SEATTLE — Kavario Middleton was floating. He can see that now.
The sophomore tight end had always had the physical tools to dominate opponents, and for his first season-plus at the University of Washington, he thought that would be enough.
Sometime within the past few weeks something clicked within Middleton, telling him that talent wasn’t enough. So, he started paying more attention in meetings, asking more questions and dedicating himself to the film room.
“As soon as I committed myself to actually doing that stuff,” he said Tuesday, “everything came together.”
The past two weeks, Middleton has been arguably the second-most important player in the UW offense. Quarterback Jake Locker continues to run the show, but Middleton has become one of his favorite targets in clutch situations.
It was Middleton — not star running back Chris Polk or leading receiver James Johnson — to whom the Huskies turned on a key fourth-down call in the Notre Dame game 11 days ago.
It was Middleton’s fourth-quarter touchdown reception — not the game-winning interception return by linebacker Mason Foster — that kept the Huskies alive in Saturday’s comeback win over Arizona.
With seven receptions in his past two games, Middleton has beefed up his season total to 17 — or two more than 2008 starter Michael Gottlieb had all of last season.
“He’s making great catches and big plays for us,” Locker said of Middleton. “He’s a guy with a big body, a physical presence that we can go to when we need to make a play.”
As a prized recruit who entered the UW as a true freshman last fall, the 6-foot-5, 253-pound Middleton has had a heap of expectations put on his shoulders from the outset. He started the first two games of the 2008 season and caught eight passes, but had just four receptions the rest of the year as his playing time dwindled.
That storyline appeared to be re-creating itself this season. Middleton’s fast start over two games was followed by a total of three catches for 27 yards in back-to-back games against USC and Stanford. That was about the time when Middleton really got serious.
“I think in the last three weeks, the light has really started to go on for him,” offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said Tuesday.
Middleton said there was not one moment, or even a game, that turned that proverbial light on. He only said that he wasn’t as dedicated as he needed to be during training camp, and that head coach Steve Sarkisian had several talks with him about that subject.
What did Sarkisian talk about?
“The places I could go, (and) the things that I could do,” the laid-back, soft-spoken Middleton said Tuesday. “That became a reality.”
Despite his inexperience at the collegiate level, Middleton already is considered the Huskies’ second-best pro prospect behind Locker. CBS Sports has him ranked sixth in the nation among tight ends who will be seniors in 2011, based largely on the passive tight end’s massive frame.
That potential has turned into production in recent weeks — thanks in large part to a rededication to his craft.
“He continues to get better at his preparation: studying the playbook, studying his opponent,” Nussmeier said. “I still think that he could get a lot better, and he would say that he can get a lot better. But he’s growing into it.”
On the field, Middleton also seems to be growing. He made a nice diving catch on fourth-and-3 to keep a drive alive during the fourth quarter of the overtime loss to Notre Dame, and on Saturday the sophomore from Tacoma’s Lakewood area caught a 25-yard touchdown pass while barely keeping his feet in bounds to put the Huskies within five points with 2:55 remaining in the game.
So why did it take so long for him to become a go-to guy?
“I don’t think I was approaching it with the right mentality,” Middleton said of his attitude early this season. “It was about getting the mentality to get better.”
Middleton has certainly shown improvement on the field.
And now, Nussmeier said: “The sky’s the limit for him.”
Perhaps, but floating is no longer Middleton’s transportation of choice.
Of note
After being oh-so-close to making one of the most memorable catches in recent UW history, wide receiver D’Andre Goodwin still doesn’t remember the moment, which came on the final play of the Notre Dame game 10 days earlier. He caught an overtime pass near the goal line but had it jarred free when Irish safety Harrison Smith drilled him with a helmet-to-helmet hit. “I remember everything (from the Notre Dame game) except that play,” he said this week, returning from a concussion suffered on the play. After watching replays, Goodwin said that the hit was not a dirty one. “He was doing his job,” he said. “He knocked the ball out.” He added that he won’t be gun shy going over the middle. “It’s football,” he said. “The best thing about that hit is that I don’t remember it. I don’t even know what happened.” … Wide receiver Devin Aguilar did not finish Tuesday’s practice because of what appeared to be a concussion. … Cornerback Adam Long worked exclusively with the No. 1 defense Tuesday, and it would not be a surprise if he replaces Quinton Richardson as the starter Saturday.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
