The strong safety position wasn’t so robust for the Washington Huskies last season. And the list of inexperienced no-names certainly didn’t go down in the who’s-who annals of great UW defensive backs.
To give you an idea of how bad it was in 2008, before the final game at California, the top two strong safeties on the depth chart were a mid-20-something walk-on (Tripper Johnson) and a convert from running back (Johri Fogerson).
That might have made some people wonder whatever happened to that promising, hard-hitting Victor Aiyewa from the 2008 Husky Spring Game?
Good news – he will play today as the Huskies take the field for the final time this spring under new coach Steve Sarkisian.
And even better news, he might be as healthy as he’s been since last year’s final spring scrimmage at Husky Stadium, during which he was one of the bright spots on the defense.
Aiyewa was so impressive that he entered fall camp last August on the short list of candidates to start at strong safety. And when senior Jason Wells was slow to recover from a knee injury, the position really opened up.
So, what really happened to Aiyewa?
“I was doing squats (with weights) before last fall camp came up,” Aiyewa said. “I kind of felt a pop and stuff, and it never really got better.”
On some days last fall, Aiyewa was on the field, practicing. On other days, he inexplicably was on the sideline, standing around.
“Everyone could tell he was frustrated,” UW free safety Nate Williams said.
What was thought to be a slow-healing groin injury limited him to five games, all in a reserve role.
“I thought I could make a difference out there, so I tried to come back,” Aiyewa said. “But I couldn’t burst. I really couldn’t change directions.”
By November, the diagnosis had changed to a sports hernia, for which he had surgery in December.
It was a lost season for Aiyewa, a product of Fresno, Texas. But he’s gotten a fresh start with the new coaching staff. Early this spring, he delivered a hit felt around Montlake, planting receiver Cody Bruns right off the field.
“That hit he made on Cody, ever since then, he’s telling us, ‘I am healthy now. I can run with these guys,’ ” Williams said. “He’s looking a lot better. He’s hitting hard. That is what we need back there.”
UW safety coach Jeff Mills lumps Aiyewa in a group contending for the starting position at strong safety. Right now, it appears that Fogerson and Greg Walker are rotating with the first-string defense, with Aiyewa running with the No. 2 unit.
“He’s in the mix,” Mills said. “I like him as a versatile athlete, and really in the last week, he’s had a good week.”
Fully healthy, Aiyewa isn’t avoiding ball-handlers, but he is side-stepping any more visits to team doctors.
“There’s nothing like competition to make you better and get out of the trainer’s room,” Mills said. “The old phrase, ‘You can’t make the club in the tub,’ it always applies. Guys see that.”
Aiyewa, who played only one year of high school football, isn’t worried about anything but going full bore, issuing hits at full force.
“They ... base the depth chart on who is performing at the best level. Whoever is doing that is going to play,” Aiyewa said. “The starting spot is wide open. You have to keep making plays — let the best man win.”
Extra points
Sarkisian said today’s scrimmage will last as many as 90 plays, designed to give many players plenty of opportunities to shine. ... As many as 200 former players are expected to attend today’s game.
Todd Milles: 253-597-8442
todd.milles@thenewstribune.com">todd.milles@thenewstribune.com
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