Clayton: Seahawks set up to improve defense with draft, free agency

UW Huskies forward Matisse Thybulle joined 710 ESPN Seattle's Danny, Dave and Moore Friday to talk about how the Dawgs have been able to get off to a fast start in the Pac-12.

The Mariners aren't expected to be a contender in 2019 – in fact, general manager Jerry Dipoto said this season will be a "step back" and a "re-imagining" of the roster. But for 710 ESPN Seattle's Bob Stelton, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Meet some of Seattle's new faces as they get set for a big weekend after their long eastern swing.

Robert Franks scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds as WSU beat California 82-59 on Thursday in a clash of the Pacific 12 Conference's winless teams.

Zach Norvell Jr. scored 17 points and No. 5 Gonzaga used a stout defense to beat Loyola Marymount 73-55 on Thursday night, the eighth consecutive win for the Bulldogs.

Jaylen Nowell scored 22 points, Nahziah Carter added 13 points off the bench and the UW Huskies won their sixth straight game with an 80-64 victory over Stanford.

710 ESPN Seattle's Brock Huard doesn't expect the Seahawks to make waves in free agency. More than that, he's hoping the big moves come from other teams signing former Seahawks. The reason? Much-needed future compensatory picks.

The Lions hired Darrell Bevell as their new offensive coordinator in a move Detroit hopes will help the team rebound after a disappointing year.

Roddy Ross joined the Thunderbirds on New Year's Day and has won his first three starts in the WHL.

Dave Wyman puts the focus on No. 3, Russell Wilson, as he grades the Seahawks' Pro Bowl quarterback's 2018 season in the latest edition of Football 101.

Gonzaga aims to record its 29th consecutive home victory over the Loyola Marymount Lions on Thursday when the two West Coast Conference programs square off in Spokane.

John Clayton takes a close look at a pair of situations facing the Seahawks: Frank Clark's admission that he played at "60 percent" in 2018 due to a pair of elbow injuries, and the revolving door at kicker.

Members of the Washington State community were urged to light a candle and hold a moment of silence in memory of quarterback Tyler Hilinski on Wednesday, the one-year anniversary of his death.

WSU is creating a neuroscience center named for former Cougars and New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason, which is expected to open at the school's satellite campus in Spokane in the second half of the year.

Pete Carroll said soon-to-be free agent DE Frank Clark will be with the Seahawks next year, but that might require them to do something they haven't in almost a decade: use the franchise tag.