Inside The Huskies

Kwiatkowski Bids Huskies Farewell with Social-media Posting

The former UW defensive coordinator offers thanks to those who supported him in Seattle.
Dan Raley|
Kwiatkowski Bids Huskies Farewell with Social-media Posting
Kwiatkowski Bids Huskies Farewell with Social-media Posting

Pete Kwiatkowski kept his departure short and simple.

Leaving the University of Washington football program for Texas, the defensive coordinator on Wednesday posted a simple social-media message to acknowledge his change in employment.

"In all my family's stops along my coaching journey it's always been about the people and the relationships? 280 characters is not enough room to express the gratitude and appreciation I have for everyone that I have worked with during my time at the UW! Coach Pete, Jennifer Cohen, Coach Lake, every coach, player, former and staff member thank you for your belief and trust in me. I hope I was able to make a positive impact on you as you did on me! I'm going to miss you all. Until next time ... Go Huskies!

Since everyone communicates obliquely these days, and doesn't allow for follow-up questions when making big decisions, we're left to wonder if Kwiatkowski left solely for an unreal payday? 

Or the challenge of a difference conference?

Or after one season with Lake as the boss, possibly he wasn't fond of the new dynamic between them?

However it was spelled out, Kwiatkowski leaves as a folksy, grizzly sort of coach who should fit in well in the Lone Star state. 

That is, unless his Longhorn defenders don't stop anyone, which has been a problem for a good part of decade, leading to continual coaching turnover. 

He joins former UW head coach Steve Sarkisian, who helped pulled the Huskies out of its darkest era in program history (0-12 in 2008), but whose coaching departure also opened up the opportunity for Kwiatkowski to come to Seattle with Chris Petersen and make a name for himself.

Can Sarkisian turn things around at Texas?

After all, he had chances to build programs at USC and Washington, and never got very far at either place. He had a few demons to fight with alcoholic abuse. He's naturally a little cocky, as well. 

It will be interesting to see how all of this turns out for a pair of former Husky coaches stepping into this football pressure-cooker.

And, of course, people are waiting to who is the next UW defensive coordinator.

Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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