UW coach finds way back to Pac

SEATTLE – It’s been a while since Tyrone Willingham has had to prepare for a conference game.

The last time the University of Washington football coach prepared a team for a league game was Nov. 17, 2001, when Willingham led Stanford to a 35-28 victory over California, which also happens to be this weekend’s UW opponent.

The win made Willingham 7-0 all-time against the Golden Bears, but since then he has not played a game with conference championship implications.

Willingham left Stanford after that season to begin a three-year tenure at Notre Dame, an independent. He said he missed what playing in a league provides.

“It’s a medium that you don’t have as an independent, and it’s a plus,” Willingham said. “It always gives you something to focus on, something to direct your team to. As an independent, you just have one goal, and you had one goal at Notre Dame.”

Willingham said he thinks the Pacific-10 Conference is more “wide open” than it was when he left it, but said that’s true of most conferences.

“There’s no longer three yards and a cloud of dust,” Willingham said. “The game is being played 51 (feet) by 100. Everybody is using almost every inch of the field now, and years ago, that didn’t happen. So it’s a different game. But this conference has always been a leader because it’s always had more of a passing mentality and a wide-openness toward it.”

Island trip looms

Willingham said he feels good about the potential changes to Washington’s future schedule. The team is trying to schedule a game at Hawaii for the last regular-season game of the 2006 season, and would open the 2007 season at Syracuse. Papers still have to be signed to make the deals.

“Hawaii’s a very aggressive team right now, they’re playing very well,” Willingham said. “Coach (June) Jones has them moving strong. So that’s not a bad team to add to your schedule. It’s not what people would call a cake walk.”

Willingham said it’s also a good way to sell his program to Hawaii, where there are talented prospects. As for the long trip to Syracuse, Willingham said he likes exposing his team to new challenges.

“I think it’s great that we intermingle with the different conferences and different teams from different sections,” Willingham said.

Bonnell still ails

Willingham said quarterback Carl Bonnell (thigh) is still out and Casey Paus will again back up Isaiah Stanback.

Freshman linebacker Darrion Jones will be moved to a different spot on the field during kick returns after mishandling the ball twice against Air Force. Willingham insisted, though, that the move has nothing to do with anything Jones did wrong.

“(It’s) just because his skills might be better at another spot,” Willingham said.

One eye on Notre Dame

Willingham said he watches as many games each weekend as his time allows. Mostly, he said, he’s looking for coaching trends and ideas rather than “X’s and O’s.” Yes, he did catch a little of Notre Dame’s victory over Pittsburgh last Saturday.

“Just a little bit,” Willingham said with a smile. “They looked pretty good from what I saw, which doesn’t surprise me.”