via Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Yesterday, John Breech of CBSSports.com wrote a post about 3 Washington players who need to shine.  And, he kind of duffed it. The premise is simple: one offensive, defensive and special teams player who need to have big seasons for the Huskies to have a big season. So of course for offense and defense, Breech chooses two captains, two players who went to Pac-12 Media Day with Steve Sarkisian, two upperclassmen on everybody’s radar: Keith Price and Desmond Trufant.

Now, I don’t disagree with either choice but it just seems really lazy to pick those two guys. A quarterback needing to have a good season for his team to be successful? Not exactly breaking new ground there. As for Desmond Trufant, he’s been anywhere from serviceable to really good over the past three seasons, and the defense hasn’t mirrored his play.

So without further ado, here are my 3 Washington players who need to shine.

Offense: LT Micah Hatchie

Assuming Hatchie wins the starting left tackle job as is expected, he may well be the key to making the offense go. It’s pretty much a given that Keith Price is going to have a good season considering what he did last season, Sark’s history with quarterbacks, and what Price did in his healthiest appearance against Baylor. And that’s one of the biggest keys to Price’s season: keeping him at his healthiest so that he isn’t limited. That’s not happening without solid play at the tackle postions, especially on the blind side.

The other thing that Hatchie will have to do to to make the offense hum is to open holes in the running game. With the talent Washington has at running back, the real question mark is whether or not there will be holes available for Jesse Callier and Bishop Sankey to run through. Hatchie being dependable in run blocking will keep the ball moving forward, and prevent defenses from focusing on defending the pass.

Defense: DE Hau’oli Jamora

The Huskies defenses the last couple of years have had good players in the secondary (Sean Parker, Desmond Trufant), at linebacker (Mason Foster) and defensive tackle (Alameda Ta’amu), and the results have been pretty underwhelming. The position that hasn’t had a standout player manning it in that span has been defensive end. Washington hasn’t had a (healthy) standout defensive end who can do it all since Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, and Jamora could end up being much better than UW’s all time sacks leader.

Breech props up Trufant because of the prolific passing offenses in the Pac-12, but I’d go the other way and say that the best way to defeat those passing attacks is with a sound pass rush. With Jamora on one side and Josh Shirley coming from the other, opposing quarterbacks will not have the luxury they’ve had in recent years of dropping back and waiting until their receivers pop open. If the defense can force passing situations, they should be able to get off the field more often than than in the past.

Special Teams: PK Travis Coons

Alright, I’ll give you that one, Breech.

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Scott Suggs. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The title of best player is always up for debate in the world of sports. Sure, some NBA teams possess super stars that leave little doubt like the Heat and LeBron James, the Magic and Dwight Howard, or the Zombie Sonics and Kevin Durant, but at the college level things change drastically. Several players contribute in a variety of ways to allow great debates about which player has the greatest and most positive impact on his team.

This past off-season saw the departure of our two best players in Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten. While some may not agree with declaring Wroten as one of our top players, it is hard to ignore everything he did for the Husky squad. What this means for the 2012-2013 season is a wide opening for several individuals to elevate their games to the next level and take over the reigns as the squad’s “Best Player.”

Being the best player is about more than points per games or how many rebounds a player can snatch up in 40 minutes. The best player needs to have intangibles that don’t show up in the post-game box score. The best player needs to dominate all aspects of the game and thrive because of it.

Arguably the best player in recent, if not all, UW history is Isaiah Thomas and he is exactly the sort of player I refer to when I talk about a guy doing more than just hitting baskets and making plays. I.T. ruled the court with both his skills and his attitude. The guy refused to lose. He did everything and more to motivate and carry his team through adversity as well as success. If you have any doubt about how good I.T. was and is, just watch this.

My initial reaction was to peg Scott Suggs as the best player next season. Suggs has everything a team could want in terms of size, athleticism, and experience. After facing a tough foot injury right before the 2011-2012 season began, Suggs opted to take a medical redshirt and return in full force for a complete and dominating senior season. Built just like Ross, Suggs stands at 6-6 and nearly 200lbs. Suggs’ long athletic frame allows him to elevate above the competition at the hoop and outside the arc.

During his junior season campaign, Suggs showed a huge improvement concerning his inside game. Suggs was able to attack the rim and finish inside. We are all well aware of Suggs’ ability to nail the outside shot. Suggs was arguably the best sharpshooter on the team in 2010-2011 due to his consistency and accuracy. Watching Suggs during warm-ups this past season has only increased my confidence in his ability to drain the long ball. As a fifth year senior, Suggs has more experience than most. Suggs has participated in 3 NCAA tournament appearances as well as having won a regular season title and two tournament titles (I won’t include his redshirt season as he did not play in any games).

I believe Suggs will step in to fill Ross’ shoes immediately and will make a strong case for Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. The one aspect on his game that Suggs can improve on to solidify his position as the Best Player is rebounding. Suggs has never been a great rebounder, but the increased presence of his inside game will allow Suggs more opportunities near the hoop to snag a few extra boards. I can easily envision Suggs averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. That type of production combined with excellent senior leadership and tenacity would make for an amazing player and could certainly be a game changer in tight situations.

C.J. Wilcox should be involved in any type of “Best Player” argument, whether simply the Husky Basketball team or the Pac-12 conference. Wilcox averaged a quiet 14 points per game last season despite battle nagging injuries that prevented him from seeing action in several games and limiting his play time in others. With a full summer to heal the stress fracture in his hip/leg, Wilcox is primed to light up the court for what could be his final season. Wilcox is attending the Kevin Durant skill camp this summer along with playing the the Seattle Summer league games, giving him plenty of opportunities to work on his abilities before the preseason games across the Atlantic.

As with Suggs, Wilcox can strengthen his argument for the team’s best player by improving his rebounding from 3 boards per game to 5 or 6. A greater aspect to improve upon, perhaps more important than a few more rebounds per game, would be Wilcox’s ability to play into and through contact near the paint to draw fouls and free throws. Wilcox averaged 84% from the line last season and at one point had hit over 30 free throws in a row. Romar’s teams have always been known to be unsuccessful at the foul line, yet individual players have made great strides in improving their shot from the charity stripe and in doing so become game changers.

These individuals include I.T. and Jon Brockman. Last season, Wroten averaged nearly 8 free throws attempts per game, making under 60% on the season. With Wilcox’s 84% average those 4 points from 8 free throws becomes nearly 7 points per game. 3 points extra per night is a huge number from the foul line where close games are won and lost. What could ultimately hold Wilcox back from being the best player on the 2012-2013 squad is his quiet nature. In terms of sheer athletic ability, no one can match-up with Wilcox.

Wilcox has been the fastest at the mile, is one of the quickest sprinters on the team, and has the highest vertical jump of anyone. Wilcox out jumped Ross last season and we have all seen what type of plays can occur when a player has huge hops. If Wilcox can become not only a leader in terms of production, but also as a vocal and emotional leader, he could be a favorite for Player of the Year awards.

Aziz N’Diaye would be my third pick for top player on the team. N’Diaye’s size and defensive presence alone put him near the top of the list. N’Diaye showed great improvement to his footwork, post moves, and in softening his hands. The big man is no longer a black hole in the middle where the ball will never return from. N’Diaye showed better court vision knowing when to take his man to the hoop and when to kick the ball back out to the perimeter. N’Diaye is already a supreme rebounder, picking up nearly 8 per night, but could take another step forward by boxing out better on the offensive end and allowing his length to take charge.

Where N’Diaye can really improve is his offensive game. This has always been the weakest part of N’Diaye’s game, but his jump hook is improving steadily. I would also like to see N’Diaye throw down a few more dunks. Too often, N’Diaye is right next to the hoop and opts for a dainty little lay-in. Throw down, big man, throw down. Dunks are the highest percentage shots there are. At 7-0, it is hard to have a dunk blocked inside 4 feet. Take a page out of this kid’s book, N’Diaye, it’ll help you immensely. If N’Diaye can continue improving his ability to catch the ball and finish at the rim, he could quite possibly average 14 points per game on top of 8 rebounds and a block or two a night. All that production does not even begin to tell the whole tale, something I argued earlier would be critical in determining the team’s best player. How many times has an opposing player driven towards the lane only to see N’Diaye towering in the paint? How many times has that player then changed his mind and opted for either a terrible jumper or been forced to kick the ball back outside the paint? That is the type of impact that doesn’t show up in the box score. It’s the type of impact that every player should strive for.

A fourth, perhaps outside pick, would be Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has struggled to live up to the All-American hype that surrounded him coming into his freshman season. Gaddy came to the UW as a quite young 17 year old, trying to compete against 22 year old players who were much stronger, faster, and experienced. Gaddy’s sophomore campaign started phenomenally, but sadly he blew his ACL right as Pac-10 play began. Gaddy spent the summer recuperating his knee and appeared to be on track for a solid 2011-2012 year.

Gaddy spent much of this past season looking slower and more cautious, something that was not all that surprising given his newly injured knee. At the end of the year, Gaddy finally realized how deadly he can be when driving the lane. Not only does it open the opportunity to kick out for an assisted 3-pointer, but it also allows Gaddy to get a good look at the hoop down low in the paint where his teardrop shot can be put to good use. What Gaddy needs to do in order to become our best player is to take this team over and make it his.

This will be Gaddy’s senior season. His last hurrah. Gaddy must develop that seasoned, vocal leadership this team so dearly lacked last season. Gaddy could average double digit points if he attacked the rim consistently and improved his 3-point accuracy. And, while it may seem greedy, I would really like to see Gaddy average 7 assists per game. Gaddy has amazing court vision and has a great knack for making solid passes to open players. I believe Romar’s play calling is what is holding Gaddy back from averaging those types of numbers. If Romar can develop a few more motion offensive plays, Gaddy will have more opportunities to deliver the rock to open guys on the perimeter and in the post. With the addition of Suggs as a steady hand inside and out, Gaddy has one more tool at his disposal to spread the floor and make things happen. Another important point to note is the absence of Wroten allows Gaddy to resume taking a majority of the point guard play time, meaning more play-making opportunities to boost his stats.

So who do you think will take over in 2012-2013? One of these four? Someone else? Let us know in the comments below.

Go Dawgs!

Mar 14, 2012; Louisville, KY, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun leads a huddle to end their practice for the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

The Connecticut Huskies are banned from the 2012-2013 post season due to low academic scores in the APR. There were 9 other basketball teams that also received a ban but the UCONN Huskies are the only major program to receive the punishment.

Normally, we don’t cover the “other” Huskies but this has implications for the Washington Huskies. As they will be facing each other in the next season, it shows that major programs are not exempt from education, and lastly that education is still and has been the primary reasons students should go to college.

Walter Harrison, NCAA Committee on Academic Performance Chariman, as told to USA Today said:

“It sends a message to our teams and to our critics that we mean business. Teams need to take care of (academic) things first things first, or they won’t be able to play in the postseason. Those teams not eligible for the postseason need to think hard about who they recruit and how they support their student-athletes.”

Washington basketball is taking care of business as they scored really high. It wasn’t one of the top programs in the country like Kansas with a perfect 1000. But it did score second in the Pac-12 behind Stanford. The Cardinal basketball program scored 989 and UW came in at 979.

The APR is a system developed to help pre-determine where programs are headed academically in terms of graduation rates. The higher the score the more likely the student is going to graduate and then the team is judged or graded by each player on scholarship. This is how the APR is determined.

The failing grade given out to UCONN means that as a whole the team is likely to not graduate due to academics.

Aziz Throwin' Down (US PRESSWIRE)

Aziz N’Diaye

The only certainty in the frontcourt is Aziz N’Diaye who will undoubtedly remain in the starting line-up as the go-to center for the third straight season. He improved his offensive game greatly this past year as well as his ability to play suffocating defensive ball without drawing a foul every few plays. This has allowed him the opportunity to play more minutes, leading to more scoring and game play experience. His hands softened up and the big man was able to add some nice drop step maneuvers to his skill set.

However, N’Diaye continued to struggle mightily at the foul line but another summer could prove to be invaluable for his work at the charity stripe.Oftentimes his shots would fall short or long of their mark, but remain dead on target in terms of hitting the center of the rim. If the 7 footer can bring his foul shot percentage up to 75% from his career average of 40.4%, he could see his scoring average raise at least 1 point per game (a number more significant than it may seem). This number increases even more if he can play more into contact to draw a greater number of fouls.

During the 2011-2012 season, N’Diaye averaged just under 4 foul shot attempts per game. With the Pac-12 featuring some powerful frontcourts next year in UCLA and USC, the Dawgs desperately need players to step up inside the paint and draw fouls on the opposition. While I do not expect him to pull a Derrick Williams and average over 8 foul attempts per game, seeing him raise his average from 4 to 6 would be fantastic for the Huskies.

I wish N’Diaye could play the full 40 minutes but he isn’t I.T. and those types of minutes will wear on any players as the season progresses. With that in mind it’s critical that the Dawgs find a strong relief player who can fill the paint and provide solid play on both sides of the court. The loss of Darnell Gant is felt even more when considering this problem. While Gant may not have been the strongest player at the 5, his length and speed made him dangerous as a defender and his mid-range game made Gant a tough cover for bigger centers like Josh Smith.

Backup Center?

Maybe the most obvious man for the job is Shawn Kemp Jr. Kemp comes in at 6-9 and a very solid 265lbs. Kemp may have averaged only 7 minutes and 2 points per game last season, but Kemp did something our other frontcourt players seemed scared to do; go hard to the rim and dunk the ball. Too often for my taste, N’Diaye would lay the ball in rather than going up for the jam. I know N’Diaye can dunk, I just don’t know why he seems so scared to do throw down. N’Diaye’s length is unbelievable and very few players can get their hands up near his on the block. Kemp understands that a dunk is more than just two points. A dunk can change the momentum of a game by charging up the home crowd or silencing a hostile environment. Players rally around guys playing a tough, physical game and a center that can throw down next to the rim is an immense tool.

I believe Kemp can be that tough player. I believe Kemp can be that guy to come in and bang in the paint, drawing a few fouls while delivering a few of his own. Kemp certainly has the genetics for highlight plays and showed flashes of his abilities during his limited play time. When considering Kemp as N’Diaye’s backup you have to remember that Kemp had spent two seasons away from competitive basketball improving his academics and his conditioning and skills suffered as a result. Now that Kemp is able to refocus his efforts in basketball, expect an immediate rise in his abilities.

Who’s the New Four?

We now arrive at the biggest unknown of next season; the 4. If I had to place a bet now, I would lay my money on Desmond Simmons starting at the 4 slot. Simmons proved he is the rough-and-tumble energy guy that Romar professed him to be. Simmons was aggressive on both ends of the glass and supplied reasonably solid defense throughout a  game. Some may argue that Simmons is a tad undersized for the 4 at only 6-7 but at 220lbs, Simmons has the strength to battle with taller opponents. It is truly his motor that will carry him forward and allow him to find success.

Where Simmons needs to improve is his mid-range shot. The Dawgs need Simmons to nail down that 12-15 footer that Gant was known for best.  It’s especially dangerous when used on the high post screen/pick-and-roll, a play which Romar uses (not often enough). I believe this shot is a simple fix for Simmons due to the fact that he started the year hitting exactly that type of shot. I’m not sure what changed between November and January, but the “Freshman Wall” almost always rears its ugly head and Simmons ran into it in December. I doubt any Husky fan is expecting our 4 to average double digit points, but I think it is more than fair to want our starting forward to bring 7-8 points a game with him.

After Simmons, the experience level drops off pretty significantly. The Huskies have 2 players off the bench to provide some length and minutes.

I expect Martin Breunig to be a big part of the bench next season. I love this kid’s attitude and the way he plays. Defensively, Breunig had troubles picking up Romar’s style of play, which ultimately led to his limited minutes during conference play. That being said, Breunig is aggressive on offense and seems to possess solid court vision. After the Huskies ended their post season, Romar talked about how the defensive issues would be cleared up immediately and that the Husky fan base should expect a return to the “hustle and grind” style that past teams in the Romar era have possessed. Breunig has great athleticism and a will to do whatever is necessary to get the W. After a year of the learning a brand new system in a brand new country, Breunig is primed for an off season of training that is made even more valuable when considering the multi-week trip to Europe and Africa that will give The Dawgs an additional 10 practices before non-conference play. With a defensively improved Breunig, the forward slot issues could be much more easily and readily addressed.

A potential X-Factor for the ’12-’13 season is 6-10 forward Jernard Jerreau. When Jerreau first arrived at campus he had to run circles in the shower to get wet. A full year of weight lifting during his redshirt season has led to at least 15lbs of muscle being added to his lengthy frame. That additional muscle puts Jerreau at a much better 205lbs with another four and a half months to go before the games begin. Jerreau has many unique skills that others his size do not after growing 7 inches between his freshman year of high school and his senior year. Jerreau can handle the ball with a somewhat surprising grace. That, combined with his 91 inch wingspan, allows the New Orleans native to make plays above and around others with much greater ease. The key to Jerreau’s career moving forward is continuing his weight lifting regiment to gain the strength necessary to play through contact and battle more stout opponents. Jerreau will not be able to compete in the center against guys like Josh Smith or the Wear twins due to his thin frame, but he could do a lot of good against the many 6-8 and 6-9 players at the forward position where his speed and length will be much tougher to stop. I, for one, am very excited to see Jerreau step on the court and see what all he has to offer. With a great shot and decent rebounding, Jerreau could make his way into the starting 5 due to his size (Imagine a starting 5 of 6-3, 6-6, 6-6, 6-10, 7-0, I’m drooling already).

Two other players have uncertain futures with the Huskies: Austin Sefarian-Jenkins and Perris Blackwell.

Perris Blackwell is a transfer player from USF who stands at 6-9 240lbs. What is holding Blackwell back are the NCAA transfer rules and his current standing as a student. If Blackwell could somehow complete 2 quarters worth of schooling over the summer, Blackwell could apply to the UW as a graduate student allowing him to immediately join and play for the Huskies. If he can’t get that complete, Blackwell will need to sit out the 2012-2013 season as a redshirt per NCAA regulations meaning Dawg fans will have to wait to see Blackwell donning the purple and gold.

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins is a potential All-American football player who may wish to sit out the basketball season to avoid injuries that could impede his football career. Though ASJ loved and grew from his time on the hardwood, his future lies on the gridiron and risking injury as a walk-on to a sport that will not pay his bills is not the best course of action.  At 6-6 and 260lbs, ASJ was great for about 7-10 minutes of play and 5 hard fouls, which is exactly what I would expect him to bring to the floor should he put on a basketball uniform for another season. What Husky fans need to keep in mind is that even if ASJ decides to play basketball once more, we will not be able to count on him until conference play as the football season extends into late December and, hopefully, very early January.

What next year’s frontcourt realistically comes down to is 5 guys playing a total of 80 minutes whom only two have any reasonable amount of experience on the court in a college atmosphere. N’Diaye should continue to pick up his 25 minutes a game and Simmons will likely add a few more to his responsibility in order to fill in the gap left by Gant’s departure. This leaves 30-35 minutes amongst 3 players, all of whom could easily contribute the 10-12 minute average that would be asked of them. The most likely scenario is that Kemp Jr. picks up 15 minutes to fill in for N’Diaye, while Breunig and Jerreau split the remaining 15-20 minutes at the 4. With a stellar backcourt once again, this Husky frontcourt should not have too much scoring pressure on their shoulders and much of the frontcourt’s responsibilities will come on the glass and defensive end. Last season, the frontcourt accounted for 30% of the team scoring and I would imagine next season’s team to average the same.

So who can take over in the frontcourt? The answer is pretty much anyone. N’Diaye and Simmons have shown they can play, but there is a lot of room for improvement and opportunity that several players could seize. Romar has always been big on players earning their starting position, stating that no one is ever guaranteed a starting spot when practice begins. While I think most fans would agree that N’Diaye will be in the starting 5, an argument can clearly be made for a number of players to start at the forward position, depending on the off-season progress made by each individual.

The conclusion is that Husky fans should not be terribly worried about our frontcourt. Our team will be much more experienced and the opportunity exist for our frontcourt to have a successful year. I’ve always been a firm believer that basketball is an inside-out game, meaning that a strong (or at least reliable) frontcourt will open the floor for a talented backcourt to take over. I believe that this group of guys can get that job done. Now we just have to wait to see if they can execute and utilize the talent on their team effectively.

Go Dawgs!

Nigel Williams-Goss

Nigel Williams-Goss is a highly talented player. You can’t become the starting point guard at nationally ranked Findlay Prep by being a bum. He is smart, talented, can score, can distribute, and has a high basketball IQ.

His commitment to Washington is the most important recruit UW could have signed this early. No one in the class of 2013 is as influential as Williams-Goss. He is a leader on and off the court. He is a leader in every regard, he has “swag”, he has “class”, and he garners the respect of both his teammates and opponents.

One 2013 recruit told me, “He is my favorite point guard to play with in the whole country.” (Note: This recruit does not go to Findlay.) Why? Because he is a leader, knows how to win, and knows how to distribute the ball.

This should be music to a Husky fan’s ears. The past year there was so much talk of leadership on the UW team because there wasn’t any leadership. And the ones that had it forced onto them, didn’t know what to do with it. Part of the reason the team struggled at random points in the season and eventually failed to make the NCAA tournament was because of leadership. UW was stacked with talent but not a single player that really could lead the team on the court.

Williams-Goss isn’t scared to do that, he embraces it, and he will be doing it as a freshman when he first laces up his shoes and steps on the court. It’s in his blood.

He is also a recruiter. He wants others to join him. One recruit told me that he is basically the student recruiter at Findlay. He has helped Findlay bring in some talent. Can he help UW bring in some?

He is certainly going to try. He said in his blogpost on Recruiting Spotlight that he was going to start talking with Aaron Gordon, Isaac Hamilton, and Marcus Lee about joining him at UW. All three are in the top 100 according to all databases for 2013.

Now, as a guy that follows and covers recruiting, I understand that your peer plays a very small role in your final decision to attend a University. However, sometimes the difference between committing to UNLV or Florida (as examples) are very small. If your friend is advocating for Florida, that may be the push you need to commit there.

Therefore, to give a better example of a UW recruit and Williams-Goss. If Aaron Gordon is thinking Kentucky, Washington, Oregon, or New Mexico and all are pretty even with the slight lead going to UW. Williams-Goss may be the extra push he needs to commit to UW.

However, don’t weigh into it too much that Williams-Goss is going to convince all the stars to come to UW because he may not convince any or  he may be able to convince one or two of them to join him. It’s really depends on each player and each situation but regardless, grabbing Williams-Goss this early is a big move for Washington.

Tyrell Robinson (image from facebook)

Tyree and Tyrell Robinson are being highly recruited by schools all over the country. They have picked up about 20 offers alone in the last couple months. However, they are limiting the schools that have a shot with them unintentionally with the two major things they want from a university.

1. They are a package deal.

They told Rival’s Adam Gorney, ‘we came into the world as a package and we want to go to a university as a package.’ This being said, any schools that have only offered one twin and not the other won’t be considered. Which limits their options.

2. They want to play both football and basketball in college.

There are many recruits that say that they want to play both but often it doesn’t work out. But with the Robinson twins they are ranked in both sports. They are not only receiving basketball offers and basketball coaches are asking the football coach to do them a favor and offer them too. Football coaches are going hard for these two as much as basketball coaches.

Rivals list both as 4-star prospects in football and Tyree is a 4-star in basketball while Tyrell is a 3-star. Scout has Tyree as a 3-star in football and Tyrell as a 2-star. But in basketball Tyree is a 4-star and Tyrell is a 3-star. They are obviously talented in both sports.

These two above requirements for a university are what will help them decide on their future school. This isn’t going to be easy but at the same time they still have coaches lining up for them.

Rivals states that they have over 30 offers and many of those are for both football and basketball. However, one school that is towards the top of their list; Washington.

UW is always one of the first schools out of their mouth when they list schools they are interested in. They are planning a visit to Washington and both Lorenzo Romar and Steve Sarkisian are eager to have the twins. They are hot commodities and some even say they could be the best “athletes” on the west coast.

These are two names to keep an eye on, especially because now UW has a big recruiting tool for high school recruits that want to play both sports; Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

November 6, 2010, Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver D.J. Davis (10) is tackled by Washington Huskies safety Nate Williams (8) after making a reception during the first half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

Nate Williams was one of the best high school players in the state of Washington, who was a standout on both the offense and the defense. He decided to stay home and play for his hometown Huskies where he continued to excel.

He played as a true freshman and even won the “Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshman Award” on the defensive side of the ball. He recorded 32 tackles in 2007 and that was just the beginning of this outstanding career that Williams would put together.

He continued to rack up tackles, forced fumbles, and interceptions year after year. So when the 2011 NFL draft came, it was assumed that he would hear his named called and start his NFL career. In fact, I wrote this article the day of the first round predicting he would go in the 6th round and following the draft I wrote this piece about how he was snubbed.

Husky Haul caught up with Williams and talked about where he is now, what he was thinking those three days of the NFL Draft, and his thoughts on this year’s Husky team. He even talks about something that he has never shared publicly, his decision to hang up his cleats.

Take us through the draft after you graduated. Were you expecting to hear your name called? What were your feelings during and after?

During the draft, I was expecting my name to be called sometime day three. That’s the word I was getting from my agent at the time. Day one, I obviously, was waiting for Jake’s [Locker] name to be called, I think our whole team at the time was just as excited as he was!

Then day two, I was expecting to hear Mason’s [Foster] name, and we did, and I was real happy for Mason. Especially, since me and him have been real good friends since our senior year of high school.

Towards the end of the draft, I started getting a few calls from teams saying that they were going to “try to get me, but if not they wanted me to come to their camp whenever that was going to be.” At that time there was still the lockout so they weren’t able to contact any players once the draft was over. Once it ended and I didn’t hear my name called, naturally, I was a little disappointed. However, then after talking with my dad, my agent, and Roy Lewis I began to feel a lot better about myself and my future career. Roy [Lewis] went to the Steelers as a free agent in 2008 so the advice and things that we talked about that day really made me feel better about my situation at the time. To see and get to talk to another player that had to make it in the LEAUGE the “hard” way, and be very successful, let me know that it is still possible to make it in the NFL.

How many teams contacted you about trying out for them?

After the lockout ended in July, I was only called by 5 teams and decided to go to the Baltimore Ravens.

What made you decide to retire from football? How hard of a decision was that?

Ahh now the “retirement”… and I wouldn’t even call it that. I feel like you have to be on contract during the regular season in order to retire. I came to the decision to stop playing after about 4-5 months after I was released from Baltimore.

By no means AT ALL was it an easy decision for me and honestly aside from my immediate family, and close friends this is the first time I’ve talked about it.

This was by far the toughest decision to make of my life. Football had been something I had been doing since I was 8. I started playing because the game was FUN. Football got me through high school, got me a scholarship to one of the top universities in the nation (with a degree in 4yrs),  gave me the opportunity to live out one of my childhood dreams, the list can go on and on about the things football has done for me.

I’ve met some AMAZING people along the way, was able to play with one of my idols growing up and the man that I tried to be like on the field, Ed Reed. I was able to meet so many former and current NFL players, some superstars now, some already in the hall of fame. I was fortunate enough to be apart of a once in a life time event, the NFL Combine. I was able to network with business men through the 101 club at UW. I was able to travel all around the nation with my 90 other BROTHERS at UW and have had plenty of moments and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Football has been nothing but good to me the 15 years I have been playing and to give something like that up, was not easy one bit. I don’t regret my decision at all. I’m extremely thankful for Husky Nation and all the love and support over the 4 years I was there. I’ll forever bleed purple and gold, and will be a Husky till the day that I die! My most memorable moment in Husky stadium was our 2009 win over USC and the fans rushed the field after the game, AMAZING! One day down the road I’m sure I’ll be able to speak on this topic in depth but not now, not yet.

What are you doing now for work?

Currently I’m working at Joey’s restaurant in SouthCenter as a chef.

What career would you love to be in, if you aren’t already in it?

Being a chef is not a career thing for me, just something temporary to pay my bills and stay busy. I want to become a firefighter for my career. I’ve enrolled in EMT courses and am currently working on passing those and then taking the next step in becoming a firefighter.

Would you ever consider coaching?

I actually have thought about coaching. I feel like I’d be a good coach one day just not sure at what level.

Do you keep up with the current Husky team? What are your thoughts on the team, new defensive staff/system?

I think they’re going to do great this year. Majority of the players have experience now and I think Sean Parker is going to have a break out year. I don’t know much about the new coaching staff, I haven’t met them or anything but I was in the locker room during spring ball and all the defensive players I talked to had nothing but great things to say about their scheme, intensity, mindset, and everything. So we’ll see how this year actually goes but I’m expecting big things from Keith [Price], ASJ [Austin Seferian-Jenkins], Tru [Desmond Trufant], and SP [Sean Parker].

Thanks Nate! You can follow him on twitter @NateWilly8 and give him a shout out. One thing I know is that Husky Nation loves their current and former Huskies, Nate Williams is no exception.

John Brockman rocking his UW Swagga Suit (Image courtesy of UW Swagga Suit Facebook)

Jon Brockman has placed a handful of UW students on the map with the “Swagga Suit”. He was photographed in an adult sized onesie blazoned with a huge Washington “W” across the chest. It was posted to the UW Swagga Suit Facebook page and then spread like wildfire. You can see one of those images to the right.

He was featured in this Yahoo! article, and this NBC sports piece, and much more. While the articles poke fun at the idea, the fact of the matter is this idea is spreading like crazy.

It is the brainchild of current University of Washington students, when they wanted to represent UW from top to bottom. Literally from head to toe.

Their website says it was born this way:

SWAG is short for Sweet Washington Athletic Gear.  Here at SWAG we specialize in one thing and one thing only…Straight up FANDIMONIUM!  SWAG was founded in 2012 by a group of UW students looking to put a little different touch on fan apparel. After sitting in a locked room for a total of 13.5 hours we not only became good friends but we decided to produce jumpsuits… The sequence of events behind this decision is a little blurred but let’s just say things got weird and in the end here we are and here is our awesome product… The Original Swagga Suit!

This is hardcore. This has the potential to bring in lots of ridicule but also the potential to bring in support and loads of money. Husky fans are tweeting about how they want one. The chances are high that there will be multiple Dawg Pack members wearing this next season. There may even be a “Swagga Suit” night.

Whether you think this is a bad idea or not. It is innovative and different. It is loud and proud. This Swagga Suit will sell, and most likely sell by the truck load. Mainly because they are already looking to expand out and according to their twitter account, @swaggasuit, they are sending a prototype to the Bucks.

It has caught fast, as according to their Facebook timeline this was only launched in February and there have already been a handful of big-time articles, twitter posts, Facebook updates, etc. Good press or bad, this is catching on.

As these young inventors/clothing designers begin to branch out, they will quickly learn that sporting apparel is a 100 billion dollar industry and just tapping into a small part of it could make these UW enthusiasts the next big thing out of the University of Washington.

If you are wanting to buy one, you can go here. They are being sold for $59.99 a piece.

Nov. 26, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Justin Davis has decided to attend the University of Southern California next season. Davis had over 20 offers from all over the country but narrowed his list to USC, Washington, and California, he announced this evening that he wanted to play for Lane Kiffin.

Davis is one of the top running backs in the country and is rated as the third best at his postion by Brandon Huffman of Scout.com. Rivals has him as a four-star player but still as one of the better running backs in this class.

Washington had a shot at him with their recent success at the position but it is hard to compete with what USC has done over the years at tail-back. The depth at the position will also allow him to come in and get carries immediately. Kiffin has also been known to split carries between his backs, young or veteran. This is appealing to a talent like Davis.

This doesn’t come as a huge shock to Huskies fans but it was intriguing to watch as UW was one of the final ones left in his list with a shot at a five-star talent from California.

The Huskies have five verbally committed players and one player considered to be a soft verbal; Aaron Baltazar. Derek Babiash recently verballed to UW but backed off a couple days later saying he made an emotionally charged decision. He still has Washington in the mix but isn’t ready to declare that as his future school.

Scout.com has Washington listed as the 39th overall recruiting class so far for 2013. They are listed as 4th in the Pac-12 behind USC, Stanford, and Oregon.

The Trojans now have seven commitments and six of the seven commitments are in the top 100 of Scout.com rankings. This places them securely in the top 10 of team rankings.

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:

November 8, 2010; College Park, MD, USA; Seattle Redhawks guard Mark McLaughlin (32) during the 2k Sports Classic at the Comcast Center. Maryland beat Seattle 105-76. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-US PRESSWIRE

McLaughlin is listed by some as the best JUCO guard in the nation and the top scorer with 27 points a game. In 2008, he was a top 100 recruit out of high school at Inglemoor in Seattle but after a few bumps in the road he landed at Tacoma Community College.

He originally committed to Washington State but after a high school switch, he switched his commitment to Nevada. The coach he committed to was Mark Fox and Fox ended up leaving the program, leaving McLaughlin with another decision. He decided to attend Baylor University, he even made his way to campus but after a short stay he wanted to be closer to his son in Seattle. He transferred to Seattle University and played in 17 games but the fit didn’t feel right and decided JUCO was the best ruote. That is his “few bumps” in the road.

He told Bob Condotta in an interview that, “A lot of people that don’t know me think I’m a head case, I just had to grow up.” McLaughlin recognizes that his unorthodox travels through schools will lead to many doubters but he is going to be a Husky for the next two years.

He feels right about his decision to be a Husky and with only two years left of eligibility he plans to make that decision work.

McLaughlin can come in and play right away for the Huskies. He is good enough, according to one basketball analyst I talked to, that he could even start. He can shoot the three and can play off the dribble. He will draw immediate comparisons to Terrence Ross because of his ability to play all over the court. However, you will also notice how different he plays compared to Ross. The main thing they have in common is they both can score.

He has to adjust to the D1 game at the Pac-12 level but he could be the next guard from the Huskies finding their way into the NBA. He is a talented scoring guard and the Huskies will utilize his abilities.

He chose the Washington Huskies over many schools in the nation including Gonzaga and West Virginia.

Feb 20, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Connecticut Huskies forward Alex Oriakhi (34) during the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center. UCONN defeated Villanova 73-70 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Reports out of New York yesterday was that Alex Oriakhi was considering Washington as a potential destination for him to play basketball next year. The well-known recruiting expert, Adam Zagoria, on his blog listed North Carolina, Duke, Washington, and Gonzaga as visit locations.

Zagoria says this about the Oriakhi and Washington situation:

Washington loses Darnell Gant and assistant Raphael Chillious has coached Oriakhi at various Nike events and also on a trip to Brazil before Oriakhi went to UConn.

Oriakhi is considered a special case by the NCAA when it comes to his transfer. He would be able to play immediately for whatever team he chooses due to UCONN being banned from the NCAA tournament in 2013. Therefore, UW is a big possibility with the ability to start immediately, huge minutes, and under a coach (Chillious) he knows and recognizes.

Zagoria goes on to describe why Oriakhi is transferring and what type of production he has had in the past.

A key contributor on the 2011 UConn NCAA championship team, Oriakhi never got comfortable playing alongside Andre Drummond and often became the whipping boy for coach Jim Calhoun. After averaging 9.6 points and 8.7 rebounds in 29.1 minutes as a sophomore, he averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes this year.

It was originally reported by Jeff Goodman of CBS that Oriakhi had been contacted by “Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, NC State, Florida, Temple, Xavier, UCLA, Mizzou, George Mason, Virginia Tech, Virginia & Charlotte.”

However, it was also rumored that Washington was in that mix too. That Chillious was reaching out to him and hoping to bring him in, to add immediate help in a spot that many Husky fans see as a desperate need. This turned out to be the case as now Zagoria is reporting that Washington has a high likelihood of getting visit from the big man.

Oriaki at 6’9, 240 pounds is a traditional power forward and would immediately help the Huskies. He would add much needed talent on a spot in the roster that no one else plays, at least in the traditional sense of the position. Stay tuned as this transfer plays out.

Mascot: Wildcats

Location: Evanston, Illinois

Enrollment: 19,000

Current Record: 19-13 (8-10 in the Big-10 Conference)

RPI: 52        SOS: 19

Coach: Bill Carmody (12th season)

First Thought: The Northwestern Wildcats are no stranger to the NIT. This is their fourth consecutive trip. They were on the brink of making the NCAA tournament this year but their conference record didn’t help them enough. They just weren’t able to get over that hump that continually keeps them out of the NCAA tournament. This is a school that has never received a bid to the Big Dance.

Best Win: 81-74 win over Michigan State (RPI 3)

Worst Loss: 56-57 vs Illinois (RPI 84)

Last Game: 76-74 win over Akron (RPI 63) in first round of the NIT

Synopsis: Northwestern has no bad losses on their resume. In fact, they have one of the most impressive strengths of schedules in the country at 19. While they have no “bad” losses. They don’t have any impressive wins besides their huge win over Michigan State. Their best win beyond MSU was to Seton Hall who has an RPI of 59 but also did not make the NCAA tournament.

This is just a case of a team that scheduled their season and competed in a conference that would allow them to play some big games but in all of those big moments they couldn’t pull it off (suffice of MSU). Their big time games that didn’t go their way were losses to Ohio State, Michigan, Baylor, Creighton, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Indiana. All of those teams are in the NCAA tournament and would have helped them possibly secure a bid had they won.

My analysis: The Wildcats have a squad that sees most of their scoring behind two men, John Shurna and Drew Crawford. And 3 of the 5 starters have started this year for the Wildcats: Shurna, Dave Sobolewski, and Reggie Hearn. Crawford has started in 31 of 32.

John Shurna- is probably one of the most impressive big men in the country. He is 6’9, 215 pounds but has the highest three point percentage on his team at 43% and that is on 209 attempts. He averages almost 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks a game. He is the go-to-guy for Northwestern and he is hard to guard as he plays inside and out and is most comfortable with the ball in his hands.

Dave Sobolewski- is an impressive guard that averages almost 9 points a game. He also picks up 3 rebounds and 4 assists a game. He can also shoot the three and is 36% on the year from behind the arch.

Reggie Hearn- plays the least amount of minutes out of the starters. He averages about 25 minutes a game but in that time he is able to score 7 points and get 4 rebounds. He can also shoot from downtown as he is shooting nearly 40% on the season.

Drew Crawford- the other big time scorer besides Shurna for the Wildcats. He averages 16.4 points a game. He shoots a lot of three-point shots, 146 on the year and is 41% from 3. He also contributes by grabbing 5 rebounds a game.

The Wildcats love the three point shot. As a team they have attempted 747 shots from deep and have converted 288 of those (38.6%). They are 8th in the nation in three point shots made, 22nd in attempts, and 24th in percentage. The Huskies will need to contain the outside shot or this could turn into a shootout.

My Prediction: UW 83 NU 79

The Huskies may go into the half with Northwestern ahead because of defensive struggles. But if they are able to adjust and contain outside shots, rebound the ball, and control their fouls, the Huskies will win this game.

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

UT-Arlington wasn’t a pushover and they gave the Huskies quite the fight. UT-Arlington even found a way with the clock expiring in the first half to go to the locker room tied at 37. And the Mavericks continued to hang around with the Huskies until about the 7 minute mark when UW was able to gradually extend the lead to 10.

While the Huskies pulled off the win there are a few concerns that Lorenzo Romar is going to need to address before facing Northwestern on Friday:

• Rebounding was a big factor for keeping UTA in the game. They out rebounded UW 37-27 and 17-4 on the offensive glass. The Huskies led the Pac-12 in rebounding and yet struggled all game in this category.
• Fouls were a big factor in this game for both teams. This could be blamed on the refs but Aziz N’Diaye found 4 fouls very quick and at least 3 of those were strong fouls.
• Passion seemed to be lacking in some of the players to start the game. This could be pointed to the disappointment of not making the NCAA tournament. However, the passion was picked up in the second half. If the Huskies can come out hot in their game against Northwestern they should be seeing Iowa or Oregon in the third round.
• Defense also was an issue for the Huskies at times in this game. They had some impressive lockdown moments but other times seemed to play lazy on that end of the court.

Player Notes: 

Abdul Gaddy- played a great game, scoring in double digits for only his 11th time this season. He had 10 points and 6 assists. He finds ways to get the ball to the hot scorer and he was feeding both Wilcox and Ross when they were hot.

Tony Wroten- was one of the most impressive players on the court today. He didn’t do the damage that Husky fans are used to in the scoring department as he only had 9 points. But he tied his season high in 8 assists (the other time was against USC on 2/4). He also had 2 steals, 1 rebound, and 1 block.

Terrence Ross- had two moments in this game where he just could not be stopped. Once was in the first half as he scored 5 straight buckets and the other was in the second as he knocked down back to back threes. He ended the game with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

CJ Wilcox- was only able to knock down one 3pt shot in the game but he showed he can score in other ways. He was 8-10 from line and ended with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

Darnell Gant- was the only Husky player that had a double-double in this game. He came out with a ton of passion and you can tell he is not ready to end his season and his career at Washington. He had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Desmond Simmons- only saw 10 minutes in the game. He had 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.

Aziz N’Diaye- struggled with fouls throughout the whole game. He was able to be productive when he was in the game and his most impressive performance was at the line. He went 5-11 from the line which may not sound impressive but he is 34% on the year so this is a vast improvement to 45%. He had 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block.

Shawn Kemp Jr.- Saw limited minutes (5) but was able to get 1 block in that time. He shows potential but still needs to get in better shape and is still working on his defense.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins- Played 9 minutes and had 2 points and 1 rebound.

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies center Aziz N

The other top three seeds were Seton Hall, Tennessee, and Arizona. The order of seeds being Seton Hall, Washington, Arizona, and Tennessee.

The Huskies have a chance to play in Madison Square Garden again if they are able to make it thru the first few rounds. While this may be the NIT tournament and not the NCAA tournament, Washington won’t have a free ride. In fact, they could potentially play another team that barely missed the NCAA bracket, Northwestern, in the second round. And the Huskies could end up seeing the Oregon Ducks again in the third round.

UW has had a roller coaster ride this season, sometimes performing up to their talent, other times vastly under what their skill level should dictate, but mostly somewhere in between. This should prove for a wild run or lack there of in the NIT. The good news for Husky fans is that UW will be able to at least host a game or two giving the Huskies a home court advantage.

Fans will have a chance to watch a few more games in Alaska Airlines Arena before this season ends.

The NIT features four teams from the Pac 12. Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Stanford all received bids and Oregon and Stanford both received a #3 seed while Washington and Arizona were labeled as #1 seeds. Washington could even potentially see Arizona in the final games if both win their side to the bracket.

If you would like to check out the bracket and who else UW could face in the next couple of weeks. Here is the link to the bracket.