Listeners respond to Dori’s ‘Big Lead:’ UW football coach Jimmy Lake suspended

With less than three weeks to go before The Apple Cup, the University of Washington football team’s head coach, Jimmy Lake, is in hot water over an on-field incident with one of his players during the Dawgs’ 26-16 loss to the University of Oregon on Saturday.

On Monday, UW Athletic Director Jen Cohen announced a one-game suspension for Lake. He won’t be on the sidelines this Saturday when the Huskies take on Arizona State.

The suspension stems from Lake’s response to one of his players – walk-on linebacker and former O’Dea High School standout Ruperake Fuavai – getting into a post-play skirmish with an Oregon opponent.

Fearful that officials might impose a 15-yard penalty against the Huskies, Lake is seen on camera running over to Fuavai, swinging a hand filled with papers at Fuavai’s facemask, and then pushing him in the back when the linebacker turns his back on Lake.

With UW President Ana Mari Cauce and other university leaders, Cohen announced Lake’s single-game, no-pay suspension. In Cohen’s words: “… while we do not believe that his actions were intentional or deliberate, we can have no tolerance for a coach interacting with a student in the manner Coach Lake did.”

Some think it’s a fire-able offense, I told listeners on Monday. Personally, I don’t think Jimmy Lake is going to make it to next season. He’s likely gone after this season, no matter what.

But what about you? Should he be suspended or fired over this event, in your view? Here is what some of you had to say on the KIRO Radio 97.3 FM text line:

From the 360: “Husky head coach suspended for pushing his player? LOL. What a bunch of snowflakes. Might as well just make it two-hand touch from now on.”

From the 206: “What Lake did was one of the few good things he did on Saturday.”

From the 360: “Lake needs to be fired, unacceptable to assault your own player, let alone on television.”

From No Contact: “Be careful not to shove your football players — good or bad. You might get suspended. Make sure you don’t shove players in excitement for scoring, either, or slap them on their butt.”

From the 253: “Didn’t deserve suspension for this. Too Woke. I’m sure a 180 lb man man pushing a 250-lb linebacker with pads and a helmet caused any pain.”

From the 206: “Part of being a coach is being a parent to the players on the team. Sometimes players need a light reminder on how to behave. I feel the interaction was innocuous and doesn’t deserve even a suspension. We’ve all seen coaches chest bump kids with much more significant vigor and pat players on the behind for doing a good job. Jimmy Lake may be losing his job, but it shouldn’t be for this. Go Cougs!”

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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