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Jimmy Lake is playing up Pac-12 title stakes this weekend Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

In almost every way, Jimmy Lake is an extension of the things Chris Petersen is known for as a head coach. He's tough, he's honest, he's as much about excellence off the field as on it, and he's certainly not going to give anything away to his opponent.

But Lake was not in a shy mood Monday when asked about possibly playing up the stakes for this weekend's UW-Oregon game in Eugene, with the winner headed to the Pac-12 Championship game. It's a question Petersen would have likely bobbed and weaved around to the press, talking more about the process and doing things right to achieve the ideal outcome.

Lake is all about the process too, but in his words, he doesn't have to remind anyone in the football offices about what comes with a UW win this weekend. So they might as well embrace it.

"We're always telling the truth to our guys and those guys know I'm always going to hit them right between the eyes with constructive criticism or the truth about something positive," he said when talking with the media during his usual Monday press conference. "This is positive. Yes, we are definitely playing that up. We know what's at stake here and that's the beautiful thing about all the hard work that our team has put in this year and all the ups and downs and rollercoasters of emotions...we're playing football, we're not playing football, we're doing this, we're doing that. And now, here we are. We're in position. We control our own destiny. We take care of business, we are right where we want to be for our goal, which is to win the Pac-12 Championship. That's known throughout this whole building and I don't think I have to remind anybody about that."

Lake also talked about what he saw when he watched the tape of their 31-26 defeat to Stanford, their first loss of the season. It was a game marred by another slow start and an inability to get off the field for the Washington defense. Lake talked about those things, as well as the emergence of some young receivers and also how quarterback Dylan Morris is starting to show his leadership chops.

Jones, Ulofoshio, Lake talk about Stanford loss Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

Washington receiver Ty Jones, linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, and Head Coach Jimmy Lake spoke to the media after their 31-26 loss Saturday afternoon to the Stanford Cardinal at Husky Stadium, and you could tell the loss - the first of the season for the Huskies - was going to be one that might take just a little bit longer than 24 hours to absorb. In fact, the UW coaches may want to allow this one to sting just a little bit longer to make sure the lessons were learned.

And they were hard lessons too. Whether talking about execution in all three phases of the game; from another slow start, to not being able to run between the tackles, to not being able to stop the run and get off the field on third down, to giving up big returns in the kicking game and also a blocked extra point - there’s going to be a lot of film study the Huskies can use to grow and get better.

But they still had their opportunities to come back from another 24-point halftime deficit, and almost made it happen. But the Cardinal made plays on both sides of the ball in the moments that mattered to keep the Huskies at bay.

Jones talked about not having teammates Terrell Bynum and Puka Nacua there today, as well as the big day for freshman Rome Odunze. Ulofoshio’s frustration was evident as he talked about the things he felt they didn’t execute that could have spelled the difference in the game.

And Coach Lake was asked about the slow start, but couldn’t pin-point any one thing that stood out that would have given him pause during pre-game. He was also asked about energy being an issue, the growth of players like Zion Tupuola-Fetui and getting more pressure to get Stanford QB Davis Mills off his spot. Did he think the hold call on M.J. Ale was legit, the one that cost UW a chance to potentially tie the game in the fourth quarter?

DawgmanRadio: Sorting out a tough loss to Stanford Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

It was deja vu all over again, according to Yogi Berra. Not only did Washington fall into a 21-point halftime hole for the second week in a row, but they just couldn’t figure the Stanford Cardinal out on either side of the ball - much like it was last year.

And even though the Washington offense finally got on track in the second half, it was not enough to overcome mistakes in all three phases. The result? A 31-26 win for Stanford, their eighth win in the last 10 games against the Huskies, as well as Jimmy Lake’s first loss as UW’s head coach.

The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - work their way through the game from the start, beginning with the defense’s inability to get off the field. Stanford was 10-13 on third downs, and even when they had very good chances at the end of the game to get the ball back and pull out another miracle come-from-behind win, the Cardinal simply made plays when they had to.

The guys also talked about Washington’s inability to set the tone at the line of scrimmage, their difficulty on setting the edge and getting off blockers. Those things proved costly, because UW was not able to force a successful third down stop into a punt until there was 14 seconds left in the third quarter. We're seeing guys like Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Sav'ell Smallstake their lumps and grow up right in front of our eyes, just like Joe Tryon last year.

Edefuan Ulofoshio led the Huskies again with 18 monster tackles, but he was visibly frustrated in how the game unfolded. With his heart on his sleeve, he pointed to the unit’s lack of belief in their film study and preparation that slowed down their attempts to keep the Cardinal at bay. The guys talked about the play at all three levels and what needs to get done for UW to turn this learning experience into a lesson they can take with them to Eugene next weekend.

They also talked about the offense, how the running backs were used (or not used), the absence of Terrell Bynum and Puka Nacua, and the reaction to the sudden change play that found them at the Stanford 10-yard line with a chance to potentially tie the game with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter.

DawgmanRadio: Thumbs up on Stanford-UW! Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - waited until the last moment before putting together their pregame podcast. You’d think this was simply some shrewd scheduling on their part, but it was more serendipitous than anything. We had decided to wait until the last moment to record, and literally, 10 minutes before the start, the high sign came down from Montlake; the game is on.

It means a happy ending to a week that was even more topsy-turvy than normal, and that’s saying something in 2020. It means a football game will be played between the Stanford Cardinal and Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium this afternoon, and that’s all that matters.

In the first half of the podcast, the three break down the Cardinal and the matchups they see as key to the outcome of the game. Stanford and UW both want the ball; they want to possess it and keep it away from the other team. That’s their modus operandi. But they do it in different ways. Stanford has a handful of big receivers they’ll lean on, while Washington has their stable of running backs they’ll employ behind a massive offensive line. And then there’s the matchup of two quarterbacks at extremes: senior Davis Mills for Stanford and redshirt freshman Dylan Morris for Washington.

After a quick break, Scott breaks down a QB and WR camp he recently went to, headed up by local QB guru Lavelle Durant and former WSU WR star Brandon Gibson. 2021 QB commit Sam Huard was there, as was 5-star athlete Emeka Egbuka.

The interns preview the Stanford Cardinal Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

The Dawgman.com interns - Jack McCauley and Luke Mounger - preview Washington’s Saturday opponent, the Stanford Cardinal, in this latest DawgmanRadio podcast.

McCauley first covered the Stanford playmakers on offense, starting with quarterback Davis Mills, and then talked about the main receivers he will likely throw to; Connor Wedington, Michael Wilson, and Simi Fehoko, as well as tight ends Tucker Fisk and Scooter Harrington.

Last, Jack talked about Stanford’s run game, their big offensive line, and how the numbers so far for the Cardinal may be a bit misleading, especially when watching them on tape. And he also talks about what he expects to see from Stanford when it comes to their game plan and what they could have success against when going up against Washington’s defense.

On defense, Luke is tasked with the breakdown on that side of the ball, and he lays out the players Washington fans should watch out for when the Huskies are on offense. Starting with their front, players like Thomas Booker, Thomas Schaffer, and Dalyn Wade-Perry. At linebacker, it’s Curtis Robinson, Levani Damuni, and an underperforming outside linebacker rotation that has likely been at the root for some of their overall deficiencies.

At defensive back, Stanford is a mix of young and old, as well as size.

To finish off the podcast, Jack and Luke talk about what teams have been able to do against Stanford and how that might work in Washington’s favor, as well as the important matchups and their keys to a UW win over the Cardinal. How confident are the interns feeling about a fourth-straight win for the Huskies?

RJ Abeytia previews the Stanford Cardinal Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Dawgman.com’s Kim Grinolds caught up with RJ Abeytia from The Bootleg, the Stanford site for the 247Sports Network, to get a sense for what Washington fans might see from the Cardinal on the field Saturday when they take on Washington at Husky Stadium, but also what’s going on with Stanford Athletics behind the scenes now that they’ve had to uproot their program for a couple of weeks due to new Santa Clara County COVID-19 testing and tracing guidelines.

In short, not only is Stanford’s football team adversely affected, but their basketball teams are also suffering as a result.

They also talk about the perception of Stanford Football Head Coach David Shaw, the current dean of the Pac-12 coaching fraternity. He is the most successful head coach in the history of the program, but is he untouchable?

The conversation moved to the Cardinal offense, led by quarterback Davis Mills. He may be a senior, but he’s still a player that is developing. Stanford has a number of receivers he can go to, including former Sumner star and one-time UW commit Connor Wedington. They also talk about running back Austin Jones and their tight ends and what they do to contribute to Stanford’s offense as a whole.

To wrap up talk on the offense, Abeytia focuses on Stanford’s big offensive line and why they may be built more to promote the pass at this point in 2020 compared to the run.

Flipping to the other side of the ball, RJ goes in-depth with Stanford’s defense, starting with an improvement on the defensive line despite losing a couple of graduate transfers they were hoping to have this fall. They are led on the line of scrimmage by Thomas Booker, Thomas Schaffer, and Dalyn Wade-Perry.

There’s one thing Abeytia points to as an area of concern for the Cardinal; third-down defense. But they’ve been able to make up for some of that with hawking the ball and grabbing turnovers.

The Cardinal linebackers are experienced, yet are still just gelling as a unit. The younger guy of that group, Levani Damuni, is the one that has really flashed early in the season. But they haven’t been able to wreak a lot of havoc along the edges in terms of producing a consistent pass rush.

In the secondary, Abeytia talked enthusiastically about the younger defensive backs and how willing they’ve been when asked to stick their nose in and be physical.

To wrap up the chat, RJ talks tactics and how he sees the chess game unfolding within the football game, as well as how he sees special teams potentially impacting the final score and what Stanford will need to do to win the game.

Nate Roberts and Mike Hopkins talk after Thursday loss at Utah Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Nate RobertsandMike Hopkinsspoke to the media after the Washington Huskies lost Thursday afternoon to the Utah Utes 76-62 in Salt Lake City.

Jimmy Lake expecting plenty of ‘Intellectual Brutality’ Saturday Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

While many believe the ‘Intellectual Brutality’ of the best Stanford teams under David Shaw is not what it once was, don’t count Jimmy Lake in that group. Meeting with the media one last time before the Cardinal play Washington Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium, Lake was blunt despite the numbers some point to that paint a different picture of Cardinal Football: this will probably be the most physical game they play in 2020.

“We have a bunch of respect for Stanford and the way they play football,” he said. “We watch the film and we see a physical team in all three phases. They’re physical in the run game on both sides of the ball, they’re physical in special teams. They enjoy having big personnel through their lines.”

With Saturday also being Senior Day, Lake was asked about those he expects to move on and those who may stay, especially considering eligibility has been put on pause in 2020. While there’s still plenty of decisions to be made, there’s no doubt Keith Taylor and Elijah Molden will be walking, especially now that they’ve accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl, joining Levi Onwuzurike.

Lake also talked about some of the UW players that have continued to stand out, including QB Dylan Morris and OLB Zion Tupuola-Fetui, as well as true freshmen that are showing up on the two-deeps, namely Sav'ell Smalls and Cooper McDonald.

He was also asked about the recent UW video featuring former defensive back Sean Vergara and his talent as a visual artist, namely turning shoes into art, as well as the story of how Vergara walked on to the program and who urged him to give the all-campus tryout a shot: Kevin King.

Lastly Lake was asked about keeping things going in the recruiting offices with no film to cut up as they move closer to the mid-December signing period.

Players still adjusting to no atmosphere as the games continue Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

Sean McGrew admitted Wednesday he’s seen the Washington sideline ‘pretty dead’ at times the first three games of the 2020 season. Usually it’s never an issue because the 70,000 fans at Husky Stadium provide enough energy to carry the day for 10 teams.

But this is 2020, and with no fans in the stands, it’s been up to the players, coaches, and trainers to pick up the slack and provide their own juice.

The Washington Huskies are about to play their fourth-straight home game Saturday when the Stanford Cardinal come calling. Normally not having to leave home would be something the players would love. And don’t get me wrong, they enjoy sleeping in their own beds and having a routine they can count on.

But it still is a little odd at times, and both McGrew and offensive lineman Henry Bainivalu talked about it Wednesday. Bainivalu said it’s still strange with no one in the stands, but he’d still rather be playing in Husky Stadium than anywhere else.

“When is our first road game…Oregon?” McGrew asked. He shook his head with a wry smile. It’s been that kind of a year.

McGrew and Bainivalu also talked about Washington’s new offense, the ability to run and throw the ball, having one of the bigger offensive lines in the Pac-12 and the enjoyment the players get when it comes to playing with a lot of physicality, and a lot more in this media call.

Quade Green and Mike Hopkins talk after loss to UC-Riverside Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

Quade GreenandMike Hopkinstalk post-game after Washington (0-2) lost to UC-Riverside 57-42 Tuesday afternoon in Las Vegas.

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