Heading into the Apple Cup, the Washington Huskies are on the cusp of a rare feat in the Pac-Conference: An unbeaten regular season. It’s not just an 11-0 record, but Washington’s Kalen DeBoer has won 18 straight and 22 of 24 games since taking over the program 23 months ago.
Is DeBoer’s success unique to college football or is his success a model for all Seattle sports teams? Trevor Mueller, Nick Benis and I sat down to discuss just how special Kalen Deboer’s model is in the big picture of Seattle Sports.
“In some respects, what Coach DeBoer has been able to do is unique to the game of college football,” said RealDawg.com’s Trevor Mueller. “His ability to identify talent needed to make the team better at certain positions. Specifically, the running back position.”
DeBoer was very specific about what tools he was looking for but he had to move a few players out like Jay’Veon Sunday, Caleb Berry and Emeka Megwa. He brought in Will Nixon, Aaron Dumas, and Dillon Johnson.
Jaded Seattle sports fans say that it’s the same old story for Mariners and the Seahawks who seem to have mixed results from some long-shot veterans.
“There seems to be an ingredient that’s missing at the professional level in Seattle for a while. DeBoer has been able to mold the teammates into a family, as well,” Mueller noted in reference to the veteran transfers. “He has put on a master class of culture and player development to where it has become a highly-functioning machine.”
In 2023 the M’s started off slowly, had a big middle of the season with the best month in franchise history, only to lose a few winnable games and finish a game out of the playoffs–again. Over the course of the past 20 years that’s been the case at least 5 times.
“The Seahawks and Mariners are on generally even footing with the rest of their leagues due to the draft system and a salary cap,” pointed out RealDawg.com’s Nick Benis. “The Huskies can hope to compete for national success if they put the pieces together through strong player and personnel evaluation.”
Like the Huskies, Seahawks bet on a few under-heralded players, but, again, the Seahawks like the Mariners, continually start off slowly before putting it together in the middle of the season, only to not be in position to take advantage of the home field advantage that Seattle sports teams typically enjoy.
DeBoer brought in Michael Penix, in his first season. He also patched a few holes at linebackers, then brought in Wayne Taulapapa in the summer of 2022 to round out the running back rotation.
This past off-season they found Dillon Johnson, Jabbar Mohammed, who fit critical holes and are now leading the push towards a perfect regular season.
The nucleus of the players, especially on the offensive line are home-grown, meaning recruited by UW and developed by UW.
The baseball equivalent is the Mariners’ pitchers, most of whom were drafted and brought up through the Mariners’ farm system. But up and down the batting order are guys who the Mariners hope will get them to a 54-percent goal, rather than going out and bringing in a big bopper who will push the offense over the top.
Washington, on the hand, signed Johnson, on of the top players at his position. He’s precisely what DeBoer is looking for at the RB position. He also gives DeBoer the opportunity to develop Will Nixon, Tybo Rogers, and Sam Adams into the mold of Johnson.
“The Mariners and the Seahawks will always be in the same position competitively as the Huskies. They have enough resources to compete, and always will, but not enough resources to expect to win every year.
After losing very few players for the 2023 season the Huskies will be losing in excess of 15 major contributors.
“The Huskies have the same amount of limitations and opportunity as any of the other 132 FBS teams,” Benis continued.
There are salary limitations on the Seahawks and Mariners, but there are zero limitations on player evaluation, player development, and building a team culture.
“Player evaluation, development and culture are free,” noted Mueller. “The Seahawks with Pete Carroll and Mariners under Scott Servais have forged their own identities and cultures. DeBoer’s ability to accelerate the process has been a wonderful thing to watch.”
Washington will look to go 12-0 Saturday against Washington State in the Apple Cup. It would be just the second time in team history that UW has won 12 games in a season.
