Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, August 15, 2008 Gottlieb battling to keep Huskies' TE job By John Boyle Herald Writer SEATTLE -- Michael Gottlieb gets it. You can't wait to see how Kavario Middleton will look running around in purple this fall. You're curious to see how Chris Izbicki has developed after redshirting last season. In the meantime, however, the fifth-year senior and former walk-on will continue to battle keep his starting job at tight end. Gottlieb understands that he's never been the hot prospect at tight end like Izbicki was in the class of 2007 and Middleton was a year later. But after sharing time as the starting tight end a year ago, Gottlieb is still the frontrunner to be the starter again this season. First-string, second fiddle? No problem for Gottlieb. "I guess that has been kind of a constant theme throughout my career," he said. "I've never really been in the limelight, but that's not something I need. I'm just constantly working to get better. I can't control what goes on in the media, what people want to say about me. I think coming in as a walk-on I've had a different perspective. People want to make a big deal out of the (recruiting) rankings with four-star and five-star, whatever you were. Coming in as a walk-on, my perspective has been to disregard all of that. The guys with the hype, it doesn't matter to me until you show me what you can do on the field. I don't get caught up in the hype, I'm just always competing with myself, pushing myself to get better and be the best I can be. That's all I can worry about." Gottlieb walked on at Washington from Mercer Island High School in 2004, but earned scholarship at the end of that season. After playing on special teams the following year, he broke into the rotation in 2006, and has started six games in each of the past two seasons. In 2007 and 2008, the Huskies have had tight ends highlighting their recruiting classes, but so far Gottlieb looks like the probable starter when Washington plays its first game Aug. 30. "I can't worry about what anybody else is saying, I just have to go after my goals no matter what is going on around me," said Gottlieb, who has been slowed by a hamstring injury this week, but expects to be back soon. Gottlieb hopes to be the starting tight end again this season, but also knows that the influx of talent -- Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said earlier this week that, "Obviously we've upped our talent level with the addition of Kavario" -- is good for the team. "We're definitely stepping up our game as a group this camp compared to any other time I've been here," Gottlieb said. "Me and [senior] Walt Winter have been taking a leadership role and trying to step up our games, and that has a ripple effect on everybody. Kavario, Chris, Romeo (Savant), everyone's looking great right now. I'm real proud of all of them." Huskies add a recruit for 2009: Nathan Fellner, a 6-foot, 195-pound safety from Clovis West High School in Fresno, Calif., verbally committed to Washington Thursday, making him the fourth commitment in the class along with quarterback Keith Price and cornerbacks Kenneth Pinkard and Aaron Grymes. Fellner, who also had offers from Washington State, Stanford and San Diego State, said he hopes to be a part of a Husky football turnaround. "I'm really excited to be a part of that," he said. "I think Coach Willingham is turning it around. I know Washington is going to turn things around." Kelemete delayed unnecessarily: Senio Kelemete, a freshman defensive lineman who missed the first week and a half of practice before being cleared academically Wednesday, should have apparently been practicing earlier than that. It turns out the NCAA Clearinghouse made an error and he should have been in camp sooner. Washington coach Tyrone Willingham was asked Thursday how much the UW is allowed to lobby for an athlete in cases where they feel an error and what he and the school can do in such situations. "We try to get them as much information as possible so that they can make a very informed and accurate decision based on all of the stuff that's needed for him to be processed," he said. "Therefore we do have a hand in getting them information and assisting with that. Willingham went on to say that, "We enlist the support of his high school and any of the people who have information and can help us calculate what has taken place." One more injury: Walk-on linebacker T.J. Poe suffered a clavicle injury in practice Wednesday and will be out an extended period of time. Also limited or not participating during the portion of Thursday's practice open to the media were: Jake Locker (hamstring), Michael Gottlieb (hamstring) and Matt Sedillo (concussion). Tailback Brandon Johnson, who has been battling a calf injury, was not on the field during the portion of practice open to the media. Locker was jogging at doing various footwork drills with a trainer, apparently testing out his injured hamstring, and appeared to be moving well, though not at full speed. Contact Herald Writer John Boyle at jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on University of Washington sports, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com /huskiesblog

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