On this week's interview episode of The Flagship Podcast, Dave “Softy” Mahler has been a sports talk radio voice on KJR in Seattle for 27 years, including the Washington Huskies’ coaches’ shows as well as pre- and post-game shows for UW football games.

Mahler was the first to report Pete Kwiatkowski was leaving Washington as defensive coordinator to accept the same position on Steve Sarkisian’s staff at Texas.

Mahler also covered Jeff Choate at UW in 2014 and 2015, when Choate was the defensive line coach on Kwiatkowski’s defense and special teams coordinator under then-coach Chris Petersen before becoming the head coach at Montana State in 2016.

We talked to Mahler about Kwiatkowski’s seven successful years at Washington and his decision to let UW defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake become co-coordinator and call the UW defense in 2018 (to keep Lake from leaving).

Petersen stepped down after the 2019 season, and Lake was named head coach of the Huskies.

Mahler gives you his take on why Kwiatkowski left after helping put 17 players from UW into the NFL and after helping UW’s defense become one of the best in college football.

Mahler talks about what Texas is getting in Choate as Texas’ co-coordinator and inside linebackers coach as well as Choate’s recruiting prowess.

And, of course, Mahler gives you his thoughts on Steve Sarkisian’s time in Seattle and why this appears to be the right time for Sark to be a head coach again.

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