University of Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian was in town Thursday, perhaps hunting for a replacement for senior quarterback Jake Locker.

Sarkisian flew in Thursday afternoon and attended Ventura College football practice, where he observed and briefly met with Pirates' quarterback Antavius Sims and linebacker Brendan Daley.

"That's legit," said first-year Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian. "He wouldn't be spending his time if he wasn't genuinely interested."
Washington recruiting coordinator Johnny Nansen also attended the VC practice.

Washington receiving coach Jimmy Dougherty went further down Telegraph Avenue to St. Bonaventure High, where he checked in on recruits Jalen Jefferson and Cody Kurz. The Huskies offered scholarships to both seniors in the spring.

The coaches were then scheduled to fly to Stockton for Thursday night's game between Sacremento Grant and Edison High.

Midseason recruiting interest in the Pirates' players is the highest point in recent memory. SuperPrep.com released separate stories Thursday on Sims, Daley and defensive end John Lattimore.

"I tell them they have to have the three Ts," said Mooshgian. "You have to have a good team, you have to have the transcripts and you have to have the tape."

Sims has been offered a scholarship by Florida International and is also being recruited by Ole Miss. Daley is also being recruited by Utah. Lattimore is being recruited by Iowa State and Auburn. Kansas State has also shown interest in all three players.

Ventura is 2-1 entering Saturday's home game against 2-1 Chaffey. Sims leads Southern California in rush attempts (68) and is No. 2 in total offense (336.3 yards per game), No. 3 in rushing (115.3 ypg) and No. 7 in passing (221.0 ypg).

Daley, a Moorpark High product, and Lattimore are two playmakers for a defense that leads the state with 34 tackles for losses.

Nearby Moorpark College also seemingly has a big-time prospect in receiver Chris Gant, who leads the state in receptions (31), receiving yards (406), touchdowns (8) and scoring (48).

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian is expected to pay a visit to a Ventura College football team practice later this week, according to Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian.

"We'll have a couple guests," said Mooshagian Wednesday. "Two guys that I recruited when I was at Fresno State."

Once upon a time, Mooshagian recruited Sarkisian, who was a quarterback at El Camino College before starring a BYU, and Washington recruiting coordinator Johnny Nansen.

"I've known Steve for quite a long time," said Mooshagian. "I told him he can't be giving any secrets to El Camino (who the Pirates play on Nov. 13).

Instead, the former USC offensive coordinator probably wants to take an in-person look at Pirates quarterback Antavius Sims as a possible replacement for outgoing quarterback Jake Locker.

"They really like our kids," said Mooshagian.

St. Bonaventure High product Greg Christine, the resurgent guard for the University of Washington, broke his fibula in today's dramatic win against Arizona, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

It seems music is a central component in the lives of many of the county's college football players.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Arizona State QB Samson Szakacsy (Camarillo) and Washington OL Greg "Preach" Christine (St. Bonaventure) teaming up to produce an album for their band.

Today, the Arizona Republic reported that Vaughn Dotsy (St. Bonaventure) also gets his groove on. The Arizona sophomore starting guard sings Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" in the locker room with fellow guard Conan Amituanai.

"We've got our singing bond," Dotsy told the Republic. "When we start singing, it's just awesome. The other guys start singing in with us. I don't have a terrible voice, but I'm more of the background singer. Conan's the lead."

One of the reasons wide receiver Josh Smith (Moorpark) gave for transferring to UCLA from Colorado this season was to further pursue his music career. Smith joined the Bruins in practice this week. Szakacsy and Smith used to rap together a few years ago, but have recently lost touch.

I suggest all the football musicians get together for a big jam session when they return to the area in the offseason. Maybe they can produce an album called "805 Football".

First-year Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian seemed full of confidence in his conference debut.

"It's good to be here. There's obviously a lot of familiar faces in the room."

(on last season)

"It was an 0-12 football team. Fortunately for us, I wasn't 0-12 last year."

(on this season)

"We're not the same football team. We look like a different football team.

"We're excited. Hopefully, we can raised the bottom half of this conference.
I don't think anyone in this room picked us higher than ninth."

(Will Washington look like the Trojans in Purple, since Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Nick Holt coached at USC)

"There's going to be a natural similarities in the style that we play. But we have to play to our makeup."

(On quarterback Jake Locker possibly signing with the Angels)

"I think that deal might get done. I think it will."

It was Moorpark College product Nico Grasu who decided the first Pacific-10 Conference matchup between two 10-loss teams Saturday in Pullman.

Grasu kicked the game-tying and game-winning field goals for Washington State in Saturday's 16-13 overtime win over rival Washington.

Here are today's stories in The Spokesman Review and the Olympian.

In Saturday's paper, I wrote about the injury recovery of Fresno State safety Lorne Bell (Simi Valley). But Bell isn't the only local Bulldog coming back from a knee injury this season.

Junior wide receiver Chastin West (Moorpark) missed all of the 2007 season rehabbing, and was motivated to play against UCLA yesterday at the Rose Bowl.

One of the top receiving threats in Western Athletic Conference in 2006, West displayed his old form against the Bruins.

He caught five passes for 69 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown catch (as my colleague Joe informed earlier), in Fresno State's 36-31 victory played in front of a large collection of red-clad Bulldog fans.

Hitting him where it hurts: Another local was involved in a big play yesterday during the Stanford-Washington game.

Washington quarterback Jake Locker suffered a broken right thumb in a 35-28 loss and is out indefinitely.

Locker hurt the thumb while making a block on Stanford safety Sean Wiser (Oaks Christian) in the second quarter.

Golden moments: After spending a season behind a porous offensive line as a true freshman, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen (Oaks Christian) is beginning to show why he was such a heralded recruit.

In yesterday's 38-21 victory over Purdue, Clausen completed 20 of 35 passes for a career-high 275 yards and tied a career-high with three touchdown passes and no interceptions.

"Yeah, I played good out there," Clausen told reporters. "I was reading the coverages pretty good. I felt like I knew what to do coming into the game, and the coaches helped me and got me ready to go."

Victory party: I had a chance to talk with Oregon State sophomore linebacker Dwight Roberson (St. Bonaventure) on Friday - one day after Oregon State's upset of then top-ranked USC.

Roberson said the city of Corvallis was wild in celebration into the early morning hours and the atmosphere at the stadium during the game was electric.

Roberson, who finished with two tackles, said it felt great to be a part of the action in an upset of USC. In 2006, when the Beavers last shocked USC, Roberson was redshirting.

Dave Cutaia, coordinator of football officiating for the Pac-10 Conference, told former Star reporter Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that officials did the right thing by calling Washington QB Jake Locker for excessive celebration after his potential game-tying touchdown run in the final seconds Saturday.

Instead, BYU won 28-27 after blocking the 35-yard Washington extra point.

The call was criticized publically on the broadcast by everyone's favorite Pac-10 commentator, Petros Papadakis:

Oregon's Mike Bellotti was asked about the Ducks' four-game winning streak over Pacific Northwest rival Washington:

"I think every year is a new year. I think if you look at what happened in the past you're spending a lot of wasted time.

"This is about this Oregon Duck football team and the Washington team (it's) going to play on Saturday."

The two rivals open the season against each other Saturday.