Tuesday, May 1, 2012 @ 11:37am
Why Chris Polk didn't get drafted
Draft analysts considered Chris Polk one of the top running backs in the draft. Some projected the former Husky to be as high as a second-round pick.
Instead, Polk had to sign with the Eagles after he went undrafted.
In Tuesday's Wrap Up video, Brock Huard says teams were turned off by health concerns, not questions about Polk's production or ability.
You can download Tuesday's podcast here.
Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ 7:01pm
Chris Polk goes undrafted, signs with Eagles
Former Husky Chris Polk signed a rookie free-agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after medical concerns caused the running back to go undrafted.
 Chris Polk |
Polk spoke with NFLDraftScout.com after signing with the Eagles and said he was aware of teams' concerns about his shoulder. He denied a report he said he heard about an additional issue with his hip.
"I will just have to go out there and show them I have a lot of great football left in me," Polk told the website. "I know teams are concerned about my shoulder, but I also heard somebody say something about a degenerative hip and there is just no truth to that. I had labrum surgery on the shoulder a year ago and it didn't slow me down last season."
According to NFLDraftScout.com, Polk had his shoulder examined by renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, who said he only noticed some scarring from a previous surgery but nothing that would affect Polk's ability to play football.
Polk had two shoulder surgeries early in his college career, as well as a knee scope before last season. Despite that, he didn't miss a game from 2009-2011.
According to NFLDraftScout.com, Polk chose the Eagles over the Washington Redskins.
Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ 5:38pm
Kearse among Seahawks' undrafted rookie free agents
The Seahawks agreed to terms with 10 undrafted rookie free agents on Saturday, including former Washington receiver Jermaine Kearse.
Kearse went undrafted following a prolific career at Washington, where he ranks second all-time in receptions (180), receiving yards (2,871) and receiving touchdowns (29).
The Seahawks got a good look at Kearse during Washington's pro day in March. Seattle's receivers coach, Kippy Brown, oversaw Kearse and others run routes and catches passes from former Husky Jake Locker.
The Seahawks didn't use any of their 10 picks on a receiver, a position some thought they would address in the draft.
Here is the list of undrafted free agents the Seahawks signed:
WR Phil Bates, Ohio University
WR Jermaine Kearse, Washington
WR Lavasier Tuinei, Oregon
TE Sean McGrath, Henderson State (Ark.)
T Jon Opperud, Montana
G Rishaw Johnson, California (Pa.)
CB London Durham, McNeese State
DB DeShawn Shead, Portland State
DE Monte Taylor, Cincinnati
K Carson Wiggs, Purdue
Sunday, April 22, 2012 @ 10:43pm
Washington's Keith Price may take a step back in 2012
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By Brock Huard
By all accounts Keith Price has had a terrific spring and offseason. He has added strength and up to 10 pounds of muscle, and according to Husky radio analyst Damon Huard, "Keith is throwing the ball better than I have ever seen him."
"With the strength has come added velocity," Damon Huard said. "And I know it is a lofty comparison, but he is throwing and spinning it as pure as Warren Moon used to."
Price steps on the field with tremendous maturity, a charismatic smile and loads of confidence built upon the numerous school records he set last season. He will be a redshirt junior in September, beginning his fourth year in the same system. I am sure many will predict further growth and improvement from his sophomore season, when he threw for 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, had a 66 percent completion rate and set the school's single-season record for pass efficiency.
I am not one of them.
Price may very well be a better passer and signal-caller in 2012, but I doubt the fantasy football numbers will match the production from a season ago. There are three major reasons why.
No more Chris Polk. When Corey Dillon and Rashaan Shehee were lined up behind me the game was sure a lot easier. Why? The defense had to account for the two on every play, and extra bodies around the line of scrimmage meant less confusion in coverage and a whole lot more man-to-man defense.
Bishop Sankey and Jesse Callier must prove to opposing coordinators that they can move piles, break tackles and beat unblocked defenders the same way Polk did the last three seasons. Until they do, Price can expect to see a lot more of what Oregon threw his way with a plethora of looks, schemes, blitzes and cloudier pictures in the secondary.
"For Keith, it's not trying to make every play, to go out and show how good he is," coach Steve Sarkisian told me and Mike Salk earlier this month. "It's allowing the system to work, which he's done."
Sarkisian is spot on. Price has been a tremendous facilitator, spreading the wealth and maximizing the system. The challenge now is that Polk, the most valuable piece of that system over the last three years and the second most productive back in the history of the program, has moved on.
 Keith Price's job will be much more difficult without Chris Polk keeping opposing defenses honest. (AP)
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For Price, Polk, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar are all gone. More importantly, this entire spring he has had in essence zero or just one returning starter -- Erik Kohler -- on his offensive line looking back at him in the huddle. Gone for good are left tackle Senio Kelemete (graduation) and right guard Colin Porter (retirement). Left guard Colin Tanigawa is still recovering from a late-season torn ACL and it's very questionable as to whether he will be ready to open the season. Three-year starting center Drew Schaefer injured his knee and has been shut down for the remainder of spring, while Kohler has struggled to regain his starting spot.
Translation: an offensive line that was supposed to be the strength of the offense with four returning starters on paper may have just one -- Schaefer -- when the Dawgs open in September against San Diego State. The Aztecs' unorthodox 4-2-5 defense will be followed with a road trip to Baton Rouge, La. and one of the most formidable front sevens in college football. After Portland State, arguably three of the four best defenses in the Pac-12 will follow with Stanford, Oregon and USC.
"A season ago Keith took some unnecessary hits, some unnecessary sacks," Sarkisian told us. "I think I can help him as well in taking that next step so that he is fresh and feeling great about himself late into October, November as that championship run takes place."
In order to make it to late October still standing, Price will need his inexperienced group up front to do what he did a year ago: exceed everyone's expectations.
Lofty expectations. "How do you handle people patting you on the back now, telling you how good you are instead of saying, 'I hope you do well,' where you feel like you have something to prove? Keith has stepped on the field and proven he is a quality player. Now it is, 'How do you assume that role of the expectations?'"
Those are the words of Sarkisian, who knows a little something about high expectations for his quarterbacks, going back to Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez and Jake Locker. All responded and became very high NFL draft picks. Now the challenge falls on Price.
A season ago he was battling Nick Montana for a starting job. Twelve months later he is not only the unquestioned leader of the Huskies but he is clearly the No. 2 passer in the Pac-12, trailing only Heisman favorite Matt Barkley from USC. The production a season ago was astounding. The level of grit and toughness Price displayed through multiple injuries all season long was maybe more impressive.
2012 will present a much stiffer challenge. The Alamo Bowl tape will be playing in the defensive meeting rooms at San Diego State and LSU all summer. Stanford, Oregon and USC all beat Price a season ago, yet they all know he will be the central figure for Washington's success in 2012. He will have to be Felix Hernandez, the ace, especially through the first half of the schedule. Price's own defense will be implementing a new mindset and game-plan, while UW's running backs and offensive line will be put to the test.
Lastly, the challenge for the talented Price may be more psychological than physical. He knows he can make the plays, but can he trust those around him to elevate their game? Kearse, Kelemete, Polk and crew had weathered some difficult storms and brought years of experience to Price's huddle a season ago. On the first "ready, break" of 2012, it will be a very different group heading to the line of scrimmage. Speaking from personal experience, I know the challenge that can become.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 @ 3:52pm
Replacing Chris Polk may not be a one-man job
When Steve Sarkisian came to Washington before the 2009 season, he figured he would bring with him the running back-by-committee approach that worked so well at USC.
Chris Polk changed his mind.
"Chris, fortunately for us, stepped up and kind of just grabbed that role," Sarkisian told "Brock and Salk" on Tuesday, a day after Washington kicked off spring practice.
 Junior running back Jesse Callier will have a bigger role after backing up Chris Polk the last two seasons. (AP)
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Polk is now gone, heading to the NFL after topping 1,100 yards in each of the last three seasons to finish second on the school's all-time rushing list. Replacing that production won't necessarily be a one-man job, as Washington has a trio of running backs that gives Sarkisian the option of a backfield timeshare.
Here's a look at the three.
Jesse Callier: Serving as Polk's backup last season, Callier rushed for 260 yards on 47 carries. His lone touchdown came against Colorado, when he had 81 yards on just 10 carries. He has been one of the Huskies' main kick returners since debuting as a true freshman in 2010. Sarkisian called Callier "a very versatile guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield, who can run, [a] very good return guy, probably a little bigger than most people think when you see him in person." Callier is listed at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds.
Bishop Sankey: Most of the 28 attempts Sankey had last season as a true freshman came in garbage time. He finished with 187 rushing yards, good for an average of 6.7 yards per carry. His most significant action came against Colorado, when he had 71 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Thirty-three of those 71 yards came on one carry. Sarkisian called the 5-foot-10, 193-pound Sankey "a very explosive back."
Antavius Sims: While Sims played quarterback in junior college, Sarkisian noted that he was just as much of a running back. At Ventura (Calif.) College in 2010, Sims ran for 1,014 yards and 15 touchdowns on 223 carries. Sims, a member of Washington's 2011 recruiting class, enrolled in January and is participating in spring practice. Sarkisian: "He's put on about 18 pounds since he's been here, if you can believe that, and he looks great." Sims is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds.
"If one of those guys can be it [a featured back] we'd be fired up about it," Sarkisian said. "If it's going to take all three of them I think that will work for us as well."
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Brock and Salk: Expectations for Washington as Steve Sarkisian enters Year 4
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 @ 1:38pm
Expectations for Huskies as Sarkisian enters Year 4
The final standings indicated that Washington was the fourth-best team in the Pac-12 last season.
Blowout losses to the three teams ahead of them -- Oregon, Stanford and USC -- showed that the Huskies have some serious ground to close on the Pac-12's top teams.
Entering his fourth season at Washington, coach Steve Sarkisian hopes the Huskies can do that in 2012.
"Ultimately, closing that gap to a sense to where there shouldn't be such extreme differences when we're playing the premier teams in our league because the two years prior to that it wasn't that way," Sarkisian told "Brock and Salk" on Tuesday, a day after Washington kicked off spring practice.
In Tuesday's Wrap Up video, Brock Huard and Mike Salk share their expectations for Washington in 2012.
You can download Tuesday's podcast here.
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New faces abound as Washington begins spring ball
Sunday, April 1, 2012 @ 2:14pm
Guard Terrence Ross declares for NBA Draft
Sophomore guard Terrence Ross has decided to enter his name in the 2012 NBA Draft and will forgo his final two years of eligibility with the Washington Huskies.
Ross helped the Huskies to a 24-11 record and Pac-12 regular season championship in 2012. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors and led the Huskies in scoring, tallying 574 total points during his sophomore campaign.
"I discussed the pros and the cons with my family and I just think this is a great step for me and it's time for me to take my game to the next level," Ross told GoHuskies.com on Sunday.
ESPN NBA analyst Chad Ford has Ross getting selected with the 23rd overall pick in the first round by the Indiana Pacers.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 @ 4:03pm
Stay or go? Debating Tony Wroten's best move
ESPN college basketball analyst Bill Raftery has a common opinion on Washington freshman Tony Wroten.
"Tony Wroten is a real talent but he needs a lot of work to become a real talent," Raftery told "Bob and Groz" on Wednesday, a day after providing color commentary for Washington's loss to Minnesota in the NIT semifinals.
Wroten was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a member of the All-Pac-12 First Team. He is projected as a first-round pick should he leave Washington after one season and declare for the NBA draft.
"I just get scared when I hear people say he's leaving when there's so much to learn and get better and really put yourself in demand," Raftery said.
In the video below, Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby debate whether staying at Washington or heading to the NBA would give Wroten the better opportunity to improve his game.
You can download Wednesday's podcast here.
