I know it was a bye week, but I'm curious to know who you all think the player of the week on offense, defense and/or special teams was against Cal?

Five-star WR N'Keal Harry tells me he thoroughly enjoyed his trip to Washington, but he's got three other official visits set and has some sorting to do.

Full update here: https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1809400

2017 tight end Austin Bryant from Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic picked up his first offer from Washington and spoke to Rivals.com about it.

Full update here: http://rvls.co/1VspfVF

Four-star CB Byron Murphy from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro took a trip to Washington last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed his stay in Seattle. He is scheduled to visit Texas A&M in a few weeks.

Arizona State, the local school, and USC are the other programs that right now are also in his top four.

Full update here: https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1808540

Hey guys, thought this might be of interest. Javon McKinley (who lists Washington in his top five) had a nice game Saturday, including this 89-yard kickoff return that may have been a TD but was called down at the half-yard line.

Rivals100 cornerback Byron Murphy recently visited Washington and tells me the Huskies are one of the top schools for him right now. He would like to schedule an official visit...

Full update here: https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1780941

No doubt, one of the biggest stories in Washington news right now is the recruitment of Markelle Fultz.

It's a big story because Fultz's stock has soared and he's seen as an immediate game-changer with a pro career. It's important for Washington because he just officially visited, has the Huskies on his short list, and now plans to decide soon, according to multiple reports.

Lots of considerations in making a judgment. First, there is no consensus opinion on where Fultz ends up. It seems like a few weeks ago Louisville was a trendy choice. Then Kentucky gained some steam again and with the commitment of Sacha Killeya-Jones there yesterday some are wondering about the timing and whether that might have been a nudge in the direction of Lexington.

But if you want to talk timing it's impossible to overlook the chatter of a forthcoming decision immediately following his trip to Washington. As mentioned before here at TDR, it's also worth considering that Romar has a strong trust and relationship with Fultz, that his visit to Montlake went very good, and that he now can put names with faces on the team - beyond that, by all accounts, he got along well with everyone. Especially Dejounte Murray.

It could be attractive for Fultz to step in at Washington in 2016. With this year likely a serious rebuilding project (not predicting losses here, just saying, putting together a very different team), the 2016 season would be more about guys with a little more experience, presumably playing better and more acclimated, and the Huskies trying to add the right pieces for a run.

Basically where things stand now is this: Fultz is open to a decision in the next "one to two weeks," he told T.J. Walker of CatsIllustrated.com. But he added that he is not sure it will come. If he decides against a decision in the next week or two then it's very possible (and likely) he could take more official visits. Read into that what you will, but I have to think that a quick decision gives Washington a better chance. A quick decision doesn't necessarily mean Washington's the choice; I think that's tough to tell. But a drawn out process with more visits puts more distance between Fultz's Washington visit and his choice, and would favor other schools. It would also mean that the trip to UW was not enough; if he decides soon it's entirely possible that was the consideration.

Class of 2018 running back/athlete T.J. Pledger of West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade picked up his first offer from Washington weeks ago and USC quickly followed with their own offer after he camped there.

I spoke with Pledger yesterday and he told me that he will attend the USC-Washington game on October 8. That's decent news for Washington, because one of the reasons he wants to take the trip is both schools have offered. But getting him on campus is still a top priority.

Long way to go here but Pledger told me that Washington is in it for the long haul because they were first to offer.

Markelle Fultz recently took his official visit to Washington and the internet is buzzing with the revelation that he's now perhaps leaning towards not taking any more official visits. Previously there was chatter that he might take a trip to Lexington, Ky., as he's become a top target for John Calipari. There are some who believe Fultz might know he wants to go to Kentucky. And there are some who believe he might pass on the trip because he doesn't want to go there.

Either way, we can report that Fultz's visit went very well. According to one person who had some understanding of how the visit went, Fultz's in-person time with the coaches cemented his feelings on the coaching staff. Romar has invested a lot of his own time and energy into recruiting Fultz and Washington has long been a darkhorse, but I think now we can move the Huskies out of the darkhorse category and into more of a strong contender role.

There isn't chatter that a decision for Washington is forthcoming, but Fultz may be ready to decide sooner rather than later and they're still in the conversation. Fultz is a pro talent that would expedite the 'face lift' via recruiting that Romar's trying to give it.

Five-star shooting guard Markelle Fultz begins his official visit to Washington on Thursday. It's the Huskies' big chance to make their impression, and they'll need to because some heavy-hitters are coming on strong as well. Kentucky looms large in his recruitment but Fultz has always had a healthy interest level in Washington.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha is fresh off a visit to Arizona and just before that, at the beginning of August, he also visited Louisville. So with the trips packed together everything's happening pretty quickly.

Here's video of Travis Feeney from Media Days on Thursday.

Link: Feeney at Media Days

Here's exclusive video of Chris Petersen live from Media Days.

McKenna Keil caught up with Deontae Cooper live at Thursday's portion of Media Days.

Link: Cooper video

Here's a photo gallery featuring Washington's crew at Pac-12 Media Days.

Link here

There wasn't any coach-speak when Chris Petersen was asked about the season opener against Boise State. It's clearly not just another game. It's an 'awkward' game for him on a personal level.

Story: 'Awkward' opener for Petersen

Seniors stepping up was a theme that defined UDUB's 2014 season and even the offseason with the NFL Draft. It will again define the Huskies in 2015, whether those seniors do step up or not.

Story - Pete: Seniors must step up

Washington's on the clock and follows UCLA. We'll have updates on things as they go down.

There's a lot to like about Washington's recruiting class and if there were any lingering doubts as to whether Chris Petersen could put together an upper echelon Pac-12 class by quality then he's putting many of them to rest with the quartet of four stars he already has.

But last night I'm sure many of you saw that Michael Eletise picked Arizona. Many had believed Washington would be the choice. Hawaii's top-ranked player kept most folks guessing right up until the end when he decided on his local news at 9 p.m. PST.

That's a really bad beat because many folks were counting on UDUB's line class being anchored by a four-star duo of Eletise and Luke Wattenberg. They've still got the latter and that's better than many schools can say. But Eletise was a truly elite interior lineman that Petersen himself had invested a lot in, both in terms of his time and in shaping the recruiting board. Offensive guards aren't franchise players and better a guard you want than a tackle you need.

Where do they go from here?

Michael Alves is another four-star guard that the Husky staff really likes. UCLA figures to be among their top competitors and while Alves keeps things very quiet it's being rumored that the Bruins may be at or near the front of his mind in the big picture.

Washington had also offered two-star offensive guard Denzel Okafor of Texas -- important to note here that his offer list has more of a four-star look -- but it's very likely he stays in the Lone Star State.

Wattenberg is 'likely' a tackle according to our thinking but we can't say with certainty.

Center/interior lineman Toleafoa Auwae knows Eletise well and is also from Hawaii. Washington offered him but didn't crack the top eight that he released a while back.

Of all the offensive linemen that have offers according to what's known publicly it appears that Washington's chances are best with Clarence Henderson of Dallas (Tex.) Skyline. He told TDR earlier this month that UDUB is one of his top choices and it seems that's unchanged.

It doesn't have to be a huge offensive line class but they will need more than Wattenberg. Eletise is a loss, no getting around it. Expect the staff to cast the net and target a new pool of players.

Visiting Stanford and Washington this week.. The 2017 four-star TE from Roseville, Calif., said he has the best relationship with the UW staff.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1786420&PT=4&PR=2

USC and Oregon offered Kirkland (Wash.) Juanita athlete Salvon Ahmed this summer but he's still got Washington near the front of his mind. He talks to the Husky coaching staff as much as any other and plans to attend at least one, maybe more games at UDUB this fall.

Washington has offered Ahmed as an athlete. So has Oregon. USC has offered him as a running back. Sort of like Melquise Stovall, Ahmed wants to be thought of as an all-purpose back/slot/athlete, although he's a little more leaning to running back than Stovall. However, he said that does not help USC's chances because it's so early.

He and Foster Sarell are going to be the subject of intense national scrutiny as the West's top programs vie for them over the next year. Ahmed and Sarell actually played basketball together when they were younger but they don't really keep in touch now. Not on bad terms or anything, they've just gone their separate ways. Only say that to indicate they won't influence one another as two elite recruits from the state.

It is worth noting that USC already has a running back commit in '17 and they also want to flip California native Najee Harris from Alabama, so that's something that other schools will probably be telling Ahmed to try to hurt USC's case. He's likely to attend a game or two at USC and Oregon in addition to Washington this fall. Those three seem to be the major early players.

The three-star DB from Los Angeles Loyola could make his decision in the next few weeks. UW has to be considered the frontrunner.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1782584&PT=4&PR=2

USC landed a commitment from Rivals100 receiver/athlete Trevon Sidney yesterday but today he told me that he will still take official visits to Washington, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Four-star offensive guard Michael Eletise from Honolulu Kaiser has named his final five at The Opening and Washington made the cut... He is set to visit the Huskies on Monday.

Find out why here: https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1781609

The 2017 three-star from Redlands (Calif.) East Valley who was just offered by the Huskies plans to visit this summer.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1781577&PT=4&PR=2

The 2017 four-star DB will visit Washington this summer.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1781569&PT=4&PR=2