Changes on horizon for Huskies

Washington football coach Tyrone Willingham said at his Monday news conference the team's current struggles have him reevaluating everything.

That apparently includes inviting running back J.R. Hasty to return to the team.

Hasty, a sophomore, said Monday night he is rejoining the Huskies, a move the school confirmed later.

"I've just got to stay here and stick it out," he said. "I'm back for good. Rain, hail or snow, I'm going to be here."

Hasty, a former Bellevue High star who had 18 yards on six carries this season, left the team last week saying he didn't see any future opportunity. But talks over the weekend with the coaches and his parents changed his mind.

"I just have to make them confident in practice so they can rely on me and trust me," Hasty said, adding that he ultimately decided "I just have to take advantage of what I have now in this system."

Hasty said the talks were the result of mutual interest from both sides.

During Willingham's news conference, he was vague on what other changes were possible as UW attempts to stop a six-game losing streak Saturday at Stanford.

The latest defeat was a 48-41 stunner Saturday at Husky Stadium in which Arizona scored 22 points in the last 11:32, continuing a string of poor performances for the UW defense.

"Don't be surprised" to see significant changes to the defense, Willingham said. But he also said again that there is only so much a team can do at this point in the season.

"We are going to continue to look at how we can position ourselves in the best places to give our guys the best chance to be successful," he said. "But everything you look at must be in balance with the rest of your football team."

Washington has allowed 147 points the past three games, leading to criticism of defensive coordinator Kent Baer. Asked Monday if he needed to give a vote of confidence for Baer, Willingham said, "The first thing is we recognize that our system has done some good things, and our last couple of weekends, no, are not indicative of the kind of football that we expect, and I think coach Baer would sit here or stand here and say the same thing.

"He's not satisfied, he's not happy, so know we are trying to work to do all the right things to put our guys in the right places to be successful."

In meetings with defensive players Sunday, coaches said the game turned largely on five big plays, including Arizona's first two touchdowns, both on long passes.

"On a couple of the big plays we did have a couple of mental breakdowns," Willingham said. "Just things you can't have."

The loss struck the team hard, as it means UW has to win all five of its remaining games to get to a bowl.

When asked if the loss was the low point of his Huskies tenure, Willingham said yes.

"That ballgame stung because I thought it was a ballgame that going in, in most of them I think we can win," Willingham said, "but that was one we had positioned ourselves with 15 minutes to go to win the football game, and to know that we did not do it is very difficult."

Davenport back

Willingham said he decided to bench cornerback Byron Davenport after he gave up a 66-yard TD pass to Mike Thomas on Arizona's second possession of the game. Thomas had gotten past Davenport on the previous play, only to drop the ball.

Willingham noted that Davenport had nursed a shoulder injury last week in practice and "that just didn't look like Byron." Davenport is listed as the starter this week, and Willingham said, "Byron will be back. Byron will be fine."

Willingham on talent

Willingham said he thinks some of his recent comments about the team needing more talent have been misconstrued as criticism of his players.

"If it's USC or anyone else that is at the top of the conference, you want to have better players than they have, and that's what the whole recruiting process in trying to build our football team is all about," Willingham said. "I love the players that we have. We have good players. They are making some plays. They are doing some things. We do need to finish the deal, absolutely.

"You are always trying to get better players. It's not an indictment of the guys that we have. Unfortunately when some things are brought about, that's the twist, the spin that everyone wants to put on it.

"We have some players making some great plays and doing some great things. Not enough of them, but that's not players, that's team. That's coaches and everybody involved."

Notes

• Willingham said MLB Donald Butler is likely out for another week with a knee injury.

• Willingham said the continual pinched-nerve problems for WLB E.J. Savannah are a concern and something that "we will be monitoring."

• Willingham said RB Louis Rankin injured his hand against Arizona but should be fine to play.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com