Former O'Dea standout Taylor Mays is making a difference on defense for USC

The problems that ultimately forced Tyrone Willingham out as coach at Washington are bigger than just one player who got away.

Still, if observers had to point to a single local recruit who escaped who might have made the biggest difference, it's a player the Huskies will encounter Saturday at USC: Trojans junior free safety Taylor Mays.

Mays, a graduate of O'Dea High School, is the son of former UW defensive lineman Stafford Mays and grew up attending games at Husky Stadium. He once said he went to just about every game from ages 5 through 12.

He was a senior at O'Dea in fall 2005, when Willingham was in the initial steps of attempting to get his program off the ground. Washington fans that fall dreamed of a power trio of in-state recruits who could revive the glory days — quarterback Jake Locker of Ferndale, offensive lineman Stephen Schilling of Bellevue, and Mays.

When Locker committed first of the three, in late July, the dream seemed alive. But three weeks later, Mays committed to USC.

Schilling later signed with Michigan (where he is now a starting right tackle) and the dream Class of 2006 instead turned into one that observers now pinpoint as a key reason for Willingham's failure at UW — only nine players from that class are on Washington's two-deep regularly, five as starters.

Mays, meanwhile, has already been named an All-American once as a free safety — a position UW has struggled to fill throughout Willingham's tenure — and could be on the way to similar honors again this season, headlining a USC defense that Trojans coach Pete Carroll says might be the best he has ever had.

Mays, at 6 feet 3 and 230 pounds, "happens to be the biggest, fastest guy I've ever seen at his position," Carroll said.

Mays said Tuesday he was disappointed to hear of the forced resignation of Willingham.

"I think coach Willingham is a great coach, and I respected him a lot through the recruiting process," Mays said. "He was a great motivator. It's unfortunate that the situation wasn't right and the timing wasn't right."

Mays noted that the Huskies were coming off a 1-10 season during his recruitment period.

"Washington was struggling still back then," Mays said. "I liked the attitude coach Willingham had and wanted to be a part of it, but it just wasn't really the best situation for me."

Mays said he understood even then that his decision to leave might be portrayed as a check mark against Willingham, one that only grew over time.

"Yeah, but I had to make a decision for myself and my family," he said, noting that he thought USC was the best place for him to prepare for a long-term future in football. "I couldn't make it on his coaching situation."

And there is little doubt his decision has turned out just fine.

Since being thrown into the starting lineup in the second game of his freshman season in 2006, Mays has been a fixture in the USC defense.

"From that point on, he has always been extremely trustworthy and confident and tough, and now that he's growing in experience, it just adds to his game," Carroll said.

Washington coaches who saw Mays often during his high-school years say he has added an element of physical play to his game that has made him even better.

"I'm really impressed with him," said UW offensive coordinator Tim Lappano. "In high school he was extremely athletic, he was fast and had range. But he wasn't near as physical as he is right now."

Mays attributes it to reshaping his body — he said the 230 he weighed in high school just looks a lot different from the 230 of today.

"You can see that he's been in the weight room and been in the weight room religiously," Lappano said.

The only question now is which weight room he'll be in next fall.

Mays is eligible for the draft, though he also has one year of eligibility remaining, and he is generally projected as a first-round pick — he's No. 18 on the Scouts Inc. Top 32 this week.

Washington, by contrast, hasn't had a first-round pick since Reggie Williams in 2004.

"I can't lie and say I don't think about it," Mays said of the draft. "But right now I'm just trying to focus on this season. If I'm looking ahead, I'm going to miss out, and then that will mess my chances up."