An incoming transfer guard could be coming south from Washington in the coming weeks.
The Oregon Ducks have reportedly been reaching out to one of their rivals who entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason.
According to On3’s Joe Tipton, former Washington Huskies guard Koren Johnson is considering five schools after his move to enter the transfer portal a couple of weeks ago, and the Ducks are among the finalists for his commitment. Tipton reports that Johnson is looking at Oregon, Indiana, Florida, UCLA, and a potential return to Washington.
In 2023, Johnson played in 31 games, averaging 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He played for two full seasons at Washington, where he was an elite scorer with four games of 20-plus points this past year.
Koren Johnson Info
Size: 6-foot-2, 175-pounds
Recruiting Profile: 4-star, No. 128 player in 2022 class
NEWS: Washington transfer guard Koren Johnson is down to five schools, he tells @On3sports: Florida, Oregon, Indiana, UCLA, and a return to Washington.
The Washington Huskies took athletic director Pat Chun away from Washington State on Tuesday, and social media had a lot of thoughts.
The Washington Huskies officially named Pat Chun their new athletic director on Tuesday, replacing Troy Dannen and becoming the 17th director in the history of the school.
“It is truly an honor for my family and I to join the University of Washington family, and I look forward to doing my part to help elevate the athletics program and the University,” Chun said in a statement. “I am grateful to President [Ana Marie] Cauce for the opportunity and will work closely with our campus partners, our coaches and our staff to help our student-athletes have an incredible experience at UW. Our transition to the Big Ten is a critical step in our journey and great things lie ahead for the Huskies!”
“Pat has a track record of success and a wealth of experience – from 15 years in the Big Ten and service on national groups guiding the future of college sports, to securing community support and a commitment to the well-being of student-athletes,” Cauce said in the same statement. “He knows our state, is highly respected in national athletics circles and has an eye for talent. I’m so happy he’ll be joining us to lead UW Athletics into the future.”
Assistant athletic director Chris Hein displayed a graphic at the entrance of Husky Stadium welcoming his new boss.
UW Hall of Famer and Pac-12 Hall of Honor member Eldridge Recasner had some kind words for the new head man.
How bout that @UWAthletics is hiring @pat_chun as the new AD. What I can tell you about Pat Chun is he is a nice guy and family man. He always found me when I had a game at WSU and came by and said hello, with one of his daughters with him all the time….
One time I saw Pat Chun getting Dairy Queen in Pullman instead of supporting local businesses. Congrats UW – you’re getting someone who hates their community.
The Washington Huskies have found their athletic director, poaching Pat Chun from rival Washington State.
The Washington Huskies didn’t have to look very far for their new athletic director. In fact, he was just across the state in Pullman as Washington State University’s Pat Chun is headed to Montlake after Troy Dannen departed for Nebraska last week.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Chun and Washington are finalizing a six-year deal to keep him in the state. He has been WSU’s athletic director since 2017 and has had some notable success during his time in Pullman. One of his greatest skills is his ability to fundraise, as from 2019-2023, he more than tripled the amount the university had raised in the previous five years.
His hiring could not come at a better time, as Washington is headed to the Big Ten conference after the shake up and collapse of the Pac-12. Chun spent 15 years in the conference at Ohio State University with former Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith as his mentor, where he gained experience in many different roles before being promoted to executive associate athletic director.
The Youngstown, Ohio native attended Ohio State and received his master’s from Duquesne University before returning to his alma mater in 1997.
He was recently appointed as the president of the National Association Directors of Athletics for the 2023-2024 academic year, where he has served as an officer since 2021 and been a part of the organization since 2016.
Chun also has experience in the NIL space, as he testified before the House of Representatives sub-committee to help develop federal standards when it comes to student athlete monetizing their names, images and likeness.
Utah State Basketball: Danny Sprinkle Hired By Washington Huskies After Just One Season in Logan After just one season, Sprinkle’s amazing elevation of the Aggie program earns him the Big Ten job. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Danny …
Danny Sprinkle announces resignation amid being hired as the new Men’s Basketball coach at Washington.
The Utah State Men’s Basketball program enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in awhile. Which is a huge statement given the work done in years past during the Ryan Odom & Craig Smith eras in Logan. With only two & three seasons under their belts before other Universities came calling.
Now former Aggies coach Danny Sprinkle has them beat. Departing Utah State after just one season, an extremely memorable season at that, for a Big Ten job.
Sprinkle arrived in Logan last spring, after a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament at his alma mater Montana State, turned into a job offer. He hit the ground running immediately. Tasked with assembling an entirely new roster, with no returning players from the previous season. Something he did immediately & did well.
Bringing in All-Big Sky Bobcats Great Osobor & Darius Brown II with him from Bozeman as many transitioning coaches tend to do. Adding them to a roster filled with high major transfers, impactful mid-major scorers & good ole freshman. A concoction very little head coaches anywhere, could turn into a title contender overnight, or even over an entire summer. Don’t tell Sprinkle that though.
Because that is simply what he did, after being predicted to finish 9th in the Mountain West back in October. The Aggies were the feel good story of the year almost out of the gate. Posting just one loss during non-conference play & securing wins against some of college basketball’s best. Utah State was primed while also being on everybody’s radar for a run in conference play.
The Aggies managed a 28-7 (14-4, in MWC) record (top-10 Win % in program history) to secure their first ever outright Mountain West Conference Regular Season Title ever under their first year head coach. Something no Mountain West first year head coach has done without having some involvement in the program prior like an associate head coach or assistant role.
Sprinkle earned Steve Fisher Coach of the Year honors for his tremendous first season in the Mountain West. Great Osobor earned Player of the Year & All-MWC First Team awards as well as Darius Brown II earning All-MWC First Team honors.
Utah State Aggies head coach Danny Sprinkle talks to Utah State Aggies guard Darius Brown II (10) at the end of the game, Sunday, March 24, 2024, during the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Purdue Boilermakers defeated the Utah State Aggies 106-67.
All of this lead to Utah State’s second straight NCAA Tournament appearance as an at-large bid. Giving them the No. 8 seed and their first win in the big dance since Aggie legend Stew Morrill did it back in 2001. Danny Sprinkle’s group had their tournament run end on Sunday, as they fell 106-67 to No. 1 Seed Purdue, whom plenty of folks have as a favorite to win the whole thing next month.
It’s a legacy that will feel like the blink of an eye for some fans but a highlight in the history books for others. Sprinkle did a tremendous job in Logan, earning his 100th career win back in January in the process, in just five short years.
He is leaving for what can be viewed as a tough job that just got even tougher, but his track record of turning around programs speaks for itself, let’s see if he can take that success to Big Ten country next season.
The New Job
Seattle & the Pacific Northwest definitely have their draw for workers of any industry. But the University of Washington has become even more of a football school with it’s recent run to the CFP National Championship game. Leaving their men’s basketball program, their only other sport operating in the black in 2023, well behind in terms of national relevance & competition.
The school parted ways with seven year Head Coach Mike Hopkins on March 8th. After just one Pac-12 title & one NCAA Tournament appearance (both in 2018-2019) and a 118-106 record amassed in Seattle since 2017.
Danny Sprinkle emerged as a candidate to keep an eye on almost immediately, even before Hopkin’s official sacking. With ties to the region as a player & coach at Montana State and having being born in Pullman, WA to former Husky Defensive Back Bill Sprinkle.
As a hot name due to the job done in Logan to that point & his ties to the program, many who followed the conference didn’t like the odds of keeping one of the nation’s up and coming young coaches in the Mountain West much longer.
It’s a tough job because, no matter the 5-star recruits or high major transfers you bring it, at such a high level of basketball the X’s & O’s need to be twice as strong. And that was in the Pac-12, not the Big Ten. Which is constantly in the running for the prestige & recognition that comes with being the nation’s “best” or most competitive conference nationally every year, per KenPom ($).
Whereas the Pac-12, even with it’s money, infrastructure, history & high class destinations compares similar to the Mountain West more so than the Big Ten metrically.
It’s essentially a brand new job at Washington, with no history or trophies to show in it’s new home. But, with an athletics department & boosters aware of what it will take to stay relevant & competitive in the Big Ten. Sprinkle may appear like a bargain deal as a still young & “inexperienced” coach, but he may just be the right man to take this program into the promise land.
A place the conference has been unable to even see on the horizon since the Lorenzo Romar days in Seattle. A time that saw the Huskies make seven trips to the NCAA Tournament (seven in the first ten years), three runs to the Sweet 16, earn two Pac-12 regular season titles & three Tournament Championships in fifteen seasons.
Utah State Outlook
Utah State is becoming a springboard for up and coming coaches in recent years. After decades of stability under Morrill, the Aggies have seen three of their four coaches move on to bigger & sometimes lateral opportunities. The idea of building a life in Logan may seem unappealing for some, but the community supports the program, players seem attracted to the University & coaches can win here.
The guys over at KSL Sports have the first list of candidates I have seen so far. But given how attractive the job has become in recent years, I don’t see Utah State having a hard time finding the right candidate for the job going forward.
What may be more interesting to follow is how many Aggie players will hit the portal, by their own volition or not in the coming days.
Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.
During Dannen’s brief stint with Washington, he saw the Huskies make the national championship game and lose to Michigan before losing head coach Kalen DeBoer to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the same week.
He made big promises when it came to investing in the football program and after failing to get DeBoer to sign a contract extension, Dannen went out and hired Jedd Fisch away from Arizona. Then, he fired basketball coach Mike Hopkins and leaves Washington, and more specifically interim athletic director Erin O’Connell, in the middle of a search for the school’s next men’s basketball coach.
“This is deeply disappointing. But as a University committed to the welfare of the entire individual, we understand the need to make choices based on what’s best for one’s family. We wish Troy well,” UW president Ana Marie Cauce said in a statement.
“Leading this program is one of the greatest opportunities in the country. We’ve seen time and again how Huskies compete and win on the national stage and we are grateful for the strong support of Husky Nation, who have positioned us so well for the future. And with coach Fisch joining our group of talented coaches, who are leading teams of incredible student-athletes, our future is bright.”
While Cauce took the diplomatic route, social media had a different approach.
The huskies have been getting consistently burned by these folksy “Midwest values” hires. That shtick is a sham. Time for some slick talking deal makers that want the big city and the big market. PS. Do NOT want to hear fans complain about kids and the portal…
— connor (Deathrow KP) (@keithpricetrut1) March 20, 2024
Troy Dannen was not well received by a lot of ppl at Washington. Turned a lot of ppl off. There are many, if not most at UW who are looking at this as addition by subtraction.
1) Won’t leave unless you fire me, and even then 2) once managed a large scale rock selling operation with a budget of $10 3) one of the only people in the world with a picture of myself with both Dubs I and Dubs II together
The Washington Huskies are on the hunt for a new athletic director just five months after hiring Troy Dannen.
“I’m not going to move again, God willing and president [Ana Marie Cauce] willing, this is going to be my last job,” athletic director Troy Dannen told University of Washington staff and members of the media at his introductory press conference in October after coming over from Tulane University.
After less than six months on the job, Dannen has decided to move again to take the athletic director position at the University of Nebraska according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Nebraska lost athletic director Trev Alberts to Texas A&M last week, and Dannen’s departure for Lincoln is just as sudden after he was in Palm Springs, California on Monday at a fundraising event with football coach Jedd Fisch.
During his brief stint at Washington, Dannen was unable to get a contract extension done with Kalen DeBoer, who departed for Alabama shortly after the national championship. However, he moved quickly and made what was considered to be the best possible hire in Fisch and appeared to make good on one of his primary goals, investing heavily in the football program as the school moves into the Big Ten.
Sources: Nebraska is finalizing a six-year deal to make Washington athletic director Troy Dannen the school’s new athletic director. The hiring of Dannen gives Nebraska an immediate replacement for Trev Alberts, who left for Texas A&M last week. pic.twitter.com/q9SRkTK7hk
Dannen also fired basketball coach Mike Hopkins and leaves the athletic department in an extremely unfortunate position right as the coaching carousel starts to pick up.
Washington is rumored to be the favorite to land Utah State’s Danny Sprinkle as the next head coach, one of the fastest-rising coaches in the country, but without an athletic director, that could throw off the school’s plans to revitalize the basketball program.
Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Washington receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Bo Melton. Those five wide receivers are all but locks to be on the Week 1 roster for the Green Bay Packers.
With those five youngsters in place, the Packers no longer have a pressing need to add talent to that room. If they were to spend another Top 100 pick on the position it would be a rich get richer selection.
The 2024 NFL Draft class boasts a talented and deep wide receiver class. There could be three wide receivers selected in the Top 10 and up to 21 taken in the first three rounds. There is a chance that Brian Gutekunst may want to get in on the action to give Jordan Love another young weapon.
If that’s the case, a player that Gutekunst could target in the second round is Ja’Lynn Polk. The University of Washington wide receiver checks in at No. 51 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A Texas Tech transfer, Polk reeled in seven receiving touchdowns during his first two seasons at Washington. With Jalen McMillan missing time due to injury this past season, Polk enjoyed a breakout campaign, recording 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns. The Texas native also scored a rushing touchdown.
“After spending a lot of time in the slot and as a third option, it was very exciting to watch him step into a big role,” Roman Tomashoff, the editor for UWHuskieswire, said. “He was already known as a reliable pass catcher but rose to the occasion whenever he was called on but got to display a little bit more of his versatility on the outside after Jalen McMillan went down.”
Polk turns 50-50 balls into 80-20 balls. He climbs the ladder and attacks the ball at its highest point. He has outstanding body control and can adjust mid-air. Polk tracks the ball well over his shoulder. The Washington wide receiver has sticky hands and has no issue making catches in traffic.
“Ja’Lynn Polk might have the strongest hands in the draft,” Tomashoff said. “He catches everything thrown his way and with some of the athletic grabs he’s made, it looks like he has magnets in his hands at times.”
Polk runs hard with the ball in his hands and has the strength to break through initial contact to create YAC. Once he breaks away he has the burst to pull away from defenders. According to PFF, Polk picked up 356 yards after the catch this past season. With his size, strength and quickness, there is a chance that there is some untapped YAC potential.
“He’s not the biggest YAC receiver you’ve ever seen, but what makes him dangerous is that he has no fear,” Tomashoff said. “He knows he’ll take a big hit sometimes and just doesn’t care, he’ll make a big play and pop right back up even after getting laid out.”
The Texas native has efficient footwork to get a clean release. He’s physical and doesn’t get his timing disrupted. Polk does a good job of selling double moves to create separation downfield and finished this past season with 14 deep catches (PFF).
“I would say that he’s an above-average route runner,” Tomashoff said. “He’s not the most fluid, but he certainly does a very good job with his feet and creating clean releases off the line.”
Fit with the Packers
The Packers have a rich history of drafting wide receivers on Day 2 of the NFL Draft and turning them into studs. Polk could be the next in line.
With his ability to go up and snare the pigskin, Polk could provide another dimension to what’s an already talented wide receiver room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
‘He’s a very reliable, high-floor player,” Tomashoff said. “While he’s not the athlete that some of his teammates are, he’s a reliable pass catcher who can thrive in the slot and be a trustworthy security blanket for a quarterback.”
Polk has sticky hands and proved to be a reliable, dynamic playmaker for the explosive Washington offense this past season. The Washington wide receiver would provide Matt LaFleur another weapon to toy with and his presence could be the final touch on Green Bay’s talented wide receiver room remodel.
If you go by Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings at NFL.com, Penix is now up to No. 33 overall in this class.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. put on a show at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. While it helped not to have most of the top QB prospects throwing, Penix was the most impressive performer at his position this past weekend and his draft stock is on the rise.
If you go by Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings at NFL.com, Penix is now up to No. 33 overall in this class, up five spots from the last rankings. Here’s what Jeremiah had to say about No. 9’s game.
“Penix… has a unique, whippy, three-quarters delivery from the left side, and the ball explodes out of his hand. He can hang on his back foot and effortlessly drive the ball 55 yards… He does have issues getting throws up and down in the middle of the field. His ball can stay flat. He is quick to process and consistently gets to No. 3 in the route progression… He’s been through a litany of injuries during his career, but he managed to overcome them and led Washington to the national title game. Overall, durability is a legitimate concern, but I believe in his combination of vision, accuracy and arm strength.”
Unlike Penix, Seattle’s front office met with Michigan’s JJ McCarthy and LSU’s Jayden Daniels at the combine, but they already have plenty of intel on Penix via offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
If they are intent on drafting Penix the Seahawks have to figure out the best way to go about it. At this point picking Penix at No. 16 overall would be a bad reach and Seattle has no second-round selection right now thanks to the Leonard Williams trade. If Penix is their preferred QB, trading down and targeting him late in the first or early in the second round is the way to go.
The Chargers met with one of the top wide receiver prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The Chargers met with one of the top wide receiver prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine.
James Odunze, father of Washington WR Rome Odunze, confirmed that he met with Los Angeles this past week in Indianapolis, IN.
Odunze is coming off a terrific performance at Lucas Oil Stadium. He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and jumped a 39-inch vertical. He posted a 6.88 three-cone drill, but he stayed on the field to try to get a 6.6, which speaks to his strog work ethic.
At 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, Odunze is a talented receiver with great size, good route running and savvy, strong hands and contested catch ability.
Odunze set a school record this past season with 1,640 receiving yards, the most in the NCAA. His 92 receptions were just two shy of a single-season program record, and he was named a first-team all-American.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh has already had a good look at Odunze when Washington faced Michigan in the National Championship game. Odunze finished with five catches for 87 yards.
Mike Williams could be relieved to clear cap space. Keenan Allen isn’t getting any younger. Quentin Johnston still has to prove himself after an underwhelming rookie season. Odunze would be a solid addition to the position room.
Rome Odunze solidified his spot as a top 10 pick. Quinyon Mitchell could be the first CB drafted. Kam Kinchens, on the other hand…
The horizon of the 2024 NFL Draft got a little bit clearer last week. Not incredibly so, but we’ve got a little more insight on how this year’s rookie selection process will unfold.
That’s thanks to four days of workouts at the scouting combine. The annual event saw its typical share of star players skipping drills, but the players who took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium gave scouts and analysts across the league a better idea of what they’ll bring to the pros.
Some prospects shined. Others fizzled. And pretty much every one will get a re-do when it comes to their colleges’ respective Pro Days in March and April. That makes it tough to glean too much information from 40-yard dash times and vertical jumps.
We do know, however, which players are trending upward and who are sliding down draft boards after the Indianapolis event. Here are 15 players who stood out — some for the right reasons and others less so.
