SEATTLE — Jesse Callier, who spent his freshman year at the University of Washington last fall as the salt-and-pepper to starting tailback Chris Polk’s meat-and-potatoes, used his offseason to add 10 pounds of muscle to a frame that now checks in at 205.
It’s a good thing, because the H
uskies may well need every ounce of it on Sept. 3.
After Polk underwent a minor surgical procedure to clean up the meniscus in a knee on Thursday morning, there appears to be a chance that Callier will be in the backfield for the season opener against Eastern Washington in 15 days.
When coach Steve Sarkisian was asked Thursday night whether Polk’s injury leaves the opener in jeopardy, he said: “It potentially could be. We don’t know. It depends on his body and how it recovers. But I think for the long haul, with this thing, (the surgery) was the right thing to do.”
Polk felt something in his knee during the latter stages of Wednesday night’s practice, Sarkisian said, and team doctors looked at the knee shortly thereafter. The decision was made to have Polk undergo arthroscopic surgery on Thursday morning.
“(Doctors) went in and scoped him just to clean up a little bit of the meniscus in there,” Sarkisian said Thursday night, after Polk watched practice from the sidelines while Callier ran with the No. 1 offense. “It’s not serious, but I just didn’t want it to linger. And I thought the doctors did it really well to say, let’s just deal with it now so we’re not worrying about it come October, November.
“It potentially could be a couple of weeks, but I think (Polk) already feels good about it.”
Polk appeared to be favoring his left knee while walking the sideline at practice, but Sarkisian would not reveal which knee was injured.
“What’s it matter?” the coach said with a shrug. “He’s got two of them.”
Polk, who is a junior this season, was the second-leading rusher in the Pacific-10 Conference last season and has gotten some publicity as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate entering the 2011 year. He already holds the school record for rushing yards by a freshman (1,113, in 2009), had the second-highest rushing total in a game at Washington State last season (284) and ranks sixth on the school’s all-time rushing list. He needs 1,546 rushing yards to eclipse Napoleon Kaufman’s UW record of 4,106 rushing yards.
The good news for Husky fans is that tailback is a position of strength. Callier broke out for 433 rushing yards as Polk’s backup last season, while senior Johri Fogerson spent the 2009 season in that role. True freshman Bishop Sankey out of Gonzaga Prep High School in Spokane has had a good camp and could also factor into the mix.
“We’re going to miss (Polk), obviously,” Sarkisian said. “I mean, we’re talking about a tremendous player. … But it’s a great opportunity for Jesse and Johri and Bishop and those guys to get a few more carries so that we can gather more information on them.”
By all accounts, Callier would be the workhorse against Eastern Washington if Polk can’t play. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound sophomore showed quickness and elusiveness in spurts last season, but he has yet to prove that he can carry the load for an entire game.
Callier said Thursday night that his added work in the weight room over the summer has prepared him for this opportunity.
“I feel like I can be both now, since the offseason workouts,” he said of his role last season versus the role Polk held as every-down back. “I feel like (strength coach) Ivan (Lewis) got me right. I was lifting hard every day, running hard and eating right. So I feel like I can do both now.”
Callier admitted that he wore down during the 2010 season — after rushing for 107 yards in a November 18 win over UCLA, he had a total of 31 yards over the final three games — and that he might have gotten a bit complacent.
“I maybe got too comfortable,” he said Thursday. “I maybe thought I knew too much of the game.”
After hitting the weights, Callier believes he’s more prepared for a full season this time around.
“I feel like I’m more prepared this year because last year I played on a lot of adrenaline and excitement,” he said. “This year, I can sit down and just pay attention to the details and really get to know the game and learn the game.”
Asked whether his added bulk might make him more of a Polk-like runner who pounds inside the tackles, Callier said: “(My running style) will not change. I’m going to run like I run. Hopefully, that does its job.”
Polk hasn’t been ruled out of the opener, but Callier said he’ll be ready if needed.
While the Huskies know he can handle the job, they say they’ll undoubtedly miss their leader.
“Chris is definitely a valuable source in our offense,” said quarterback Keith Price, who is about to enter his first season as full-time starter. “He’s definitely our first option. So hopefully we can get him back.”
Notable
After free safety Justin Glenn and cornerback Anthony Gobern worked with the first-team offense for a second consecutive day, Sarkisian said that both players are on track for possible starting roles. Nate Fellner entered camp as the starting free safety, while sophomore Greg Ducre spent one day working as Quinton Richardson’s replacement at cornerback before Gobern stepped into that role. … Linebacker Jordan Wallace (knee) did not practice Thursday, while freshman defensive lineman Taniela Tupou from Archbishop Murphy High School left the practice field midway through the session due to illness. … The Huskies have an open practice at 7 p.m. today, and they’ll include a scrimmage as part of Saturday’s session, which begins at 3:15 p.m. Both practices are free and open to the public.
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