Latest news with #WashingtonHuskies
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Washington football lands commitment from fast-rising three-star WR
The Washington Huskies rounded out their wide receivers class on Saturday morning after securing a commitment from three-star prospect Blaise LaVista. LaVista, a product of Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Illinois, will have a new quarterback this season, after four-star prospect and USC commit Jonas Williams transferred into the program. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, LaVista was one of the most successful receivers in the state last year, tallying 60 catches for a state-leading 1,447 yards and 24 touchdowns. Catching passes from Williams, he's also likely to receive a major ratings bump from the 247Sports Composite, which ranked him as the No. 193 receiver in the class and No. 32 player in the state. The Huskies were the first Power Four team to offer the fast-rising prospect after he won Alpha Dog on the first day of the OT7 7-on-7 Finals, and that helped the pass catcher make up his mind. "I just got off the phone with Coach Fisch, I told him I'm going to be a Dawg," LaVista told Scott Eklund on Saturday. "Generally, it comes down to the relationship I have with the staff. They have pushed hard for me from day one. I get a text every day from them. They are asking me about me and my family. It's about everything from football to family, to culture, to education. They really are focused on me and supporting everything that will help me be a better player and person." According to the rising prospect, who chose the Huskies over offers from Akron, Central Michigan, Kent State, and Marshall, among others, several other Power Four programs reached out to him after the Huskies offered, but it was too late. "A lot of Power Four programs called me and were like 'are we too late?'," LaVista added. "I was like, 'Yeah, I know where I want to be', so they didn't offer me, but there were a lot." LaVista is expected to round out a wide receivers class that also includes four-star Mason James and three-star athlete Dre Pollard.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Baylee Klingler, Blaze, win first AUSL series with 10-2 barrage on Sis Bates, Volts
Former Washington Huskies stars Baylee Klingler and Sis Bates wrapped up a three-game series at Husky Softball Stadium on Sunday afternoon as part of the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, with the Klingler-led Blaze taking the series 2-1 behind a 10-2 win over the Bates-led Volts in the rubber match. Duke product Ana Gold led the offensive onslaught for the Blaze, going 3-for-3 with a walk and 4 runs batted in on the day. She blasted a solo home run in the second inning, one of three homers for the Blaze on the day, and added an RBI single in the sixth inning, along with a two-run single in the seventh. Klingler was an integral part of the Blaze's offense, reaching base twice. She poked an RBI double down the right field line in the sixth inning, and walked and scored a run in the seventh as her team won its first series of the season. In the series, Klingler, who was a three-time All-American during her career on Montlake, went 5-for-11 with a walk, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 3 runs scored, continuing her long tradition of spraying the ball all over the diamond in Seattle. On the other side, Bates had a quiet day at the plate as she went 0-for-2 with a walk. Over the weekend, the three-time All-American and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year went 3-for-9, collecting all three of her hits during the Volts' only win of the weekend on Friday. Next up, Bates and the Volts will travel to Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, for a four-game series against the Bandits, while Klingler and the Blaze are off to Dumke Family Softball Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, for four games against the Talons.
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas City Chiefs 90-man roster by jersey number: No. 40, DB Jacobe Covington
The Kansas City Chiefs signed rookie defensive back Jacobe Covington after the 2025 NFL draft. Covington spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Washington Huskies before transferring to play for the University of Southern California Trojans from 2022 until 2024. As a collegian, Covington recorded one interception, one sack, one forced fumble, and 65 combined tackles. In five seasons, Covington played in a total of 42 games. While Covington will have a hard time cracking Kansas City's 53-man roster as a rookie, he could be an ideal fit for the Chiefs' practice squad next season. What jersey number does Jacobe Covington wear? Jacobe Covington currently wears the No. 40 jersey for the Kansas City Chiefs. How much money will Jacobe Covington make in 2025? According to Covington will receive a base salary of $840,000 in 2025. His current contract runs through 2027 and is worth a total of $2,965,000. Top Jacobe Covington highlight
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pittsburgh Steelers OT Troy Fautanu placed on NFL All-Breakout Team
Former Washington Huskies star offensive lineman Troy Fautanu didn't see the field much during his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the 2023 All-Pac-12 First Team honoree and Morris Trophy winner was selected in the first round at No. 20 overall, the organization had big plans for him to step in as their left tackle while moving 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones to right tackle. However, those plans didn't last long. After a knee injury forced him to miss the majority of the preseason and sidelined him for Week One, Fautanu made his first career start in Week Two and performed admirably, not allowing any sacks or pressures. Then, in practice the following week, he suffered a dislocated kneecap that required surgery to correct and forced him to miss the remainder of the season. After such a brief rookie season, analyst Bucky Brooks included Fautanu on his list of the 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team alongside his college teammate, wide receiver Rome Odunze. "He has a chance to earn Pro Bowl consideration as a first-time starter, thanks to his exceptional talent and polished technique," Brooks wrote. "He is a natural edge blocker with the balance, body control, and lateral quickness to effectively shadowbox pass rushers in space. With Aaron Rodgers poised to throw the ball all over the yard behind a young and dynamic offensive line, the second-year tackle could reap the rewards from dominating his matchups in the spotlight." With Rodgers at the helm and a new batch of playmakers around him in running back Kaleb Johnson and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, Fautanu is gearing up to try and bring the Steelers to an AFC North title after they came up two games short of his former bookend, Roger Rosengarten and the Baltimore Ravens. Before his injury, Fautanu had earned a lot of praise during training camp from several of his teammates, including one of the NFL's best pass rushers, his teammate, TJ Watt. 'I think he's done a great job," Watt said in August 2024. "He's done a great job of changing up his sets and doing different things. It's always fun when you get a new tackle to go against because it's not necessarily the same technique that you're used to seeing day in and day out. It's been a great competition.'
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bucky Brooks places Rome Odunze on 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team
Rome Odunze had a strong rookie season after the Chicago Bears selected the Washington Huskies Consensus All-American with the No. 9 overall pick in 2024. He tallied 54 catches for 734 yards and 3 touchdowns while working with a fellow rookie at quarterback in the No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, behind a pair of veterans in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and a weak offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks last year. That's without mentioning that his head coach and offensive coordinator were both fired midseason. That perfect storm has led to Odunze starting to build a fair amount of hype ahead of his second season with head coach Ben Johnson taking over the offense, and on Friday, analyst Bucky Brooks named Odunze to his 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team. "Ben Johnson's arrival and Caleb Williams' expected development should result in increased production for the Bears' WR2 in 2025," Brooks wrote. "As a big-bodied playmaker with sticky hands and rugged running skills, Odunze can excel as a possession receiver in a ball-control offense that frequently targets the middle of the field. With Williams instructed to play on time, the QB should find the second-year receiver early and often, with opponents forced to defend a multi-faceted attack that efficiently mixes run and pass plays with a creative approach." Odunze, who finished third on the team as a rookie with 101 targets, is set to see a significant increase in that department during his sophomore season after Chicago opted not to retain Allen after trading for him ahead of the 2024 season. Over three seasons as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, Johnson produced four 1,000-yard receivers, and with him calling the shots in Chicago, a revamped offensive line in front of Williams, and Odunze's offseason development, a big step forward is well within reach for the former Washington superstar.
