As he takes the field today for what could be his final college football game, it is all too easy to dwell on what Jake Locker doesn’t have.
It is all too easy to focus on whether or not Locker’s draft stock has dropped, on whether or not he left millions of dollars on the table by remaining at the University of Washington for his senior season.
You’ve heard the stories, no doubt. About how Locker could have been a top-10 or a top-5 selection in the most recent NFL draft.
About how he could have signed a contract worth more than the GNP of a small island nation. About how all of that now is in question, as Locker has suffered through a season filled with injuries and inconsistency.
But as the Huskies’ quarterback prepares for his final Apple Cup, as he takes the field knowing that Washington must win in order to qualify for its first bowl game in eight years, it is more instructive to focus on what Locker does have.
“Obviously it’s been a goal of ours since the beginning of the season, and something I believe is every team’s goal going into the year, to be able to play an extra game on their schedule,” Locker said. “I think it would mean a lot to this program, a lot to this team and a lot to the players on it.”
In typical Locker fashion, all of that is understated. We’ll leave it to linebacker Cort Dennison to add a little perspective.
“He turned down millions of dollars and a luxurious lifestyle in the NFL to come back and be with his brothers,” Dennison told gohuskies.com this week. “That just shows you the kind of kid Jake Locker is. He is going to put others before himself. That’s one of the things I admire so much about him.”
There has been much to admire and much to remember. There have been back-to-back wins over Southern California, and last week’s drive to a final-play touchdown that beat California.
And should the Huskies win today, their bowl eligibility is not to be taken lightly, even if it means something called the MAACO Bowl.
Once upon a time, Oregon went 26 years between bowl games. The Ducks broke that skid with appearances in the Independence Bowl and Freedom Bowl, slowly constructing the foundation for what the program is today.
So, yes, a bowl appearance would be important for Washington, coming two years after an 0-12 season. But it’s not a necessity in order to justify Locker’s decision to stay in college.
While a Brinks truck full of money is difficult to ignore, there’s plenty to be said for staying in college, for training and competing with teammates who have become like family. There’s plenty to be said for living the life of a college student, especially when — like Locker — you already have signed a six-year rights agreement with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
And, while Locker has struggled at times this season, there’s plenty to be said for the professional training that comes with spending a second year in a pro-style offense, especially when he had never played in one before.
But that is a concern for the future. For now, there’s one more game and a bowl on the line for Washington.
“There is a lot of excitement around the game year-in and year-out because it’s Apple Cup and it is a rivalry game,” Locker said. “A lot of people want to make it bigger than just a football game.”
Nope, it’s just a football game. And it’s an opportunity that means Jake Locker has everything he always wanted.
Greg Jayne is Sports editor of The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4531, or by e-mail at greg.jayne@columbian.com. To read his blog, go to columbian.com/weblogs/GregJayne
