SEATTLE — When it came to the most important offseason personnel question to face the University of Washington football team in a long time, Steve Sarkisian preferred to take the glass-half-full approach.
After quarterback Jake Locker announced his decision to return to school on Monday, the Huskies’ cup runneth over.
Locker put off certain NFL riches for the opportunity to come back for one more year at UW, and the Huskies immediately became a Pac-10 contender with a legitimate Heisman candidate.
“I love our football team,” Sarkisian said of the team’s prospects for 2010. “… Obviously, with the addition of Jake staying, it continues to build momentum in the process of building this historical program back up. Hopefully, we can continue to make people proud.”
Just last week, Sarkisian said that he was “very optimistic” that Locker would return to the team despite projections that the quarterback was a probable top-10 pick in the 2010 NFL draft. But UW’s head coach said he had no inside information when he made that statement, so even he was taken a bit off-guard by Monday’s news.
Sarkisian was sitting in his office Monday morning when Locker stopped by with his dog on a leash.
“I thought he was just coming in to shoot the breeze,” said Sarkisian, who was meeting with offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier when Locker entered the office. “He just made the statement: ‘Coach, I’m staying.’”
And with that, the 2010 Huskies took on the kind of expectations this program hasn’t seen in almost a decade.
Locker, who was generally projected as the top quarterback prospect for this year’s draft, announced his decision to the school Monday but did not hold a press conference. In a press release, Locker was quoted as saying that the “team’s opportunities and potential for the upcoming season” were the biggest factors in his decision.
The Huskies return 1,000-yard rusher Chris Polk, their entire receiving corps, their top three tight ends and four of five starting offensive linemen. The defense returns seven starters from a unit that improved down the stretch. And UW went from no wins in 2008 to five last season, including convincing victories over Washington State and Cal to close out the season.
So with Locker added to the mix, the Huskies could take aim at the Pac-10 title and beyond. In a conference that has plenty of returning firepower, UW may well have the most next fall.
Locker is not scheduled to address the media until he returns from winter break next month, and his father, Scott, did not return a phone call to The Herald.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who spoke to Locker on Monday, said the quarterback’s decision was based on Locker “wanting to go out the right way and bringing the Huskies back to winning.”
Locker was generally considered likely to be picked somewhere between No. 5 and No. 10 in the first round of the 2010 draft, should he have come out. He could play his way into becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft, which could have big financial implications (this year’s No. 1 choice, Matt Stafford, has a contract that includes $13.7 million more in guaranteed money than No. 5 pick Mark Sanchez).
The 2010 draft could also be one of the most financially-lucrative because stalled labor negotiations have left the door open for an uncapped year. But Locker, who could always fall back on a seven-figure contract with baseball’s Los Angeles Angels, does not appear to be overly motivated by money.
The obvious risks of returning to school stem from where Locker’s pro prospects might look this time next year.
The worst-case scenario of an injury might not cost Locker as much money as one might expect because he is likely to sign an insurance policy, which is standard procedure for top prospects who turn down the pros for one more year of college play.
But Locker’s stock could conceivably fall, depending on how his senior year goes. While another year under Sarkisian is expected to help Locker’s development, there are no guarantees that the scouts will see him in similar light after dissecting his game for 16 more months. Locker still hasn’t proven he can lead a winning football team, and his running ability still outweighs Locker’s skills as a passer.
The 2011 draft class currently includes Mississippi’s Jevan Snead and could add underclassmen like USC’s Matt Barkley, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett and Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor. Locker is at the top of that list in the minds of scouts, but things could change dramatically before April 2011.
In the meantime, Locker has to become a more consistent passer, improve on a 9-22 record as a starter and try to carry a team to his first appearance in a bowl game.
Sarkisian is excited about the future, and he’s glad that his optimism paid off.
“Until he said he wasn’t going to be part of this program, he was a part of this program,” Sarkisian said. “He holds this university very high, and he cherishes the opportunity to go out and compete with his teammates. He embraced his experiences, and he’s looking forward to more like them.”
And, the way things look on paper, Locker and the Huskies look ready to experience a lot more from the college football world next fall.
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