Neuheisel likes UW recruits

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, February 6, 2002

By Scott M. Johnson

Herald Writer

SEATTLE – He may not have landed the homecoming queen, but University of Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel wasn’t complaining about the dance partners his program lined up Wednesday.

Neuheisel raved about the Huskies’ 21-member recruiting class that became official on national letter-of-intent day, despite the fact that prized recruit Lorenzo Booker opted to go to Florida State. Booker, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound running back from Ventura, Calif., listed the Huskies among his four finalists, but announced during a nationally-televised press conference Wednesday that he would play for the Seminoles.

Neuheisel is not allowed to comment about other schools’ recruits, but he did not seem overly heartbroken by Booker’s decision.

“I think we’re in great shape here with this class,” Neuheisel said. “I don’t know how it will be ranked nationally, and I’m not concerned with that. In the great majority of the cases, the guys we wanted, we got. There were some highly-publicized kids that unfortunately are probably going to get away from us, but as we always say in coaching: ‘Let’s coach the guys that want to be here.’”

Instead of dwelling on the negative, Neuheisel expressed optimism over his latest recruiting class, which was ranked 20th in the nation by ESPN.com after the school landed a top-5 class last year.

“We’ve got some terrific guys who are on their way,” he said, “and I promise that when you look back on this class in the years to come, you’ll say it was a really great year.”

The top prizes of this year’s class include three so-called “skill” position players as well as three linemen. Tight end Ben Bandel, running back Kenny James, quarterback Isaiah Stanback, defensive lineman Donny Mateaki and offensive linemen Stanley Daniels and Nathan Rhodes appear to be the top players on UW’s list.

Stanback was generally regarded as the top recruit in the state, and Neuheisel called him “the best quarterback I saw on tape this year; I don’t think it’s even close.” The Garfield High School product threw for over 1,600 yards and added 700 yards and nine touchdowns rushing as a senior.

“This guy is special,” Neuheisel said. “I don’t think he’s a finished product, and he can certainly learn a great deal. I think you’ll be raving about his abilities in the very near future.”

Neuheisel said James, a 5-foot-10, 200-pounder from Dos Palos, Calif., could play as a true freshman. He also called James “the best of all the tailbacks in California,” a statement that raised some eyebrows in that Booker – a product of Southern California – was regarded by many as the top recruit in the nation.

Rhodes is the highest-rated player the Huskies landed. The 6-foot-7, 305-pounder was ranked the 62nd best recruit – at any position – by ESPN.com.

“I think it’s safe to say that (Rhodes) will have a great career here if he remains healthy,” Neuheisel said. “He’s the prototype tackle you look for, in terms of a guy that can protect the quarterback’s back side. When it’s all said and done, I think our offensive line is going to be one of the nation’s best in terms of our recruiting class.”

Daniels, a late recruit, was also considering the University of Nebraska. Neuheisel said he will probably play guard, while recruit Clay Walker is expected to be the team’s center of the future.

Mateaki (6-5, 265) was named a high school All-American by at least two publications and could help the team as a true freshman.

“You have a lot of measurements for evaluation: 40-yard dashes, weightlifting measurements and so on. The one I like to rely on is the eye test,” Neuheisel said. “Nobody has ever passed the eye test better than Donny Mateaki when you see him for the first time. He is an imposing figure. He will get everybody’s attention when he walks into a room.”

Bandel was an early commitment who should soften the loss of Jerramy Stevens to the NFL draft.

Overall, the Huskies signed eight players from the state of Washington, including seven from this side of the state.

Three recruits have UW ties. Tight end Jason Benn, an Edmonds resident who played high school football at Seattle O’Dea, follows his brother Kyle. Matt Fountaine also had a brother, Jamal, who used to play for the Huskies. And wide receiver Nathaniel Robinson follows in the footsteps of his father, Jacques, a former star running back at UW. The younger Robinson, a 5-foot-9 speedster with a 40-inch vertical leap, will also play basketball for the Huskies.

After giving up averages of 50 points and 500 yards per game over the final four contests of last season, defense was expected to be a priority for the Huskies. But no junior college players were signed on that side of the ball, and only one player, Dashon Goldson, was signed at the glaring need position of safety.

Neuheisel said three safeties that were being recruited opted to go elsewhere, and added that he will move freshman tailback Ty Eriks to safety in an effort to build depth at the position.

The team’s only junior college recruit was 6-foot-4 wide receiver Eddie Jackson, who fills a sudden position of need due to the injury suffered by sophomore Justin Robbins during the week of the Holiday Bowl. Neuheisel said Robbins had surgery in January for a torn ACL, an injury that could require up to a year of recovery time.

Some of the other recruits include running back Shelton Sampson, a product of Clover Park High School in Tacoma whom Neuheisel called “the fastest kid in the state of Washington,” and 6-foot-6 linebacker Dash Crutchley of Temecula, Calif., who projects to play the strongside position for the Huskies.

Two recruits, Goldson and defensive end/linebacker Demar Baisy from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, could have problems with academic eligibility.

National services ranked UW’s class behind USC and UCLA in the Pac-10, in part because of 2001 being considered a down year in terms of in-state talent.

While Neuheisel repeatedly expressed concern Wednesday over questionable recruiting tactics by some of his Pac-10 rivals, he refused to call this class anything less than a success.

“It probably won’t go down as a highly-ranked one because it lacks that one marquee name,” Neuheisel said. “But the point is, this is a great class and we’re thrilled to have them.”

Notes: Neuheisel said two more assistants have accepted positions at other schools. Former inside linebackers coach Tom Williams will become a co-defensive coordinator at Stanford, while John Pettas, a volunteer receivers coach last season, has accepted a job as quarterbacks coach at Louisville. … Quarterback Cody Pickett has recovered from a shoulder injury and should be ready for spring practice, according to Neuheisel.

2002 UW football recruits

2002 Snohomish County recruits