Be a Pro? Playing Like UW Coaches Did in Their Prime Would Suffice

Come play for descendants of two of the NFL's most famous coaches and be a pro was the standard University of Washington football sales pitch until Steve Belichick and Brennan Carroll decided one year in Montlake was enough for them and left town.

Now the marketing push leans more to show up and play like guys who could really get after it in their day.

The recent coaching shuffle for Jedd Fisch's staff has brought in three-time All-America safety Taylor Mays at USC and 51-game starter Michael Switzer for Ball State, with both receiving opportunities to pursue pro careers.

Current Husky players always like it when their fearless leaders have a past track record of high performance while demanding the same from them.

There's always something reassuring when players know their coaches personally have experienced the same things that are demanded from them.

Here's a look at the playing backgrounds for the core 11-man coaching staffers for UW football, beginning at the top.

JEDD FISCH, head coach -- An outlier and the exception to the rule with the Huskies, Fisch never played football at any level, instead choosing to compete at a high level in high school tennis in New Jersey and proving to be a cerebral football enthusiast only.

RYAN WALTERS, defensive coordinator -- Initially a quarterback at Colorado, Walters moved to defense and became a three-year safety starter for the Buffaloes, a team captain and team MVP as a senior in 2008. His UW predecessor, Belichick, was a one-year long snapper for Rutgers and never appeared in any games.

JIMMIE DOUGHERTY, offensive coordinator, QB coach -- Dougherty was a 10-game starter as a sophomore for a 4-7 Missouri team in the Big 12, completing 109 of 219 passes for 1,304 yards and 4 TDs, with 7 interceptions, before an elbow injury curtailed his career. His predecessor, Carroll, played two seasons at Pittsburgh and caught 4 passes for 37 yards and a score before finishing up at FCS Delaware.

JASON KAUFUSI, DL coach -- He was a much decorated Utah defensive lineman, earning co-Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors in 2000 and then first-team All-Mountain West selections in 2001 and 2002 before a shoulder injury wiped out his senior season.

MICHAEL SWITZER, OL coach -- The new Husky offensive-line coach started all 51 games played during his four-year career as an offensive guard for Ball State, capping it off with a third-team All-MAC selection as a senior in 2010. He went to NFL training camp as a free agent.

BRIAN ODOM, LBs coach -- Odom was an Oklahoma running back for two seasons, playing primarily on special teams, before transferring to Southeastern Oklahoma State and was a three-year Division II starter, earning first-team All-Lone Star honors in 2004. His predecessor, Robert Bala, was a two-year starter for FCS Southern Utah through 2007.

SCOTTIE GRAHAM, RBs coach -- Graham was a three-year starter for Ohio State, a team captain as a senior in 1991 and he finished his Buckeyes career with 1,768 yards and 19 touchdowns rushing before spending six seasons in the NFL.

JOHN RICHARDSON, secondary coach -- He was a two-year starting cornerback for North Dakota State at the FCS level, finishing with 85 tackles, 19 pass break-ups, a pair of interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

KEVIN CUMMINGS, WRs coach -- For Oregon State, Cummings started 13 games at wide receiver, nine as a senior in 2013, and he finished with career totals of 52 receptions for 627 yards and 4 scores.

TAYLOR MAYS, safeties coach -- Mays was a 50-game starting safety for the Trojans, earning second-team All-America honors as a freshman and first-team All-America accolades in each of his final three seasons through 2009, before playing five years in the NFL. His UW predecessor, Vinnie Sunseri, played in 33 games for Alabama over two and a half seasons and had 2 pick-six interceptions.

JORDAN PAOPAO, TEs coach -- He played center at the FCS level for Jim Harbaugh at San Diego and was named as an All-Pioneer League and an FCS All-America selection three times through the 2007 season

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