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Dawg Bites: Tuesday, October 25th

Following up on our Monday edition of Dawg Bites we've got more UW recruiting news and notes in our Tuesday edition, including a crystal ball prediction for 2017 four-star cornerback Elijah Molden...

*** 2018 four-star San Diego (Calif.) St. Augustine cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart -- Washington has been quickly this season for the No.47 overall prospect in next years class. With the Huskies moving into the top four in both the Associated Press and Coaches poll this week it's something that has caught his eye even more.

"My thoughts in UDub right now are just all great thoughts and very surprise and happy for the program they run there," Taylor-Stuart told Rivals on Monday night. "In my opinion I didn't think they would have been in the top four just because I was listening to the media and seeing the tweets during preseason. But they prove me wrong and that's a great accomplishment for them. As long as they can keep this up and keep battling and stay in the top 4 there's a 50-perent chance I'll fly down there and watch Washignton play. All the coaches and players are extremely playing and coaching right. A big congrats for them. So Washignton is my top list right now."

Recently the four-star prospect picked up an offer from Oregon, but he maintains that Washington is on top of his list right now as the Huskies continue to run the table this season...

*** Huskies still keeping defensive line prospects warm while sorting out numbers -- We reported a while back that Washington was going to stand pat with four-star DT commit Marlon Tuipulotu for this class as the lone defensive line commit. Now, things have changed slightly with three prospects getting the attention of UW defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe...

Malloe will continue to focus on Jay Tufele, Jaelan Phillips and Brandon Pili as the three defensive linemen who could join the class in the final spot for the 2017 class. Recently, Pili told Rivals' Mike Singler: "I recently received a call from the defensive line coach [Malloe] and the head coach Chris Petersen from UDub saying that they really wanted me and it's a no-brainer to have me on their team. So they were looking to see if they could move around some numbers and see if they could get me a scholarship for another defensive line position."

Malloe visited Pili last Friday and also checked in on Tufele, who listed Washington in his top seven, during the Huskies' bye-week. Pili would get an offer once it became clear that Tufele and Phillips aren't coming, and UW elects to take Pili over another athlete that isn't an offensive lineman.

*** Elijah Molden getting use to purple and gold -- We will have a full visit report later this morning after talking with Molden last night. However, Washington made a significant impact during the visit with his mother, who is already enamored with UW, and while the four-star cornerback is playing things close to his chest it's becoming a little clear if UW wants Molden they are looking more likely to get him.

Molden said the fall of Oregon has definitely become a factor and while Stanford has renowned academics, he knows there's something special taking place on Montlake. Right now I would say if Washington is taking Molden as their last defensive back, which Rivals has learned would be the case, I've got the four-star cornerback pegged to Washington.

Dawg Bites: Monday, October 24th

Our second installation of Dawg Bites is up this afternoon with a couple notes on some recent visitors as well as well as a couple notes that could spell big implications moving forward...

*** 2017 four-star Honolulu (Hi.) St. Louis linebacker Isaac Slade-Matautia -- Washington is basically holding its fourth spot for someone who they choose to really, really want, with the other three going to offensive linemen. One player that could go to is Isaac Llade-Matautia, the No.2 prospect in Hawaii this season and No.13 inside linebacker according to Rivals.

The family told Rivals over the weekend they're still working to select the final/top five schools that Isaac will move forward with. However, one that definitely will make the cut is Washington. The family said the five schools he cuts his list to will be the five they take official visits to.

*** 2017 five-star Redlands (Calif.) East Valley defensive end/UCLA commit Jaelan Phillips -- Reports have surfaced recently citing the prized Bruin commit in 2017 will take an official visit to Washington. Phillips maintained throughout the summer, when a majority of UCLA commits were backing off their pledge, that he is solid to UCLA and does not expect that to change.

However, with the reports surfacing I texted the five-star DE directly asking if he has set up an official to Washington. Phillips' response: "I'm not sure yet. Nothing has been planned."

Phillips, the No.24 overall prospect according to Rivals' rankings, has acknowledge that he continues to hear from the Husky coaches including defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe and area recruiter Keith Bhonapha. Washington would certainly hold a spot, or somehow crunch the numbers to fit Phillips in.

*** 2017 three-star Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary's offensive tackle Popo Aumavae -- We've said for a while now that Washington will take three offensive linemen in this class and while Foster Sarell and Henry Bainivalu are the two most talked about, there are others still in play. One of which is Aumavae, a 6'4, 300-pound tackle who UW has been in on since the spring and recently discussed an official visit with offensive line coach Chris Strausser and linebackers coach Bob Gregory.

"We just talked recently because I was talking about an official visit up there," Aumavae told Rivals. "I don't know what exact date but I was going to come up the same day Marlon and Ariel come."

Aumavae referring to UW commits Marlon Tuipulotu and Ariel Ngata, both US Army All-Americans. Tuipulotu has come up for two games this season but both official visits are expected to come after the season, an emphasis Petersen and staff have had since day one to allow the most time spent with prospects. Expect UW to be selective with their pickings of a first offensive line commit outside of Bainivalu or Sarell.

*** 2018 three-star Nashville (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy linebacker Jack Sirmon -- One of a couple unofficial visitors this weekend was the cousin of 2018 UW quarterback commit Jacob Sirmon. The three-star linebacker visited Washington in July for one of the Huskies' Rising Stars Camps, but hadn't yet taken in a game.

Following the Huskies 41-17 victory over Oregon State this weekend Washington has definitely made mark on his recruitment. Sirmon spoke with Petersen, Gregory, Kwiatkowski and even offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith, defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and tight ends coach Jordan Paopao.

Washington made it clear again this weekend just how interested they are in the three-star linebacker. Sirmon said Husky Stadium definitely felt like home.

*** 2018 Prospects to Watch Moving Forward -- With the 2017 class all but complete Washington has pushed a lot of its attention toward next years class. We've been reporting on a lot of names already but a couple to watch closely are USC linebacker commit Raymond Scott, Rivals100 athlete Jaiden Woodbey and four-star cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart.

Dawg Bites: Wednesday, October 19th

Over the past couple weeks we've reported that 2017 four-star cornerback Elijah Molden and 2018 three-star linebacker Jackson Sirmon will headline the visitor list this weekend for Washington. Molden will be completing his final official visit while Sirmon will make his second unofficial to UW this year, having visited this summer.

We've got that and more in our first edition of Dawg Bites --

*** 2017 four-star Provo (Utah.) Timpview safety Chaz Ah You told Rivals this week he'll visit UCLA on Nov. 19 vs USC, and visit Washington, Stanford and Oklahoma State for each official respectively in January. No dates have been set for the January official visits but those are the three he wants to take after the season.

Ah You, a 6'1, 185-pound safety, will go on an LDS mission following graduation, so he won't count toward the scholarship count this year which will allow UW to take him should he want to commit. UW defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski have played point on his recruitment thus far and his relationship with Malloe in particular has grown a lot over the past couple months.

*** 2017 four-star West Linn (Ore.) cornerback Elijah Molden will make his last official visit this weekend, with the Huskies continuing to rise as his trip inches closer. Tuesday night, another cornerback target fell off the board with four-star prospect Elijah Hicks committing to Notre Dame. However, the question is if Washington would take a second and arguably third cornerback in this class, along with four-star Keith Taylor and four-star athlete Salvon Ahmed. Washington could also turn four-star running back commit Connor Wedington into a running back, so there are a lot more options to move guys around in this years class. If Petersen and Lake feel Molden is worth it, something I firmly believe the coaches do truly feel, that would be the last non-offensive line commit for the class of 2017. . .in theory. Washington wants to take three offensive linemen in this cycle and with Foster Sarell, the No.3 overall prospect and a five-star offensive tackle, along with Henry Bainivalu being two top in-state targets, the Huskies have to hold three spots without question.

*** 2018 three-star Nashville (Tenn.) Brentwood linebacker Jackson Sirmon will visit Washington this weekend and Wisconsin at the end of the month for his only two in-season visits. The three-star linebacker already holds an offer from UW and is the cousin of 2018 four-star quarterback commit Jacob Sirmon.

"I'm very excited to get back up there this weekend," Sirmon told Rivals of his upcoming visit. "Just getting up there and talking to the coaches and watching the game."

UW linebackers coach Bob Gregory and head coach Chris Petersen have been the two coaches recruiting the defensive-minded Sirmon and both have built a strong relationship early. It's a decent way from his recruitment coming to a head, but expect the Sirmon's to be suiting up together inside Husky Stadium for years to come.

*** Washington running backs coach and area recruiter Keith Bhonapha visited 2018 four-star wide receiver Marquis Spiker last Friday for Murrieta Vista's game and Washington is starting to make even more headway in Spiker's recruitment. UW is already in the thick of things for several elite receivers in 2018 including Chase Williams, Austin Osborne and now Spiker.

*** From the onset of the 2017 class the number of available scholarships we've been reporting has been 17. That number is very much still the target, however, a source told Rivals this week that Washington is looking at losing potentially seven underclassmen to the 2017 NFL Draft, but UW is hoping for a number around 3-5 when all is said and done.

*** Having yet to play a game in 2016 and already served a three-game suspension by Petersen to begin the season for a violation of team rules, wide receiver Brayden Lenius will redshirt this season to preserve a year of eligibility. Lenius has been suited in his No.81 jersey on the sidelines throughout the season, once the suspension was completed - without pads. Sources told Rivals this week that Lenius will remain at Washington and doesn't show signs of considering a transfer.
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Quote from Oregon State HC Gary Andersen

On what concerns him the most about Washington

"All of it - the fact that you look at the film and don't really see a weakness. That's a sign of an elite team, I would say. They've done a tremendous job recruiting for many years. It's very obvious on film. They have a good scheme, and the program as a whole is a big concern. The ranking that they have is well deserved with how they've been handling their business this year."
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