UW Fresh Start (No. 55): Bandes Can Sing, But Can He Dominate Up front?
We didn't forget defensive tackle Jacob Bandes in this now concluded University of Washington football fresh start series as we looked at each scholarship player from No. 0 to 99.
How could we overlook a somewhat loony Husky who has been known to walk to practice singing his heart out?
Who can enthusiastically dog pile on a teammate, as shown in the accompanying photo gallery?
No, he got shoved to the back of these stories because he changed numbers — from 96 to 55 — well after we had profiled his teammates who wore jerseys in the fifties. He would have to wait and pull up the rear.
It's certain he must fancy himself as the next Ryan Bowman, the compact and overly physical edge rusher who gave up his double-nickel shirt once his eligibility expired this past season.
Bandes, it seems, changed a few things about himself before Husky spring practice began.
His hair is noticeably close-cropped, no longer a mop top.
He still carries a 6-foot-2, 295-pound frame, but it seems to be better proportioned after working out with Kalen DeBoer's demanding new weight and conditioning coach Ron McKeefery.
With spring practice at the halfway point, we've offered intel and observations gathered on the UW football personnel in a series of stories on every scholarship player. We've reviewed each Husky's previous starting experience, if applicable, and determined what comes next under new coach DeBoer.
As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including the Huskies' No. 55 on defense. This is our final installment using this format.
As the photo gallery tells in a story all of its own, Bandes from Pittsburg, California, is one of the more free-spirited characters on the Husky football roster. He's not shy.
JACOB BANDES MUSIC VIDEO
People simply have been waiting on him to turn up his college football production in a similar manner. Heavily recruited by Clemson, Bandes came to the Huskies full of great promise. Someone had him ranked as the No. 3 defensive tackle prospect nationally
After three seasons in Seattle, he's appeared in 18 games and started just once — last fall against Michigan, where he had 3 tackles that day, giving him 17 for his career.
However, Bandes is still awaiting his first tackle for loss and sack.
Hence he's made all of the aforementioned changes once the new staff took over, with everyone hoping to that he's finally unleashed as a football playmaker of note.
And, if that doesn't work out, look for him to become a lounge singer.
UW Starter or Not: Bandes counts that lone start under his belt and it's probably not an experience he'll share with a lot of people moving forward. The Husky defense gave up a season-high 343 rushing yards to the Wolverines. There's no reason to think Bandes won't start again, but he'll be hard-pressed this season to wrest one of the two game-opening spots away from veteran Tuli Letuligasenoa or the fast-rising redshirt freshman Kuao Peihopa. Starter or not, Bandes will be needed to pull significant game time for the UW in the D-line rotation.
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