3. WASHINGTON

For sophomore quarterback Brock Huard, the most exciting part of
this year's Purple and White spring game wasn't the first half,
in which he completed 10 of 16 passes for 203 yards. It was the
halftime ceremony honoring players from the '91 Huskies team
that won a share of the national title. "A lot of people got
goose bumps when those guys came out," Huard says.

If Huard, the latest in a long line of fine Washington
signal-callers, can live up to his hype, Huskies fans might
again be getting the chills come January. That's because
Washington has 16 starters returning from a 9-3 team that
finished second to Arizona State in the Pac-10. In addition to
Huard, a 6'5" lefthander already dubbed the West Coast Peyton
Manning, the Huskies boast a Butkus Award candidate in senior
linebacker Jason Chorak, an Outland Trophy candidate in junior
guard Benji Olson and maybe the best offensive line and best
secondary in the nation.

Like his Tennessee counterpart, Huard can be dazzling. Last fall
he became the starter in the third week of the season and went
on to set a Huskies freshman record with 1,678 yards passing.
Off the field, he is a devout Christian who preaches celibacy
before marriage, speaks to youth groups, doesn't smoke or drink
and carries a 3.6 GPA as a premed student.

Huard grew up in Puyallup, Wash., dreaming of playing big-time
college football. Inspired by his brother, Damon, who finished
his career in '95 as the Huskies' alltime passing leader and who
is now in the Miami Dolphins' camp, and inspired by his father,
Mike, a renowned high school football coach at Puyallup High, 30
miles south of Seattle, Brock spent hours throwing spirals every
day after school. But while Huard might be the main cog in the
Huskies' attack, he'll get plenty of help. Senior receivers
Jerome Pathon and Fred Coleman combined for 111 catches and 12
touchdowns last year, and 6'4", 275-pound senior tight end
Cameron Cleeland is a clutch receiver and adept blocker. In the
backfield, the return of speedy senior tailback Rashaan Shehee,
recovered from the ankle and heel injuries that nagged him last
season, should help fans get over the early departure of Corey
Dillon (1,555 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns) to the NFL.

Huard & Co. will operate behind a line as rugged as the nearby
Olympic Mountains--and nearly as big. Olson, a 6'4", 310-pound
All-America dubbed the Road Grader, sat out spring drills while
recovering from back surgery but is expected to return at full
strength. He'll be joined by 6'4", 290-pound junior center Olin
Kreutz, an All-America candidate.

On defense seven regulars return from a line that held its last
seven opponents (including Colorado in the Holiday Bowl) to an
average of 56 yards rushing per game. The leader of the D will
be Chorak, a 6'4", 255-pounder who racked up a school-record
14.5 sacks in '96 to earn Pac-10 defensive player of the year
honors. The secondary looks solid as well, with senior
All-Pac-10 free safety Tony Parrish one of four returning
starters.

The big questions for the Huskies revolve around the kicking
game and the backup quarterback spot. Washington must replace
its punter and its placekicker as well as last year's No. 2
quarterback, Shane Fortney, who unexpectedly quit the team in
the spring and transferred to Northern Iowa. Washington begins
the season at BYU, then hosts San Diego State, Nebraska and
Arizona State. If the Huskies can make it through that stretch
unscathed, talk of another national championship should be
swirling when USC invades Husky Stadium on Nov. 1. That's fine
with Huard. "If you're talking goals, you might as well set them
high," he says. "We're shooting for the top."

--MARTY BURNS

TELLING STAT

82 Scoring percentage by the Huskies when they reached the red
zone last season. Washington converted on 41 of 50 trips inside
its opponents' 20.

TWO GAMES TO WATCH

SEPT. 6 at BYU The Huskies' quest to repeat the national title
they won in '91 begins in Provo. The Cougars, still seething
after last season's bowl-alliance snub and smarting from a 29-17
loss to Washington a year ago, will be looking to make a
statement.

SEPT. 20 vs. NEBRASKA Can you say respect? Nothing will bring it
to the Huskies faster than a victory over the Cornhuskers.

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing Brock Huard Soph. 108 comp., 217 att.,
1,678 yds., 13 TDs

Rushing Rashaan Shehee Sr. 242 yds., 4 TDs

Receiving Jerome Pathon Sr. 41 catches, 618 yds., 7 TDs

Tackles FS Tony Parrish Sr. 71

Interceptions CB Mel Miller Soph. 3