Impact Statement: What do Recent UW Football Decommitments Mean?

The Huskies recently had two Nevada prospects retract their pledges. Where do the defections leave their recruiting?

With the excitement of a whirlwind tour of Seattle and the University of Washington fresh in their minds, two Nevada prospects announced their pledges to the Huskies. 

Last week, they pulled them back.

 In between, UW defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski joined Steve Sarkisian's new Texas staff.

In conversations with both Mells and Jones, they stated clearly that Kwiatkowski was a big part of their decision to become Huskies.  In fact, Kwiatkowski was on the calls with them when the offers were handed out.

It wasn't surprising that Mells and Jones each had a change of mind.  

Mells was set to be play for a proven defensive coach who could count three Super Bowl-winning defensive tackles in Danny Shelton, Elijah Qualls and Vita Vea, and a Super Bowl participant in Greg Gaines, on his resume.

Jones saw the emergence of a new breed of athletic edge rusher at Washington in Joe Tryon, Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Sav'ell Smalls.

The Huskies promoted from within to replace Kwiatkowski, elevating Bob Gregory to defensive coordinator  Rib Rowan from defensive analyst to defensive-line coach, plus they shifted Ikaika Malloe to outside-linebacker coach.

Mells and Jones didn't know them and readdressed their decisions.

Meantime, the Huskies will just move to the next prospect. They took three defensive linemen in 2021 and are expected to sign a small class this time. 

They're recruiting three in-state players in Puyallup's Dave Iuli, Graham-Kapowsin's Vega Ione and O'Dea's Mark Nabou, plus Californian Nate Burrell of St. Johns Bosco, all rated comparably to Mells.

It's expected that the Huskies also will continue to pursue Jones and Mells and others.