Awkward Good Byes at the UW Aren't Part of the Process

Husky staff members say everyone just needs to respect the wishes of the departed.

John Richardson chats up quarterback Demond Williams Jr. during stretching. / Skylar Lin Visuals

The only outrage when players leave the University of Washington football team these days for another college destination comes from the periphery.

While fans light up the message boards with all sorts vitriol after feeling betrayed, those inside the coaching offices and locker room simply shrug at the player movement and accept it as a fact of college football life.

North Carolina, in particular, took a couple of coaches in Steve Belichick and Armand Hawkins from the Huskies, plus four players in linebacker Khmori House, cornerback Thaddeus Dixon, safety Peyton Waters and wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr.

UW coaching staff members were asked if there was any awkwardness or ill feelings with this large contingent leaving Montake for Carolina.

"One thing you've got to understand, you've got to respect what people choose to do as grown men," UW secondary coach John Richardson said at a recent media gathering. "They decided to take an opportunity and took it."

Jedd Fisch, who lost 40 percent of his coaching staff this winter and had 27 players enter the transfer portal, famously wishes everyone luck in their new ventures and doesn't bat an eye.

With Fisch, he no doubt leans to his NFL background when it comes to personnel matters -- that for every coach or player who leaves his program, there's always people standing in line who want to coach or play at the UW.

When it comes down to it, the coaches and players are just temporary fixtures at the UW while the fans, should they choose to retain their tickets, are the only that that remains stationary.

That was clearly evident when the coaches were asked about these winter departures, with linebackers coach Robert Bala offering his insight immediately following Richardson.

"Yeah, I think those relationships, that's what they chose to do on their path and we wish them the best," he said.

Two days later, of course, Bala turned up at the University of Florida and accepted a new job.

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