When Taki Taimani Returns to Husky Stadium, Will UW Fans Notice?
Every week, it seems, the University of Washington football team holds a reunion with a former teammate wearing opposing Pac-12 colors.
The exchange following the California game between wide receiver Taj Davis with coach Kalen DeBoer and several Huskies was heartfelt, while UW linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio no doubt sought out Bears linebacker Jackson Sirmon, his ex-teammate, one-time roommate and close friend.
At Arizona, the UW cracked helmets with linebacker Daniel Heimuli, who has a new home with Jedd Fisch's upset-minded team and presumably a restored reputation after leaving Seattle following his suspension for a University Avenue bar incident. He likely slapped hands afterward with a few Huskies.
Next weekend, former UW defensive tackle Sam "Taki" Taimani returns to Husky Stadium for the first time in 22 months as a member of the eighth-ranked and unbeaten Oregon football team. It's hard to say what sort of reception he'll generate if any. Yet he might hear a bunch of boos.
With Husky football going up in flames in 2021 following the abrupt firing of coach Jimmy Lake, which was precipitated by Lake shoving a player in the Oregon game that season, with program wounds still fresh, Taimani did the unthinkable — he posted a photo of himself on social media wearing a Kelly green football uniform while standing in the middle of Autzen Stadium.
To say the least, Taimani's actions did not go over well with a wounded fan base. People felt he had committed a treasonous act by joining the hated rival and let him know it. The comments weren't kind at all, even threatening.
Taimani from Salt Lake City since has gone from a 14-game Husky starter in 2020 and 2021 to a two-year Oregon reserve. He's appeared in all 5 games for the Ducks this season and collected 6 tackles, including a tackle for loss.
In his sixth college season, he still awaits his precious first sack.
Taki Taimani (94) and Jackson Sirmon (43) team up as Huskies to bring down an Arkansas State runner in 2021.
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
It's hard to say what might have happened had Taimani never left. He was a likable kid who once talked about upholding the UW defensive-tackle standards established by Vita Vea and Greg Grimes. He was a heavily recruited player coming to the Huskies, yet he was never in top football shape in Montlake and even today packs a 6-foot-3, 330-pound frame lacking definition.
Taimani started and had 4 tackles in the 2021 Oregon-UW game when the Husky defense gave up an overly generous 329 rushing yards in a 26-16 loss.
No doubt DeBoer's staff would have strongly encouraged him to make better use of the weight room and to slim down. It's possible these coaches could have turned him into more of a playmaker, someone with a couple of sacks to his name.
Instead, Taimani will return to Husky Stadium as nearly a forgotten soul, playing out the string, having found Oregon to be greener in every aspect but college football advancement.
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