Tag Archives: washington huskies

Jake Begins Formal NFL Audition At The Senior Bowl

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Posted by admin on January 29, 2011 – 9:20 am
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While it is a year later than most pundits expected, Jake formally begins his quest for a football career at the next level today at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Following an announcement that he would return to the University of Washington to play his senior year of football–surprising many in the media that predicted he would be a top pick in the ’10 NFL draft and reinvigorating a faithful Husky fan base–Jake and th U.W. football team experienced a season of highs and lows, a campaign that ended with a 4 game win streak and a signature Holiday Bowl victory against a highly ranked and talented Nebraska team. The perfect conclusion to a season filled with challenges and joy is now in the rearview mirror, and Jake is ready to make the long awaited move to the next level.

“If there’s a better job in the world than playing football and getting paid for it, I’ve never heard of it,” Jake told the Washington Post recently. “I’ve played it for free my whole life. And now, to have this dream manifest itself and come to a head here, it’s just an incredible opportunity. ”

While each snap and each throw has been scrutinized through this week’s Senior Bowl practices, the week long media debate on his professional potential  is just a continuation of the microscope he has been under for 4 years. And, no matter the perceived pressure or the doubters of his decisions to date,  Jake will embrace it as he has throughout his collegiate career: with an unabashed optimism and honesty.

“My policy is always to be honest. I have nothing to hide. I feel comfortable with the decisions I made and why I made them. I don’t expect them all to understand. They didn’t experience what I did, they didn’t go through what I did, they didn’t create the memories that I did.”

The game starts at 12:30 p.m.  (pacific time) on the NFL Network.

Washington Shocks ‘Huskers, 19-7, Captures Holiday Bowl Crown

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Posted by admin on December 31, 2010 – 7:30 am
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The Huskies were happy to be in the Holiday Bowl, and they showed it.

Behind a powerful ground attack led by Jake & Chris Polk–along with a history-making performance by the defense–the Huskies manhandled the Nebraska Cornhuskers 19-7 en route to their first bowl victory since the 2001 Rose Bowl.

Polk ran for 177 yards on 34 carries and Jake added 83 yards rushing to cap a 268 yard team rushing performance against a shell-shocked Husker team. The Husky defense held a strong Nebraska rushing offense to a pedestrian 91 yards rushing on 41 carries, effectively shutting down a rushing attack that had gained 383 yards vs. the Huskies just 3 months prior.

Washington started off fast as the Huskies capitalized on a Alameda Ta’amu fumble recovery on the Huskers’ first possession of the game, leading to a short Chris Polk touchdown run and an early 7-0 lead. The short drive featured a 16 yard reception by Jake on the first play from scrimmage, a play that got the Huskies to inside the 5 yard line.

Leading 10-7 at the half, the Husky offense started the second half much like the first and marched 53 yards in just 4 plays, keyed by a 26 yard Jake to D’Andre Goodwin pass followed by a 25 yard touchdown burst by Jake to take a 17-7 lead. From there, the Husky defense took the reigns and rendered the Huskers ineffective the rest of the game, racking up sacks, tackles for loss, an interception and even the team’s first safety in 7 years, a 2-point score after holding was called in the endzone.

The redemptive win caps a fantastic finish by a 7-6 Washington team that reeled off 4 straight wins, a record that will have the Huskies finish 3rd place in the Pac-10. And, while there have been countless variations of the same question to Jake–’do you regret the decision to come back for your Senior year?’–the victory will help solidify the answer that hasn’t wavered from the start.

“There were some frustrating moments, but this is the best way I could go out. I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Jake said after the game. “And to see the program off this way…I’m going to be their biggest fan from here on out.”

The story-book ending to the season and Jake’s collegiate career was a fitting end for a player and a team that has symbolized perseverance over the last 2+ years. And, it appears Jake finished the main goal he made when he started with the program 5 years ago: to get the Huskies back to their winning ways and relevance in the Pac-10.

Jake finishes his Husky tenure second only to Cody Pickett in total passing yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns. He is first in total rushing yards by a quarterback in Washington’s long history.

A complete statistical recap of the Holiday Bowl can be found here.

Bowl Week: Jake, Huskies Prepare for Holiday Bowl vs. ‘Huskers

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Posted by admin on December 29, 2010 – 6:55 am
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With only 2 days remaining until kick off between the Washington Huskies and the #18 Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Huskies had their final practice as a team in San Diego, the location for the 2011 Bridgepoint Holiday Bowl. Wednesday’s team walk through is the only preparation left for Thursday night’s game.

Husky Coach Steve Sarkisian knows the task is tall and that Nebraska is more than a formidable opponent, but he is confident his team will play better this time around.

“Well, I think the biggest thing we’d like to do is at least put our best foot forward. The press conference after that game (56-21 loss), my major disappointment was the fact we just didn’t play very well.” Sarkisian said. “I can live with the fact they played a very good football game against us, but I’d just like to think we can play better than we did. To have that opportunity again is one that I think we’re embracing.”

For the team, getting to the Holiday bowl in Jake’s final season and winning the last 3 games are signs that the Washington Football program is making strides in getting back to competing at the top of the conference. But, more importantly, the reward of a bowl game for the seniors is fitting for a group who has worked through 4-5 years of challenging times.

“I’m thankful for our senior class, and I’ve said this numerous times that for everything they’ve been through – the adversity on the field, off the field, the ups, the downs, the coaching change and four and five years of it, and to what we went through this year – I’m appreciative of the fact they came to work every day with a great mindset and set a real tone for this football program as we move forward. This is a great reward for them to be able to play in a bowl game before their career was over, and they’ll always be part of this family.”

The Huskies, 6-6, were 3rd place in the competitive Pac 10 this year with a 5-4 league record, and Nebraska was runner up in their conference. Because both Oregon and Stanford made BCS bowls, Arizona and Washington were selected for the Alamo and Holiday Bowls and rounded out the conference bowl appearances for the season. Nebraska, on the other hand, lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game for the right to represent the conference in a BCS game, so at 10-3 they find themselves at the Holiday Bowl for a second consecutive year.

For a full preview of the game, you can visit the breakdowns from ESPN.com  or CBSSports.com. For more of a Hukser fan take, you can visit here.

The game will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN3.com at 7:00 p.m., Thursday Night from San Diego.

Jake Wins Guy Flaherty Award

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Posted by admin on December 8, 2010 – 7:36 am
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For the second year in a row Jake won the Washington Football Team “Guy Flaherty Award”, given to the most inpirational player on the team. The award, handed out every year at the team’s postseason banquet, is the program’s oldest and most prestigious award. Jake is only the 4th player in Husky history to receive the award twice, with the most recent being Jordan Reffett.

All of the awards and photos of the festivities can be viewed here.

Huskies Heading South for the Holiday

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Posted by admin on December 6, 2010 – 1:13 pm
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In what was a highly anticipated announcement for the University of Washington and their fans, the Huskies were selected to play in the  Holiday Bowl vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers, a December 30th contest that will act as a rematch of the two teams.

The Huskers (10-3) traveled to Seattle in September and beat the Huskies soundly, 56-21, so it will be another great opportunity to play what many consider a top-10 caliber team. Nebraska is currently ranked 18th in the country, and although the task is tall, Jake and the team are looking forward to proving they are better than their performance earlier in the year.

 ”I just think from anybody who plays sports and is competitive, anytime you have the opportunity to go out and improve on a performance or a game that you didn’t do your best in individually and as a group it’s always a good opportunity and it’s something that all competitors hope for, I think,” Jake said.

This is the second Holiday Bowl in a row for the Huskers, as they played the Arizona Wildcats last year. They won that game emphatically, 33-0. Conversely, the bowl game is the first for the Huskies since 2002, a loss suffered vs. Purdue in the Sun Bowl.

Nebraska is coming off a tough loss to Oklahoma, 23-20, in the Big 12 Championship game, while Washington won the Apple Cup against their rival WSU, 35-28, on Saturday.

Jake, Huskies Take Apple Cup; Bowl Game Awaits

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Posted by admin on December 5, 2010 – 8:55 am
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One of the main reasons Jake came back to play at UW for his senior year was to be able to enjoy a postseason bowl game with his teammates. After a 35-28 win in Pullman over the Washington State Cougars, that mission has been accomplished.

Jake hit Jermaine Kearse for a 27  yard touchdown pass on a picture perfect fade route with 44 seconds left to break a 28-28 tie, lifting the Huskies to their third consecutive victory and third place in the uber competitive Pac-10 conference. With the win Washington ends the regular season with a 6-6 record, qualifying them for their first bowl game in 8 years.

 ”It’s something I had always hoped I would enjoy before I left here and it’s awesome to be a part of,” Jake said of getting to a bowl game. “It could be in Seattle I don’t care. It’s something that will be cool to be a part of. And to be honest I don’t know what comes along with it or what it is all about but I’m looking forward to it.”

The Huskies were led by a history making performance from Chris Polk, a 29 carry, 284 yard outing that included a 57 yard touchdown jaunt and numerous lengthy runs that helped keep Washington ahead of a surging Washington State team. Polk’s biggest run may have come on 4th and 1 of the game-winning drive, a 15 yard burst that led the Huskies to the final touchdown.

Jake  finished the game with 14 of 22 passing for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns, and had 9 carries for 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He also had a highlight worthy, 77 yard touchdown dash called back on a holding penalty in the first half.

For the complete box score, click here.

The Huskies now await word on which bowl game they will be heading to and who they will be playing. The most likely scenarios have Washington being selected by either the Alamo Bowl or Holiday Bowl, games that will bring a top tier, Big 12 opponent.

Huskies Beat Cal On Last Play, 16-13

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Posted by admin on November 29, 2010 – 8:35 am
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With the season on the line and with the elements going against them, Washington’s offense saved their best drive of the game for the last.

Down 3 on the road and with 4:39 on the clock, Jake and the Huskies had one last chance to win or tie the game, a tall task amidst driving rain and hail. They didn’t disappoint, though, and the offense marched 78 yards in 9 plays to the California one yard line with 2 seconds left.

UW was faced with a 4th and goal and decided to go for the win rather than the tie. And, instead of running a third consecutive quarterback sneak, running back Chris Polk took the ball and plunged into the endzone, finishing off a dramatic last drive that kept UW’s bowl hopes alive going into the final game of the season.

Jake carried the offense in the final minutes, as the senior quarterback was 3 for 3 passing for 54 yards–including a clutch 46 yard catch by w.r. Jermaine Kearse–and ran 4 times for 14 yards to get the Huskies into scoring position. Jake ended the game completing 17 of 27 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown, an 80 yard toss to D’Andre Goodwin.   

“It’s exciting,” Jake said following the game. “It’s right where we want to be as a football team, and I’m so proud of these guys for fighting and competing the way they did.”
  
The last-second ending set off a jubilant celebration for the visiting Huskies and their purple-clad faithful just as the sun broke through, a somewhat fitting and symbolic occurrence considering what the win meant for the season. The win kept bowl hopes alive for the Huskies (5-6), and a victory in next week’s Apple Cup will give Washington a berth in either the Sun or Holiday Bowl, with an outside chance of the Alamo Bowl.
                                                                                                                            
For a complete summary of the game and stats, click here. Next week, Washington travels to Pullman for a game with Washington State in the annual Apple Cup. The game will kick off at 4:00 P.S.T.

Washington at California, Saturday @ 12:30 p.m.

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Posted by admin on November 27, 2010 – 8:59 am
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In a bowl elimination game, Washington travels to Berkeley to face a 5-6 Cal Bears team.

Both the Bears and the Huskies need a victory to get bowl eligible, with the Huskies needing to close out their season with 2 victories to reach the magic 6-6 mark. Cal is coming off a bitter game against their cross-town rival Stanford, a 48-14 loss that followed a close game to Oregon the week prior. The Washington game will be their third consecutive home game.

The Bears will be led by Brock Mansion at quarterback, filling in for the injured Kevin Riley. Riley was lost for the season in a game against Oregon State. The Huskies, meanwhile, will have Jake at quarterback and even though he won’t still be 100%, his ribs are getting better each week.

“I think there’s still some things lingering” Washington Coach Steve Sarkisian said. “But he feels much better than he has.”

The game will be at 12:30 p.m., and will be televised live on FSN-NW.

For a full game preview, click here. Next week, the Huskies close out their regular season with the Apple Cup in Pullman vs. the Washington State Cougars.

Jake Victorious in Husky Stadium Curtain Call

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Posted by admin on November 20, 2010 – 8:46 am
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Jake wanted to play with his teammates in his final game at Husky Stadium, no matter what his personal health was. His teammates made sure that he left a winner.

Behind 245 rushing yards by the terrific tandem of Chris Polk and Jesse Callier, the Husky offense got on track in the second half and took advantage of a suffocating and inspired defense to pull away from UCLA 24-7 in a rare Thursday night national ESPN telecast.

The Huskies, sporting their new all black uniforms, played a physical game on defense and made sure the offensive game plan protected their senior quarterback’s broken rib. Coach Steve Sarkisian was proud at how Jake fought through the injury to be on the field. 

“There is something unique about his game tonight, being that he went out there knowing he was injured and still played” Coach Sarkisian said. “He wanted to just play with his team and the play tonight was really evident of that. Jake was a part of our team and it’s pretty neat for him to come out of here with a win and feel great about it and knowing he can go play again next week at Cal.”

Jake only ran 4 times due to his physical limitations, yet leaped into the endzone for a 3 yard touchdown in the second quarter to tie the game at 7. Washington ran off 17 unanswered points in the second half to complete the scoring.

You can find a complete recap of the game here. The Huskies are at Cal next Saturday.

UCLA at Washington, Thursday @ 5 p.m.

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Posted by admin on November 18, 2010 – 6:06 am
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After a bye week, the Huskies (3-6) host the UCLA Bruins (4-5) in an unprecedented nationally televised Thursday night game at Husky Stadium.

It will be a game of firsts and lasts, as it will mark the first time the Huskies have hosted a Thursday night game at Husky stadium and the first time they have donned all black uniforms, while it will be the last time Jake and 16 of his teammates walk out the tunnel of Husky Stadium in their collegiate careers.

The game, UCLA’s second Thursday night game in the last month, will also feature a potent Bruin’s running attack that is led by former backup quarterback Richard Brehaut, pushed into action earlier this year with the season ending injury to starter Kevin Prince. Brehaut led UCLA to a last second win over Oregon State two weeks ago.

The Huskies will be honoring 17 graduating seniors before the game, including Jake’s fellow offensive players Cody Habben (OL), Ryan Tolar (OL), and D’Andre Goodwin (WR). Mason Foster (LB), Cameron Elisara (DE), Nate Williams (DB), and Victor Aiyewa (LB) are some of the defensive players playing their last game at Husky Stadium as well.

The game will kickoff at 5:00 p.m., which could snarl traffic and make getting to the game difficult. The Seattle Times has a comprehensive summary of the transportation scenario. For a full game preview, click here for a LA twist, or here for the hometown story.

Next week, the Huskies travel to Cal to face the Bears. It is a 12:30 kick off and will be televised live locally on FSN.