Double Dawgcast: A UW Sports Podcast Victor Li and Derrick De Vera

It’s the end of two eras as we release our last episode of the podcast (at least for the foreseeable future), so give a listen as we eulogize the Mike Hopkins era of Washington basketball and the strange feelings we have after actually seeing the end of his coaching tenure. We also dive into replacement candidates for the basketball program, the new coaching staff and roster for football, and a roundup on the NFL combine and upcoming NFL draft. We close with a recap on a near 4.5 year journey that we’ve been on doing the show with full hearts and big smiles. Thanks for listening and we’ll speak again soon.

Hopkins out as UW basketball coach: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-basketball/mike-hopkins-era-ends-at-uw-as-the-husky-men-fall-to-usc-in-first-round-of-pac-12-tournament/
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-basketball/looking-back-at-mike-hopkins-turbulent-tenure-as-uw-mens-basketball-coach/
Candidates to replace him: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-basketball/six-candidates-to-replace-mike-hopkins-as-uw-mens-basketball-coach/
UW Football Roster Changes: https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2024/1/28/24053618/husky-portal-draft-player-tracker-2-0-uw-washington-football
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/analysis-diving-into-an-unfamiliar-and-exceptionally-fluid-uw-depth-chart/
2024 recruiting class: https://247sports.com/college/washington/Season/2024-Football/Commits/
Former UW player Emeka Megwa sues school: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/former-running-back-files-lawsuit-against-uw-alleges-medical-negligence/

The start of the new year saw near mountain top views for the Washington Husky football team before descending into absolute chaos with a coaching change at the top. We dive into our reactions of the two post season games, the gratitude we have for the players on this shooting star of a team, the emotional whiplash of the past six days, and our thoughts on the new coach. Plus a discussion about where UW sits in the pecking order of this new look of college football, some heated thoughts about agents, and how sports truly do build bonds.
@32:54: The Looney Tunes episode is called “Long-Haired Hare” where Bugs Bunny impersonates Leopold Stokowski.

#2 Washington defeats #3 Texas 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401551788/longhorns-huskies
#1 Michigan defeats #2 Washington 34-13 in the National Championship game:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401551789/huskies-wolverines
Head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama as the new Crimson Tide head coach:
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/report-uw-huskies-coach-kalen-deboer-negotiating-contract-to-succeed-nick-saban-at-alabama/
Washington hires Jedd Fisch, formerly at Arizona, as new head football coach:
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/reports-washington-targeting-arizonas-jedd-fisch-to-be-next-head-coach/
Husky player portal/draft tracker:
https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2024/1/12/24036481/husky-portal-draft-player-tracker-uw-washington-huskies-football

A short lightning round for UW basketball gives way to an absolutely loaded discussion of the triumphant Pac-12 champion Washington Husky Football team and just how they got through the regular season and conference championship game undefeated. We break down the emotional swings from the last three games, what lies ahead for Sugar Bowl against Texas in a pseudo rematch from last year, awards season for players and coaches, and one last tally for our football bets. We also look back on what this moment means as fans and just how special this team is in the pantheon of UW Football.

#5 UW defeats #11 Oregon State 22-20
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401524060
#4 UW defeats Washington State 24-21
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401524068
#3 UW defeats #5 Oregon for the Pac-12 Championship 34-31
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401539475
The pre conference championship hype video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMMqDVXDpwQ
#2 Washington will play #3 Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal in the Sugar Bowl: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-huskies-earn-no-2-seed-sugar-bowl-rematch-with-no-3-texas-in-college-football-playoff/
UW and WSU announce continuation of Apple Cup to 2028, neutral site game next year at Lumen Field and then alternating schools.
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-wsu-announce-continuation-of-apple-cup-through-at-least-2028/
Deboer wins coach of the year honors in conference and nationally; 4 Huskies named all conference players and Michael Penix Jr. named Maxwell Award winner:
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-coach-kalen-deboer-quarterback-michael-penix-jr-take-home-national-awards/
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uws-kalen-deboer-named-pac-12-coach-of-the-year-four-huskies-earn-first-team-honors/
Michael Penix Jr. is a Heisman finalist, finishes 2nd in voting, 2nd ever finalist in program history and highest vote share ever: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-quarterback-michael-penix-jr-named-second-heisman-trophy-finalist-in-husky-history/
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uws-michael-penix-jr-finishes-second-in-heisman-trophy-voting-behind-lsus-jayden-daniels/

The football season ride continues it assault on heart valves everywhere with three more wins for a flawless record but not necessarily a flawless team. We recap the victories over Stanford, USC, and Utah including the magnificent, baffling, and otherwise dramatic ways this squad finds itself in and look ahead to the final stretch in the ultimate season of Pac-12 football. Plus a detour into UW basketball’s final season and yet another check in on the football bets, some of which have already hit successfully!

#5 UW defeats Stanford 42-33
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401524042
#5 UW defeats #20 USC 52-42
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401524048
#5 UW defeats #18 Utah 35-28
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401524056
2025 3 Star QB Jackson Kollock (Laguna Beach, CA) commits to UW and 2024 3 Star DL/Edge Keona Wilhite (Tucson, AZ) commits to UW:
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uw-huskies-receive-commitments-from-qb-jackson-kollock-defensive-lineman-keona-wilhite/
2024 UW Football conference schedule unveiled: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/check-out-uw-huskies-2024-big-ten-football-schedule/
Basketball 2-0 to start season with wins over Bellarmine and Northern Kentucky.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/washington/men/2024-schedule.html
2024 4 star guard Casmir “Cash” Chavis signs with UW: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-basketball/husky-mens-basketball-program-signs-four-star-recruit-cash-davis/