaos it has left in its path has been maddening.

Soon Boise State busted out of the WAC and off to the Mountain West, only to now enter the geographically ridiculous Big East. The only thing more ridiculous is San Diego State joining them. With the Mountain West also losing TCU, they decided to follow up on their 1999 defection by poaching Nevada, Fresno State, and Hawaii from their little brother. So, the WAC suddenly found its remaining members in a conference too small to get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and without much in the way of options in football.

So, the WAC decided to get creative. They managed to work out a deal to add Texas State- San Marcos and UT San Antonio from FCS, plus Seattle U, Denver, and UT-Arlington in basketball (and other sports). In addition, they actually would get Boise State back in all sports except football. While certainly not the most marquee conference in the country, it seemed like they had something to work with. That is until the Mountain West decided to sneak into the game reserve again and start hunting the last of the tasty morsels available on the plains.

This time, they decided to steal Utah State and San Jose State. And, why wouldn’t these two schools go? They risk being stranded the way Idaho and New Mexico State are about to be. In addition, Louisiana Tech and UT-San Antonio will be bolting for Conference USA and Texas State- San Marcos to the Sun Belt conference. Now the WAC appears to without any real options to save itself.

Once this goes down, they will have just two FBS football members in Idaho and New Mexico State. In basketball, they will also have Seattle U, Denver, and UT-Arlington. But, with only five members, they will still be two short of having enough to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.  So, what is this conference to do?

There are not many independents left out there, but there are at least a couple of plausible options. There is a conference does not have autobid to the NCAA tournament, the Great West Conference. This six team conference ranges from New Jersey to Utah. You have to think Utah Valley State wouldn’t mind staying closer to home. Independent Cal St. Bakersfield had been hoping to get into the Big West Conference (who until this year was a California-only conference). But, with the addition of Hawaii and San Diego State in basketball, they have been edged out. So, you would have to think the Roadrunners would look toward the WAC.  If they could pull in those two, they’d make it to seven. But, I doubt that Boise State will stick around. So, the WAC probably needs to add another one or two teams.

Looking back at the Great West Conference,  Texas-Pan American is the only other team not slated to join a conference (North Dakota is joining the Big Sky). There has been  discussion for UC-San Diego to rise up to Division I and they would be a potential member. They asked to get into the Big West to be with their California state school bretheren. But, they were rejected with Hawaii came calling. Something tells me Hawaii won’t still it out though.

So, will the WAC survive?

It’s hard to imagine. Instead, I see more instability in conference realignment coming up that will bring opportunities for teams to move around. The Big Sky is at 11 schools. They could add one more to make it an even 12 in basketball. Would that team be Denver or Seattle U? Either would fit with regional rivals available for both. Also, while North Dakota is joining, they are a bit of a regional outlier, so they may look east to the Horizon, Summit, or Missouri Valley Conference if they get the chance. One also has to think Idaho might consider dropping their football to FCS and joining their friends in the Big Sky.

The WCC is at 10 and seems unlikely to expand. But, if BYU were to decide to join the Big 12 or return to the MWC, then that additional opening could be a landing spot for Seattle U (if Gonzaga doesn’t block it) or Denver.

But, the one who clearly in the biggest trouble is New Mexico State. Where are they going to go? Las Cruces is just 70 miles from El Paso and UTEP. But, would Conference USA pull them in when the conference is already so large and ranges from Florida to West Virginia to West Texas? Probably not. Mountain West? Uh no. Big Sky? Maybe, but seems unlikely as they are already bursting at the seems and would probably want to take a team in their core area like Idaho or Denver instead. Big West?

What will happen to New Mexico State? Sadly, they appear to be on the outside looking in…

But, for those who mourn the death of the WAC, there is a bit of a silver lining. The WAC is not truly dead. They are just a new conference with a different name. It’s called the Mountain West Conference. Given that all of its current and future members were formerly members of the WAC, the WAC remains alive and well. It just changed its name and went into a witness protection program.

An Obituary to the WAC and the Orphans It Leaves Behind - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

It’s no surprise – the Huskies never seem to be the media’s darling. They’re not on this pre-season’s “Top 40 List” or that 2012/13 “Tournament List”. Nonetheless, I remain confident that the Huskies, flying under the radar as they often do, will be more than competitive next season. Here are the reasons:

Washington Huskies guard Scott Suggs (15). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Guard Play
In today’s game bigs are a necessity, but guards win you games. Ultimately because they control tempo, run the offense and guard the perimeter. Our guards next year will be long and versatile, allowing them to function – if necessary – like interchangeable parts, not only in terms of running the offense, but more particularly on the perimeter defensively. At their best last year, the Huskies were after it, applying ball pressure, disrupting passing lanes and proving the maxim that offensive starts with good defense.

Look for the emergence of Andrew Andrews. I’ve watched as much film on him as possible and watched him in last year’s summer league, and I expect him to be a solid contributor. He’s competitive and has a great motor and as long as he can run that motor on the defensive end, he will find time.

In last year’s ebb and flow, it was lost on much of Husky nation, just how crucial the loss of Scott Suggs was. Just go down the line – senior, athletic, leader, co-captain, calming influence and the team’s top 3-point shooter in terms of percentage (45% in 2010/11). Well, the Huskies will reap all those benefits and more in Suggs as he returns for his final year as a 5th year senior. His game is well rounded and with his maturity, he doesn’t present a liability on either end of the floor. At 6’6”-6’7” he’s also long enough to move easily between the 2 and 3, especially on defensive rotations.

The Huskies also return junior sharp-shooter CJ Wilcox, who arguably has one of, if not the prettiest jumpers in the nation. Last season, at the coaches’ urging, Wilcox also demonstrated an ability to get to the hole, using a variety of off the dribble moves, making use of each hand. Ironically, as any guard would tell you, each – the jump shot and the dribble penetration – complement each other and, though I could watch Wilcox shoot jumpers all day, hopefully we’ll see him make use of other elements in his game which further present matchup problems and create easy buckets for the Husky big men.

As fans were lamenting the depressing news of landing (or not!) 2012 recruits, the Huskies received a commitment and eventual letter of intent from Junior College stand-out Mark McLaughlin. His story has been well-chronicled and much publicized, bouncing around from program to program and learning, as we all do, life’s lessons sometimes the hard way. Undeniable is his basketball skill, though. McLaughlin helped the Titans of Tacoma Community College to a league championship and at 28.4 points a game, he can fill it up. While the attention on recruits typically falls on in-coming freshman and national rankings (ESPN, Rivals, Scout), one cannot discount McLaughlin’s prowess on the offensive end. McLaughlin will help himself, most, however, with intensity on the defensive end, something that in a recent radio interview he articulated a desire to.

Finally, and most importantly, expect Gaddy to have a great senior campaign. He’s matured as a leader, has the respect of his coaches and his teammates. No question – it’s his team and he’ll be ready for the opportunity. In his first three years (or 2 ½ with injury), he started at point guard, he shared the floor with a second point guard – first I.T., then Tone. Not so next year. The offense will rest on his shoulders and we can expect Romar to let him do what he does best – run the offense, lead and distribute. Though he doesn’t need to score, based on what he showed later in the year especially, expect him to be more aggressive offensively, where and when he needs to be. In an era of the scoring point guard, it’s easy to look past a “pass-first” point guard who manages – the clock, the tempo, the ball. Gaddy will manage the floor and manage it well.

Bigs

Washington Huskies forward Shawn Kemp Jr. (40). Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

While the Dawgs’ bigs might not be as talented offensively as in years past, they are, arguably, deeper. In a whirlwind of recruiting events, Romar added three bigs last year – Jarreau, Kemp Jr. and Breunig – with a fourth coming after the football season in Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Jarreau redshirted and Kemp Jr. and Breunig saw sparing minutes, as they largely learned “on the job” as it were. ASJ earned minutes because of his hustle and physicality, primarily; a welcomed addition for sure. Desmond Simmons, the redshirt freshman from California, demonstrated a willingness to do the little things – rebound, defend, pressure and hustle; things which typically ignite bigger things.

If off-season improvements can be made (as to be expected) by the Husky bigs, and Romar can “plug and play” each one with Aziz, the Huskies will be deep enough to compete with the bigger teams in the Pac 12. No doubt, the Huskies will rely on Aziz to be the anchor and with a deep bench and minutes to be had, he will be freed up to do what he does best – intimidate. The key, it’s no mystery, will be keeping the ball out of the paint defensively and rebounding, a total defensive buy-in, something that unfortunately proved elusive last year.

Under the Radar
Will the Huskies ever get the respect they deserve? Who knows. They were picked middle of the pack last year and they turned around and won the conference, though the prize, a chance to dance, slipped through their fingers. With the sting of last year’s disappointments still lingering, there’s much to look forward to next year, however. Expect the Huskies to be propelled by skilled guard play and anchored by tough-minded defense from their front court. Now, can we just at least fast-forward to summer ball? I’m ready.

Guest Post: A Husky Basketball Fan “Looking Forward” - The Husky Haul - The Husky Haul - A Washington Huskies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.