UW Notebook | Taylor Bean scores after replacing Ronnie Fouch

BERKELEY, Calif. — Saturday's 48-7 loss at California, played in the shadows of the hiring of Steve Sarkisian as Washington's new coach, will likely go down as one of the most forgettable games in Huskies football history.

But don't tell that to redshirt freshman Taylor Bean.

The walk-on quarterback played the final 2 ½ quarters after starter Ronnie Fouch was sidelined with a concussion, and scored his first collegiate touchdown, a 2-yard run late in the third quarter for UW's only TD. Bean scored when he kept the ball on a bootleg, seeing that the Bears had double-covered his intended receiver.

He celebrated wildly, a happy moment in an otherwise solemn performance by the Huskies.

"I'm a pretty emotional player, and being out there for the first time legitimately for a whole half [he played at the end of the UCLA game], I was pretty pumped up, pretty excited," he said.

Fouch was injured when he was hit hard as he slid after a short run. California linebacker Worrell Williams was whistled for a personal foul for the hit. With Jake Locker out for the year and true freshman Luther Leonard redshirting, that left it to Bean, who walked on last season out of Skyview High in Vancouver, Wash.

He threw an interception on his first pass, but then settled down and was 8 of 17 for 80 yards and rushed five times for 12 yards.

"I thought he did a heck of a job," said UW coach Tyrone Willingham who said that Bean has made tremendous progress since arriving. "He showed himself as a tough guy and a fighter today."

Bean knows there's no certainty he'll get a similar chance when all the quarterbacks return healthy in the spring, with Sarkisian likely recruiting one or two more.

But the performance had him hoping that maybe it won't be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully coming back next year and showing people what I can do," he said.

Willingham unsure of future

Newspaper reports in the last few days have linked Willingham with coaching openings at New Mexico State and San Diego State, though it's uncertain how serious of a contender he is for either job.

Willingham shed no light on that topic during a meeting with the media afterward that lasted barely two minutes.

He said he wouldn't comment on those reports and had no idea what the future holds.

"But we'll take some time to figure it out," he said.

Foster ties for

tackles lead

UW sophomore Mason Foster entered the game needing 13 tackles to tie Oregon State's Greg Laybourn for the Pac-10 lead this season, and he ended up getting exactly 13.

"I was just trying to make the plays that came my way," Foster said. "I don't know how many I got but I felt like I was pretty close."

Tuiasosopo mulls

a sixth year

Middle linebacker Trenton Tuiasosopo has been granted a sixth year of eligibility but said after the game he is uncertain if he will return next season — he was listed as a senior and went through senior-day ceremonies.

"I need to weigh all my options and see what is out there for me," he said, adding he hasn't set a deadline for making a decision.

NOTES

• The Huskies scored 80 points in the eight games after Locker was lost to injury.

• UW gained 200 yards against the Bears and gained 200 or fewer in four of their last six games.

• The Huskies threw only one TD pass in the last four games. They had six for the season, the fewest since 1969, when UW played only 10 games.

• UW tight end Kavario Middleton on going 0-12: "For me personally, it's a big thing. I can't remember losing 12 games in my life. We really can't go anywhere but up."