Ossai takes on new role of underdog

SEATTLE – Ben Ossai has always been on what he calls, “the other side.”

No, not the Twilight Zone. He’s referring to doubters, negativity, people who believe there’s no way he or his team can succeed.

So being a member of not only the University of Washington football team, but also the team’s most questioned unit – the offensive line – is nothing new to Ossai.

But that doesn’t mean he likes it. Unlike many players, Ossai admits he pays attention to what is being said, and uses that as motivation to prove people wrong.

“I’ve been on the other side every time,” Ossai said. “You want to change it. …We’ve been here all summer. We’ve been here all spring. I’ve been here for almost a whole year completely. I’ve been home for about a month (in that time). We’re doing what we have to do to win games.”

This year, Ossai will take on a big role in Washington’s pursuit to turn things around after back-to-back miserable years.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound redshirt freshman from Bakersfield, Calif., will take over at the ever-important left tackle spot, protecting the blind side of quarterback Isaiah Stanback.

The last two players to man that position – Khalif Barnes and Joe Toledo – were selected in the NFL draft. But Ossai said he doesn’t feel any added pressure to try to carry on what those two players established.

“You’ve got to play a game at a time, you can’t look forward to the draft,” Ossai said. “That’s years away. You just have to play your hardest, and you’ll get there.”

Ossai will be one of two starters on the line who have never played in a game, along with center Juan Garcia. But Garcia has at least been in the program for four years. Ossai has somewhat unexpectedly become a key player in just his second season.

Ossai was the No. 82-rated prospect in California as a senior at Stockdale High School when he committed to Washington. Some academic situations made it unclear if he would arrive in Seattle. But after that was resolved, he spent the 2005 season as a redshirt.

He used that time to get stronger and in better shape. He arrived at the UW at around 335 pounds, but since then has shed about 40. That allowed him to be quicker on his feet, something necessary when blocking for a scrambler like Stanback.

He’s also improved his bench press about 65 pounds to around 375. His squat press has gone up about 55 pounds and his power cleans have risen by about 70 pounds.

“I like his toughness,” head coach Tyrone Willingham said.

Now that Ossai seems to have the job – he’s ahead of redshirt freshman Morgan Rosborough on the depth chart – he understands he can’t stop working. He knows that people will be paying extra attention to him and wondering if he can hold up his part to help the Husky offense move. But he welcomes the challenge of proving people wrong.

“We’re 11th-ranked out of 10 teams in the Pac-10,” Ossai said. “We’re not supposed to win anything. We’re the underdog and we’re taking the underdog role. But we’re doing what we have to do to not be the underdog anymore.”