Dawgman Radio: A Washington Huskies athletics podcast

It's been a while since we've been able to catch up on the recruiting front, so there were a lot of subjects to talk about in the latest DawgmanRadio with Kim Grinolds, Scott Eklund and Chris Fetters giving updates from the recruiting trail.

First, they took a look at the last three commitments to Washington -- Dyson McCutcheon, Maurice Heims, Will Latu -- and went in-depth on each prospect and how he fits into the Huskies' scheme as well as why they were offered and eventually taken by the staff. Latu's situation in particular was one they delved into as he's a local four-star prospect, but his recruitment has been a bit of a roller coaster with some schools backing off and others picking up steam in his recruitment. What does his commitment mean to the rest of the linebacker recruiting and what does the linebacker depth look like heading into the 2021 season.

They also discussed the possibility of no visits taking place before players can sign in December and how that might handicap schools as they try to evaluate players and establish relationships with them.

On Friday it was revealed that five-star QB commit Sam Huard would be unable to attend the Elite 11 because he was recently around someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and the guys talked about why this could have been a big marketing tool for the program had he been able to attend.

Lastly, they discussed the possibility of some brewing good news that could come about in the next week to 10 days.

Dawgman.com's Chris Fetters spoke this week with AJ Maestas, Founder and CEO of Navigate, a trusted advisor to leading brands and organizations in sports and entertainment. Navigate provides clients with data-driven guidance on strategies, deals, and major decisions to help drive revenue and achieve success.

Maestas got his undergraduate degree at Washington, so whenever he gets a chance to talk UW and Pac-12 sports he's going to jump at it. He's already done it a few times with Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury-News, taking a broader look at the economics of college sports and also looking at specific issues, like opening up the college football playoff to eight teams instead of four. And we also had the pleasure of talking with Maestas roughly a year ago to pick his brain on all things Pac-12 and Washington Athletic Department economics.

Navigate has been involved with the Washington Athletic Department in a professional capacity before, so Maestas is as good as anyone around to talk to when it comes to how the Huskies - as well as other programs around the Pac-12 - can negotiate a post-COVID world.

Per Maestas, Navigate's role is to follow the numbers and provide clarity for clients when negotiating big media rights and sponsorship deals (in his words, 'give them a crystal ball into the future'), but how do you do that in a world right now where no games are being played in America, and there's no real guideline at present to tell us when things are going to open up in such a way to guarantee football, baseball, and other sports, will be played any time soon?

It feels like everything has been put on hold, but at the same time, the clock is ticking on a bunch of negotiations that will take place soon, including the next Pac-12 media rights deal. The Pac-12’s Networks’ distribution on all of their media deals, including their Tier 1 contracts with ESPN and Fox, all expire at the same time - the spring of 2024 - so we're not that far off from the league really hunkering down and looking at their best options to maximize revenue opportunities.

Should they stick with the legacy media platforms, like television, and negotiate for as much as they can get, knowing they won't ever reach the level of the SEC or the Big Ten? Or will this be the time they cash in with the sale of the Pac-12 Networks? It's a piece they knew would appreciate over time and might become a shiny new toy for new media partners, including the tech behemoths (Apple, Google, Amazon, etc...), who all happen to be out west.

And how will some of the new changes, like negotiating name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, affect the current collegiate structure? Could we see a world in the near future where the NCAA ceases to exist? Could players return to the days where they try to unionize? It's happened before, so could we see it again?

Maestas talks about those things with COVID-19 as the backdrop behind all of it. And with the uncertainty the virus has brought, will Washington be able to survive economically in the short term? He digs deeper into the idea of college football as a whole, what he calls 'transformational change' and who are the 'haves' and 'have nots' in the equation. How do those two buckets provide the impetus for conference realignment? And how has the virus acted as an accelerator toward change that may have taken place eventually? Who knows when it could come or what form it could take, but if anyone would have a great take on this exact topic and provide the crystal ball we're looking for, it's AJ.

In this latest episode of Dawgman Radio, Kim Grinolds talked to the man who once used to live on Chicken Dinner Road in Caldwell, Idaho - Cody Pickett.

Pickett, best known as the quarterback who backed up Marques Tuiasosopo on the 2000 Rose Bowl-winning team, as well as putting together the greatest passing season ever for a UW quarterback (4,458 yards in 2002), is now back in Idaho. He spoke with Grinolds about his time as the women's basketball coach at Eagle High School (another suburb of Boise), winning a state championship, and transitioning to becoming Eagle's men's basketball coach. Would he consider doing anything with their football team?

As a true two-sport athlete out of Caldwell, Pickett talked about the pick-up games they had at the IMA, including his take on Nate Robinson and what he was also able to do as a two-sport star at UW.

Then they went back to when Pickett was getting recruited out of Caldwell High School, the schools involved, how he eventually picked the Huskies, and the transition from getting recruited by Jim Lambright and his staff to when Rick Neuheisel was hired and re-committing to his new staff.

Pickett spoke on the quarterback room he walked into, including playing with Marques Tuiasosopo and Taylor Barton, as well as his relationship with all-world receiver Reggie Williams.

They talked about games Pickett remembers like they were played yesterday - the 2001 Rose Bowl, getting hurt against USC the next year, and especially the Apple Cups. His last pass as a Husky was a touchdown to Corey Williams at Husky Stadium to beat the No. 8 Cougars in 2003.

Grinolds then went rapid-fire with Pickett for his take on some of his former UW teammates: Pat Conniff, Anthony Kelley, Willie Hurst, Kai Ellis, Jeremiah Pharms, Elliot Silvers, Marquis Cooper, Jimmy Newell, Matt Rogers, Marques Tuiasosopo, Rich Alexis, and Reggie Williams. Remember when 'Cody to Reggie' was a thing? Pickett talked about those times.

And was it more important to him to beat Oregon or Washington State? Cody gave his thoughts on that topic as he never lost once to the Ducks or Cougars.

Has Cody kept tabs with the Huskies nowadays? As an Idaho native, Pickett talked about Chris Petersen, what he was able to do at UW, and what he thinks the future of the Huskies could be under Jimmy Lake.

Under the most trying of circumstances, recruiting in the college football world continues to happen. Husky fans are lamenting the fact that one of Washington's top wide receiver targets, Troy Franklin, is likely headed to Oregon while simultaneously being happy that local four-star linebacker Will Latu will make his decision known on Father's Day (June 21st).

This has been the weirdest recruiting cycle to cover in the 24 years of Dawgman.com and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight although there are some rumors about things opening up a bit during the month of July for some in-person evaluations to happen.

Dawgman.com's Scott Eklund and Chris Fetters discuss several pieces of news, including the impending commitments of Latu and Franklin as well as the acquisition by Washington of JUCO tight end Quentin Moore late last month and why he was so highly-coveted only a year removed from the completion of his prep career at Inglemoor (Kenmore, Wa.) High School.

They also talk about why the Huskies and Oregon have butted heads quite a bit on the recruiting trail this cycle and if it will be a regular occurrence and what to look for over the next couple of months as football players and coaches return to campus and get to work.

To listen to the 34-minute podcast, click on the link below.

We're starting to step up our one-on-one podcast game, and we figured we'd go back all the way to the beginning of Washington's Golden Era for football. That coincides with the start of the Don James Era, so Dawgman's Kim Grinolds tracked down one of James's early team captains, Mike Rohrbach.

Rohrbach was one of four captains of the 1977 Washington Football team that won the 1978 Rose Bowl, joining Warren Moon, Blair Bush, and Dave Browning.

After school, Rohrbach joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and came back in 1989 as the volunteer chaplain of the UW Football team, a position he held until 2005. Mike is also the current volunteer chaplain for the men's basketball team, something he's done since 2004.

But his day job is Run to Win, an outreach that he created with his wife Karen for the last 29 years. Their goal is to bring communities together through chaplaincy and sports, offering up summer camps to help children learn and grow.

Grinolds and Rohrbach go back to Mike's childhood love of Washington Football and his recruitment to Washington out of Ingraham High School. He came to Montlake at a time when Jim Owens was heading out and Don James was taking over, so Rohrbach talked about the unique aspect of playing for both legends.

He also reminisced about certain players and coaches like Randy Hart, Dan Lloyd, Dave Pear, Blair Bush, Ray Pinney, Nesby Glasgow, Michael Jackson, Antowaine Richardson, Mike Baldassin, Warren Moon, Joe Steele, and more.

As the volunteer chaplain for men's basketball, Rohrbach also talked from his perspective on the inside watching the hoops transition from Lorenzo Romar to Mike Hopkins.

Finally, Rohrbach provides more insight into Run to Win and how people can participate in their outreach.

The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - have way too much time on their hands, so that means we're playing with new technology in the hopes we can help bridge the gap during these interesting times.

So Monday evening, the three hosted their first-ever remote radio show via WebEx. The 90-minute show was done in a format that tried to emulate the same format we would use during their shows on Sports Radio KJR, but with the added benefit of no ads. It was just straight Dawg talk. It wasn't hiccup-free, but as we do more of them hopefully more people will get to enjoy it live. But if you couldn't be there, here's the replay!

It all started with some Washington offensive line talk, prompted by the twitter video of MJ Ale splitting wood. They pass their thoughts back and forth on who might start on the UW OL this fall, and also about the trend of Scott Huff going for really big kids with great feet that can move.

The next topic was the tight ends room and also the hire of first-year tight ends coach Derham Cato and expectations for him coaching, as well as on the recruiting trail.

A half-hour in, talk turned to hoops, and the guys brought in the Dawgman Head of Hoops Aaron Beach to break down the transfer news of Cole Bajema from Michigan to Washington, as well as how new transfer Erik Stevenson from Wichita State will fit in and who might lose out if Mike Hopkins can stick to an 8-man rotation.

The last forty minutes of the show was basically a full recruiting breakdown of where UW stands, as well as answering a few questions from those who stopped in to listen. Are the guys worried about where UW recruiting is right now?

They also break down the recruitment of Caden Jumper, as well as how important Sam Huard will be when it comes to being the catalyst for the 2021 class.

Eklund breaks down the latest with the two big in-state recruits, J.T. Tuimoloau and Emeka Egbuka, and also if there's a couple other in-state prospects that could end up with Washington offers when it's all said and done.

The three finish off the night talking about how culture infuses Washington's recruiting and how important it is as the coaches go out and scour the country to find the best guys that fit everything they want.

Dawgman.com's Chris Fetters caught up with the Head of Hoops - Aaron Beach - to talk about all things Washington Basketball and recruiting, starting with the idea they may not be completely done with signings for the 2020 class.

Both Erik Stevenson and Nate Pryor signed letters of intent last month to be Huskies, and now former Lynden Christian star Cole Bajema is back on the market after leaving Michigan. Beach talks about his game and how good a fit he would be for the Huskies if he chooses to stay closer to home this time around.

Then the talk moves to more recruiting, but this time for a loaded 2021 class. With two players graduating after the 2020-21 season (Nahziah Carter and Hameir Wright), and a possible third leaving after the year is done (Quade Green), Washington could grab up to three, and maybe even more players for the 2021 class. Olympia's Jackson Grant has already committed to Washington, and the Huskies are hot on the heels of some other local players, including Jaylen Nowell's younger brother Shane. But Eastside Catholic star Nolan Hickman is right near the top of their list.

But at the very top of their wish list is O'Dea phenom Paolo Banchero, and Beach talks about his options, which include the NBA G-League. the G League, starting this season, will be offering contracts to select players not yet eligible to declare for the NBA Draft, and could earn as much as $125,000 for a season.

Would that be enough to entice a player of Banchero's quality away from college? Beach believes that with the new NLI (Name, Likeness, and Image) rights granted to college players in the coming years might generate enough income for certain players to go to school and stay for a couple of years.

Finally, Fetters and Beach break down what Washington's rotation will likely look like starting this fall. Will Mike Hopkins try and get back to using a strict 8-man rotation? And if so, which players will fit that rotation? It's not an easy question to answer, because at least one or two quality players could be riding a lot of pine this winter as a result.

And what does Beach think the backcourt duo of Green and Stevenson are capable of this fall? And is it a smart assumption to believe Stevenson will be eligible to play right away?

With news from the Cal-State System chancellor recently that most classes would be virtual and then an announcement by California Collegiate Athletics Association that they will not be participating in any fall sports, the questions have started to rise about whether there will be a Pac 12 football season and whether it will start on time or if there will be a delay and extra accommodations made, like a modified schedule, in order to allow the teams to play.

On Thursday, in the fourth of four Pac 12 coach webinars, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal, Cal's Justin Wilcox and Arizona's Kevin Sumlin all sat down with the media and discussed where their collective heads are at this point-in-time and how they are handling the myriad possibilities that have been put forth in their almost daily conference calls with league officials.

While all three were circumspect to speak in absolutes, they all admitted that every scenario is currently on the table and how they handle the next couple of months -- staying in contact with their players, keeping them engaged and preparing for whatever happens -- will determine whether they have a successful season, whenever that happens.

To listen to the 35-minute podcast, click on the link below.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for many Americans to navigate, but for football coaches, the uniqueness of the current circumstances has forced them to become creative in the way that they have been able to stay connected with their players.

Typically, coaching staffs across the nation are out on the road this time of the year, doing evaluations and meeting with players. They are also working on setting up visits with the prospects they are after and working to build their respective recruiting classes.

That isn't the case this year and they've had to find ways to occupy their time as well as the young men under their direction.

For players who are used to a heavily regimented schedule, finding ways to stay engaged with their teammates and coaches while also focusing on distance-learning, working out and living whatever sort of life they can.

Arizona State's Herm Edwards, Oregon State's Jonathan Smith and UCLA's Chip Kelly all spoke to the media on Wednesday and shared their challenges with staying connected to their players while also balancing their home life and working from their home offices.

While each had the same goal, they have done unique things to keep their players engaged.

That subject and several others were on the docket for the 40-minute webinar that was hosted by the Pac 12.

To listen to what they had to say, click on the podcast link below.

Dawgman.com's Kim Grinolds spoke Tuesday afternoon with Washington signee Sav'ell Smalls for the first time a while, and a LOT has changed.

For the freshman outside linebacker, it's still all about doing his schoolwork despite obviously not being at school. Everything is done via Zoom conferencing nowadays, and Smalls talked about the tricky nature of trying to keep on top of everything when his schedule can literally change from day-to-day.

Grinolds asked Sav'ell about his beginnings as a football player, when he first started playing, the decision to attend Kennedy Catholic to start his high school career, his move to Garfield, and then the move back to Kennedy for his senior season. They also talked about the people that were part of Sav'ell's circle at Kennedy, including head coach Sheldon Cross.

Washington was the first team to offer Sav'ell, and it happened right before they were set to play Alabama in the CFB Semifinal. They talked about the moment he got the offer, and what it meant going forward.

They also talked about the importance of social media and Sav'ell's take on what it all means, not just in general, but also within the recruiting process. Twitter can be a rough place, and Smalls was candid in his assessment of how he felt about comments that were made to him in the middle of his recruitment, especially when he was thinking about leaving the area to play.

Smalls then outlined the events that took place in the process that eventually saw him change his mind and view UW in a different light. And, as you'll find out, sometimes those events aren't really events at all but can be simple, little things that turn into something more profound.

Grinolds and Smalls went into Sav'ell's decision to commit to Washington, the first person he told, and his version of how events unfolded during his Under Armour All-America jersey unveil at Kennedy, the ceremony where he also revealed his decision to become a Dawg.

Then they spoke about how Sav'ell's life has changed since the decision to stay home and also his take when Chris Petersen decided to step down and how important it was to him that Jimmy Lake was the man tasked with taking over the UW program.

Lastly, Smalls gave a scouting report on some of his Kennedy teammates, including 2021 UW quarterback commit Sam Huard, as well as issued a special challenge to top prospect J.T. Tuimoloau if he becomes a Husky. He updated us on his current workout regimen, diet, and his plans to get at the ideal weight the UW coaches want him at before the start of the season.