GoHuskies Magazine, August 2019

August 2019

IN THIS ISSUE From the Athletic Director's Desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Offensive Preview: Senior Nick Harris leads the way. . . 4 10 Questions With ... receiver Aaron Fuller. . . . . . . . . . . 11 Defensive Preview: Recruit, Reload, Repeat. . . . . . . . . 12 Massive home tilts highlight Huskies 2019 schedule . . 18 New adidas uniforms pay tribute to history . . . . . . . . . 26 The Shot ... Mighty are the men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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GOHUSKIES VOLUME 13 / ISSUE 1 / AUGUST 2019

For Information on Advertising, Please Call Scott Boone at (206) 221-3071.

GoHuskies Magazine is published seven times a year by Learfield IMG College, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.

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EDITOR Brian Beaky

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK

A

fter another memorable spring and an exciting summer on Montlake, it’s hard to believe we are only a few weeks away from the start of another football season.

With our July 1 launch of our 10-year apparel partnership with adidas, we’ve had a busier-thanusual summer. We are so excited for what’s to come with adidas and it was amazing to see how we were able to showcase our world-class city and campus to unveil the football uniforms last month.

The excitement for another football season should not take away from what our studentathletes continue to accomplish in the classroom.

For the second-straight year, Husky football posted the top APR among Pac-12 schools with a program-record score of 991 – simply amazing!

Built For Life isn’t just a slogan in a locker room, it’s a lifestyle that’s lived out each and every day by our incredible student-athletes and coaches.

We realize that these opportunities for firstclass educational and athletic experiences would not be possible without your support. Because of you, many young men and women are allowed a chance to graduate from one of the world’s premier academic institutions. Thank You, Husky Nation.

The countdown to Aug. 31 and our home opener with Eastern Washington is on and we need you to

Jennifer Cohen

join the fight this fall at Husky Stadium. Our studentathletes and staff work tirelessly to build a championship program and we need Husky Nation to show up and create a championship atmosphere all year long. Thank you again for your continued support and I can’t wait to see you soon at the Greatest Setting in College Football! GO DAWGS!

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Never the biggest or most naturally gifted player on the field, four-year starting center

NICK HARRIS has had to work hard for his success

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BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

s Nick Harris crouches over the football, waiting for the snap count, his eyes are scanning the entirety of the opposing defense.

How are they positioned? Is this a familiar look, or a different one? What are they thinking?

At the same time, Harris is communicating with his teammates along the University of Washington’s offensive line, letting them what he sees and what they should be anticipating.

Always trying to stay one step ahead … maybe two.

If that sounds like a certain game played on a board, with 64 squares of alternating colors, white pieces on one side, black pieces on the other … well, that’s how Harris approaches his job as the starting center for the Huskies. ”It’s just like a chess match – all strategy,” says the 20-year-old Harris, who’s getting ready for his senior season. “It’s using your eyes, making sure you can see people moving certain ways so you can change protections, or stuff like that.

“It’s a chess game, but it’s a physical chess game.”

Since earning regular playing time as a true freshman in 2016 (appearing in 12 of 14 games, including four starts), Harris has become more and more of a master at that particular kind of game. During his sophomore season, he started all 13 contests at right guard. Last fall, he was the starting center in 13 of the 14 games.

And, he has done it despite not being one of the biggest guys out there, standing just 6-foot-1 and now up to 305 pounds.

“He’s very athletic, very tough, and he’s the leader of the offense,” said linemate Trey Adams, who also happens to be Harris’ roommate. “He’s very good at saying the right things to the right players. He’s very talkative, but he also leads by example.”

“He was athletic and physical and tough and smart. What else do you need?” said head coach Chris Petersen

“There’s So Much More To It” From his high school days at JSerra Catholic in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Harris and the center position have been a most comfortable fit.

Following his senior season in 2015, he was named to the All-Trinity League First Team and to the PrepStar All-West Region team. He was listed as the No. 13 center in the country by ESPN, and No. 14 by scout.com.

“He wasn’t a guy on a lot of lists, wasn’t a guy at a lot of combines," JSerra coach Pat Harlow told the Tacoma News-Tribune's Christian Caple in 2016. “He came through as kind of a journeyman who developed into a pretty good player.”

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Harris’ grasp of all the things that go into becoming a quality center had much to do with that development.

“Offensive line is more than just being a big ol’ dude just standing there,” Harris says. “There’s technique, leverage, knowing angles, knowing speed, throwing your body in front of a defender so they can’t make a tackle – even though you’re not necessarily blowing them off the ball.”

“There’s things I take pride in that overcomes not being 6-5 or 6-6 and 320 pounds.”

Here then was a guy who not only was regarded as one of the top centers nationally, but loved playing the position.

“Everything kind of runs through you as the center,” Harris says. “You gotta look for things that other guys aren’t really responsible for. You have to make adjustments and you’ve got to be vocal.”

Yet, neither Harris’ phone nor doorbell were ringing that much. He had offers from the University of New Hampshire and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

He’d also had a conversation with UW head coach Chris Petersen and then-associate head PAGE 6

coach and offensive line coach Chris Strausser.

“They told me up front, ‘We know you’re not the biggest guy, but we know you can play the game. We know you can play at this next level,'" he says. “It was more than just a selling point: They understood. They saw something in me. So, when they said that, two days later, I committed.”

LEARNNG FAST, EARNING TIME Harris arrived on campus in June, with barely more than a couple months to get ready for the 2016 season.

“I had to know everything really fast – that was the thing I had to adjust to the most,” Harris recalls. “It wasn’t difficult. … It was more like I had to get this stuff down so I could play.”

In the season-opening 48-13 rout of Rutgers in Husky Stadium, Harris saw some action off the bench, and played periodically in the succeeding weeks. In a Pac-12 contest at Utah on the last

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Saturday of October, he got his first starting call – and has been getting them ever since.

Petersen spoke about Harris’ rapid rise in a 2017 Sports Illustrated article by Andy Staples, saying, “He was athletic and physical and tough and smart.

What else do you need? We saw that in high school when no one recruited him. And, we saw that in (2016) fall camp when we weren’t really thinking about playing him. He just earned it.”

Not that there weren’t some “Hey buddy, welcome to college football,” moments along the way.

“I had several like that – several on this (Husky Stadium) field against our own guys,” Harris says with a laugh. “It happens. You’ve gotta pick your chin up and keep on rolling.”

That freshman season concluded with a College Football Playoff national semifinal game against Alabama at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

As Harris recalls, that was perhaps his ultimate “Welcome to college football” experience, as the Crimson Tide won, 24-7.

“That game was insane – I don’t even remember the first half,” he says. “I had just turned 18, and I PAGE 8

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was 270 pounds. Everybody on that defense that I played against is in the NFL right now – literally, everybody, plus the backups, are in the NFL.” Last January’s Rose Bowl against Ohio State was far different – and far calmer – for Harris..

“A guy from California, playing in the Rose Bowl ... you hear about it, and you know it’s a legendary experience,” he says.

His football smarts carry over to the classroom. Majoring in comparative history, Harris is a two-time Academic All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection.

“I don’t know exactly what I want to do with that – maybe do some research, maybe teach,” Harris says of his degree. “But, I know for a fact that I learned stuff in college. It interested me, I was engaged in it, and every day, I was ready to go to class.”

Now, Harris is ready for his final campaign on Montlake, which will include snapping to a new quarterback – although, no one knows for sure yet who that will be.

“As long as we do our jobs, their job will be easy,” he says. “We’ve got to focus up front on what we’re doing, they’ve got to focus on what they’re doing, and the running backs have to focus on what they’re doing.

“We have so many skilled players on this team, I think we can do some serious damage,” Harris continues. “We have to lock in and make sure we all have that one common goal to win the Pac-12 and go to a New Year’s Six bowl or the college playoff – just keep taking those next steps.”

And, always trying to stay one step ahead.

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10 QUESTIONS WITH... SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER AARON FULLER

t's a sign of how highly Washington coaches thought of Aaron Fuller when he first arrived at UW in 2016 that he was one of just five true freshmen to play in that season's opener. After amassing 42 receptions in his first two seasons, Fuller broke out in 2018, catching 58 balls for 874 yards and four touchdowns, then added a 22-yard touchdown pass against the Cougars for good measure. Fuller also changed numbers in 2018, becoming the first player in more than 50 years to wear the No. 2, in honor of Husky Hall of Famer Chuck Carroll. This year, Fuller returns as the veteran leader of wide a receiver corps determined to get Washington back to the Rose Bowl in 2020.

What does it feel like to play at the greatest setting in college football?

Playing in Husky Stadium is amazing! With all the fans coming out and the wonderful view of the lake and the city, it adds to the emotion of the game.

What does it mean to be an OKG? To be an OKG means that you are the type of guy that will stand up for what is right. As well as having the integrity to do what is right in public, private, and on the field.

What is something Coach Petersen has taught you off the field?

The biggest thing I’ve learned from Coach Pete is the importance of being a good father and husband. With all the good things that come with football, he takes time to show that it should not be the most important thing in your life.

What is it like to play in the Pac-12 Conference?

It is an extraordinary feeling, because it shows your hard work has paid off, and to share it with your teammates makes the feeling even better.

What is your favorite thing about living in Seattle?

My favorite thing about Seattle is the support.

No matter what sport, fine art, or social movement, the community backs it up.

What are your favorite things to do in the summer in Seattle?

Going to the lakes and islands around the area have been the best thing. Coming from North Texas, I don’t get to see many beaches, so I take full advantage of it.

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Can you talk about some of the experiences that have been opened up to you through sport and how they have changed your life?

Coming to Washington has been the biggest experience football has brought me. Throughout my short life, I’d never been to the Northwest, so coming here opened my eyes to a different type of community and forced me to mature due to the distance away from home.

What are some of your earliest memories of playing football?

The best memory of my childhood football experience is the many years that I played quarterback. From first grade to ninth grade, my main position was behind center, so any chance I get, I to try get Coach Pete to let me take some snaps there.

Who is your biggest inspiration on the field?

The big driving force behind my game is my family and God. My family inspires me to be the best player I can be, by staying on me to do the right thing off the field, so I can get where I want to be. And, God has blessed me with so many gifts and blessings that I try to dedicate every play to him.

What do you love most about playing football?

Of the many things I love about playing football, the bond with your teammates tops them all. To be able to create deep bonds with guys from all types of different backgrounds not only creates friends but brothers and connections as well.

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Despite losing 17 defensive players to the NFL Draft in the last five years — most of any Pac-12 team — Washington's defense remains loaded for bear this fall

S

ince 2015, when Washington had four defensive players selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft – including three in the first round – the Huskies have been one of the nation’s best at developing professional talent.

Not only has the program produced more NFL draft picks than any other team in the Pac-12 (24), but Washington has had more defensive players chosen (17) than the totals (offense and defensive combined) for every other team in the conference, besides USC (23) and Stanford (22).

The numbers speak for themselves, but those totals are a byproduct of a program that, to borrow a phrase from coach Chris Petersen, is “Built for Life.”

So, what’s the secret sauce? How do the Huskies continue to get players — particularly on the defensive side of the ball — to the next level, when their early recruiting classes were ranked in the middle of the Pac-12?

Well, it’s a simple concept. Petersen and his staff identify their O.K.G.s, and develop them.

Really ... that's it. They just happen to be among the best in the country at doing so.

In Petersen’s first year, the program was already stocked with defensive talent. Shaq Thompson – Washington's last five-star recruit, according to rankings at 247sports.com – Danny Shelton and Hau’oli Kikaha embraced the new culture and set a standard. All three went about their business like professionals, creating an expectation of performance that has carried through as the program matured.

After that first season, a new group of leaders emerged. Future draft picks like linebacker Budda Baker (selected by Arizona in the second round), Kevin King (picked by Green Bay in the second round), Sidney Jones (taken by the Eagles in the second round) and Keishawn Bierria (drafted by Denver in the sixth round) picked up the mantle, benefiting from program’s culture.

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BY MASON KELLEY “As a team, they had us mentally prepared,” Bierria says. “They had us conditioned to where we could make a change, adapt to any situation.”

Baker, a four-star recruit, was the highest-rated prospect, but was considered by some to be too small for the NFL. King was looked at as too skinny and spent time at every position in the secondary over the course of his college career. All of the future pros were labeled with flaws. But, each player turned that into motivation. They were eager to learn, adapt and mature.

Throughout his time with the Huskies, Bierria said each week brought something new. Strength coach Tim Socha was always mixing up the routine, and forcing players to adapt, while Petersen invested the time to bring in guest speakers who would share non-football life lessons relevant to the real world.

“Every week was different," Bierria says. We never had the same speakers. There was always something new that was brought to the table that we had to adjust to.”

Bierria was a three-star prospect when he joined the Huskies. He said it was the “brotherhood” facilitated by the core tenets of the program, mixed in with his desire to develop, that led to the success on the field, and a place in the NFL. “You want guys to feel like they’re at home, but at the same time be uncomfortable, so they can grow out of their shell,” he says. “Washington is the perfect school for that.”

JoJo McIntosh isn’t one of the 17 defensive players drafted since 2015. But, that didn’t stop the safety from getting to the next level, signing a contract with the Washington Redskins after this year’s draft. Since joining the Huskies as a threestar prospect in the program’s 2014 recruiting class, McIntosh had a front-row seat to the program’s defensive parade to the NFL draft.

“The coaches at Washington, they prepare you for the NFL,” McIntosh says. “We’re playing in college, but they’re preparing you for the next

level. The way we practice, everything we do is next-level. We don’t think of ourselves as college players. We’re professionals.”

Of the players drafted since 2015, six are defensive backs. McIntosh and Zeke Turner – he joined the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent – make eight alumni of the Husky secondary currently plying their trade in the NFL, all products of the program’s current coaching staff.

Even with NFL prospects in the room every year, McIntosh said defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake made a point to coach every player on the roster the same way.

“Coach Lake, he cares about all the players in the room,” McIntosh says. “He takes the time to develop everyone, from walk-on to starter. He sees that everyone has potential and everyone has the same opportunity.

“He does a really good job of that — and Coach Pete, he just made me an all-around better man.”

Since 2015, Alabama has produced 46 NFL draft picks, but the Crimson Tide also continue to rule the recruiting landscape. Get the best talent. Compete for a national championship. Repeat. But, while a team develops and grows its recruiting apparatus, the quickest path to success is through development.

That’s where the Huskies have excelled.

Washington’s staff has been able to recruit players that fit the team’s culture and system as well as any program in the country. And, recruits have noticed. The program climbs in the recruiting rankings every year. If an athlete’s goal is to win in college with a chance to continue playing professionally, Washington has become a destination that facilitates that goal.

The Huskies’ staff goes out each year and looks for prospects who have an “eighth-grade mentality,” guys who are willing to work and learn, and are hungry take to on challenges.

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“As long as those guys keep buying into the culture, doing what our coaches are preaching, we’ll be a good team for a long time,” McIntosh says.

With eight players selected in this year’s draft – the most since Petersen took over – Washington has established itself as an upper-echelon program that produces pros. However, with big draft classes comes a need to rebuild and reload quickly to stay on top of the conference.

Bierria and McIntosh were once young players in a position to step up and, from what they’ve seen, this next group of Huskies will continue that tradition.

“They’ll be able to get it done,” Bierria says.

“They’ve been doing it already."

They'll have to do it with nine new starters in 2019, as only senior safety Myles Bryant and senior defensive end Benning Potoa'e return from the defense that once again led the Pac-12 conference in points and yards allowed per game.

As Bierria notes, though, Washington's coaches have proven their ability to reload on defense every year — despite losing nearly 20 defensive players to the NFL over the last five seasons, the team continues to top the Pac-12 defensive rankings year after year.

Players to watch this year include senior defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, who made his presence known in 2018 with three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in part-time duty; junior Brandon McKinney, a hard-hitting safety who will take over Taylor Rapp's role as an enforcer in the middle of the field; linebackers Brandon Wellington and Ariel Ngata; and an always-talented group of young corners including Elijah Molden, Keith Taylor, Isaiah Gilchrist and redshirt freshman Kyler Gordon.

Furthermore, many of those secondary players are

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capable of playing multiple positions in the defensive backfield, allowing coach Jimmy Lake to mix and match the talent available to him to best counter the opponent's strengths.

“We’ve been doing this for years,” Lake said in April. “Guys play multiple positions, especially in the back end. Guys like Myles, guys like Elijah Molden that are very, very smart, very athletic, can play different positions."

And, we haven't even mentioned the newcomers — redshirt freshmen Tuli Letuligasenoa and Sam Taimani combine to create a 600-plus pound presence in the middle of the Huskies' defensive line, but will have to hold off true freshmen Fa'atui Tuitele, Jacob Bandes (both ESPN top-50 recruits), Sama Paama and Noa Ngalu, all four of whom bring impressive pedigrees to the Huskies' defensive line. Washington also added four-star linebackers Daniel Heimuli and Laiatu Latu from Northern California, plus three four-star talents in the defensive backfield, including Asa Turner, Kamren Fabiculanan and Trent McDuffie — not to mention several other talented recruits, all part of a class ranked higher than any previous recruiting class in

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Identify - Inspire Petersen's long coaching history.

“Coach Lake has consistently brought in good guys. Coach K (Pete Kwiatkowski) has consistently brought in good guys," Bierria says. "They’ve just got to find their diamonds in the rough. They’re going to bring in some players who are hungry, ready to work.”

Since McIntosh just finished his career, he’s been around some of the players who will be expected to step up and stand out.

“We have guys on deck every year,” McIntosh says. “Every year, it’s the same thing. We lose guys to the league, but guys step up. We have a great system. This year, they’re going to be solid.”

It may sound like a simple concept: Identify recruits who fit the culture. Give them the tools – on and off the field – to succeed. Challenge them to reach their potential.

“Guys are just prepared for whatever comes their way,” Bierria says.

When it comes to wins – two Pac-12 championships and a trip to the CFP the past three seasons – the formula is working. When it comes to getting players to the next level, well, the Huskies have become the gold standard in the conference.

McIntosh sums it up well: “I don’t think we’re going to fall off anytime soon."

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ONE GAME AT A

TIME

BY BRIAN BEAKY EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

Seven bowl-eligible opponents, the defending FCS runners-up — oh, and USC. The Huskies will need to bring their best — and your best, too — to get through an impressive 2019 schedule.

Eastern Washington Sat., Aug. 31 | 12 p.m.

Future of Sport (Youth Day) The road to state supremacy goes through Husky Stadium this year, as visits

by Eastern Washington and Washington State bookend the 2019 season.

Fans hoping for an easy win in the season opener may find themselves wishing Washington had invited a different opponent — not only did Eastern make it all the way to the FCS Championship Game in 2018, but they've given the Huskies fits in two previous visits to Husky Stadium. The 2011 game wasn't decided until Husky cornerback Desmond Trufant picked off Eastern QB Bo Levi Mitchell in the end zone with 29 seconds left to save a 30-27 victory, while the 2014 game was one of the greatest barn-burners in UW history, a 59-52 UW win that likewise wasn't settled until the game's final possession. One connection between those two games and this one? Each featured a quarterback (Keith Price in 2011 and Cyler Miles in 2014) making his first-ever season-opening start for UW. One thing's for certain — the Huskies had better be ready for their first test.

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California

Sat., Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m.

Seattle Music Heritage Day

There's no messing around with the early part of this year's schedule — one week after welcoming the defending NCAA FCS runner-up, Washington will face one of just two Pac-12 teams who managed to hang a loss on the Dawgs in 2018. With former Husky defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox at the helm, the Bears stifled the Huskies' offense in Berkeley last year, allowing just 250 total yards and 13 first downs in a 12-10 Cal victory. The Bears return eight starters from the nation's 11th-ranked defense, but the Huskies will run just as deep on offense, with seven returning starters, including four-fifths of an excellent offensive line. The game, then, might come down to the other side of the ball, where Washington's new-look defense, featuring nine new starters, will go against a Cal offense that ranked 12th in the conference last year in yards and scoring. Which side rebuilds more quickly will likely determine who starts off the Pac-12 season 1-0.

Hawaii

Sat., Sept. 14 | 4:30 p.m.

Strong Against Cancer Day

This may be the only opponent that Husky fans wish Washington was playing on the road. Instead, it's a third-straight home game for the Dawgs, who welcome the Warriors to Seattle for the first time since 2011. That game was just one week after the aforementioned gut-check against Eastern Washington, and the Warriors, too, gave the Huskies a scare, scoring a fourth-quarter TD to cut the Washington lead to six points before Trufant — the hero for the second-straight week — returned the ensuing blocked extra-point for a twopoint safety that provided the final margin. This year's Hawaii team returns most of its key players from a squad that started 6-1 in 2018, and finished with eight total wins and a Hawaii Bowl berth. With the high-flying passing attack college football fans have come to expect from Hawaii over the years, and an aggressive, blitz-happy defense, Husky fans can look forward to a fast-paced, action-packed affair to cap Washington's season-opening home trifecta.

AT Brigham Sat., Sept. 21

Young

The last time Washington beat BYU in Provo, Chris Petersen was still nine years from his first head-coaching job, Netscape Navigator was the world's leading web browser, and nary a single current Husky player had been born. In other words — it's been a while.

In the 22 years since that 1997 season opener (a 42-20 Husky win), Washington has lost twice in Provo, each time by just one score — so, while that 35-7 win at Husky Stadium last season may still be fresh in your mind, know that the Cougars have some significant history on their side heading into this Week 4 tilt. In the tradition of Steve Young, Ty Detmer and others before him, sophomore quarterback Zach Wilson is BYU's player to watch — after taking over the position at midseason last year, Wilson went 18-for-18 for 317 yards in a bowl victory over Western Michigan, finishing with an incredible 321.3 passer rating. Wilson didn't face Washington in 2018, and with four new starters in the UW secondary, you can be sure he'll try to show the Huskies what they missed.

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ONE GAME AT A TIME USC

Sat., Sept. 28

adidas Launch Party There's no need to hype up the stakes for this one — when the Trojans come to town, everyone knows to bring their A-game. Since losing seven-straight to USC during the Pete Carroll era, Washington has won three of its last six against its long-time southern rivals, though the teams' most recent matchup — a 26-13 USC win against a UW team pursuing an undefeated season in 2016 — likely leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the Husky upperclassmen who were on the roster. After winning the Rose Bowl in 2018, USC slumped to a 5-7 season last year, the program's first losing season in almost 20 years. New offensive coordinator Graham Harrell — who played under Mike Leach at Texas Tech and coached with his former mentor at Washington State — will pair Leach's trademark, pass-happy offense with USC's always-impressive talent, a combination of factors no doubt causing a loss of sleep for defensive coordinators throughout the conference this season. One thing that helps keep passing offenses down, though, is noise — Husky fans will need to be loud to help their Dawgs hold the Trojans in check.

AT

Stanford

Sat., Oct. 5

So far, we've listed games against three non-conference teams with a total of 27 wins between them, one of the two Pac-12 teams that beat the Huskies last year, and the winningest program in Pac-12 conference history. And, only now do we get to the toughest part of the schedule. Starting with this early-October tilt at Stanford — a place where Washington hasn't won since 2007 — the Huskies play four of six on the road, sandwiched around home games versus Oregon (a strong contender for the Pac-12 North title) and Utah, the defending Pac-12 South champ.

Yeah, nothing's going to come easy this year. With superstar running back Bryce Love off to the NFL, Stanford may well look to its talented quarterback room to carry the team in 2019, including 6-foot-5 senior quarterback K.J. Costello, who threw for 347 yards and two TDs in the Cardinal's 27-23 loss at Husky Stadium last year. Washington, however, rushed for 205 yards in that 2018 matchup — putting the ball in the hands of Salvon Ahmed, Kamari Pleasant and the team's talented running back corps may once again be UW's clearest path to success.

AT

Arizona

Sat., Oct. 12

After back-to-back games with two of the Pac-12's toughest foes — and Oregon and Utah on the horizon — it would only be natural to let your guard down against Arizona. The Wildcats went 5-7 in 2018, and were blown out, 69-28, by a Washington State team that UW handily defeated. Which is precisely what makes this perhaps the most dangerous game on the Huskies' schedule. For starters, Washington has only beaten Arizona once in Tuscon since 2006 — and that game, in 2016, required overtime to settle. This year's Arizona squad can attack Washington's defense with any number of options, including dual-threat quarterback Khalil Tate and 1,400-yard tailback J.J. Taylor. In each of the last two seasons, Washington has dropped an October road game to a Pac-12 foe — at Arizona State in 2017 and at Cal in 2018. It'll take all of their focus to snap that unwanted streak this fall.

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ONE GAME AT A TIME Oregon

Sat., Oct. 19 Homecoming

There's only one thing on the Huskies' mind coming into this one — revenge. After backto-back wins in the series by a combined score of 108-24, Washington came up just short against the Ducks last season, losing by three points in overtime in Eugene. That win lifted the Ducks to 5-1 and first place in the Pac-12 North, but a 4-3 finish left the Huskies on top at season's end. Both teams are nearly unanimously ranked among the preseason top-15 teams in the nation — typically, with Oregon 1-2 spots ahead of the Dawgs. That's largely due to the difference behind center — while Washington will roll out a first-year starter in 2019 no matter who wins the job, Oregon is once again led by senior Justin Herbert, who turned down a potential No. 1 overall draft slot with the goal of leading the Ducks to the top of the Pac-12 North. With the full-throated Husky Stadium faithful behind them, and last year's disappointment fresh on their minds, expect the Huskies to come out strong in this vital mid-season matchup.

Utah

Sat., Nov. 2

Hometown Heroes Day Last year, the Utes won their first Pac-12 South division title, only to see their conference championship hopes dashed by the Huskies in a defense-dominated 10-3 affair. Two of Utah's 2018 defensive stars are currently practicing across the lake at the VMAC this summer with their new Seahawks teammates, but they represent just about the only things the Utes lost from last year's nine-win team. Running back Zack Moss topped 1,000 yards in just nine games last year before suffering a season-ending injury; he'll be the centerpiece of a Utah offense that also returns its starting quarterback from injury. On defense, the Utes bring back seven starters from a unit that ranked No. 1 in the conference against the run and No. 2 overall last season. Ranked in the preseason top-15 by a number of publications, they'll present a stiff test for a Husky team coming off of its first bye of the season.

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Oregon State

Sat., Nov. 8 | 7:30 p.m.

One of Husky fans' favorite road trips every other year is the trip to Corvallis to play Oregon State — it's reasonably close (as Pac-12 road trips go), tickets aren't hard to come by, and, most importantly, the Huskies usually put on a show. Washington's last three trips to Corvallis have resulted in 69-27, 52-7 and 42-7 UW victories, an average of 54.3 points per game that make that nine-hour round trip feel worthwhile. With this year's game falling on a Friday night, though, it's likely that the crowd will have significantly less purple and gold than it otherwise might — will that be enough to tip the scales the Beavers' way? Oregon State did win four out of five of the teams' road matchups from 2001-11, and will enter its third year under former UW offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith, with 1,000-yard back Jermar Jefferson and starting QB Jake Luton back to lead the offense. The Beavers, though, struggled mightily on defense in 2018 — so long as UW doesn't let down their guard after coming through the gauntlet that is their previous six games, this should be a defense the Huskies' offense can exploit.

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ONE GAME AT A TIME AT

Colorado

Sat., Nov. 23

Since the Buffaloes joined the Pac-12 in 2011, Washington has made three trips to the thin air of Boulder — and all but one of those trips have taken place after the calendar turns to November. More significantly, they've all been Husky victories as well — in fact, Washington has not lost to Colorado since the 1996 Holiday Bowl, a span of eight-straight victories, including the last six (accounting for all six of the teams' Pac12 matchups) by an average of 31 points per game. So, nothing to worry about, right? Wrong. The Buffaloes started off 5-0 last year — beating Nebraska, UCLA and Arizona State, before dropping their final seven games — and first-year coach Mel Tucker brings an impressive resume that includes stops at Alabama, LSU, Michigan State (hired all three times by Nick Saban), Ohio State and Georgia, plus 10 seasons in the NFL. With so much experience, he's certain to get the most out of the talent in Boulder — and, with the Apple Cup looming one week later, the Huskies can't get caught looking ahead, especially if cold, snowy weather creates unpredictable conditions.

Washington State Sat., Nov. 29

Boeing Apple Cup Series & Fan Appreciation Day On the plus side, the Huskies won't have to prepare for record-setting quarterback Gardner Minshew, who is off to the NFL. On the down side, Mike Leach has simply snapped up another graduate transfer QB, this time luring high-flying passer Gage Gubrud from neighboring Eastern Washington. Assuming he wins the job in camp, he'll enter an offense with plenty of firepower remaining — Davontavean Martin caught 69 passes in 2018, while Dezmon Patton led all Cougars with over 800 yards receiving. The Cougs also return four offensive linemen and six of their top-nine tacklers, leading many publications to place them alongside Washington and Oregon in preseason top-25 rankings. We don't need to tell you that Washington hasn't lost the Apple Cup since 2012 (in overtime — in fact, Washington's last regulation loss to WSU was all the way back in 2007). This senior class doesn't want that streak to end in their final game at Husky Stadium — make sure to join them and help keep the Apple Cup where it rightfully belongs.

Single-game tickets and season-ticket packages available now!

Call (206) 543-2200 or visit gohuskies.com to get in the game!

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Inspired by History —

Designed for the Future Washington’s new adidas uniforms may seem like a throwback to the Don James era — but, there's some forward-thinking technology hidden underneath the hood

W

BY BRIAN BEAKY EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE

hen the University of Washington debuted its new adidas football uniforms in July, most fans probably clicked on the photos, registered a brief opinion, and moved on with their day. For them, it was, perhaps, a 30-second investment.

For Washington's Director of Creative Communications, Chris Hein, it's been a project more than a year in the making.

"It's been go, go, go," he says of the University's ongoing talks with adidas, since the announcement in spring 2018 that the German apparel maker would be taking over as the official apparel provider of Husky athletics beginning this summer. "They really hit the ground running, and have been working incredibly hard to get this just right."

Hein says UW reps made clear early on that it was important that the new uniforms remain connected to the University's history and traditions. A deeper, darker purple and stronger gold echo the uniform colors of the Don James era, and are aligned with the color palate used on upper campus. The classic purple topgold pant combo will be the official home uniform, while road options will include a white jersey with either purple or white pants. The angles on corners of the numbers were inspired by the angles in UW's iconic block "W" logo, while the gold color of the pant was specifically matched to the iconic gold of UW's helmets.

At the same time, however, Hein's team wanted to make sure that the uniforms included modern touches that offered a nod toward the next great era of Husky football. Thus, the jerseys were made of a seamless design that makes them more form-fitting (and harder for tacklers to grip), and a Climacool fabric that will help regulate players' body temperatures during the game, increasing their speed and durability.

And then, of course, there's those design elements that may seem like a cool stripe here, or a unique fabric choice there, but actually have some meaning to those who designed them. The iridescent purple stripes on the sleeve are meant to echo the purple robes of royalty, and are left open to indicate the athlete's "never-ending strive for greatness and room for growth." But, I'm sure you got that just from looking at them, right?

More than what the jerseys are supposed to mean, however, fans will only care about how they look — and, early returns have been unanimously positive. Players loved the jerseys when they received their first look in early July. Former Huskies Byron Murphy, Desmond Trufant and Myles Gaskin are all adidas clients, and played a part in the official reveal. Replica jerseys debuted in stores this summer, and have been selling well, as has all of the other apparel — t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. — released by adidas exclusively for fans.

"We saw it as a reset moment, a chance to differentiate between where we were in the past, and where we're going," Hein says. "adidas has been a fantastic partner the whole way. They were very interested in learning about our history and values, and really did their homework as to what makes this University special. In the end, we came up with, 'Inspired by History — Designed for the Future,' which I think really captures well the mission we set out to accomplish."

Starting in 2020, Washington will have the opportunity to ask adidas to design one "unique concept" uniform style each season, an original design that can be worn for a special occasion. But, the historic purple and gold will always remain the, well, "gold" standard.

“We’re always trying to compete, and this is just another opportunity for us to push ourselves out there,” Hein says. “I’m excited that fans finally get to see the new look, and I can’t wait to see how they look on the field.”

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Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES

PURPLE STORM

UW & adidas unveiled the Huskies’ new football uniforms via a shipping container on the PartnerShip in Husky Harbor.

To purchase Husky Athletics photography, visit www.HUSKIESPHOTOSTORE.com

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