E.J. Savannah will return

New Husky coach Steve Sarkisian told his players that they had a clean slate with him, and apparently that clean slate extends to at least one former player.

Linebacker E.J. Savannah’s UW career appeared to be over in September when he asked for and was granted his release, but Savannah never transferred, and will re-join the team when workouts begin in January, Jeff Bechthold, the UW director of athletic communications, confirmed Wednesday.

Savannah, a Bellevue High grad who led the Huskies with 111 tackles in 2007, was released from his scholarship to pursue a transfer, but never left Washington and is currently enrolled. Savannah’s return bolsters what was already a position of strength (if there was such a thing) on Washington’s defense. Sophomore Mason Foster shared the Pac-10 lead in tackles, and junior Donald Butler seemed to benefit from his move from middle linebacker to outside linebacker. Middle linebacker Trenton Tuiasosopo could also return, as he was granted a sixth-year by the NCAA, but the Mariner High grad has not yet decided if he will return. Savannah has only one year of eligibility remaining.

Also benefiting from a clean slate is tailback Brandon Johnson, who is still on the team in good standing, Bechthold said. Johnson was held out of the Cal game for discipline reasons after he left a practice last week.