Davenport Back?

According to Molly Yanity of the Seattle PI...

CB Byron Davenport was going full speed, back-pedaling and then exploding out of that into a sprint. He was really testing that hamstring and seemed to be passing.

That is a pretty good sign, but it is going to be tough for him to be ready for Syracuse with only a few days of practice. I am sure they are leaving the door open for him, but he needed to be ready last Thursday when they scrimmaged for him to have a decent shot. This still is good news because we are going to need this guy as soon as possible.

Said J.R. Hasty is day-to-day with what apparently is an ankle injury (he didn't detail what it was). Hasty is in heavy competition for the backup RB spot and Willingham said this injury could impact Hasty's chances of getting that job. "Everything as you get closer affects it,'' Willingham said.

Brandon Johnson has been getting plenty kudos from the coaching staff, as have the other frosh RB's, so Hasty is in a pretty tenuous position.

Don Ruiz of the Tribune spends Sunday talking about the new rule pushing kickoff's back to the 30 yard line.

When the Washington Huskies open their football season Friday at Syracuse, the kickoff will be launched from the 30-yard line, 5 yards back from previous seasons. Coaches expect the move to add up to something more. “I think it will probably be greater than 5 yards,” UW coach Tyrone Willingham said. “I’m not sure it will be 20, but I think there will be a difference because anytime you have more returns, the chances for big returns are greater. … There won’t be as many kicks into the end zone – and that’s why the change was made. Possibly speed the game up and make it more exciting.”

John Boyle of the Everett Herald, and the Olympian chimes in with from his blog.

Apparently the back problem that has been bothering freshman kicker Erik Folk has come back. It looks like, for now anyway, that the kicking and punting duties will all fall to Jared Ballman and Ryan Perkins, though who does what is still up in the air.

The Huskies are taking the day off on Sunday, but I am sure they will be busy having meetings, and breaking down film on Syracuse even though they won't be hitting the field.

The team will have practices Monday (after the annual Kickoff Luncheon) and Tuesday before a midday flight to Syracuse Wednesday. The Huskies will most likely have a walk through and shirts and shorts practice on Thursday at the Carrier Dome to get used to their surroundings.

Red River Rivarly Heating Up

The rancor in the Red River Rivalry apparently doesn't die between football or basketball seasons. An Oklahoma City man has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, accused of causing extensive damage to another man's scrotum just because he wore a University of Texas shirt into a local bar.

I am thinking the Seattle City Council should start to be more wary of Clay Bennett, Aubrey McClendon, and anything from Oklahoma.

Sammie Stroughter

Look's like OSU's Sammie Stroughter has decided to return to the team just as Fall camp is wrapping up. Oregon State coach Mike Riley said Stroughter's full return to the team was still undetermined and that he was just "testing the water."

Sounds like someone didn't want to go through the grueling days of camp. Sammie wouldn't be the first college, or pro player to play this type of card. Riley of course will welcome his All American receiver back into the fold.

Syracuse LB's add Depth to RB position

Depth issues abound on the Syracuse University football team - tight end, linebacker and running back. Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson hopes the leaks are plugged. At least on the running back front, the move of Jeremy Sellers and Derrell Smith back from their brief trip to linebacker has stabilized the backfield.