'Little Bit of Nervousness' as Huskies Await New Coaching Staff

Senior tailback Sean McGrew said players have been talking about what might come next at the UW.

Once the Apple Cup ended on Saturday night, Washington State players began celebrating wildly in the East end zone of Husky Stadium while Cougar fans climbed out of the stands and rushed to join them. 

Several UW players just stood alone and watched it all unfold.

For the past month, this all the Huskies could do — is stare blankly at everything going on around them.

It's been a lot.

Jimmy Lake's firing. 

John Donovan's firing. 

The impending departure of everyone else on the coaching staff.

Four consecutive losses to end a season that really never got started. 

While a handful of seniors played their final UW game, and another handful of players with eligibility remaining likely did the same, the rest of the roster is still facing significant change before anything looks normal again. 

Cooper McDonald watches the Apple Game aftermath unfold.

Dan Raley

The school is expected to hire a new football coach within a few weeks, if not a number of days, and the returning Huskies have to wonder how Lake's replacement staff will view and accept them.

They've had several discussions amongst themselves in the locker room about the different possibilities that could take place, sharing their growing discomfort with each other. 

"Definitely a little bit of nervousness with the program, with the team, like who they're going to get in here, what's going to happen and how things are going to go," said Sean McGrew, a sixth-year senior running back who played his final college game against Washington State.

Defensive tackle Taki Taimani and wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk enter the locker room.

Dan Raley

The UW players have talked about what might be coming, especially with their current coaches likely all getting cast aside because they were part of Lake's staff and there has to be a ruthless housecleaning following a 4-8 season.

This has required older Huskies such as McGrew, who are somewhat unaffected by the program future, to be the reassuring ones.

"We're all Dawgs," McGrew said. "We're all resilient and regardless of what happens I know they're going to make the most of their opportunity and control what they can control and be their best selves." 

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