Coach Steve Sarkisian optimistic about UW's future

To heck with 0-12 last season and 14 straight losses overall.

When Steve Sarkisian met with the media Friday to preview the beginning of Washington's football fall camp on Monday, he promised there are nothing but bright days ahead — and maybe sooner than everyone thinks.

"I don't think it is going to take us very long," said the rookie coach who succeeded Tyrone Willingham, who was fired. "We are going to become a great football team. If it's game one, game five, game 12, game 13, two seasons, three seasons — I don't know when that's going to occur. I don't think it's going to take very long, though, I know that."

He was asked later why he was so confident.

"I think there are a lot of facets here that are better than people think," he said.

Among those facets, he hinted, is the talent. He also cited the support of the administration and the community and "what our kids have been able to put forth so far. Any time you go to a place that has been there before, they understand what it looks like, and hopefully we can just give them the blueprint to get back to it."

Few outsiders see it happening this season, however, as UW has been an almost unanimous pick for ninth place in the Pac-10 in preseason polls, ahead of only Washington State.

But Sarkisian said the team has improved greatly in the eight months since he took over, noting better conditioning and commitment, and oozed only optimism and confidence.

"We've got a tremendous coaching staff," he said. "They recruit really well, they teach really well, they coach really well. And we've got a group of kids that have been very willing. They've bought into what we have asked them to do on the field, off the field, in the classroom. I couldn't have asked for more than what they have given us so far."

Notes

• In maybe the most noteworthy recent personnel move, sophomore Johri Fogerson of O'Dea High is moving back to tailback after playing safety last season. He had been listed as a co-starter at free safety coming out of spring practice. However, with UW losing four tailbacks since the beginning of spring to academics or injury, Sarkisian said there was a need to add depth at that spot. Fogerson was the state player of the year as a senior in 2007 when he rushed for 2,545 yards at O'Dea. Sarkisian said Fogerson "had a desire" to again play tailback. He played that spot early last season before being moved to safety.

• All of UW's fall camp practices will be open to the media and general public. For next week, UW will practice once a day Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. at Husky Stadium. The first two-a-day sessions will be Aug. 15.

• Sarkisian said four of the team's six junior-college transfers will be available for the beginning of camp. The two that aren't, as expected, are OL Daniel Mafoe and DT Johnny Tivao. Sarkisian said the door isn't completely closed on them getting in but that it will be assumed they will not be part of the team this season. Sarkisian said the two simply didn't get the work done they needed to become eligible.

• Sarkisian said backup guard Matt Sedillo will not be with the team this season. The native of Escondido, Calif., left the team for personal reasons.

• Two other scholarship players will not be with the team for fall camp — RB Brandon Yakaboski and WR Vince Taylor. Yakaboski had a setback in rehab from a knee injury and might not be ready until late in the season.

• One of the JC transfers who is in is safety David Batts. Sarkisian said Batts will wear the No. 25 formerly worn by Curtis Williams. Having Batts wear that number will take the place of the No. 25 that was previously on the field as a memorial to Williams. The number will not be included on the new FieldTurf that was recently installed.

• Sarkisian said everyone else on the roster should be healthy enough for the beginning of practice, including TB Chris Polk, who missed a few summer workouts with an injury, and safety Jason Wells, who hasn't played since midway through the 2007 season because of a knee injury and an Achilles injury.

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