Washington Football fired Jimmy Lake during a 2021 season that, after a promising (but abbreviated) 2020 campaign ended in a 4-8 record that included a drubbing from rival Washington State–at home.

Now with new head coach Kalen DeBoer, the Huskies are looking to once again be relevant not just in the Pac-12 but in the national CFB landscape.

Their recruiting potential combined with being the last Pac-12 team to make the College Football Playoff might help them get back to that state of national relevance.

On this episode of Locked On Pac-12, I dive into the mailbag from listeners asking about the Washington Huskies.

USC feels ripe for rejoining the national stage in college football, and Oregon has garnered national attention for the better part of the last decade.

With Utah on the rise, are the Utes the next Pac-12 team that could become regularly discussed on the national level, or is Washington (despite being in a worse current state as a program) better equipped to do so?

Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr., given his history with Kalen DeBoer, seems like the leader to be Washington’s starting quarterback this year.

If that’s the case, though it might not be in the best long-term interests of the program, could that mean former 5-star QB Sam Huard might decide to transfer?

It’s possible, but some circumstances surrounding the school he’s at might help him decide to stay in Seattle and fully wait his turn.

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• McLaughlin: Pressure Ramping up on George Kliavkoff

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• McLaughlin: ASU Better Suited for Pac-12 or Big 12?

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Should Aim for 5 or 6-Year Media Deal

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• McLaughlin: Signs Pac-12 Media Deal may be Coming Soon

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• McLaughlin: Best Indication Yet that Pac-12 is Unified?

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Should Only Have 1 Streaming Partner

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• McLaughlin: Does New President Change Oregon’s Future?

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• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Allowing Media to Shape Narrative

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• McLaughlin: No Deadline for Pac-12 Media Rights Deal?

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• McLaughlin: Pros and Cons of Oregon Joining the Big Ten

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• McLaughlin: What Lack of Media Deal Means for Pac-12

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• McLaughlin: Rating New Oregon Assistants as Recruiters

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• McLaughlin: Former Coaches Concerned about Pac-12

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• McLaughlin: UCLA or Arizona First Pac-12 Natty since 1997?

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• McLaughlin: Oregon Better as Independent than in Pac-12?

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• Author
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Spencer McLaughlin

Spencer McLaughlin contributes videos to SuperWest Sports and is the host of "Locked on Pac-12."

Latest posts by Spencer McLaughlin (see all)

• McLaughlin: Pressure Ramping up on George Kliavkoff

  Spencer is joined by 'Locked On Big 12' host Josh Neighbors to talk about the two conferences - March 22, 2023

• McLaughlin: ASU Better Suited for Pac-12 or Big 12?

  Spencer is joined by 'Locked on Sun Devils' host Richie Bradshaw to discuss the pros and cons - March 21, 2023

• McLaughlin: Pac-12 Should Aim for 5 or 6-Year Media Deal

  Spencer looks at what might come out of the Pac-12 CEOs meeting on Tuesday, March 21st - March 20, 2023