BROCK AND SALK

A UW Huskies recruiting problem won’t stay fixed if Jimmy Lake replaces Tosh Lupoi as Alabama DC

Jan 17, 2019, 12:41 PM

UW Huskies co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake may be on Alabama's radar. (AP)...

UW Huskies co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake may be on Alabama's radar. (AP)

(AP)

Former UW Huskies defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi left his post as Alabama defensive coordinator to join the Cleveland Browns coaching staff, which at first seemed like a reason for Husky fans to breathe a sigh of relief.

Most underappreciated aspect of the Chris Petersen era at UW

Lupoi is known as a strong recruiter and has maintained a hold in the Pacific Northwest since leaving Washington, so with him jumping to the pros that is one less thing for Chris Petersen and company to worry about on the recruiting trail.

Here’s where the story takes a twist.

Among the names being bandied about that could replace Lupoi at Alabama is Jimmy Lake, one of Washington’s current co-defensive coordinators. And according to 710 ESPN Seattle host and ESPN college football analyst Brock Huard, losing Lake to Alabama would pose the same problem that UW had before when Lupoi was still with the Crimson Tide.

“The No. 1 recruit in America is gonna be a junior at Eastside Catholic (J.T. Tuimoloau). He is a game-changing defensive lineman, a freakish 285-pound pass-rusher that this conference doesn’t produce. You just don’t get many of them,” Huard said. “Tosh Lupoi very much by all accounts had him going to Alabama. Tosh leaves (and) Jimmy Lake is going to be sought after; there is no question in my mind he’s been reached out to.”

So, would Lake would take a job with Nick Saban’s team?

“If he gets paid three times the amount, if basically every coordinator worth his salt gets a head (coaching) job off of that position there at Alabama – (Georgia’s) Kirby Smart, (Tennessee’s) Jeremy Pruitt – I think it could be attractive, and Jimmy Lake’s gonna have a decision to make,” Huard said.

Lake is the most brash of Petersen’s current assistant coaches – just revisit his comments after the Huskies’ Apple Cup win that didn’t sit well with WSU die-hard Jim Moore – and losing that element could hurt an otherwise straight-laced Washington staff.

“His recruiting and his coaching and his developing – he’s just a little bit different,” Huard said of Lake. “If you’re around that program, as I get the chance to be, there’s Chris Petersen, just straight and narrow, buttoned-up, an absolute pro … (co-defensive coordinator) Pete Kwiatkowski, very much the same … and there’s Jimmy, who’s willing to mix it up. You have to have some edge in your program, and I think largely he’s brought that.”

You can hear the full discussion in the Blue 42 segment from Thursday’s edition of Brock and Salk.

CB Byron Murphy latest Huskies star to declare for NFL draft

Brock and Salk podcast

Brock and Salk

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Nelson Cruz reflects on his time with the Seattle Mariners on Brock & Salk

‘The Boomstick’ Nelson Cruz joined the Brock & Salk Show on Seattle Sports before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners 2024 season opener at T-Mobile Park. Cruz discussed his time with the Mariners, what retirement is like, and whether or not he would bring out the boomstick one more time before […]

42 minutes ago

Seattle Mariners Mitch Haniger...

Mike Salk

Salk: Scars remain as Mariners return, but hope isn’t far away

As the Seattle Mariners return for 2024, Seattle Sports' Mike Salk writes about seasons, scars, frustration, hope and baseball.

18 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft Payton Wilson...

Brandon Gustafson

Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: ‘Twitched up’ LB fills a need

Next up in Brock Huard's Seattle Seahawks draft profiles is a very intriguing defender in North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson.

22 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks Sam Howell...

Brandon Gustafson

New Seahawks QB Sam Howell describes trade, his role and more

The Seattle Seahawks have a new QB in Sam Howell, and he joined Brock & Salk on Wednesday to describe the trade that sent him to the Hawks.

24 hours ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Getting to know new Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Howell

What do Seattle Seahawks fans need to know about new QB Sam Howell? What will he bring to the QB room and competition this season? He joined the Brock and Salk show toady to talk about what type of QB the Seahawks are getting. Can he be a piece that helps this team get back […]

1 day ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Brock Huard’s NFL Draft Profile: Payton Wilson, LB – NC State

Today on Brock and Salk, Brock Huard looked at a potential fit for the Seattle Seahawks in the upcoming NFL Draft. Why does Brock think NC State LB Payton Wilson might be a defensive fit for the Seahawks? What else could he bring to the defense other than LB depth? Watch his breakdown of him […]

1 day ago

A UW Huskies recruiting problem won’t stay fixed if Jimmy Lake replaces Tosh Lupoi as Alabama DC