The Monday Morning Wash

Ty Willingham remarked on Saturday that he would have loved to have seen, and listened to the Dalai Lama while he was on the UW campus this weekend, but football practice on Saturday prevented Ty from meeting, or listening to the Dalai Lama's presentation. Too bad because the UW football coach could have benefited from the wisdom of the Lama.

"So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald ... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one – big hitter, the Lama – long, into a 10,000-foot crevice, right at the base of this glacier. And do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga ... gunga – gunga lagunga. So we finish the 18th and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

60,000 fans showed up for Florida's Spring Game. How about that? I can remember days close to that in Husky Stadium when the Alumni game was played an players like Ben Davidson, and Bob Schloredt arrived by ambulance. Those were the days.

The Husky defense looked improved in Saturday's scrimmage. Not sure if the talent or proficiency level is quite there, but Ed Donatell is getting his kids motivated, and disguising things in a better fashion according to observers. Last season that could have resulted in enough extra wins for the Huskies to have gone to a bowl game. The Huskies still need to grow in the interior defensive line, and the cornerback position still needs a lot of help, or growth.

Offensively Brandon Johnson is obviously the man at TB in 2008, but he will get some assistance from his bruising FB Paul Homer, and the change up of running Polk/Shaw from the slot. Things still haven't slowed down enough for Jake Locker yet to move to the next level as a passer. He is steadily improving, but he hasn't made the quantum leap yet as an accurate passer. There is still plenty of time for that to happen over the Summer.

D'Andre Goodwin has lifted his game to the next level now that he is the old man at WR. Look for the "Flea" to lead the team in many ways next season as a returner, and pass catcher.

No change on the status of JR Hasty, and EJ Savannah, both are becoming very proficient at running stairs.