Feb. 8, 2007 SEATTLE (AP) - Maybe it was the new, gray goatee, which makes Tyrone Willingham look more fatherly. Or maybe it was the silver-rimmed bifocals Willingham perched on the end of his nose to scan the list of 27 recruits Washington signed on Wednesday. Something got Washington's coach the largest and deepest recruiting class of his three-year tenure. "I think it was a tremendous help. I think it made all the difference in the world," Willingham, 53, joked about the goatee's possible role in recruiting -- before he added, "Not quite." Instead, he said his Huskies' shocking, 4-2 start to last season -- including a last-play loss at Southern California -- got Washington into more living rooms. Many doors were slammed shut to Huskies' recruiters after a two-win season in 2005 and a 1-10 catastrophe in '04, the latter under Keith Gilbertson. "The encouraging thing is that we're gaining more acceptance," Willingham said following a 5-7 season that also including an overtime loss at co-Pac-10-champion California and an upset win at Washington State in the Apple Cup. "The young people were pleased with some of the things we did last year. Obviously, we're not totally pleased with what we did last year. But there was progress." That continued on Wednesday. Willingham is expecting about half a dozen, even perhaps 10, of his newest, mostly California-bred Huskies to help Washington to its first winning season in five years. The class has 14 Californians and six from Washington. It is led by flashy wide receiver Anthony Boyles from Compton, Calif., speedy running back Brandon Johnson of Hawthorne, Calif. (whom Willingham said may be able to run the 100-yard dash in 10.6 seconds), and two new kickers who have jobs to lose in the fall: punter Jared Ballman, a junior-college transfer from San Diego, and placekicker Eric Folk, yet another Californian from Woodland Hills. Washington signed 21 last year and just 13 in 2005, after Willingham and most of his staff arrived two months before signing day. Gilbertson signed 23 before his final, disastrous season of '04. "This year, we made a tremendous amount of progress. People see us as on the rise in the Pac-10," said Chris Tormey, the UW's recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach. The many Californians but relatively few from Washington didn't surprise Willingham. "We will still make our focus Washington and California. That will never change," the former Stanford and Notre Dame coach said. As for only six from the home state, following five from Washington last year and six in his first UW class, Willingham said: "It's going to be higher. There are varying years." Running back Nate Williams from Kennedy High School in Burien, tight end Chris Izbicki of Kirkland's Lake Washington High School and massive, athletic lineman Emeka Iweka from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle led the in-state signees. Williams and Izbicki fill positions of need. Iweka fills every coach's dream of having a 6-foot-4, 340-pound menace who can run. Iweka, who plays for Rainier Beach's basketball team, will begin as a defensive linemen at Washington. Linebacker Austin Sylvester from Reno, Nev., by way of a New Jersey prep school, will join Ballman and quarterback Ronnie Fouch as early enrollees and will participate in spring practice April 9-28. Fouch doubled up on classes to graduate from East Valley High School in Redlands, Calif., last month after throwing for 23 touchdowns and 2,690 yards as a senior. He is the only passer Willingham signed -- and the only one he sought. That's because Jake Locker, the 2005 state high school player of the year from Ferndale is ready to make his much-anticipated Huskies debut, taking over for graduated Isaiah Stanback. Locker redshirted last year, as Willingham resisted temptations to play him following injuries to Stanback, Johnny Durocher and Carl Bonnell. Bonnell is still rehabilitating from shoulder surgery. Even though Willingham said Bonnell will begin throwing again within three weeks, the coach is not sure if the senior-to-be will be cleared for spring practice. But Willingham did know one thing that won't be at spring drills: The gray beard. "No, when it comes time to go to work football-wise, we'll clean up," he said, smiling. |
