SEATTLE – During his tenure as University of Washington football coach, Tyrone Willingham hasn’t exactly made a habit of nipping quarterback controversies in the bud.
And yet that’s precisely what he did Thursday afternoon as his Huskies prepared to open their 2007 spring practice with a blue-chip question mark at the quarterback position.
“People have asked: If we had to play a game today, who would be the quarterback?” Willingham said. “Jake Locker would be the quarterback.”
Before Willingham could officially anoint the all-everything quarterback from Ferndale as his official starter, the coach was quick to point out that fifth-year senior Carl Bonnell is still recovering from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder.
But then Willingham added: “I would lean toward Jake being the starter right now even if Carl were healthy. But it’s still a battle.”
Unofficially, the Jake Locker era is set to begin.
Locker, a redshirt freshman, is listed atop the UW depth chart. He’s expected to see most of the snaps with the No. 1 offense when spring practice opens Monday. And he’s even got his emotion-in-check head coach giving off an aura of – get this – excitement.
“Great size, great speed, great strength, plays with poise – that’s Jake,” Willingham said during a Thursday press conference to usher in the start of spring football.
Bonnell, who started the final five games of the 2006 season after senior Isaiah Stanback injured his foot, represents Locker’s top competition. The Kentwood High School product shrugged off talk that it was Locker’s job to lose, saying that he expects to compete this spring despite the recent surgery.
“I’m pretty fortunate being a quarterback because I get to wear the yellow (non-contact) jersey. So no one’s going to touch me,” he said. “I don’t think the injury will affect me too much.”
Of the quarterback competition, Bonnell added: “It should be good. The prime competition, obviously, is Jake. It’s experience versus potential.”
Locker’s potential is sky high. The Ferndale High School product was a Parade All-American and came to UW as a top-100 national recruit. He was the 3A state player of the year in both football and baseball and is the most heralded recruit of the Willingham era.
But Locker has yet to play in a game at the college level.
As Willingham admitted: “You know there are going to be ups and downs.”
Locker was not available for comment Thursday afternoon because he was attending classes and team meetings. But those who have seen him at practice are confident he can do the job.
“I would feel confident with it,” running back Louis Rankin said of the possibility that Locker starts in the fall. “The coaches make some pretty good decisions. If they decide Jake’s the No. 1 guy and guy to lead us into the season, I’ll feel comfortable with it.”
Willingham is definitely leaning in that direction, but he’s not ready to officially kick off the Locker era quite yet.
“It’s not Jake’s yet,” Willingham said. “He’ll have to go out and earn it.”
When it was pointed out to Willingham that the Huskies might be playing a freshman quarterback in season-opening home games against national powers Boise State, Ohio State and USC, the coach flashed an all-knowing grin.
“If that hypothetical happens,” he said, “most likely the individual will be ready for it.”
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