Anthony In The Seattle Times: UW To Seek Waiver For Recruit

The Huskies might reclaim a prize recruit they believed had slipped away.

Two days ago, Washington Coach Jim Lambright said Anthony Kelley of Altadena, Calif., had not achieved a qualifying score on the SAT, which prevented him from enrolling at Washington.

However, Kelley’s father, Anthony Kelley Sr., said UW officials would apply for a waiver to suspend a ruling by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

“From what we understand, he’s got more than a good chance,” Kelley Sr. said. “I’m very confident that Tony will be a Husky.”

So confident, Kelley, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker, plans to fly to Seattle Tuesday and participate in summer drills that begin the next day.

Kelley was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder before his senior year. However, school officials put him in regular and advanced-placement classes.

Kelley scored the minimum 820 on the SAT, but his grade-point average was 2.3. He needed a 2.5. The NCAA Clearinghouse disallowed two courses Kelley took as a senior (computer science and health), which would have pushed his GPA past 2.5.

If the waiver is not granted, Kelley plans to attend a junior college in Washington on a track scholarship and enroll at the UW next year.

“He’s firmly committed to the Huskies,” said Jason Bornn, a coach at Muir High School, which Kelley attended. “Nebraska, Michigan and Washington were on his final list, and for him to choose Washington over the past two national champions shows that Washington has a special place in his heart.”

Stevens failed drug test

OLYMPIA – A UW football recruit facing assault charges spent the past three weeks in jail after failing a drug test, authorities said.

Jerramy Stevens, an 18-year-old star quarterback from River Ridge High School, had been at home under electronic surveillance pending his Sept. 8 assault trial when he tested positive on July 10 for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Stevens was sent to the Thurston County jail July 15. On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Richard Strophy ordered Stevens to return home wearing an electronic tether, said Mark Bolton, assistant jail administrator.

The judge said he might let Stevens go to the UW’s training camp pending his trial if the coaches can show the athlete will be supervised 24 hours a day.

Stevens was charged with second-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon and fourth-degree assault in connection with a June 2 fight.

UW in top 25s

The UW was ranked 17th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches preseason poll, which tapped Ohio State as No. 1.

Ohio State also was No. 1 in the Street & Smith’s College Football annual, which has UW at No. 25.