We were able to speak with Husky head coach, Jimmy Lake today following his first signing day as a head coach.

Lake and the team are in Las Vegas right now preparing for the bowl game this weekend, but he took time to answer questions from the media.

One thing Lake pointed out was that each of the new signees is pulling exemplary GPA’s, as well as the fact that — between them — there are four state champions and one national champion.

Lake also listed those who will be enrolling midyear; Triston Brown, Gaard Memmelaar, Myles Murao, and Jordan Lol, ohea. While Geirean Hatchett, Ethan Garbers, Mark Redman, and Mason West will enroll in the spring.

As for any “wolves at the door” when the coaching change took place (as it applies to recruiting), Lake said they were more like “buzzards and vultures”, but added that it’s “part of the deal…part of recruiting and part of the job”.

He was asked about comparisons between Ethan Garbers and his brother, Chase Garbers, “They’re similar”, Lake said, “Ethan is a little taller.”

But Lake said that Garbers has some legs too and can run (this past season he had two games where he rushed for over 100 yards).

Asked about the defensive backs, Lake said that Elijah Jackson is “difference maker”, he said Jackson is tall, fast, physical, and was impressed by the fact that Jackson came up to him at practice and asked a specific question about bump coverage.

He spoke highly of Makell Esteen’s versatility, and also about James Smith being a “long, fast corner with great athletic ability.”

On Jacobe Covington, Lake talked about his long arms and versatility (safety and nickel), and said it was the “strong relationship” over the months that helped hold things together after Covington decommitted, “After the dust settled he just remembered that this was the right place for him”, Lake said.

Lake reiterated that Sam Adams will be a running back at Washington and there are no plans to use him anywhere else on the field at this time.

When asked about getting legacy players, as was the case with Carson Bruener, Lake said Bruener earned the scholarship on his own merits and nothing else. Lake said it’s always special to get legacy guys, but said “It all comes down to the film”.

On the in’s and out’s of Sav’ell Small’s recruitment, Lake said that “young men get twisted sideways” during the process, noting that sometimes you can get the wrong people in your ear, but that — with Smalls — the “right people were in his ear at the right time”. It all came down to fit for Smalls.

Finally, I asked Lake about whether or not he shared the same love/hate relationship with the star rating systems as Chris Petersen did, Lake said he is right where Coach Pete was on that one, which is basically he doesn’t care one iota about ratings.

He knows Washington has a good class this year, but is pragmatic at the point at which nothing matters until they show up on the field start playing. He said the only trophy that matters is that Pac-12 trophy.