Dynamic Duos: UW Has Benefitted From a Connection Similar to Huard-to-Tinae

The Huskies' recruiting class of 2021 features a quarterback and one of his favorite receivers. This sort of connection isn't new to Washington. The others have paid big dividends.

Sam Huard and Jabez Tinae know each other from Kennedy Catholic High School. One throws pinpoint passes and the other catches them. With Tinae's July 5th scholarship commitment, they'll be taking their close-knit connection to the University of Washington in 2021.

They won't be the first who have done this. This won't be the first in the Huard family to do this.

In 1998, Brock Huard, Sam's uncle, threw Husky touchdowns to his former Puyallup High School teammate Dane Looker as they exploited Pac-10 defenses.

During the UW's 1991 national championship season, Billy Joe Hobert and Joe Kralik, another Puyallup-produced quarterback-receiver tandem, connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass in the opener and were a steady connection the rest of the way. 

In 1984, Hugh Millen and Mark Pattison were in sync throughout a season that ended up in the Orange Bowl. At Michigan, they teamed up for a 73-yard scoring pass in the Big House. 

At Seattle's Roosevelt High School, Millen was Pattison's backup at quarterback and his understudy. Their personal rapport was evident as Huskies. In '84, Pattison led the Huskies in receiving yards, yards per catch and receiving touchdowns that season, with much of delivered by Millen. In the Orange bowl, Millen capped off a 74-yard drive with a 12-yard TD toss to Pattison to give the Huskies the lead for good in a 28-17 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Brock Huard-to-Looker connection became the most prolific of these long-term football relationships. Looker hauled in 11 passes in the first game of the '98 season.  Later he bested that effort with a school-record 12 receptions against USC. His record stood for five years.

Based on their high school numbers so far, Sam Huard and Jabez Tinae have a chance to be a prolific UW duo. As Kennedy Catholic players, they were one of the best tandems in the country last season. They have averaged 21.3 yards per catch while nearly eclipsing the 1,000 yards. As sophomores, they have linked up 104 times for 2,180 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Quarterback Ethan Garbers and tight end Mark Redman, another prolific high-school combo, can't be dismissed either. They have the opportunity to raise the bar at the UW before Huard and Tinea even get a shot at it.

As Corona Del Mar High went 16-0 and won a California state championship in 2019, Garbers and Redman connected 72 times for nearly 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns that season. They also graduated early enough to enroll together at the UW this past spring.

Yet another high school duo on the Washington team is sophomore quarterback Jacob Sirmon and incoming freshman running back Christian Galvan, former Bothell High School players reunited once more. In 2017, these Bothell teammates hooked for 19 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown.  

Finally, fullback Pat Coniff and his high school teammate quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo at Woodinville were together again in the 1997 and 1998 seasons.  They teamed up at the UW for 4 receptions for 37 yards.