Turning Over a Purple Leaf: Ryan Predicts Ultimate Season for UW
Ryan Leaf is a changed man. Reformed for sure. Amazingly repentant. Trying hard to account for past sins.
This comes on top of him conquering his personal demons and excesses, too.
In an amazing turnabout, the accomplished Washington State, NFL quarterback bust and one-time Husky protagonist has turned highly supportive of his cross-state rival, which never would have happened more than two decades ago. Maybe even two weeks ago.
Leaf is saying nice things about the University of Washington football team, this after he spoke very candidly about his personal struggles to the Huskies.
As the photo reveals, Leaf on August 16 posed for a photo with UW coach Jimmy Lake in a most interesting manner for a Cougar — wearing a purple shirt! — after making a presentation to Husky players about his recovery from drug addiction and his time spent in prison. The confessional is something he does with a social conscience with teams and groups everywhere.
Back to football, the topper came on Friday when Leaf, a Pac-12 Networks analyst, sat in the studio and made the boldest of bold predictions:
Leaf picked the Huskies to run the table this season. Beat everyone in the regular season. Finish 12-0.
Which would mean they would be victorious over his precious Cougars. Defeat them like they couldn't when he was behind center in 1997, outdueled Brock Huard and went to the Rose Bowl to play Michigan.
"They're the only team in our conference with the schedule that I believe could allow them to go 12-and-0," Leaf said on the air. "I'm also hesitant that the rest of the conference isn't going to cannibalize one another, which it always does."
Two weeks earlier, Leaf spoke to the Huskies players and coaches about his journey that hasn't always been pleasant. He offered his phone number to anyone who is struggling. He pulled on that UW Bow Down shirt given to him as a gift.
While not everyone in the room might have known who he was or what he did, they listened to his life lessons.
"I think our guys could connect with him because he was real," Lake said. "He shot it straight."
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