Huskies get two football commitments, one for 2009, another for 2010

Between hiring coaches the past few days, Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian has also found time to recruit, and it paid off Thursday in a pair of commitments — one for the Class of 2009, another for the Class of 2010.

Jordan Wallace, a linebacker from Grant Union High in Sacramento and a brother of former Husky and current Seahawk C.J. Wallace, is expected to sign a letter of intent no later than Thursday, according to his high-school coach, Mike Alberghini. That will make him part of the Class of 2009 and a freshman next season.

Meanwhile, Lakes High defensive lineman Sione Potoae, a junior, gave a commitment to sign with UW next February.

The 6-foot, 208-pound Wallace helped Grant win the California State Open Division Championship last fall with a victory over Long Beach Poly in the title game. But he didn't sign on letter-of-intent day last week with schools still weighing whether to give him an offer.

Alberghini said Wallace fell a little off the radar when he suffered a thigh bruise that caused him to miss much of his junior season. He said Grant was a deep team this year that didn't allow for any player to stand out much.

"I just think some schools just didn't see enough of him before they made commitments to other players," Alberghini said.

But after signing day, schools began to reevaluate Wallace and Alberghini said Washington State, Colorado and Fresno State had each shown interest in recent days before UW made an offer and Wallace decided to take it.

He will be the 19th member of the Class of 2009 and will likely be used as an outside linebacker. "He'll be a guy in that 225-pound range that can run," said Alberghini.

Potoae, meanwhile, committed Wednesday night when Sarkisian and UW coaches hosted local players on unofficial visits. He becomes the second member of the Class of 2010, joining O'Dea High RB Zach Fogerson, who committed last fall.

Potoae, a 6-3, 280-pounder, has been a three-year, two-way starter at Lakes but projects at UW as a defensive tackle.

"He's probably the best lineman we've had in the 24 years I've been here," said Lakes coach Dave Miller. "He's going to be an NFL defensive tackle, no question about it. He's special."

Sources indicated Sarkisian had filled the last open spot on his coaching staff with Dan Cozzetto, who would coach the offensive line and coordinate the running game. But there was no announcement of the hiring Thursday. Cozzetto was tight-ends coach at Arizona State the past two seasons and was UW's offensive-line coach in 2003.

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