Former UW and current UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel will face his former team for the second time Saturday. And it was an obvious question on today's Pac-10 coaches conference call to wonder if seeing the Huskies on the other sideline Saturday will hold any special meaning.

"I always have a feeling when we play Washington,'' he said. "I have great memories there. There's no animosity there, if that's what you're asking. I just remember the good times that I had while I was there.''

He then added that the UW factor is "down by the wayside'' with UCLA at 0-5 in conference play and simply needing a win against anybody.

"We are starving (for a win),'' he said. "We've just not quite played well enough to get over the top, and the only way I know how to fix that is to keep working at it and getting guys to understand that little things matter and hopefully we can get past that barrier this weekend.''

As has every coach UW has faced this season, Neuheisel heaped praise on UW QB Jake Locker and said he fully expects Locker to play despite having a deep thigh bruise.

"I'm sure he will be in the game, and what a fabulous player he is,'' Neuheisel said. "He's a truly remarkable guy. I know there are a lot of QBs who get the accolades and because of the programs they are in. But I don't think there's a finer quarterback in the country. I would be shocked if very many would be picked ahead of Locker if he were available.''

Neuheisel repeated a story he told yesterday that he was a guest coach at the Manning Passing Academy a few years ago that Locker attended and the two worked together a little bit. "He's just a remarkable young man,'' Neuheisel said.

As for what he's seen of the Huskies, Neuheisel said that "Sark (Steve Sarkisian) is off to agreat start and they've had a couple of signature-type performances, and it's fun to see Husky Stadium jumping around again.I watched bits and pieces of the USC game and when the camera starts shaking you start harkening back to some very fond memories.''