On the first day of Autumn the Huskies beat the USC Trojans 31-0. All game long the Washington defense brought pressure from every which way, sacking USC quarterback Todd Marinovich.
“All I saw was purple–no numbers, just purple,” a the bewildered signal-caller said after the game of Washington’s famed Purple Haze defense.
Saturday night in Eugene, Oregon all Washington quarterback Demond Williams saw was green. However, there’s no double entendre as Oregon’s uniforms looked like an old kit from the Oakland Raiders. The singular meaning from drubbing to the Ducks: every player on Oregon’s roster was bought and paid for.
Like it or not, that’s the nature of the college football game.
The two previous years the Huskies roster was chock full of well-paid players. Many could have chosen to go onto the NFL but new NIL funds kept them in place–as well as the prospect of winning the College Football National Championship.
However, that Husky team was probably under-funded compared to this year’s Nike, I mean, Oregon roster. Estimates range in the low $20,000,000’s for the Ducks’ bill.
It paid off to the tune of a 4-touchdown margin in favor of Oregon.
For the University of Washington it was a much-needed financial wake up call, given the difference in talent on the offensive and defensive lines. In reality, it’s amazing that the Washington’s true freshman signal-caller was able to put 21 points on the scoreboard.
In fact, Williams led the Huskies on 4 scoring drives is remarkable despite having no real ground attack. He completed 17 of 20 passes for 201 yards. He also rushed 22 times for 17 yards. However, of those carries are 10 sacks meaning that on passes Williams was successful 17 of 30 drop backs.
After the game Oregon coach claimed that the win “showed the character of our team.” In reality it showed the financial commitment of the boosters–or booster.
In those 10 sacks that Williams endured all he saw was green, as in the face of Benjamin Franklin on the stacks of 100’s given to the Oregon players.
According to several sources Washington collective are committing financial resources to create a roster for the 2025 season. One that can once again complete for championships and not just “bowl eligibility”. But, Eugene wasn’t actually the wakeup call, it was the result a many factors that we won’t get into.
As the winter Transfer Portal opens up, the financial resources available for the 2025 season will help put together a College Football Playoff-caliber roster.
