Steve Sarkisian isn't bothered after Huskies picked 6th in Pac-10

PASADENA, Calif. — Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian didn't care so much about the "six" to the left of Washington's name in the Pac-10 preseason media poll released here Thursday. He was more curious about the "one" in parentheses listed to the right, indicating that a lone voter had selected UW first on a ballot.

"I want to know who that guy is and shake his hand," he said with a laugh.

That first-place vote signified not only potentially better times ahead for the Huskies — who were picked ninth last year — but also what looks to be a wide-open conference race.

Washington was one of a record seven teams to get a first-place vote, and the difference between Oregon (picked first) and USC was just three points, equaling the second-closest voting since the poll began in 1961.

USC had been picked as the favorite each of the previous seven years, winning the conference title the first six before faltering last season at 9-4 overall. That, combined with a coaching change and NCAA sanctions, has left USC a mystery this season.

Oregon would have been more of a slam dunk in the poll, but the dismissal of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for legal reasons creates enough uncertainty to leave some voters hesitant.

Washington hopes to be one of the teams to take advantage of the new parity. The Huskies' optimism is built on a five-game improvement to a 5-7 record a year ago in Sarkisian's first season and the return of senior quarterback Jake Locker.

Sarkisian pronounced the offseason successful for UW, which begins camp Aug. 9, though he had one piece of bad news, announcing that junior linebacker Alvin Logan will give up football due to chronic knee issues.

Logan was expected to contend for a starting spot at strongside linebacker with Victor Aiyewa and Matt Houston. Another possibility at the spot is incoming freshman linebacker/defensive end Josh Shirley, added to the team last week. He had been dismissed from the UCLA roster after being arrested on suspicion of theft.

In his first public comments on the addition of Shirley, Sarkisian said the fact UW had recruited the Fontana, Calif., native for more than a year was a major factor in his becoming a Husky. Sarkisian said he had a 5 ½-hour visit in Shirley's home during recruiting.

"In knowing him through the recruiting process, getting to know his family, having him on our campus for his official visit, being in his living room with his father, his grandmother — on numerous occasions for our assistant coaches — we got to know the kid well enough to know that that incident was not indicative of his true character," Sarkisian said. "We think he is going to come here and excel not only on the football field but in the classroom and in his personal life."

Shirley may start out at linebacker or as a hybrid defensive end/rush linebacker, Sarkisian said, so he may not necessarily loom as a replacement at the strongside spot.

Sarkisian said the Huskies could also move Mason Foster — who represented Washington here — back to strongside linebacker, where he played a year ago, from the weak side, where he was moved in the spring, and elevate sophomore Jordan Wallace on the weak side.

The addition of Shirley came a couple days after the dismissal of tight end Kavario Middleton for violations of team rules that sources told The Seattle Times included failing a random drug test.

In his first comments on the dismissal of Middleton, Sarkisian said: "We all want to win games, but we are all here to foster an environment that allows for young men to grow and get better not only on the field, but in the classroom and off the field as well. And you hate to get into a situation where you feel like you could potentially be viewed as giving up on somebody. But for the good of our football program and the other 104 guys on our team and our coaching staff, it was the right thing to do."

Sarkisian said he didn't anticipate any position moves to account for the loss of Middleton. Chris Izbicki was the starter at the spot at the end of the spring.

Sarkisian pronounced the rest of the team ready for fall camp, including defensive ends Kalani Aldrich (knee) and Everrette Thompson (Achilles), who each missed the spring due to injury. He said neither figures to be 100 percent at the beginning of camp, but both should progress to play significantly once the season begins.

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