As ‘frustrating’ season closes, UW seniors eye final Apple Cup win
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, November 27, 2019
By Lauren Kirschman / The News Tribune
SEATTLE — Myles Bryant doesn’t like to use the word angry.
Washington’s senior safety nearly winced at the word choice in the question, and he was quick to correct it in his response. The Huskies aren’t angry about their 6-5 record, about the three losses in the past five games, about inexplicably dropping matchups against Cal and Stanford and Colorado. It’s not anger they feel as they prepare for Friday’s Apple Cup. It’s something else.
“I feel like that’s not a good word in terms of relating that to being focused,” Bryant said.
So, how would he describe UW’s mindset?
“I mean, just having more of a chip on our shoulder,” Bryant said. “Just understanding that we let a couple games get away from us. Now, just going out on the practice field and trying to clean up those mistakes and trying to execute in practice and once game day comes, trying to execute as well.”
Just two more game days are remaining in what has been a disheartening season for the Huskies, and Friday will mark the final game at Husky Stadium for Bryant and his fellow seniors. They want to leave with a victory, but those have been harder to come by this year than any of them are used to. And while Bryant shied away from the word anger, he did admit this season has been frustrating.
“I feel like whenever I lose, that’s always frustrating,” he said. “You practice to win. You work hard in the summer and the spring to win. Losing is always frustrating. For me, I feel like it’s been a learning experience. I learned a lot about the guys in the locker room. I learned a lot about the coaches as well as myself and how I persevere and respond to those situations. I’ve taken everything I’ve learned from this experience and I’m taking it down with me the next road I head to.”
For now, Bryant’s road is headed toward his last Apple Cup. Last year’s seniors left UW’s program having never lost to the Cougars. This year’s class has its eyes on an identical record.
“Obviously, that would be a blessing,” said senior center Nick Harris. “We’ve got to focus on going out there and just executing and making plays and winning. Ask me that after the game, maybe I’ll answer it differently. For now, we’re working on just trying to get better every day and make sure we go out there ready to play.”
Harris and Bryant are both from California, so they didn’t know much about the Apple Cup before coming to UW. Bryant recognized the name, but he didn’t know much about the history — or the intensity. But they both learned pretty quickly, and they count last season’s 28-15 victory in the snow among their top football memories.
“Fourth quarter. Nine-minute drive. Couldn’t move,” Harris said. “My hands were freezing. Couldn’t take steps. I was sliding everywhere. Ending the drive on a knee, it was pretty sick. That was honestly one of my best football memories that ever will be. I honestly think nothing will top that except maybe winning a Super Bowl. That was one of the greatest moments of my life, to be honest, so far.”
Said Bryant: “I feel like ever since (you were) a kid, you watched the iconic game with the Raiders and the Patriots. And you see the whole tuck rule thing and you’re playing in snow. You think, ‘Maybe one day I’ll want to play in that.’ That was our opportunity so that was one of the funnest games, just playing in the snow. It was pretty tough for me being a California guy with all the snow. I can count on two hands the number of times I’ve been in snow, and that was one of them. It was a lot of fun, though.”
On Friday, the Huskies will be looking to add another Apple Cup highlight to their careers. Like Bryant and Harris, junior running back Salvon Ahmed knows this game will stick with him, regardless of the outcome.
“You’re not going to remember the Cal game, Ahmed said. “You’re not going to remember those games. You’re going to remember the Apple Cup. That’s what I remember. I remember all my Apple Cups so far.”
