Inside The Huskies

DeBoer Approval Rating Appears High Among UW Players

The Huskies seem intrigued by the new coach's offensive and defensive styles.

Dan Raley

Kalen DeBoer has been on the job as the University of Washington football coach for just over a week now. He's been busy trying to fill out a coaching staff and jumpstart recruiting. 

Yet one thing hasn't happened to the new leader — no one holding onto a Husky scholarship has cashed in and run off to the transfer portal. 

That's not to say it won't happen, but it's been a little surprising, given the nature of rapid roster turnover in college football these days, that there hasn't been an immediate defector because of the coaching change.

"I'm sure there are pieces where guys have thought about entering the portal," DeBoer said. "I don't know of anything like that yet but I'm sure I'll be aware of them as we go through things like this. Just like any change, I'm sure there's going to be a little bit of turnover."

However, reports coming from the UW team indicate the former Fresno State coach with his high-scoring offense and aggressive defense has made a good first impression on the players. 

Veterans such as senior wide receiver Terrell Bynum and sixth-year senior safety Alex Cook made their feelings known on social media. 

"I'll be back," Bynum tweeted.

"I ain't going nowhere," Cook posted over the weekend.

While returning UW receivers obviously are intrigued by the opportunities posed by the arrival of DeBoer's more wide-open offense, a large segment of Husky defenders likewise have registered their tacit approval over the coaching change, 

They welcome the blitzing style that DeBoer has laid out in his early meetings with everyone.

As for adding coaches, DeBoer dropped hints all along that he was going to install his Fresno State offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, as his Husky play-caller and that deal has been done.

Defensively, he tried to hire Oklahoma defensive-line coach Jamar Cain, who had previously worked with him at Fresno State, but Cain opted to follow Lincoln Riley to USC.

The UW hasn't made an announcement yet, but multiple sources indicate Michigan recruiting director Courtney Morgan, who likewise has a Fresno State background, is leaving the Big Ten school to join the Huskies

It appears at this point that no one from Jimmy Lake's coaching staff will be retained.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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