Washington hosted a bevy of recruits for Sunday’s Apple Cup against Washington State. Some flew in from Detroit and Kentucky. A handful of local recruits made return trips to Husky Stadium. All of them took in an early, well-attended rivalry game and witnessed a 24-10 Washington victory over the program’s cross-state rival.

I reached out to the visitors after the game with one question: what stood out?

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The atmosphere

3-star WR Avery Thompson traveled from Paducah, Kentucky, one of the longest trips on the board, and came away with the fullest version of what the others were describing. “What stood out most to me was the atmosphere and the way the coaches and players welcomed me,” Thompson said. “You could tell how much the Apple Cup means to everyone there, and it was a great experience being around that environment.”

3-star ATH Tyler Trusel made the trip from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, one of four metro Detroit prospects Washington hosted. Trusel had an offer since spring, but the Huskies hadn’t been among the schools he was naming most often, but it looks like Washington made an impression. “They treated me like I was a commit, and the atmosphere was outstanding,” Trusel said.

The travelers weren’t the only ones. 4-star TE Tytan McNeal, the No. 1-ranked 2028 TE in the country, has already been to Husky Stadium a handful of times, but came away with a familiar reaction. “The atmosphere was amazing today, and it was great to see them in action,” McNeal said. “It’s always a great time anytime I can get on campus.”

Keeping the Eastside Catholic product ome is one of the more important jobs on this staff’s 2028 board.

Three-star ATH Khyjahmee Ross added: “The visit went very well.” “The thing that stood out the most was the energy and atmosphere . . . their fans are very welcoming too."

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The staff

Washington offered 3-star WR Quincey Clay in late July. The Apple Cup was the first visit the Capital High standout had taken anywhere, and Idaho’s top-rated recruit came away talkingabout the people. “I definitely liked the atmosphere of UW and the coaches,” Clay said. “You can tell they want to build this relationship.”

3-star RB James Curoso heard the same thing. Curoso made the trip from Clovis in California’s Central Valley. “The team energy and how they took the time to talk and get to know me — the energy was amazing,” Curoso said. “The coaches were very welcoming and I had a great time.”

4-star DL Isaac Kalubi Lukuni who traveled from Georgia, said his highlight was “Definitely being able to talk to all the coaches.” He added: “Everyone was excited for me to be there and it showed."

The depth chart

3-star LB Julian Bruno came up from Grant Union in Sacramento and watched the game the way a defensive prospect watches a game. “What stood out to me most was the amount of fans and the love they give to the players,” Bruno said. “Another thing that stood out to me was they started four freshmen on defense.”

The view from the commits

2027 commit 3-star IOL Reis Russell came in from Valor Christian in Colorado, a program that sends players to college games all over the country. He’s seen plenty of stadiums. “The energy is unmatched,” Russell said. “Been to a lot of college football games and there’s nothing like the Apple Cup. These fans are going crazy the whole time. It was awesome to see.”

Russell committed in June. He wasn’t being sold on anything Sunday. He was one of the commits on the sideline whose job, in practice, was to help sell the 2028 group.

3-star LB Titus Osterman gave the most honest version of it. Washington did not play a clean game, and the Kimberly, Idaho, product didn’t pretend otherwise. “The fans were great even when we made a ton of mistakes the fans were still on their feet the whole time,” Osterman said.

What it means

It’s safe to say the Apple Cup did what the staff needed it to do. Some of the recruits who traveled the farthest — Thompson from Kentucky, Trusel from Michigan — came away positive. The recruits Washington is building relationships with, like Clay and Curoso, felt the effort. And at least one defensive prospect saw a path to the field.

Follow-ups with the rest of the visitor board are coming as they answer.

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