Ex-Husky To Qb For Northern Iowa

Former Washington quarterback Shane Fortney will play football next fall for Northern Iowa.

Fortney, who left the UW program last month because he was unhappy with coach Jim Lambright and didn’t want to be a backup to sophomore Brock Huard, will compete for a starter’s job at the Division 1-AA school.

“They’ll make me earn it, but they’ve basically told me it’s my job,” Fortney said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t go there.”

Fortney, a senior with one year of eligibility remaining, also considered transferring to Richmond, Portland State and Idaho State. By transferring to a Division 1-AA school, he can play right away.

Northern Iowa’s Panthers are coached by Mike Dunbar, former Central Washington coach, and are a perennial 1-AA playoff team.

Fortney traded public barbs with Lambright after quitting, but may have gotten some help from his former team.

UW quarterback coach Bill Diedrick and Dunbar “know each other pretty well, and somehow word got back there,” Fortney said.

“I know Lambright didn’t have anything to do with it.”