Testy Huskies Just Look For A Little Respect

What an opportunity, these Washington Huskies have, getting to play the eighth-ranked Colorado Buffaloes in a bowl game. Compare that to the last three years, when they played nobody, then nobody, then the ho-hum Iowa Hawkeyes.

Boy, this is a chance for Washington to …

“What about them?” UW junior strong safety Tony Parrish said, biting back a growl. “This is their opportunity to play us. Why are we always the team people talk about, getting to play them? This is their chance to play us, as far as I’m concerned.”

The Huskies and Colorado are both 9-2.

Washington’s defeats came against No. 2 Arizona State and No. 18 Notre Dame. Colorado’s loses came at the hands of No. 6 Nebraska and No. 15 Michigan.

Yet, Colorado is ranked eighth in the country - the No. 1 team in the land among 9-2 records, if you care to notice such things. Washington is ranked 13th - No. 5 among 9-2 teams, behind Tennessee, Northwestern and North Carolina.

And that rankles them to no end, along with the fact the Huskies dropped from 12th to 13th last week even though their regular season has been complete for three weeks.

“If we win, we’ll probably drop to 14th or something,” Parrish said. “We’re kind of like the BYU of the Pac-10,” UW tight end Cam Cleeland said.

“The BYU what?” strong safety Nigel Burton interjected.

“You know, they didn’t get any respect from the Bowl Alliance, and we’re not getting any respect, either,” Cleeland said.

“Yeah, but we deserve the respect,” Burton replied quickly, mindful that the Huskies handed No. 5 BYU their only defeat of the season, 29-17, in September. “They don’t.”

Clearly, the Dawgs have a growing chip on their shoulder as they prepare for the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl game in San Diego.

Saturday they held their first real practice, with coaches and everything. Three times earlier last week, a skeletal staff and as many players as wanted to turned out for 1-hour workouts in Husky Stadium.

“It’s mostly been conditioning stuff, and a chance to get some individual work in,” said offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who directed the workouts with defensive coordinator Randy Hart. “We probably won’t get a whole lot done until we get down there, but we’ll knock some of the rust off, and give guys a chance to work on some things.”

Washington leaves Friday and will hold at least six full practices at UC San Diego, where the Chargers hold training camp.

Notes

Tailback Rashaan Shehee, who missed most of the season with a foot injury, continues to be slowed and still can’t practice fully.

“It’s really discouraging,” Linehan said. “We have some things we’d love to do with both Rashaan and Corey Dillon in the game, but it just hasn’t come around.”

Punter Sean O’Laughlin of Walla Walla Community College, who averaged 41.1 yards per kick this season, is set to accept a scholarship from the Huskies.