This day was unexpectedly, and sadly, taken up following the news of Johnie Kirton's death. As the day closed, there was still no official word on a cause of death --- maybe that will come tomorrow. Also no word yet on a memorial service --- if word of that is made available, I will also pass that long in this space.

Hard as it is to transition from that to the regular business of this blog, that's what we'll do now, with a few links to pass along. ...

--- Phil Steele unveiled one of his more interesting annual features --- a look at the percentage of yards returning for each college team. UW, as might be expected given the loss of Chris Polk, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar, is in the bottom half of the list at 79th overall with just over 60 percent of its total yards returning.

Here's how the Pac-12 ranks:
1, Utah, 95.12
2, Oregon State, 87.75
3, USC, 85.25
4, Cal, 81.74
5, UCLA, 69.05
6, UW, 60.65
7, WSU, 55.53
8, Stanford, 41.06
9, Oregon, 36.55
10, ASU, 30.22
11, Arizona, 22.69
12, Colorado, 22.34

A few thoughts on those rankings:

- Utah's high percentage of skill talent is among the reasons a lot of people are high on the Utes as a sleeper team in the conference this year;
- It's interesting to see UW still ranked as high as it is in the conference in returning skill production despite the loss of some really productive players. Obviously, that's due largely to the return of Keith Price as well as all the overall depth of the receiving corps last year;
- WSU's may be a little misleading due to injuries at the QB spot last year (Marshall Lobbestael playing more than anticipated, basically);
- It's probably not all that common to see a team returning as little proven production as Oregon still be ranked among the top five in the country. But that's a testament to what the young players have shown when they have played as well as a belief that the system there is allowing the Ducks to reload more than rebuild (as well as having a sturdy defense);
- Low percentages of returning talent don't bode well for the bottom three teams on that list, all in various states of rebuilding as is. That said, Arizona's low number there is mitigated a little bit by having relatively experienced fifth-year senior Matt Scott available to step in for Nick Foles at QB after redshirting last year.
- Colorado's low number, though, is yet another reason why the Buffs will be a consensus pick for last in the conference this season.

Moving on to a few more links. ...

--- Bud Withers has a few thoughts on success of former Pac-12 players in the NFL.

--- ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog has the list of conference centers who are on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, given each year to the best center in the country. UW's Drew Schaefer, however, is not on the list.

--- Some interesting stuff here on TV times for BYU and Utah games (some of which is applicable for every Pac-12 school).

--- Rivals.com has updated its list of top 100 recruits for the Class of 2013 (no UW commits on the list at the moment).

As would be expected, the news of the sudden death of former Husky football player Johnie Kirton --- who was a captain as a senior in 2008 --- is hitting hard.

Kirton, who was playing this season with the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League, was found dead in a Santa Clara hotel room Monday night. The San Jose Mercury News has the latest details, though a cause of death remains unknown (the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office said in the last hour it has no information to release).

"I'm just so sad, heartbroken for his parents,'' said former UW coach Keith Gilbertson, who was head coach in 2004 when Kirton signed with the Huskies after a record-breaking career at Jackson High in Mill Creek (edited from previous version). "I've been in a fog all morning thinking about it.''

John Pettas, who was then UW's offensive coordinator, said of Kirton that "he was one of my favorite kids there. A nice kid. Always happy.''

Joel Vincent, the head coach at Jackson High, said he received the news this morning in a phone call from another famous sporting alum of that school, Travis Snider.

"It obviously comes as a huge shock,'' Vincent said. "It's an immensely sad day around here for a lot of the staff. Beyond being a phenomenal athlete, he was a beloved kid here. He had a genuinely good heart and was one of those kids that you couldn't peg into a particular group at school because one minute he'd be mixing with the rest of the athletes and you would turn around and a few minutes later you'd see him at a table having a conversation with one of our Special Ed kids. He was just a good kid.''

Vincent said he had kept in contact with Kirton through the years, first through his UW career and then the last four years as he continued to pursue a pro career in the Arena Football League.

Kirton signed with UW in 2004 after rushing for 2,675 yards at Jackson High. Gilbertson envisioned him as a "big back who could move the chains,'' he recalled this morning. "He was just such an excellent athlete.''

After Gilbertson was fired and Tyrone Willingham hired, Kirton was moved to tight end, and in 2006 caught key TD passes that led to early-season wins against Fresno State and UCLA. He moved to the defensive line in 2008 to help shore up needs there, and started three games, making 27 tackles, also elected by teammates as one of the captains for that season.

He had played the last three years in the Arena Football League with Arizona, Chicago and San Jose, scoring the winning TD for the SaberCats in an 84-77 win over Chicago Saturday night.

Former teammates also expressed their shock at the sudden death of Kirton, who was 26, on various social media.

Juan Garcia, who was one of four captains on the 2008 team along with Kirton, wrote on Facebook that he will "never forget how many times we (laughed) together'' and "it was an honor calling you friend, teammate and brother.''

Kirton leaves behind a young daughter.

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting this morning that former Husky Johnie Kirton has passed away at age 26.

Here's the story which references this statement from the San Jose Sabercats, the team Kirton (pictured right) has been playing for this season in the Arena Football League.

Kirton, a graduate of Jackson High in Everett, played at UW from 2004-2008, lettering from 2005-08. He was a captain on the 2008 team, the last season for coach Tyrone Willingham.

Originally recruited to UW as a running back, he later moved to tight end and then the defensive line at UW. He had been playing consistently in the AFL since leaving UW (here's a story on Kirton from earlier this month detailing his off-field pursuits as a teacher).

Kirton was named to the Seattle Times All-State team and as the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior at Jackson in 2003 when he rushed for 2,675 yards.

He started 12 games in his UW career at fullback, tight end and on the defensive line.

More details as they become available.

While it pales in comparison to the real reason for holiday, Memorial Day also is often viewed as the unofficial beginning of summer. Which also means we're officially that much closer to college football season.

And when that season begins, the Huskies will be facing the second-toughest schedule in the country, according to college football guru Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com. Here's his list of the 10 hardest schedules in the country

Feldman doesn't say anything hardcore UW fans don't already know --- namely, that the Huskies face a brutal first-half of the season with four games against teams that could all be ranked among the top 12-15 in the country, including three that could be in the top five (LSU, USC, Oregon), two on the road (LSU, Oregon).

As Feldman further notes, the question isn't also just UW's record after the first six games but also how it emerges through that stretch mentally and physically --- the second half of the schedule, featuring four out of six on the road --- is far from easy and could look a lot more dicey if the Huskies are beat up.

When the issue of the schedule is raised, it seems like there are usually some questions about why this year's schedule is any harder than last year's when in a lot of ways it looks the same --- the same nine conference foes and what is just about as true an A-B-C non-conference schedule as you can get.

But the reasons why this schedule looks a little tougher than last year's seem obvious --- LSU, the marquee non-conference foe (or the A) is better than Nebraska was last year, and of the nine conference games, five are on the road this year as opposed to four last year.

None of this is to suggest that the Huskies can't have a successful year, merely that they won't have the easiest path to get there.

IN OTHER NEWS. ...

--- Expect TV designations and start times for some UW games to come soon --- probably in early June. For those who can't wait, Matt's College Sports Media Blog takes a stab at predicting the times and TV assignments for all games in week one, week two and week three (as noted here before, the LSU game is definitely on an ABC/ESPN property and set for 6 or 8 p.m. local time).

--- Here's another optimistic assessment of Chris Polk's chances to make the Eagles.

There was one bit of news today from the Dawgman.com radio show on KJR-AM this morning as defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi said in an interview that 2012 signee Kalei Auelua will delay his enrollment until January.

That's what's known commonly as a "grayshirt,'' meaning
Auelua, a defensive end/linebacker from Honolulu, will have an extra spring practice and then still have five years to play four, beginning in the fall of 2013.

UW signed 25 players in February (23 high school seniors and two JC transfers). One, RB Ryan McDaniel, enrolled in time for spring practice, though he did not participate will rehabbing an old knee injury. Auelua's delayed enrollment means 23 new players would be expected to arrive this summer to begin practicing in August (barring, obviously, any other similar decisions to delay enrollment or academic issues -- none of which are known about at this time).

UW ended spring practice with 63 players on its roster listed as on scholarship. That number included four players who initially began their careers as walk-ons but have since been put on scholarship. Teams can have a maximum of 85 on scholarship at any one time (a number that technically doesn't come into play for UW until classes begin in late September). So given some potential wiggle room there with the walk-ons, it doesn't appear as if hitting the scholarship number will be a real issue for UW this fall.

Another round as we head into the weekend. ...

Q: Who would you say has emerged as the team leader on defense? Who's the guy that everyone looks up to, the "coach on the field" type of guy that is setting the example and getting everyone to work harder in practice and in the weight room? Maybe there isn't anyone like that but curious to hear your thoughts.

A: I think the No. 1 leader on the defense may be Desmond Trufant, a guy who I think has incredible respect among his teammates and coaches despite the (sometimes somewhat surprising to me) toasting he gets from some fans. Trufant (pictured at right in an AP photo) has been a starter since basically the midway point of his true freshman season in 2009, proving himself on the field to his peers, and has the kind of presence to command respect. I think Sean Parker is another who is emerging into a similar type of leader in the back end and Justin Glenn is another who I think has that same kind of presence (and the fact that there are so many experienced leader-types in the back end is one reason to be optimistic about improvement in the secondary this year).

The line is a little younger overall, but a couple I think are real leaders there are Hau'oli Jamora and Talia Crichton, the latter who like Trufant, has been a regular presence on the field since midway through his true freshman season.

The linebacking corps is younger overall (with the exception of Nate Fellner, who just moved to that spot) so there isn't as much of the same type of veteran presence there as there was a year ago with Cort Dennison (or before that with Mason Foster). But one who I think is emerging quickly there as that type of leader is John Timu, who is constantly cited by coaches for his work ethic and attitude in the weight room and other off-season conditioning.

Q: With the new defensive coaches we started playing a lot more press/man-to-man coverage in the secondary during spring ball and it seems to have been pretty effective so far. Has anyone asked Sark whether or not he ever tried to get Holt to move to that style of defense? You would think with the defense just free falling like it did the last couple of years that he would have stepped in and suggested a different approach.

Just enough out there to get you started into the weekend. ...

--- A little talk on UW's chances this season in Ted Miller's chat on the ESPN Pac-12 blog Thursday.

--- ESPN's Pac-12 blog includes two UW games in a poll on "The Games We Can't Wait For.''

--- Miller also writes about a close race in the vote on the ESPN Pac-12 blog for the most hated coach in the Pac-12 (for some reason, I think I know who'd win one if this blog conducted a similar poll).

--- The ESPN guys also debate which is the best Pac-12 "trap game" of the season.

--- College football pundit Matt Hinton has Keith Price and Austin Seferian-Jenkins on his All-American third team.

--- Some more thoughts on Chris Polk's chances to make the Eagles.

--- Pacific Takes puts together an All-NFL team of current Pac-12 alumni. As might be expected, given UW's lull in the last decade, there's not a huge representation of Huskies.

--- Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott calls the new SEC-Big 12 bowl alliance a "game changer.''

--- Dan Wolken argues maybe it's time for college football to "operate on its own.''

We'll get going at noon. ...