Washington Huskies: What if Don James never came to UW?
Herb Nightengale
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The greatest football coach in Washington Huskies history, Don James, almost didn’t get his shot at UW. What if one of UW’s top two choices accepted the job?
“You take the blue pill… the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill… you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” – Morpheus from the Matrix. In our first red pill installment, we ask What if Don James never became the Washington Huskies head coach?
Don James is the most successful coach in Washington Huskies’ history. He used to joke about him not being Washington’s first choice when they hired him to replace Jim Owens after the 1974 season. As a matter of fact, James wasn’t even number two on their list.
UW eventually hired him, and the results speak for themselves. What if one of Washington’s top two choices or another candidate took the job when offered?
Owens had a good run at Washington. In 18 seasons, he put up a 99-82-6 record and took the Huskies to three Rose Bowls (2-1). That was back in the day when teams played 10-11 games a season, and there were only a handful of bowl games. As the seasons wore on, Owens didn’t keep up with the changing times. By 1974, he’d had enough and retired from coaching.
His departure led to a national search for a new coach. Huskies Athletic Director Joe Kearney’s first choice was Green Bay Packers Head Coach and General Manager Dan Devine. Another name on the shortlist was California Golden Bears Head Coach Mike White. Also, San Jose State head coach Darryl Rogers went public and threw his name into the mix. Rodgers thought Washington was a premier job, and rather than wait for them to find him, he let them know of his interest.