Returning star players give UW football team and its fans some much-needed good news
SEATTLE – The news came, as it tends to these days, in a tweetstorm.
One by one Monday, appropriately spread out like a well-designed formation, three prominent Washington football players used the social-media platform to announce their intention to return for the 2021 season.
Suddenly, the gloom that had settled over the Husky program since the decision two weeks ago to shut down for the season began to lift just a little.
“Got some unfinished business with my brothers. Looking forward to getting back to work with my Dawgs. I’m coming back for another year Husky Nation!!” tweeted offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland, starting it off.
Later in the day, tight end Cade Otton began his tweet with a tease for those wondering if he was going to head to the NFL: “I’m declaring … That the Dawgs are coming for it ALL in 2021, and I can’t wait to be apart of it.” (Otton later sheepishly tweeted out a correction, pointing out that he meant to say “a part” not “apart” – which had an entirely different meaning if you took it literally. “Good thing I’m going back to school,” he said, punctuated with some laughing emojis.)
Next up was breakout linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui, whose departure would have left a huge hole in the Husky defense: “I think it goes without saying that this team is just getting started, and so am I. See you next year Husky Nation!”
Late Monday night, running back Sean McGrew showed that he was his own man by using Instagram, not Twitter, to reveal his return: “Season didn’t end the way we wanted to, but me and my Dawgs got some unfinished business to handle. Coming back for one more season!!!! #6thyear”
So in one fell swoop, UW coach Jimmy Lake learned that three first-team All-Pac-12 players – Kirkland, Tupuola-Fetui and Otton – as well as his leading rusher, McGrew, were coming back. That same decision had already been announced by senior center Luke Wattenberg, meaning that the Huskies’ entire starting offensive line will return in 2021. Lake jokingly tweeted, “We Signed a Few 5 Star Players Today.”
And then, on Thursday, came one last gift to the program before the year ended: a tweet by senior outside linebacker Ryan Bowman that he, too, will be back in 2021.
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