Kelso Back Typifies Home-Grown Talent -- Huskies Await Word From 15 Prep Recruits

Their numbers will be down slightly this year - the Pac-10 saw to that - but the staple of University of Washington football remains the same: home-grown talent.

Nine of 14 players to sign letters of intent this morning with the Huskies were from the Northwest, including Parade Magazine All-America offensive tackle Tony Coats of South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard.

Coat's teammate, Benji Olson, also signed with Washington.

The Huskies added a surprising signing today, cornerback Brendan Jones from Crescenta Valley, Calif., who is expected to enroll in school this spring and thus count not against this year's scholarship limitations, but last year's.

Also counting against last year's totals are junior-college transfers Greg Quesada, a wide receiver, and linemen Eugene Semenivage and Robert Hicks, who enrolled in school last month.

One of the first to sign this morning with the Huskies was Kelso running back Ty Fotheringill, who didn't make "Best in the West," or Blue Chip All-American, or even take a recruiting trip other than one to Seattle.

"I knew where I wanted to go," he said last night. "Since I started playing football, everything has been Husky, Husky, Husky around here."

Fotheringill is an intriguing prospect, symbolic of Washington recruiting. He has been a lightly publicized player, but he can run.

Speed is speed, whether it is in Los Angeles or Southwest Washington.

At last summer's UW football camp, Fotheringill won both camp races. In the process, he beat state sprint champion Marvin Kasim of Sealth, who also has committed orally to Washington.

"They timed Ty in 4.4 at their camp," Kelso coach Ed Laulainen said. "Ty has been an explosive player for us. In 2 1/2 years he has scored 53 touchdowns."

Fotheringill, 5 feet 9, 180, ran 10.7 in the 100 meters last spring in track, and long-jumped 22-9, third in the state meet.

"I should win it this year," he said, "I scratched last year at 23-6."

Fotheringill is the only true tailback to make a commitment to the Huskies. The other running backs, George Keiaho and Jason Harris, are more powerful fullback-types.

"He can make you miss, he has great balance and vision, and he gets his motor started very quickly," Laulainen said.

Fotheringill drew recruiting attention, but dismissed it.

"I probably could have visited Colorado and Washington State, a few other Pac-10 schools, maybe even Notre Dame," he said. "But I committed real early, and so it really didn't matter."

The Huskies also received a letter this morning from safety Chad Wolfe of Lebanon, Ore., who had announced earlier he would attend Oregon after the Huskies were unable to offer him a scholarship.

When Brad Hutt, a lineman from Woodinville, unexpectedly picked Air Force instead of Washington, the Huskies made the scholarship available to Wolfe, and he took it.

Vavae Tata, a defensive end from St. Louis High School in Honolulu, didn't help Washington's situation when he announced today he would attend UCLA.

Tata, 6-3, 240, made visits to UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, California and Washington. He played high-school football with Petrocelli Kesi, a freshman offensive lineman for the Huskies. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Washington commitments

Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High school.

Tony Coats # OL 6-7 280 Port Orchard/South Kitsap.

David Cruikshank # DL 6-6 240 Dana Point, Calif./Dana Hills.

Aaron Dalan # OL 6-8 290 Sequim

Reggie Davis # DB 6-4 200 Cypress, Calif./Christian

Bretheran

Ty Fotheringill # RB 5-10 180 Kelso

Jason Harris # FB 6-1 195 LaPuente, Calif./Bishop Amat.

Ben Kadletz # OL 6-4 275 LaCanada, Calif./St. Francis.

Marvin Kasim # WR 5-9 165 Seattle/Chief Sealth.

George Keiaho # RB 5-9 200 Ventura, Calif./Buena.

Chris Lang # DL 6-6 240 Bremerton.

Tom Matijacic # LB 6-0 220 Lake Oswego, Ore.

Benji Olson # OL 6-4 280 Port Orchard/South Kitsap.

Josh Smith # DL 6-4 225 Bellingham/Sehome.

Chad Wolfe # DB 6-3 210 Lebanon, Ore.

Chad Wright # LB 6-3 233 Fife.

Brendan Jones # CB 5-11 175 Crescenta Valley, Calif.

# Signed letters of intent today