Hard work pays off for junior UW linebacker

Published 11:37 pm Tuesday, August 5, 2008

SEATTLE — Josh Gage can’t seem to stop smiling, and really, it’s hard to blame him.

Once a high school senior with no Division I scholarship offers, the Washington junior enters fall camp at the top of the depth chart at outside linebacker.

“It’s amazing and I’m just really thankful for the opportunity that has presented itself,” he said, flashing that near omnipresent grin. “We’ll see where it goes. I’m just trying to work hard and do my best.”

Gage came to Washington as a walk-on from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, Calif., after the only college offers he received were from junior colleges. He had only been in southern California for two years, having previously lived on Orcas Island, so coming back to Washington made sense.

“My parents were moving back up here, and I grew up loving the Huskies, so that was definitely a fit for me,” he said. “I got the opportunity to walk on here, and I always wanted to play Division I. I didn’t want to go to a junior college or something small.”

The description of Gage’s 2005 season in Washington’s media guide reads like what you might expect to see from a walk-on: “Provided depth but did not see game action.”

In 2006, Gage earned the Brian Stapp Special Teams Scout of the Year award, but still did not see game action. A breakthrough of sorts came last season when he was awarded a scholarship in August. He went on to play in all 13 games on special teams, and earn spot playing time at linebacker.

“It was great,” he said of earning a scholarship a year ago. “It was what you’re working for when you come in. First of all, just to be able to play is what your goal is. Then after that you want that scholarship. It’s hard paying for school. It was a great feeling.”

Gage started spring football at the top of the depth chart while E.J. Savannah was facing what turned out to be a two-week suspension. He starts fall camp in a similar situation, with Savannah again out (this time for academic reasons). Gage has no idea how long his time with the first-team defense might last, and says he doesn’t let the thought of falling back on the depth chart bother him. Instead he stays confident and hopes more hard work will lead to playing time this fall.

“When I came in, I set my standards pretty high,” said Gage, who got married in January. “I just expected it to be that way, and you’ve got to have that confidence, especially being a walk-on. You’ve got to definitely believe in yourself. So coming in, I just worked my hardest and that’s all you can do.”

Gage also tries not to worry about critics who might have reservations about a former walk-on starting at linebacker.

“I guess I would just say, I worked myself into this position and I’ll just try to let my play do the talking,” he said. “There’s always going to be critics, but it doesn’t really bother me. I’m confident in myself.”

Added Tyrone Willingham: “I would say if Josh starts, he has earned the spot.”

Gage came to Washington as an unknown to linebackers coach Chris Tormey, but Tormey likes the player that the former walk-on has become.

“He’s very smart, he understands schemes, what we’re trying to get done defensively and how offenses are trying to attack us,” Tormey said. “He’s very disciplined with eyes so he reacts very quickly. He’s just a very efficient player. He makes very few mistakes and makes a lot of plays.”

Tormey went on to say that Gage’s mental strengths complement his athleticism, not compensate for lack of physical skills.

“He’s a good athlete,” he said. “He can change directions, he can make plays in space. He’s got good hips, feet. He’s a good player. There have been a lot of good players that have come through this place as walk-ons. He wouldn’t be the first and he won’t be the last.”

Of note

Polk to tailback? While Tyrone Willingham said Tuesday that he and his staff are still evaluating freshman WR/RB Chris Polk’s role on the team, the first two days of practice indicate that Polk could be headed for more time at tailback than originally planned.

Polk, who graduated from high school early to enroll in time for spring football, was listed as the starting slotback during spring football, but he played more running back at East Valley High School in Redlands, Calif. He spent almost all of Monday’s practice working with the running backs, and was doing the same Tuesday during the portion of practice open to the media.

“Yet to be determined,” Willingham said when asked how Polk would be used. “We’re still in the process of developing what that plan will be.”

Polk, who originally committed to USC before picking Washington, indicated to reporters Tuesday that he would prefer to play tailback, something Willingham said he understands.

“That’s something that he did, he has a history there, but at the same time, he has, we think, a great many talents,” he said. “And what you want to do is use those and maximize those to the best and the fullest of your football team and for him. I think he does have a sense more of self at the tailback position because that’s where he spent more of his time.”

Garcia happy about his progress: Center Juan Garcia is still limited at practice by the Lisfranc sprain he suffered in spring football, but he is encouraged by the fact that he is back on the field at all so soon.

“It hasn’t healed completely, but it feels good and it’s gotten a lot stronger,” said Garcia, who elected to rehab the injury rather than face surgery that would have cost him most or all of the season. “It’s coming along and they didn’t expect it to be at this point. Right now everybody is saying that was the best thing to do not doing surgery. People are praying for me and I’m glad for that. It might be a miracle, I don’t know. I’m happy.”

Garcia is being guarded in his optimism, however, acknowledging that re-injuring the foot is a possibility. He said his goal is to be back for the Huskies’ second game against BYU, but hasn’t ruled out playing in the opener at Oregon.

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