Be "Ware" of Husky Dads and idle speculation
"Do I look like a 300-pound guard?"
By: Malamute, 19 March 2003

Fans on Internet message boards are continually speculating on what the best position for a player should be. In my experience, it's no different on message boards frequented by Husky aficionados. In fact, I've participated in such discussions in the past. There's one caveat of which we idle posters should be aware: Husky dads who peruse the Internet.

The collection of Husky tight ends sent to the NFL could expand in April, based on Kevin Ware’s performance during “NFL day,” which was held on March 13 at the Dempsey Indoor Center. According to Ted Miller of the Seattle P-I, Ware may join Paul Arnold as the “only former UW players selected during the April 26-27 draft.”

If so, Ware will join a mix of past and current tight ends sent from Washington to the NFL, joining Jeremy Brigham, Mark Bruener, Cam Cleeland, Ernie Conwell, Rod Jones, Aaron Pierce, and Jerramy Stevens, all in the latest line. The past eight full-time starting tight ends at Washington have gone pro. [gohuskies].

Known for his blocking skills more than for his pass catching ability and for playing under the shadow of Jerramy Stevens for most of his career at Washington, Ware caught 42 passes for 462 yards and 5 touchdowns as a starter in a breakout season in 2002. In 2001, Ware caught 7 passes for 102 yards and no touchdowns. Early in the 2001 season, Ware replaced Jerramy Stevens due to an injury Stevens suffered in the Idaho game.

Playing in a 41-27 victory over Idaho this season, Ware caught 6 passes for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns, functioning as a tight end in Washington’s version of the West Coast Offense. His numbers in that game are what Bill Walsh, who refined the WCO as a coach for the 49ers, expects of a tight end’s performance in a WCO implementation.

In the San Jose State game this season, Ware caught what looked to be a touchdown pass from QB Cody Pickett that was ruled out of bounds in the end zone. Both of Ware's feet were inbounds, according to a TV replay.

In other games in 2002, Ware failed to match the Idaho numbers, and in my opinion, the Huskies should have thrown more to him, especially inside the Red Zone, where a tight end’s play is critical in a WCO implementation.

However, according to Miller, the Seattle Seahawks want to look at the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Ware as a fullback. That’s not surprising since the ‘Hawks have Jerramy Stevens at tight end. A position switch is only fitting considering that speculation about which position Ware should play has dogged his career at Washington.

At Picture Day 2001 (photo above),  I asked Ware if he wanted to play offensive guard, where Internet speculation had him playing next, and he said with a smile, “Do I look like a 300-pound guard?” “Nope,” I smiled sheepishly, noting his slim waist. I've lost weight not put it on, he told me.

I guess I’ll let Dan Cozzetto coach the offensive line this next season.

Because of Ware's size and athletic ability and because of Jerramy Steven’s presence at tight end, at one time during Ware's career at Washington speculation had him moving to the defensive line.

On Husky message boards, fans are always theorizing about the best positions for players, and Ware' position move to defense was no exception.

For example, I participated in a lively debate on a Dawg message board, defending Ware’s right to continue on at tight end rather than his being switched to the defensive line. The debate went on for a couple of hours, with myself and another poster trading feckless arguments.

I told Ware about my experience and that his dad, Warewolf, had entered the debate near its conclusion. “Oh, yeah, Warewolf,” he smiled, being non-committal about the subject.

You never know about these dads, and we as Internet posters should all be aware of our mouse's mouths because a dad might be lurking inside one of its bombastic debates concerning his son. In the Ware argument, I was on the right side of the issue--as far as Warewolf was concerned anyway. (Also, in other discussions, these not involving position moves, PK John Anderson's and CB Chris Massey's fathers come to mind).

Ware prides himself on being physically fit. To prepare for his senior year at Washington, he tossed truck tires around in broiling heat during the summer months spent in Texas. No, it wasn’t in Junction.

It’s not that Ware likes the heat.

Ware told gohuskies.com that he came to Washington because it’s known as “Tight End U,” and because he wanted to escape the Texas heat. "I actually visited Colorado when Coach Neuheisel was there, before he moved here. I knew this was 'Tight End U' and I want to be known as one of the good tight ends that came out of the University of Washington. I could've gone to Texas, but I was ready to get out of the heat. I wasn't wanting to deal with a heat index of 105-plus and play football everyday there at 3:00 p.m. I decided to come here, and I'm very happy with my decision." [gohuskies].

Coming out of Klein Oak high school in Spring, Texas, Ware was selected as the best tight end in Texas by the Houston Touchdown Club. Sporting News rated him the number 15 tight end in the nation.

Ware is quite likeable, and I hope he makes it in the NFL, either as a tight end, fullback, offensive guard or defensive end. I don’t care what position it is; I just want to watch him play again. Hey, Warewolf, whatever position they want Kevin to play is okay with me—and whatever is okay with you and your son is okay with me. J

References:

[gohuskies]. Hitchock, Steve (contributing writer), “In the Trenches with Kevin Ware,” gohuskies.com, 2 October 2002.

[Miller]. Miller, Ted, “Huskies Notebook: Ex-Dawgs on display,” The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 14 March, 2003.