There's No "I" in Blog: Starter: Jake Locker

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Starter: Jake Locker

Who is he? Jake Locker is the starting quarterback for the University of Washington Huskies. A junior this year, Locker has thrown five touchdowns and only one interception with a quarterback rating of 138 in three games. Two of those three games were against LSU and USC, teams that were expected to easily roll over the Huskies. His 63 completions, 811 yards, five TDs, and 270 yards per game are all tops in the Pac-10. He's also rushed for two TDs this year.

Why do we like him? Sure, the Huskies couldn't buy a win in 2008 and went 4-9 in 2007, but don't blame Locker. He missed almost the whole 2008 season after being injured in the Huskies second game. In 2007, all Locker did was set UW and Pac-10 records for rushing yards for a quarterback with 987 yards and compile 2,062 passing yards, the most ever for a Husky freshman. It's safe to say those four wins can all be attributed to Locker. This year he's back scaring defensive coordinators and head coaches. L.A. Times writer T. J. Simers talked to USC coach Pete Carroll about the loss to UW, in which Carroll said, "That's the best quarterback we've played in nine years here...Jake Locker has ridiculous talent, and had he remained healthy last year, Tyrone [Willingham] would still be coaching there." That's pretty high praise from a guy who has coached against some stellar college quarter backs, like, say, Dennis Dixon and Vince Young (hey, I did say college quarterbacks). It's also nice to see Carroll giving at least one Husky some credit, especially when headlines nationwide proclaimed that USC stumbled instead of considering even for a moment that UW might actually be a good football team. Face it, college football fans, the Huskies are proving they're a team that can and will challenge the best teams, and Jake Locker is leading the charge.

We also like him because he has the talent to turn a softball game into a $300,000 bonus from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California Angels.

*Photo courtesy of Despeaux via Creative Commons license

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Rachel Partin

Rachel is a writer living in Somerville, Massachusetts. She spent her childhood shooting hoops with her beloved hot pink basketball and getting bowled over as she posted up against her towering brothers. Eventually learning that she was better suited to track and field, she pursued a high school career as a pole vaulter, only to inevitably end up sunbathing on the pit rather than practicing. In college she tutored athletes in writing and English, discovering, to her delight, that most college athletes truly care about academics. She edits a sports blog in her spare time.

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