All-purpose back opts for UW

Chris Polk, an all-purpose back from Redlands, Calif., who verbally committed to USC, has changed his mind and will attend Washington, his mother, Edrena Polk, told RealDawg.com on Wednesday.

Polk committed to USC in February, but visited Washington, Oregon and California during the season.

Coach Tyrone Willingham and receivers coach Charlie Baggett visited the Polk family Tuesday, prompting him to change his mind.

"I was very impressed with them," Edrena Polk told RealDawg.com. " In fact, our whole family was there and so they met everyone. We were all impressed with what Coach Willingham had to say."

Edrena Polk did not return calls from the Seattle P-I late Wednesday.

Rivals.com lists Polk as the No. 4 all-purpose back in the nation. Scout.com puts him ninth among all the country's running backs.

Polk will finish high school this month and plans to enroll early to begin working out with the team in January.

He wrapped up a 12-1 season at Redlands East Valley, the same school where Huskies redshirt freshman quarterback Ronnie Fouch and cornerback Marquis Persley went.

A 5-foot-11, 195-pounder, Polk played tailback as a senior and rushed for 1,200 yards and 34 touchdowns. As a junior, he had 62 catches for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns with Fouch quarterbacking. He also played safety.

Polk would be the Huskies' 22nd commit in this recruiting class, which continues to move up the national rankings.

Scout.com gives the class the highest ranking at No. 17. Polk's commitment will boost that number.

The class appears to be heavy on running backs with five, and short on defensive players with only four players listing defensive positions as their primary spots.

Defense is the Huskies' main need, particularly on the line and in the secondary, but the recruits all appear to be versatile and athletic.

O'Dea's Johri Fogerson, for example, was the P-I's offensive player of the year and also was an All-Metro League first-team safety. Eastside Catholic's Vince Taylor shared the Metro League co-offensive MVP honor with Fogerson, but Taylor projects as a defensive back, where he also earned first-team honors.

2008 SCHEDULE CHANGES: The Pac-10 athletic directors approved many 2008 football schedule changes. For the Huskies, it means three byes and a 15-week schedule.

The Huskies will start the 12-game season a week earlier than originally scheduled with the game at Oregon moving to Aug. 30.

The home Oklahoma game will be bumped up a week to Sept. 13, and the season finale at California has been moved to Dec. 6.

Three off weeks interrupt the games with byes scheduled for Sept. 20, Oct. 11 and Nov. 29, the Saturday after the Apple Cup.

HUSKIES 2008 SCHEDULE

Date	Opp.
Aug. 30	at Oregon
Sept. 6	BYU
Sept. 13	Oklahoma
Sept. 20	BYE
Sept. 27	Stanford
Oct. 4	at Arizona
Oct. 11	BYE
Oct. 18	Oregon State
Oct. 25	Notre Dame
Nov. 1	at USC
Nov. 8	Arizona State
Nov. 15	UCLA
Nov. 22	at Washington State
Nov. 29	BYE
Dec. 6	at California