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New Washington head coach Jedd Fisch laughs during an NCAA college football press conference to introduce him to the community, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Greetings, supporters of the Husky.
Today, Rylon Dillard-Allen of Mountain Pointe HS in Arizona committed to the University of Washington through his Instagram Live, enticing the Huskies to sign one of their top safety targets. Dillard-Allen is ranked by 247sports as the 36th best safety in the nation and among the best on the West Coast. He had offers from USC, Texas A&M, Oregon, UCLA, and Alabama.
Under the direction of safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri, the Huskies have been actively pursuing Dillard-Allen and hosted him for an official visit in June.
Standing at 5’11” and weighing about 165 pounds, the Huskies plan to use him as a safety who can also play nickel if necessary. Watching Dillard-Allen’s footage, you can see how much space he can cover on the football field—as a sophomore, he ran a 10.86 100. He recorded 40 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles in just five games during the previous campaign.
![Woof: Huskies Land Four-Star Safety Rylon Dillard-Allen - UW Dawg Pound](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kLM0EIB16P_sINAWefTc-Sz39k8=/0x241:2888x1685/fit-in/1200x600/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25547831/usa_today_18986471.jpg)
Dillard-Allen is the first real safety in the class and the 24th pledge overall. The Huskies are still looking for a safety, and they would really like to combine four-star Ladarian Clardy with four-star Dillard-Allen. Clardy is anticipated to make his decision in eight days. Please welcome Dillard-Allen to the husky nation!
Washington Huskies and other West Coast universities are welcomed as the Big Ten commissioner ushers in a new era.
INDIA PARK – Tony Petitti steps onto the Lucas Oil Stadium stage, lit up under the bright lights. For Washington and the Big Ten, a new era has begun. Even before commissioner Petitti said a word, it was clear how the Huskies’ new home in the Pac-12 differed from its old one. Consider the scene, for instance. Arguably the most iconic structure in the city, Lucas Oil Stadium is home to the Indianapolis Colts and towers over the skyline. Two teams will square off on this field in less than five months for the chance to win the Big Ten title.
Football is the topic of this event. Football is the topic of this conference. The Pac-12’s final media day was held at the Zouk Nightclub in Las Vegas, which feels like a world away. Greetings from Big Ten country. “College football has never been stronger,” Petitti stated, “especially in the Big Ten Conference.” The three-day Big Ten media days, which are now held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to accommodate the entire 18-team conference, got underway on Tuesday. Petti spoke with the media on Tuesday along with players and coaches from Illinois, Northwestern, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Ohio State. Washington coach Jedd Fisch and UW’s player representatives won’t talk until Thursday.
On August 2, Washington, USC, UCLA, and Oregon formally become members of the Big Ten. According to Petitti, the procedure used to choose the four new members was a “holistic approach.” He noted that the former Pac-12 colleges’ academic ranking and competitiveness in several sports bolstered their argument, and he commended the four schools for fitting into several categories. Petitti did acknowledge that one aspect was given more weight than others. “Are you bringing additional value to the conference in football?” stated Petitti. It’s no secret that a sizable portion of the money used to maintain the entire ecosystem comes from football. We are aware of that. Football therefore sort of jumps to the front of the line in terms of the athletic piece when considering possible members.”
According to Petitti, the conference is holding talks regarding scheduling, championship formats, marketing, brand alignment, and integration into the Big Ten Academic Alliance in order to assist all four of the newcomers in assimilating into the Big Ten. He promised to take into account the input from student-athletes and make any required changes moving ahead. The move has put Washington, in particular, in a challenging situation. The university’s internal loan mechanism has left the athletic department with a stadium reconstruction debt of approximately $240 million.
In exchange for their future full shares of the Big Ten media rights, which they won’t receive until 2030, the Huskies borrowed $20 million from the Big Ten and FOX Sports. The athletic department reportedly calculated that Washington’s relocation would include one-time expenses of about $30 million, which would include the construction of a Big Ten Network broadcast studio on campus. Because he lacked sufficient information, Petitti declined to comment on Washington’s operational budget in particular. He did, however, note that UW has received understanding and support from the conference during this change.
“This was about finding a long-term home, and there might be some short-term things that need to be done to get them on the right footing to start,” Petitti stated. “But I think they – and we – feel really good about the arc of where the conference is and we can expect to deliver over time.” According to Petitti, the conference has no imminent plans to grow as Washington and the other West Coast universities continue to establish themselves in the Big Ten.
But there will be other changes in college football besides realignment. In addition to confirming that sideline video and helmet-to-sideline communication will be implemented this season, Petitti also revealed the Big Ten’s collaboration with Apple to supply on-field technology for in-game video. Next month, the conference will also debut its brand-new, cutting-edge replay center.
Additionally, Petitti discussed the upcoming House settlement, which calls for revenue sharing between student-athletes and their respective institutions. He stated that in the upcoming months, he anticipates receiving further clarification. In order to help student-athletes take use of their potential, Petitti stated that he wishes to see a reporting system for collectives that include Name, Image, and Likeness as well as shared money in the future. “That model has to be built,” Petitti declared. That will necessitate adjustment and a great deal of cooperation; first, reaching a decision inside the Big Ten, and then communicating that to our colleagues in the other conferences.
“Those events must all occur concurrently, and I believe the commissioners are dedicated to carrying that out. There will be a lot of work to be done during the next months.” ADVANTAGES: Despite the arrival of the West Coast teams, Petitti declared that Lucas Oil Stadium will host the Big Ten championship game through 2028. For instance, a four-hour, frequently indirect trip from Indianapolis gets you to Seattle.
“We feel quite secure in our choice to (continue) play football in Indianapolis for the ensuing four seasons. It seems morally right to us. That being stated, I believe you will witness us starting to grow. Big Ten championships should be available to markets across the nation, in my opinion. I think it’s a great method to link the conference. – When the NCAA will make a decision regarding Michigan’s 2023 sign-stealing incident, according to Petitti, was not specified. The conference suspended former coach Jim Harbaugh, who is currently with the Los Angeles Chargers, for the next three games of the Wolverines’ regular season. However, he later returned to lead Michigan to the College Football Playoff championship.
“When you find yourself in the sad circumstance of having to make a decision regarding a member, it can be a challenging procedure. You approach that with great decency, make an effort to act fairly, and safeguard the conference as a whole. That’s the strategy we employed, and I stand by the choices we made,” he declared.