Neal, UW Enter Post-Kaufman Era Replacing Great Running Back Top Priority As Season Opens

Leon Neal waited and waited and waited for Napoleon Kaufman to get through doing his thing.

Now, the wait is over.

Washington’s all-time leading rusher has finally gone to the NFL to play for the Oakland Raiders and Neal is getting his turn as the University of Washington’s starting tailback.

Today, Neal and the 22nd-ranked Huskies get their Pacific-10 Conference football season started against Arizona State before an expected crowd of 70,000-plus at Husky Stadium.

“It’s been long and hard, but I’ve learned a lot,” Neal said.

“The great thing about Leon Neal is that Leon Neal has waited,” third-year head coach Jim Lambright said. “Leon Neal has been patient.”

Both Kaufman and Neal are little guys - 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds - who were recruited from California in 1991, the year Steve Emtman led the Huskies to a national championship and a 12-0 record.

But there the similarity ends.

In Kaufman’s four glory-filled seasons in Seattle, he rushed for 4,041 yards - an average of 5.7 per carry - and 33 touchdowns. Despite Kaufman’s lack of size, the Raiders drafted him in the first round.

In three seasons as Kaufman’s seldom-used backup, Neal got to carry the ball 80 times for 367 yards - a 4.6 average - and two touchdowns. He’s unlikely to get a chance to play in the NFL. He wants to become a middle school teacher.

“If I had to back up a running back, I’d rather back up Nip than anyone else,” Neal said. “I wasn’t just backing up Joe Blow. I was backing up Napoleon Kaufman.”

Kaufman was the focal point of Washington’s offense. Neal won’t be. In fact, fullback Richard Thomas, who turned a screen pass into a 75-yard touchdown in Washington’s gigantic 38-20 upset in Miami last September, may get as many carries as Neal.

“Richard’s role will be based on how they’re playing the tailback vs. how they play the fullback in our running game,” Lambright said.

Neal, from Long Beach, Calif., understands he’s no Kaufman, but he thinks he can do a good job as Kaufman’s replacement.

“I hope to pick up where Nip left off,” Neal said. “This offense is going to be very explosive and very exciting. It’s going to be able to score a lot of points.”

For the first time in three seasons, Washington is eligible to go to the Rose Bowl. The Huskies are coming off a two-year bowl ban imposed by their league because of a loan scandal involving former quarterback Billy Joe Hobert and an out-of-control summer jobs program.

As part of their punishment, the Huskies also had 20 scholarships taken away. That’s hurt their depth, particularly on defense, where they will be relying on walk-ons like starting cornerback Scott Greenlaw and Aaron Nettles, who will back up redshirt freshman Reggie Davis at outside linebacker. Nettles played a total of seven games in two seasons at Mountain View High School in Vancouver, Wash.

Their best players now are free safety Lawyer Milloy, inside linebacker Ink Aleaga and tight end Ernie Conwell, who are good, but hardly marquee names.

“We seem a little thin at some spots,” Neal admitted.

“I’m concerned about the injury possibility,” Lambright added.

Picked by the West Coast media to finish behind No. 7 Southern Cal and No. 15 UCLA in the Pac-10, the Huskies appear more likely candidates for the Sun Bowl - where the Pac-10 will send its No. 3 team - than the Rose Bowl.

But they’ll be 13-point favorites to win their opener, mainly because Arizona State is coming off a 3-8 season. Washington’s second game will be at No. 10 Ohio State on Sept. 16.

The Sun Devils lost 35-14 in Seattle last season, but should be improved this year with Jake Plummer at quarterback, Chris Hopkins at tailback, Isaiah Mustafa at wide receiver and 6-8, 313-pound Juan Roque at left tackle in the offensive line.

“What really makes a difference this year is that we have some depth,” fourth-year coach Bruce Snyder said.