Anthony in The Seattle Times: Huskies Bone Up in Postseason Practices
Huskies Bone Up In Postseason Practices
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times Staff Reporter
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19981216&slug=2789339
Young players will benefit from the extra sessions Washington gets to prepare for the Oahu Bowl. Washington has enjoyed such a bonus in 17 of the past 19 bowl-eligible seasons.
The payoff won’t arrive any time soon. Football practice in December produces rewards in September. That’s the secret to success at Washington.
During non-probation years, the Huskies have played in a bowl game 17 of the past 19 seasons. Besides the financial bonus and added television exposure, a postseason game provides 15 additional practices for inexperienced players.
These are the little things that separate Washington from Oregon State, UW Coach Jim Lambright says as the team prepares to wrap up practice tomorrow.
It’s not just coaches’ talk. Bowl practices are as much about preparing for the next season as they are prepping for the bowl game.
“You get a sense of what spring practice is like,” Husky receiver Dane Looker said. “You get a lot of that one-on-one instruction. More individual time with your position coach.”
Looker, who leads Washington with 64 catches and 662 yards, is a product of postseason practices. He was ineligible to play last season after transferring from Western Washington. Workouts against the starting defense helped him improve.
“It’s a time to get better,” Looker said. “During (summer) camp, you don’t have time like that because you’re getting ready for the season. And the spring ball just isn’t the same. . . . A lot of these young guys have just come off the season and they can take major steps right now. Believe me, coaches remember.”
So remember these names.
Anthony Kelley: It’s a time to make up ground for the freshman considered the steal of last year’s recruiting class. Kelley, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker/tight end, was headed to Michigan before Washington lured him away. But there was a hitch.
He missed preseason camp and four weeks of the season while waiting for clearance from the NCAA. The layoff was detrimental.
“Coming from a high-school level, things are a lot more slower than college,” he said. “The physical part wasn’t too hard to adjust to. But the speed . . . I had to get into a faster pace.
“With me waiting out, these extra practices will help so I won’t be so overwhelmed going into spring ball, and hopefully I can go out and win a starting position.”
Kelley is possibly the most versatile Husky and could be Washington’s first two-way player in decades.
“I’ve got it narrowed down to three positions. I think they’ll have me play (outside linebacker), maybe a little bit of rover and after I master those positions, they’ll probably have me at wide receiver,” he said. “I’m not really worried about it just as long as I’m on the field.”
Defensive coordinator Randy Hart said Kelley might not play where he is best but rather where the team needs him.
“He can play many, many places like he did in high school,” Hart said. “I don’t think he played center, but I think he played every place else.”
For now, he remains at outside linebacker, but that position is crowded with Derrell Daniels and Jafar Williams. Kelley probably will move to rover or defensive end in the spring.
And receiver?
“Probably not receiver,” Lambright said. “Maybe tight end down the road. Way down the road.”
Curtis Williams: Little is known about Williams, the football player. His off-field problems were well documented and slowed what appeared to be a promising season.
He rejoined the team this year and has been a standout on special teams. Coaches moved him from safety to tailback late in the season in hopes he would solve their running problems.
Williams never carried the ball, but he’s not returning to defense any time soon.
“We’re going to take a long look and see what he can do before we make another move,” Lambright said. “He needs time. Time and reps.”
J.K. Scott: The competition to succeed quarterback Brock Huard has begun. Scott knows he’s far behind his roommate and good friend Marques Tuiasosopo in the race, but he’s hoping to pull even with the extra practices.
Scott (6 feet 3) is taller than Tuiasosopo (6-2) and throws a better pass. He has savvy and poise but is missing one important quality: experience.
Scott, a redshirt freshman, has appeared in just three games and attempted five passes in his Husky career. Tuiasosopo, a sophomore, has started three games and has passed for 1,134 yards.
“It’s real important for both of them to throw as much as possible to receivers between now and the start of (spring practice),” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. “J.K. has a chance to do some really nice things given the chance.”
Scott’s repetitions continue to increase in practice. He used to get a handful or so of plays with the second-string unit. Now he gets the majority and Tuiasosopo splits time with the starters and backups.
Rashad Peters: Looker tells this story about Peters, a freshman defensive back:
“We’re in practice and scout guys are normally not supposed to hit (the starters). Not really hit them. But with Rashad, you never know.
“This one time, I catch the ball and turn around and see him flying at me, and I’m like `Oh, no.’ I’ll never forget he got me real good. Right then I knew, he’s a player.”
Peters, who redshirted this season, will be on the two-deep roster next season, but he doesn’t know where.
“Rashad Peters could be a fine safety,” Hart said. “He could be a rover, a safety or a corner.
“Again, it’s how hard they work right now in these few practices we have and how strong they get and how fast they get in the offseason that will determine where we play them in the spring.”
