Want to talk about trust?
Following No. 2 Washington's 37-31 victory over No. 3 Texas (12-2) in the Sugar Bowl, the Huskies' coaches rejected a curfew Monday night — even though the team hotel was just blocks from Bourbon Street.
“I was there and enjoyed the city of New Orleans,” right tackle Roger Rosengarten said Thursday with a broad smile. “I'll just leave it at that. No details.”
We know the UW players had to go to breakfast at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, followed by a team meeting at 9 a.m. and a flight a few hours later.
“Not a man was left behind,” Rosengarten added when asked if everyone made that flight. “It was an early flight, but definitely one I’ll remember for sure.”
Of course, the game itself was memorable, as UW totaled 532 yards and four touchdowns (plus three field goals from Grady Gross) to outrebound the Longhorns. That earned UW a spot in the national championship against No. 1 Michigan (14-0) on Monday.
It was a close turnaround.
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“I had the opportunity that day to say, 'Wow, that was a crazy game,'” said Rosengarten, a fourth-year student who has started 27 straight games at right tackle. “The next day I dove straight into the film [Michigan] Guys I go against, Interior people. We just played the two best center backs in the country [in Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II]. They've given us great insight and the people of Michigan are every bit their equal.
“It was a big turnaround. But the trainers immediately flew back [Monday night] and they began game planning that evening. Right now we’re full steam ahead against Michigan and we’re ready to win this game.”
Outside of Seattle, that's not the expected result as Michigan leads by 4.5 points.
This is good news for Washington.
“We are once again underdogs,” said Rosengarten. “That’s three games in a row since the Pac-12 Championship where we’ve been big underdogs. So we love it. We love this feeling. It's all just fuel for the fire. We're going to take every chip we can get on our shoulders to make sure we go that extra inch, that extra yard to push and push to get that win. We have to get this win.”
Maybe that's why the UW coaches weren't worried about a hundred 18- to 23-year-old Huskies bombarding Bourbon Street.
They all have a bigger goal.
“[The coaches had] No stress at all,” said junior linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala, who contributed five tackles and a pass breakup in the Sugar Bowl. “Here’s the thing: We’re a very tight-knit group of veterans. We are also closely connected to our trainers. So the trust is already there. They already knew we wouldn't do too much. They trusted us to come back and do what we needed to do.”
Polk is (nearly) going home
UW sophomore wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk is from Lufkin, Texas, 120 miles north of Houston.
The 6-foot-1, 204-pound player, who has 65 catches, 1,122 yards and 10 touchdowns in 14 games this fall, said, “I have a lot of family from Lufkin, just an hour and 50 minutes away by car . I also have a lot of family and friends in Houston. So I’m looking forward to a full house with a lot of support.”
Of course, Polk plans to repay this support in the usual way.
“Of course a lot of people [from home] They hit me up, support me, give me a lot of love and just reach out,” he said. “But I feel like I just keep the essentials and block out the outside noise. I don't listen to it too often, I just stay focused.
“I just understand that I have a lot of people, a lot of family that are out there supporting us and watching. My biggest job is to make sure I put on a show for them. They take the time and the entire Husky Nation takes the time to support us. It would be wrong if I didn’t go out and do what I need to do to make it happen.”
Remarks
- On Thursday, Polk had a direct message to UW's increasingly excited fans. “They deserve what’s coming and what we’re going to do,” he said. “I can barely wait for it. There are so many fans who have season tickets and have been there for many years. You have been waiting for this chance and this opportunity. When I say it's bigger than me, there are so many people in this city and in Washington state who have been doing this for a long time and have rooted for us and supported us through all the ups and downs. They earn it.”
- Tuputala, a Federal Way product whose cousin is former UW standout defensive back Danny Shelton, is keenly aware of the significance of winning the university's first national title since 1991. “This is huge,” he said. “I'm proud to say that I'm from this state, which is 35 to 45 minutes south of here, and it's a true blessing to be able to bring my home team all the way here and hopefully get to where we need to go. “
- UW has organized a farewell at Husky Stadium on Friday at 1 p.m. as the team departs for its flight to Houston. Coach Kalen DeBoer will also meet local media after his arrival at 6 p.m