Mike Vorel
@mikevorel
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Sports columnist for @seattletimes | Triplet | Past: @SBTribune, @CSTribune, @OWHNews, @CoMissourian | M-I-Z '13 | Email: mvorel@seattletimes.com
Joined August 2009
From a shaking fence in Husky Stadium to a final fishing trip, UW folk hero Joe Jarzynka’s legacy transcends his last hurrah. “That dude was just too big for life. He couldn’t live a long life. He had given too much. Joe couldn’t give that much forever.”
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UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said he has the names of all of his Husky teammates and coaches on the inside of his jacket.
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BREAKING: UW QB Michael Penix Jr. just announced on Instagram that he’s returning for the 2023 season
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UW wide receivers Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan and Germie Bernard were targeted 20 times last night, and recorded 19 catches for 353 yards and two touchdowns. That's about as statistically dominant as you'll ever see.
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UW WR Rome Odunze confirmed today that he broke a rib and punctured a lung recovering an onside kick against Arizona. He was in the hospital until nearly 5 am that night, and his mother and two UW trainers took turns driving him on a 23-hour trip back to Seattle.
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No idea why, but Venus Williams is currently playing tennis at UW. A small crowd has gathered to watch.
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UW linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio: “On their turf, on our turf, on a neutral turf, they (Oregon) will never live this down.”.
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Michael Penix Jr., on the Heisman Trophy: "That was never my goal. My goal was to win football games for this team.".
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Michael Penix Jr. and his grandma, Cheryl Penix, embrace after the win
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UW's 1991 national championship team is headed to Houston to support the next great class of Huskies against a familiar foe. “It’ll be great to be together, rooting our little brothers on," Dave Hoffmann said. "That’s really what it feels like.”
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With Georgia’s loss, Washington’s 20-game winning streak is now the longest active streak in the nation.
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It was a helluva run.
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UW coach Kalen DeBoer put kicker Grady Gross on scholarship in the locker room following that walk-off field goal.
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Jedd Fisch says former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is going to be "a mentor close by and ready to help.".
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UW's next coach will inherit a roster that just lost the majority of its playmakers to the NFL draft, with many more possibly entering the transfer portal. He'll also inherit a program that will make significantly less than its Big Ten competitors in the near future. Good luck.
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The thing I keep thinking about this AM: . Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze and Troy Fautanu each bet on themselves. None had a first round grade last year. All could have left anyway. Most do these days. Instead, they came back and got better. No ego. All belief. They earned it.
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Frank Clark was asked Monday night about Richard Sherman calling the Seahawks a "middle of the road" team a few weeks back. You're going to want to read his response:
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Notre Dame Stadium's Steve Jobs Mob is really starting to freak me out.
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After 10 days of rampant departures, a growing list of Huskies — Kamren Fabiculanan, Davon Banks, Denzel Boston, Zach Durfee, etc. — have been vocal about their decision to return to UW in ‘24. And regardless of what happens next fall, those statements should be remembered.
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Richard Newton knew he might not play. He stayed anyway. "I’ve always wanted to be a dawg, man," he said. "This decision, for me, was bigger than football. I wanted to spend my last year with my brothers, no matter what the role was.”
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UW has sold out of its allotment of 20,000 tickets for Monday’s national championship game against Michigan in Houston, a university spokesperson confirms.
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I've never covered a more polished human being than Rome Odunze.
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Four-star freshman OL Paki Finau is staying at Washington. That’s a big one.
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There’s simply no way John Schneider, Mike Macdonald and Ryan Grubb have an exceedingly public beer together at Dino’s if Grubb’s not the guy. Right?.
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Peyton Henry: “That (missed field goal at Oregon in 2018) is always in the back of the mind, especially because when people think of me they think of that kick. So hopefully they remember me for this kick.”.
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UW expects to announce its next head football coach in the next 48 hours (and very likely tomorrow), according to a source.
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During a zoom availability for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards this afternoon, I asked UW coach Kalen DeBoer where his head is at less than two days after losing in the national championship. His answer lasted more than three and a half minutes. Full response below:
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Four-star freshman safety Peyton Waters to withdraw from the transfer portal and stay at UW.
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Thrilled to share I’ve been appointed to succeed my friend/colleague, Larry Stone (@StoneLarry), as a sports columnist at @seattletimes. Larry retired Friday after a momentous 44-year run, leaving gargantuan shoes to fill. It’s the honor of my career to take on that challenge.
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Former Arizona RB Jonah Coleman just announced a commitment to Washington on IG. He’s currently at UW on an official visit.
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Breaking: Four-star Bethel LB Zaydrius Rainey-Sale — the highest ranked '25 recruit in the state of Washington — has announced a verbal commitment to the home state Huskies
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UW co-DC Chuck Morrell hugs an emotional Zion Tupuola-Fetui, who made one of the plays of the game a week after his father passed away
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Four-star Rainier Beach corner and Oregon commit Caleb Presley is here, wearing a UW sweatshirt
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For those in the Seattle area, pick up Monday's @seattletimes for our 10-page Sugar Bowl special section, including this gorgeous illustration on the cover. It's not to be missed.
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Former UW OC Ryan Grubb confirms he wanted to be the Huskies’ head coach … but has not been selected, apparently.
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Michael Penix Jr. wins the Maxwell Award. Kalen DeBoer wins the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award. It's raining awards at Washington:
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If one UW player deserved better, it's All-P12 honorable mention WR Jalen McMillan. Let's compare McMillan and Oregon's Troy Franklin, who landed on the All-Pac-12 second team. McMillan: 71 catches, 1,040 receiving yards, 8 TD.Franklin: 56 catches, 867 yards, 8 TD. Sure.
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“The Pac-12 gets misspoken for. The Pac-12, that’s where I believe real football is played. Washington was one of the loudest environments I’ve played (in).” — Cameron Ward, after being unimpressed by the environment in The Swamp
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Jen Cohen, JaMarcus Shephard and Lee Marks celebrating on the field
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WSU coach Jake Dickert, on the Apple Cup trophy:. "I think we might retire this trophy. I think that’s a Pac-12 trophy. I think it might stay in our place for a long time and we’ll bring a new one next year.”.
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A fight nearly broke out between UW and UO players. Raw video:
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Something I learned from five years covering UW: both fan bases insist the other program is obsessed with them. It’s ok to be obsessed with each other! It’s ok to admit that a rivalry is a rivalry! Both programs live rent free, or whatever. It’s a great rivalry. Embrace it.
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Four-star freshman QB Dermaricus Davis will withdraw from the transfer portal and remain at Washington.
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All I gotta say is, Alaska Airlines better open more flights.
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Chris Petersen says he heard a quote from an eastern philosopher in the fall, and it's been ringing in his ears:. "A man has two lives to live, and the second one begins when he realizes he only has one.".
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UW WR Jalen McMillan is wearing a T-shirt featuring a photo of his grandpa and best friend, Herle Gene McMillan, who passed in 2022.
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This quote from Edefuan Ulofoshio effectively summarizes the culture Kalen DeBoer has installed at UW. More on how the Huskies physically outmatched Oregon:
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So, if the Seahawks end up signing Teven Jenkins and Garrett Bradbury — an increasingly realistic scenario — how would y’all feel about that?.
Free-agent guard Teven Jenkins, who started 14 games last season for the Bears, is scheduled to visit Monday with the Seattle Seahawks.
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UW QB Michael Penix Jr. organized a separate meeting with his teammates the night before the Sugar Bowl. "I don't know what the meeting was about, but he asked to get the guys together," UW coach Kalen DeBoer said. "I think just sharing his mind, sharing his heart.".
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After he went off the air on YouTube, Caleb Presley signed off on IG Live by saying: “Shoutout Budda. Shoutout all the guys that stayed home. Class of 24, I’m coming to get y’all.”.
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Breaking: four-star '24 Garfield DB Rahshawn Clark announces flip from Arizona to hometown Washington
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Tyrone Swoopes signed to the Seahawks' practice squad and flew to Seattle on Monday, flew to London on Wednesday, was elevated to the active roster on Saturday and made his first career start (and catch) on Sunday. How's that for a week at work?
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UW has its starting QB for the 2024 season.
NEWS: Former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers told ESPN he will withdraw from the NCAA transfer portal and remain at Washington to play for the Huskies in 2024. Rogers informed Washington head coach Jedd Fisch of his decision on Tuesday and has resumed classes.
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Kam Fab was an impact player last fall and will anchor UW’s secondary in 2024.
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Here's something that caught my attention today. Jedd Fisch said UW's assistant coach salary pool provided for the new staff "allows us to be able to hire anybody we want. There really isn’t anybody in the country that, if we wanted to hire them, that we couldn’t hire.”.
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I wonder how many folks are watching Washington's offense for the first time tonight. This is what y'all have been missing.
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Dillon Johnson walks into media day. He reiterated that he’ll play Monday against Michigan.
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UW QB Michael Penix Jr. says the Pac-12 title win over Oregon was the most satisfying win of his life.
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Michael Penix Jr.: “I’m not going to lie, their d-line is good. But at the same time, they haven’t played our o-line.”
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Grey Zabel was asked what he'll do tonight now that he's been drafted. "I'm probably going to start diving into these Busch Lights." Said he has a 12-hour rule for celebrations.
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Kalen DeBoer's first season as a college head coach ended with a 55-0 L in the NAIA semifinal. He then went 56-1 and won three of the next four national titles. "He knew exactly what needed to be done. We needed to get bigger up front.”. Sound familiar?
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BREAKING: Standout QB Michael Penix Jr. announces he'll return to UW for his sixth and final season in 2023
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Transfer DT Sebasian Valdez is sticking at UW. Huge area of need for the Huskies.
Bow Down to Washington. #GoDawgs.
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Last one of these as a Pac-12 program. Last one with yours truly as the Husky beat writer, too. Let’s end some eras.
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After making his NFL debut, Michael Penix Jr. smiled and picked a side for Saturday's Penix Bowl. “I definitely want ‘The Dub’ [UW] to win. At the same time, I am an alum from Indiana, so there’s no bad blood. But I want ‘The Dub’ to win.”
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Folks are cleaning up and down Pike Street in downtown Seattle.
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Rome Odunze is about to lead the Husky band … but he first celebrated Michael Penix Jr. being named offensive MVP
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BREAKING: UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb agreed in early November to a two-year contract extension through 2025, a source confirmed to The Times Tuesday. He's set to earn $1.45 million in 2023, $1.55 million in 2024 and $1.67 million in 2025.
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Looks like 3-star LB signee/early enrollee Khmori House will be withdrawing from the transfer portal and remaining at Washington.
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On @933KJR, Michael Penix Jr. said he decided Saturday evening to return to UW. He had his return video made in secret by UW's media team and played at the end of the Huskies' team banquet on Sunday night. It was a surprise to everyone there -- including head coach Kalen DeBoer.
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Worth noting, though it didn't work out for him at Washington, Sam Huard has been a class act from the very beginning. He's the first kid I've ever seen organize a Zoom call with local media to proactively explain why he's leaving. He's handled a difficult situation with grace.
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Two weeks later -- after a bye -- Odunze caught eight passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns (including the game-winner) in UW's 36-33 win over Oregon. He never missed a game.
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UW edge Zach Durfee will be eligible to play in the CFP, a team spokesperson confirmed. The Sioux Falls transfer was required to serve a year in residence before becoming eligible, and that's based on academic quarters. After UW's fall quarter ends Dec. 15, he's eligible.
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Michael Penix Jr. has been named Washington’s starting quarterback.
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BREAKING: Despite being offered the offensive coordinator job at Alabama Monday, Ryan Grubb will remain at Washington, a source confirmed to The Times Tuesday
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In perhaps the greatest sequence of photos in Husky football history, Nick Harris celebrates Salvon Ahmed's 89-yard TD run by performing a full dance routine on the field . and then Chris Petersen yells at him to join his teammates for the two-point attempt.
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Washington won by 10, missed two more field goals and out-gained Michigan by 142 yards. That’s a convincing win.
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Breaking: 4-star Rainier Beach corner Caleb Presley announces flip from Oregon to hometown Huskies
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Oregon coach Dan Lanning, on what a win over Washington means: . “It means a lot. I mean, I go to bed every night thinking about them, and I wake up every morning thinking about them. So, it’s nice to be able to think about a win, too.”.
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The game is stopped because of a probably inebriated man who belly flopped at midfield. Then he calmly walked off and no one seemed to stop him. Apple Cup!.
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Would appear Landen Hatchett is sticking around. That’s huge for the Huskies.
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If anyone can pull off sunglasses at a hockey game, it’s this man
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Imagine telling a Husky football fan in 2021 that UW would have college football's most prolific offense two years later.
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FYI: today is my last day as UW football beat writer for @seattletimes. I'm taking next week off and will start my new role as sports columnist on Feb. 19. Our new UW football writer — who I'll let introduce himself in the coming days — starts Monday. He's going to kill it.
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Jacob Eason walks off with the trophy . maybe for the final time.
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