Dawgman Radio: A Washington Huskies athletics podcast

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EMERGENCY PODCAST: Jacobe Covington Commits! Aug 17, 2019

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The guys from Dawgman.com - Chris Fetters and Scott Eklund - dropped everything they were doing the minute Jacobe Covington verbally committed to Washington via his Twitter account so they could record this emergency podcast.

So what does Covington's commitment mean for the Huskies? The 6-foot-1, 193-pound defensive back from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. may not be as highly-rated and ranked as teammate Kelee Ringo, but the four-star prospect had plenty of suitors in his own right when he picked Washington over an official visit to Oklahoma and scholarship offers from a host of big-time schools like Texas A&M, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and many others.

Eklund goes in-depth as to how UW Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Lake may use Covington when he gets to Montlake next year. It sure sounds like Covington's position versatility, combined with his athleticism and aggressiveness, will keep him in good stead from the moment he steps on campus.

And with two defensive backs now in the fold (Covington joins St. John Bosco DB James Smith), what does this mean for the other 2020 prospects looking hard at Washington? Are there enough spots? Could it end up turning into a recruiting game of musical chairs?

Eklund breaks down what Covington's commitment may mean in that regard. One of those targets, Lawndale (Calif.) DB Elijah Jackson, may make his verbal commitment known as early as tonight. Jackson's teammate, Makell Esteen, is looking hard at UW, as is Eastside Catholic star Ayden Hector. Does Covington's commitment mean timetables are going to be moved up? Could this be the first of a couple dominoes that fall quickly in Washington's favor?

DawgmanRadio: Focusing On The Finer Points Of The Husky Defense Aug 17, 2019

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The Husky defense has some attrition to overcome from last season.

Mainstays like Greg Gaines and Jaylen Johnson along the defensive line as well as the linebackers and the secondary, which lost five full-time starters between both groups, has seen plenty of turnover, but due to versatility and some talented underclassmen, the Huskies like where they're at as they are just two weeks from the kickoff of the season.

On Friday, the guys from Dawgman.com got the chance to check in with two players and a coach to see how strongly they feel about how things are coming along.

Pete Kwiatkowski feels like he has a good group of players who have really improved and the feeling is that even though most people tend to focus on double-digit sacks, he's more worried about getting consistent pressure on the quarterback, getting him to move off of his spot and forcing things since the sacks will come. He said he wouldn't be showing up every day if he didn't think this group could get it done.

Giving Kwiatkowski some sense of comfort is the presence of Benning Potoa'e who has moved inside.

Potoa'e says he's working on getting his recognition down and that he's making progress on reading things, but Kwiatkowski said moving inside has allowed him to play freer where he doesn't have to worry about contain anymore like he did when he was playing on the edge.

Senior defensive back Myles Bryant, the defacto leader of the deep patrol, likes where things are at and feels like he's been coached well enough since he arrived to be able to play either safety or nickel and he would be ready to go, but he also says he doesn't mind where he lines up as long he can compete. He also gave his thoughts on freshman Cameron Williams and what makes him so good at what he does even though he's still very young.

DawgmanRadio: Tight Ends and Special Teams are Tuesday's Focus Aug 14, 2019

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The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds and Chris Fetters - spoke to a bunch of players from Washington's offense and special teams after Tuesday's Day 11 practice. The focus for Tuesday was the tight ends room, so we went in-depth with UW Tight Ends Coach Jordan Paopao and sophomore Cade Otton. They talked about the 'next man up' approach and 'carrying the flag' for Jacob Kizer. Kizer is currently out injured, but Paopao said the Huskies definitely expect him back for the season.

Fetters also spoke with junior running back Salvon Ahmed, who, when he's not busy practicing with the team, lifting, eating, sleeping, or in the team room, is busy pitching his brand new EP release called 'A Safehouse Summer', a collaboration with his friend Zay Wonder. He talked a lot about his passion for music, and also the things that make him similar to Myles Gaskin, but also a little different too. He doesn't want to be known as the next Myles Gaskin, especially when he can be known for his own play on the field.

Grinolds spent time talking with two-thirds of the kicking battery - Peyton Henry and A.J. Carty. Henry showed off a special part of his helmet - the inside. It was a personalized touch, complete with his signature - something unique for the Huskies this year. And you could certainly claim that Carty, the fourth-year snapper from Santa Ana, Calif. is the most anonymous player on the team. In fact, he wondered why he was even being called in for an interview!

The fact of the matter is, he doesn't want to be known. Because if he's known, that usually means a bad snap. And even though none immediately spring to mind, Carty did mention one or two that he feels he's had so far in his UW career. And if it's only one of two during a career that might see him officially snap the ball a few hundred times - that's a remarkable thing.

EMERGENCY PODCAST: Rome Odunze Commits! Aug 13, 2019

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The Washington Huskies added another gem to their 2020 recruiting class with the commitment of four-star wide receiver Rome Odunze from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dawgman's Kim Grinolds and Scott Eklund sat down and gave their thoughts on this latest pledge and took a deep dive into what it means for the rest of the recruiting class, whether or not the Huskies are now done at receiver and how Odunze's commitment fills out what is already one of the best wide receiver classes in program history.

At nearly 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 200 pounds, Odunze is a big wide receiver, but with a sub-10.7 in the 100 meters, even with that size, he can still run right past defensive backs and take the top off of the defense.

The Huskies have done very well on the recruiting front the past couple of recruiting class, pulling in four-star wideouts like Marquis Spiker, Austin Osborne, and Puka Nacua and they have added other playmakers like Trey Lowe and Taj Davis to the mix as well. Now, with the additions of Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Sawyer Racanelli, the potential is there for Washington to feature one of the top receiver corps in the country and they are being led by Junior Adams who has already proven himself to be an outstanding receiving coach as well as a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail

DawgmanRadio: Defense Focusing On Their Jobs As Season Nears Aug 12, 2019

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Last season, Washington finished tied for 103 in the nation with just 24 sacks last season, it goes without saying that the Huskies want to improve that aspect of their defense this season. That's been a focus for the front seven all offseason and now that things are near the midway point of fall camp, the focus has turned toward who can get the job done coming off the edge and getting pressure on the quarterback.

Kim Grinolds spoke with defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe about the improvement along the defensive line and how Benning Potoa'e is one of the more versatile players they have up front and how smooth his transition from outside linebacker to defensive tackle has gone.

Redshirt sophomore Ariel Ngata is a player who the coaches specifically brought in to get after the quarterback and we asked him about what he's focused on to help him get better off the edge and what has made the difference for him when comparing what he could do last year as opposed to this year.

Bob Gregory, the linebackers coach, spent time discussing some of his younger players and having four players who played quarterback in high school are now playing linebacker for him as well as how the position has changed in today's college football.

Levi Onwuzurike, the elder statesmen of a young defensive line group, talked about facing off with Nick Harris every day and what makes the offensive line so tough to go up against during practice.

DawgmanRadio: Lots of QB/RB Battle Talk After Day 9 of Fall Camp Aug 12, 2019

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The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds and Chris Fetters - talked with some of the offensive players and Chris Petersen after Day 9 of Fall Camp, held in Husky Stadium on Sunday. It sounds like the Huskies got in more scrimmage 'live' reps than they had up to that point in camp, and Petersen sounds encouraged by the competition at both quarterback and running back. He did add that redshirt freshman defensive back Julius Irvin is struggling a little bit with injury, but it's nothing that's considered to be a long-term issue.

They also spoke with quarterbacks Jacob Eason and Jake Haener, as well as running back Salvon Ahmed and offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland. Spirits are high, the battles are intensifying, and camp is chugging along per usual.

DawgmanRadio: August Recruiting Reset Aug 08, 2019

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We're right in the middle of the "Summer Dead Period" and while there might not be a lot of recruiting news to talk about with fall camp taking center stage for coaching staffs all across the country, there are still a lot of things to talk about and that's exactly what Dawgman.com's Scott Eklund and Kim Grinolds did recently as a sort of "catch up" for those who haven't been able to keep up on the recruiting front.

With 16 players committed, plus another expected to enroll in January after taking a two-year Mormon mission, numbers are getting tight and there are a few other players who could make their decisions here before the beginning of their senior seasons.

Players like Bishop Gorman WR Rome Odunze, Lawndale DB Makell Esteen, and a few others seem to be close announcing a commitment to a school, so Eklund and Grinolds discussed where the Huskies stand with each player and when a decision coming down and how each would fit into the 2020 recruiting class if they wound up committing to the Dawgs.

They also went over the whole situation with former Husky quarterback Colson Yankoff and opined on the over-arching problem of player transfers and why the NCAA wants to limit the free movement without consequences for players wanting to transfer.

DawgmanRadio: Some Fun Stories After Day 6 of Fall Camp Aug 08, 2019

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Wednesday was the first day the media didn't get a chance to see practice, so the players had to fill in the gaps on how things went on Day 6. They also shared some fun stories, from their takes on the new jerseys and shoes to a lot more.

The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds and Scott Eklund - spoke to senior linebacker Brandon Wellington, sophomore outside linebacker Joe Tryon, sophomore kicker Peyton Henry, and junior outside linebacker Ryan Bowman.

Wellington talks to Grinolds about his nutrition and what he eats to keep his weight up, as well as how the defense is playing so far in camp despite losing a lot of talent to the NFL.

Tryon spoke to Grinolds about Wednesday's practice, how he is now compared to where he was a year ago, especially given he always played at Hazen with his hand on the ground.

Eklund got Peyton Henry to talk about his path to Montlake, how he was recruited to play football from Jake Haener, and his take on the kicking competition.

He also spoke with Ryan Bowman about camp, their particular unit and how they are progressing, his ability to get to the quarterback, and more.

DawgmanRadio: Lots of Good Stuff As The Pads Go On Aug 07, 2019

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The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - each gave their thoughts on not only day five of UW fall camp, but how Tuesday's 135-minute workout kept more of this fall's storylines alive.

The quarterback competition is still ongoing, but Jacob Eason and Jake Haener are separating themselves. Eason is looking more and more comfortable by the snap, and Haener led the offense to two touchdowns during the final team periods. They are showing everyone that they're capable of running the offense, even if they do it in different ways.

The new wrinkle in Tuesday's action was that the team could wear full pads for the first time. Though they didn't go full pads, just shoulder pads and shorts, there was still a little bit of hitting going on. And when the hitting starts, the energy starts too. And, as Chris Petersen has said this fall, when the execution is happening, that brings even more energy into the mix.

The energy and intensity was evident throughout practice, and the Dawgman guys talk about who they liked, who is showing out, and who they think will continue to improve and stay factors, despite the fact that the media will no longer be able to watch the rest of fall camp.

Lastly the three talk about the punting and kicking games and who is standing out there.

DawgmanRadio: The Offense Rules on Day 5 Aug 07, 2019

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The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - spoke to a handful of Washington coaches and players from the offensive side of the ball to get their thoughts on not only why the offense seems to be ahead of where they were this past spring, but who is stepping up, and what to expect from them in the coming practices.

Yes, it's only been five days, but the improvement from spring has been noticeable. Starting with the quarterbacks, the Husky offense has been hitting bigger plays with more frequency and has been more efficient in moving the ball down the field.

And yes, we haven't really seen them in full pads yet, so it's hard to know just how the running backs will look when guys really get to start thumping on them a little bit, but from the five days where we have gotten to take a look they've all had moments where they've shown explosiveness and big play capability.

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