The Day UCLA Tried to Block Rich Camarillo's Punts and Failed Miserably

The Husky player had his eligibility questioned and responded with a career day.

Rich Camarillo rushed to the Seattle airport, boarded a last-minute flight to Los Angeles and went through the oddest experience.

As he walked to his seat, he was everywhere.

"I see all these men, all these people, reading newspapers, the P-I and the Seattle Times," he said. "I'm walking down the aisle, reading all of the headlines on the sports pages, and I'm seeing my name, that I'm not going and I'm ineligible and that kind of stuff."

In 1979, he was the starting punter for the University of Washington football team, a transfer from Cerritos College in the L.A. area and a man in limbo when the day began.

Camarillo faced the ultimate punt block — and it failed. 

He would go on to become the Huskies' most successful punter in terms of football career progression. He played 16 seasons in the NFL for five teams, appeared in a Super Bowl and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. 

For a moment at the UW, all of it was threatened.

To understand exactly what happened to Camarillo, now 61, retired and a grandfather and care-giver living in Phoenix, you have to go back three years before that curious and surreal plane ride. 

From El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, California, south of downtown L.A., Camarillo walked on with the UCLA football team. He spent two weeks as a Bruin. He never attended a class in Westwood, just practice.

He departed abruptly once veteran Bruins place kicker Frank Corral advised Camarillo that he would never play there without a scholarship, and strongly suggested he go elsewhere.

Camarillo took all this to heart. He couldn't leave fast enough.

"I just packed my bags," he said. "I just left. I didn't tell anybody. I knew it was wrong."

After two years as a successful junior-college punter at Cerritos, he resurfaced at the UW. He accepted a full ride from Don James and won the starting job from returnee Aaron Wilson.

Eight games into the '79 schedule, the Huskies prepared to play UCLA at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Camarillo was going home and he couldn't wait. 

Everyone in the punter's inner circle was giddy about this. Family members and friends purchased 150 game tickets. 

However, 48 hours before the game, UCLA coach Terry Donohue felt compelled to alert the Pac-10 that Camarillo was once part of his program and, thus far, he deduced, an improper conference transfer. Husky game forfeitures were intimated. Ominous headlines resulted.

League officials ruled the punter ineligible until they could sort out the situation. 

On Friday, the Huskies flew to Los Angeles on a chartered jet without Camarillo. He was left home with Tim Cowan, his dormitory roommate and a redshirt UW quarterback. 

The punter's mother was distraught and spent the day crying and calling the Pac-10 offices in the Bay Area.

By the next morning, some sort of agreement was hurriedly reached. It's unclear what kind of pressure was applied, but Camarillo gained a reprieve. 

James was greatly upset by the timing of all of this and he turned his great indignation into motivation for his players, letting them know what was happening. The coach called Camarillo back in Seattle at 8:30 a.m. and informed his player that he was eligible once more and to get on a commercial flight in an hour. Alumni booster John Torrance rushed the punter to the airport.

Camarillo arrived at the team hotel five minutes before the bus left for the Coliseum.

"Whatever reason, it worked out like a dream," he said. "I was able to play. All those people went to the game. People were happy. I had a really good game. We killed UCLA."

The Huskies had the upper hand throughout a 34-14 victory over the Bruins and their punter was at his very best. He enjoyed what would stand as a college career day, averaging 48.6 yards on five punts.

Afterward, Camarillo sought out the UCLA coach to maybe introduce himself to the man for the first time. And gloat a little.

"I ran up to Donohue after the game and I made it a point to shake his hand and for him to see me," the punter said. "I congratulated him, 'Great game, coach.' It was a little sarcastic."

More than 40 years later, it still feels overly satisfying.

Tomorrow: Rich Camarillo saw his coach one last time shortly before he died.

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