UW Football | Past and future bright

On a day Washington celebrated its rich football history by laying claim to another national title, some of the old-timers who came back for a reunion thought they sensed some bright days ahead.

"A couple of people I talked to said they looked a lot better than they did last year at this time," said former Husky George Fleming, a letterman from 1958-60 who returned for Washington's annual alumni weekend, which coincided with the team's first full-pads scrimmage of the spring.

The school used the occasion to announce that it will now recognize the 1960 team as the national champion. That team finished 10-1 and beat No. 1-ranked Minnesota 17-7 in the 1961 Rose Bowl. However, most polls were concluded before bowl games and Minnesota, rated No. 1 in the Associated Press and UPI polls, has generally been recognized as national champion.

But the Helms Athletic Foundation poll, released after the bowls, declared Washington No. 1, and the school will follow that ranking. The Helms Foundation, based in Los Angeles, used a panel of experts to name a national champion every year from 1883 to 1982.

The 1960 team, which lost only to Navy by a score of 15-14, will be honored the week of Washington's home game against USC on Sept. 29. The Huskies will wear throwback uniforms from that season, and a flag will be raised honoring the team as national champion.

"We did feel very strongly that we did beat the number-one team in the nation, and that based upon that that we should have been crowned as the number-one team," said Fleming.

Fleming was among 170 alums who watched the scrimmage and then had lunch with the team. And for the most part, they saw a day dominated by defense.

"The defense was probably a little stingier, which was good for me to see," said former safety Lawyer Milloy.

Milloy, a 12-year NFL veteran, said he is making a point to be more visible around the program now that he is nearing retirement age, as well as to show support for coach Tyrone Willingham. "I really believe in his vision for where he wants to take the program," Milloy said.

Saturday's scrimmage was controlled, meaning quarterbacks were off limits and many situations were scripted, with the team spending much of the day concentrating on red-zone plays.

There were just two touchdowns, both coming after the offense was given the ball 19 yards from the end zone. Jake Locker hit Marcel Reece from 15 yards out for one score, while J.R. Hasty ran in from a yard out for the other.

"Usually the defense is a little ahead right now, what with being able to stunt and blitz and do some things, and the offense is not quite accustomed to that," Willingham said.

Locker was unofficially 8 of 19 for 66 yards; he also threw an interception on a pass that was tipped and caught by linebacker Dan Howell. Locker saved a touchdown by knocking Howell out of bounds.

"If I throw an interception, I'm sure not going to let the guy score," he said.

Backup Carl Bonnell was unofficially 7 of 17 for 86 yards, and had the longest play of the day with a 41-yard pass to tight end Michael Gottlieb.

Running back Louis Rankin was the offensive star, rushing for 63 yards on nine carries, including gains of 24 and 18 yards. Hasty rushed for 19 yards on eight carries but often had nowhere to go as the No. 2 offensive line seemed to struggle a bit.

Still, players both former and current noticed a renewed passion from the team.

"I think we are a little more enthusiastic," said Bonnell. "We're playing football like it's supposed to be played, with a lot of heart and a lot of fun."

Notes

• Starting C Juan Garcia sat out the scrimmage after suffering a hyperextended shoulder on Friday. He is expected to return to practice in a few days. With Garcia out, Ryan Bush was the starting center.

• The only apparent injury was suffered by walk-on receiver Sho Yoshinaga (shoulder).

• JC transfer Jared Ballman, hoping to win both kicking jobs but recruited primarily to punt, was short on a 49-yard field goal but made a 31-yarder and punted respectably.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com. Read his blogs on Washington football and basketball at www.seattletimes.com/huskies.