Tag: Huskies

Week 1 Washington college football round-up

How did the major college football programs in the Evergreen State fare in the first weekend of action?

Here at Seahawks Wire, we are starting a new on-going series for this season. Each week, we will take a look at how all the major college football programs in our lovely Evergreen State fared. So far in Week 1, it’s all wins for Washington, as all teams who played ended the weekend with a 1-0 record.

Note, Central Washington University did not play this weekend, so there is nothing to report. But we will include our friends in Ellensburg as well!

Eastern Washington University: Eagles defeat Monmouth 42-27

  • It was a battle of birds of prey last Thursday on the iconic Infero of Roos Field. The Eagles swooped down and snatched any chance of victory away from the Hawks. Quarterback Kekoa Visperas was nearly perfect, completing 25-of-28 passes for 275 yards and five touchdown passes. Three of those scores came from Efton Chism III, who hauled in 12 receptions for 175 yards through the air.
  • Next Up: Eastern will remain in the friendly confines of Cheney to host the Drake Bulldogs.

Washington State Univeristy: Cougs obliterate Portland State 70-30

  • Washington State wasted little time getting their offense going after the Portland State scored an opening drive touchdown. After taking their 7-0 lead, the Vikings were quickly left in the dust behind the Cougs’ explosive offense. Starter John Mateer threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns in the start of head coach Jake Dickert’s third season as head coach.
  • Next Up: WAZZU will stay in the Palouse to host the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who narrowly surived in overtime to win 52-51 against Abilene Christian.

University of Washington: Huskies handle business 35-3 vs. Weber St.

  • In their first action since their embarrassing 34-13 defeat in the National Championship, Washington took care of business and defeated the Wildcats convincingly. Will Rogers, in his first action as a Husky, played fine, completing 20-of-26 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown. The offensive standout was running back Jonah Coleman who had 16 carries for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
  • Next Up: A third straight Washington-based team who gets to enjoy Week 2 at home. The Huskies will host Eastern Michigan, who is fresh off a 28-14 win over the UMass Minutemen.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Seahawks officially set their 53-man roster

Updated Seahawks win/loss record by uniform headed into 2024

Remembering Geno Smith’s iconic line vs. the Broncos

Kenneth Walker III in store for a big game against Denver 

Chargers trade for CB Elijah Molden

The Chargers have added to their secondary.

The Chargers have added to their secondary.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Los Angeles has agreed on a trade with the Titans to acquire defensive back Elijah Molden.

In return, Tennessee is expected to receive a late-round pick, Rapoport added.

Molden reunites with CB Kristian Fulton, who also played with the Titans before signing with the Chargers in March.

Over the past three seasons, Fulton has appeared in 33 games (16 starts), posting 140 tackles, eight passes defended, five tackles for loss, and two interceptions.

Selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Washington, Molden finished with 153 tackles, 20 passes defended and five interceptions.

Saints pick a couple of Washington Huskies in this 2024 mock draft

The Saints picked a couple of Washington Huskies college teammates in this 2024 mock draft, addressing two of their top needs:

We’ll start with the bad news: it’s tough to glean much from a four-round mock draft when the New Orleans Saints only own two picks. Out of the first 135 selections in the 2024 draft, just two belong to the black and gold (at Nos. 14 and 45). A series of trades by general manager Mickey Loomis has cost the team a lot of draft capital, and they don’t have much to show for it.

Now let’s focus on the good news. The Saints can still come away with two impactful players with these two picks. That’s what happened in this four-round mock draft from Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy. And each player happened to come from the same school: the Washington Huskies.

In the first round, at No. 14, Popejoy has the Saints picking Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu. Popejoy alluded to Fautanu’s versatility, writing: “We love Troy Fautanu’s ability to play any spot on the offensive line.”

While he put up dominant tape at left tackle for Washington and excelled in the same outside zone-heavy running game that Klint Kubiak is installing with the Saints, some analysts feel his talents would be best employed at guard. If there’s any hope of Trevor Penning winning the starting job at left tackle, drafting a versatile blocker like Fautanu would allow the Saints to field their five best linemen.

What about the second round of this projection? Popejoy went back to Washington and picked wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk for the Saints at No. 45. He isn’t as big as other wideouts in this class but he plays bigger than his frame (6-foot-1, 203 pounds with 32-inch arms) and wins on a lot of contested catches. He can make some nice moves with the ball in his hands, too. He’d provide a nice counterpunch to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed while leaving room for someone like A.T. Perry to carve out a niche in the offense.

It’s uncommon to see teams pick college teammates in the same draft class like this. Since the team was founded in 1967, the Saints have done it 31 times, and six times during Mickey Loomis’ run as general manager. So it’s more likely than you’d think.

What about the rest of this mock draft? The Saints don’t have any picks in the third or fourth rounds, but a trade or two is a very real possibility. They own four selections in the fifth round and two in the sixth, and New Orleans should definitely be seen as a team that could package some of those picks together to move up into an earlier frame.

If talented prospects slide down a bit, as happened in this mock draft with Western Michigan defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland (who fell to No. 76), western Kentucky slot receiver Malachi Corley (No. 85), Boston College left guard Christian Mahogany (No. 92), LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith (No. 108), or Texas right tackle Christian Jones (No. 119), fans shouldn’t be shocked if Loomis cuts a deal to go get them.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Mel Kiper mocks Washington OL prospect to Seahawks in first round

A new mock from Mel Kiper at ESPN has Seattle selecting Fautanu at No. 16 overall and playing him at left guard.

The Seahawks haven’t drafted a whole lot of players from Washington, at least not during the Pete Carroll era. That may change this year, as the team has hired former Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as their new OC. Grubb’s offense was one of the best in college football in 2023 – and while his playcalling had something to do with it there was a ton of talent on that unit. Fans should expect to see at least one or two Washington players picked when Seattle is on the clock in the 2024 NFL draft.

The highest-ranked prospect for Washington is wide receiver Rome Odunze, who is projected to be a top-10 pick and therefore will be out of Seattle’s range. Next up there’s left tackle Troy Fautanu, who makes a lot of sense to draft given his familiarity with Grubb’s offense and the Seahawks’ desperate need to upgrade every part of their offensive line.

A new mock from Mel Kiper at ESPN has Seattle selecting Fautanu at No. 16 overall and playing him at left guard, replacing soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Damien Lewis.

“OK, so guard might not be the most exciting position for a mock draft, but I can assure you that Seahawks fans should be happy with Fautanu, who could stay near where he went to college. That’s because he’s a fun offensive line prospect to watch on tape. He has excellent feet and plays hard on every snap. Fautanu started 28 games at left tackle for the Huskies, but I see his future on the interior because of his 6-foot-4 frame. With Evan Brown, Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes all free agents, Seattle will have holes to fill along the interior of its line. And Seattle ranked 28th in rushing yards per game (92.9), surely new coordinator Ryan Grubb wants to see upgrades there. Fautanu would give this offense an instant boost.”

Fautanu (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) is the team’s most logical target if they intend to stay at that No. 16 overall spot. However, we’re not crazy about using him at guard. Fautanu may be slightly undersized for a pro tackle but we feel he could succeed on the blindside at the NFL level – better than Charles Cross has thus far, anyway.

While we like Fautanu, there’s also a good case to trade down from No. 16 and recoup the second-round pick the Seahawks lost to the Giants in the Leoanrd Williams trade. It’s unlikely Fautanu will still be available later in the first round, so the target then would most likely be his teammate, Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Here’s the highlight reel for Fautanu.

Other Huskies who will be worth watching throughout draft season include Edge Bralen Trice (who they have already met with), running back Dillon Johnson, wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk, tight ends Devin Culp and Jack Westover and right tackle Roger Rosengarten.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Seahawks trade down, target QB in this 2-round mock

Updated Seahawks depth chart going into free agency

Tracking Seahawks prospect visits at Scouting Combine

Brian Baldinger breaks down Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.’s game

The 2024 NFL draft features a deep and talented class of prospects at the quarterback position.

The 2024 NFL draft features a deep and talented class of prospects at the quarterback position. There are a few who are ranked higher than him, but our favorite in the bunch is Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., who just led the nation in passing yards this past season under new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Penix also finished second in Heisman voting behind LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

While there are legitimate concerns about Penix’s knees given his injury history, wherever he winds up going at the next level that team will be getting a polished and poised QB who has all the skills he needs to succeed in the NFL. Watch Brian Baldinger break down some of the things Penix does well on the field.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Seahawks trade down, target QB in this 2-round mock

Updated Seahawks depth chart going into free agency

Tracking Seahawks prospect visits at Scouting Combine

Ranking all 32 NFL teams by total dead money for 2024

Chargers 2024 NFL draft target: Washington WR Rome Odunze

Putting Washington WR Rome Odunze under a microscope to highlight his strengths, weaknesses and fit with the Chargers.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, I take a look at Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Vitals

Height: 6-3

Weight: 215

College Bio Page

Stats

Elevator pitch

Odunze is a contested-catch fiend who wins with raw athleticism, the ability to run routes effectively, deep ball tracking, body control, projecting as a solid starter in the NFL.

Strengths

Big-body receiver with ideal size and strength…Smooth-gliding athlete…Easy mover with fluid body movements and doesn’t play with tightness…Detailed route-runner and each step has a purpose…Vertical push to eat away at cushions…Has a huge catch radius…Times the ball well on jump balls and highpoints with long arms…Plus play strength to fend off downfield contact…Flashes acceleration and power to be a threat after the catch.

Weaknesses

Not slow, but isn’t the fastest receiver…Routes can be easily altered by press or physical coverage…Untested vs. double coverage.

Awards

Consensus All-American (2023)

First-team All-Pac-12 (2022, 2023)

Red Flags

N/A

Fit Likelihood

High

Grade

1st

Highlights

 

 

 

Seahawks finalize hiring of former Huskies OL coach Scott Huff

Ryan Grubb is the new Seahawks offensive coordinator and he’s bringing at least one friend with him.

Ryan Grubb is the new Seahawks offensive coordinator and he’s bringing at least one friend with him.

According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, Seattle has finalized the hiring of former Washington offensive line coach Scott Huff to fill the same position on head coach Mike Macdonald’s staff.

Huff had been Washington’s OL coach since the 2020 season and before that (2017-2019) he was their offensive line/run game coordinator.

Fans who are thrilled by the news should keep in mind that the Huskies had arguably the best offensive line in the country last season. Meanwhile, the Seahawks had one of the worst in the NFL – and it will take time to build that unit up.

To start with, Seattle might consider targeting Huskies left tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round of the draft. Charles Cross had a promising rookie season but regressed in a bad way in 2023, especially in pass protection. Difficult as it is to swallow, finding potential replacements for Cross and right tackle Abe Lucas – who has a long-term knee injury – should be on the menu this offseason.

More Seahawks Wire stories

7 quotes from Mike Macdonald’s radio interview on Monday

Seahawks hit 4 premium positions in this 3-round mock draft

Ranking all 32 teams by odds to win next year’s Super Bowl

Seahawks considering Ryan Grubb for offensive coordinator

Seahawks considering Ryan Grubb for offensive coordinator

The Seahawks have their new head coach. Now it’s time for Mike Macdonald to fill out the rest of his staff for the 2024 season.

The most important hire that Macdonald will make in the coming days is offensive coordinator. On that note we may already have a candidate.

According to 247Sports, Seattle is considering Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb for their own OC position.

Grubb actually just left the Seattle area, following former Huskies head coach Kaelin DeBoer over to Alabama when he replaced Nick Saban as their head coach. DeBoer has gotten much of the hype and credit, but Grubb was calling plays and Washington had one of the top offenses in the nation this year. For the conspiracy-minded, hiring Grubb could be an indication of interest in drafting quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who’s coming off two magnificent seasons at Washington.

In related news, at least one defensive coordinator candidate is off the table for Macdonald. Former Baltimore linebacker Zachary Orr is sticking with the Ravens, replacing Macdonald as their defensive coordinator.

More Seahawks Wire stories

4 biggest questions for Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald

10 quotes from Mike Macdonald’s first Seahawks press conference

2024 NFL mock draft: Complete 3-round projections (100 picks)

College Football: Joel Klatt reveals new top 10 rankings

The right No. 1?

Another week of college football has come and gone, and it was certainly an entertaining Saturday.

The game of the day wound up being Washington beating Oregon in a thriller while Notre Dame dismantling USC brought an end to the Trojans hopes of making the College Football Playoff.

So what should the rankings look like following this weekend?

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt announced the Michigan win over Indiana on Saturday and released his new top 10, along with a couple near-misses, on Saturday night.

Here’s how Klatt rated the top 10 immediately following Week 7 of the 2023 college football season.

Way-too-early 2024 mock draft projects Saints to pick Washington DE Bralen Trice

This way-too-early 2024 mock draft from USA Today projects the New Orleans Saints to (eventually) pick big Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice:

The ink is still drying on the 2023 NFL draft and we’re already seeing mock drafts for the 2024 cycle. What are we doing? More importantly, who are the New Orleans Saints being linked to?

One projection comes from USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who likes the Saints to end up with Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice. Here’s what he wrote of the player, using the current Super Bowl odds to determine draft order (putting the Saints at No. 19):

Despite using a second-rounder on Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, the Saints should keep mulling their pass-rush plans, especially with Cameron Jordan turning 34 in July. The 6-4, 267-pound Trice led all Power Five edge rushers last season with 70 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while notching nine sacks.

Trice is one of the top pass rushers eligible for next year’s draft, and if he builds on his momentum he’ll have no problem securing a spot in the first round of selections. The Saints have a clear long-term need at defensive end with only Foskey (once he formally signs), Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Payton Turner under contract through 2024, so they’ll likely be replacing either Jordan or Carl Granderson in the near future. Trice fits the athletic prototype they value with a big frame and real power off the edge, so he’s someone to watch when the college football season kicks off in the fall.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”pahxNoVopr-2714582-7618″ type=”amp”]