I picked five players on offense and five players on defense who could have breakout years for the Huskies, but for space reasons, it didn’t make it in our college football preview in today’s paper. So here they are:
Offense
Tight end Johnie Kirton: The former Jackson star has the most athletic ability of the three tight ends and could be the one to make a big impact. He’ll get his chance as Washington will use several multiple tight end sets. Also look for him to get carries on short yardage and goal lines, which could mean quite a few touch downs for him.
Left tackle Ben Ossai: He’s inexperienced, but coaches like his quickness and strength combination. He’s got a big job protecting Isaiah Stanback’s blind side, and will get challenged by San Jose’s blitzing defense.
Wide receiver Marcel Reece: There aren’t too many 240-pound receivers who can run in the Pac-10. Reece is still learning the offense and for now will be relegated to the slot position, but once he’s comfortable he could be quite a force.
Wide receiver Corey Williams: Williams has ideal size and sprinters speed, which could make him the deep threat Washington needs. He has shown his potential before but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s healthy now and has had a good camp, and could be the breakout star of the offense.
Offensive lineman Morgan Rosborough: He’s down to 375 pounds, but that still makes him huge and tough to get around. He’s one of the smarter offensive lineman and will be used at both guard and tackle as the top backup lineman. He could develop into a monster blocker.
Defense
Linebacker Dan Howell: Coaches raved about him last year but he didn’t make much of an impact. They raved about him again this year, and this time, he will. Aggressive, fast, strong and a good tackler, look for Howell to emerge as one of the team’s leaders.
Cornerback Roy Lewis: He struggled in his first season after transferring from San Jose State. But Lewis has arguably been the best player on the team during the fall and if Dashon Goldson can get healthy, it would give the Huskies a pair of strong corners, something that killed the team last year.
Defensive end Daniel Te’o-Nesheim: He’s a favorite of the coaches because of his high motor and work ethic. He’s also quick and strong and a relentless rusher who should form an exciting duo with Greyson Gunheim coming off the edges.
Free safety Jason Wells: Not much was known about him when he arrived as a JC transfer but boy has he made an impact. He and C.J. Wallace could form one of the harder-hitting safety duos in the league, and he’s a big reason it’s believed the secondary will be improved.
Defensive tackle Jordan White-Frisbee: He had a good freshman year then twice fractured his foot, sitting out last season. His weight is down and he feels healthier, which is good news for Husky fans, as athletically no other defensive tackle is close to White-Frisbee. He would make what should be an already solid front seven even better.
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