Shots Fired! Washington Coach Jimmy Lake Takes Aim At Oregon's Academics

University of Washington coach Jimmy Lake is preparing his squad to go Duck hunting Saturday, but they may be doing so without any bullets. Days ahead of Washington's Pac-12 conference game with Oregon, Lake emptied the holster on Oregon, targeting the 7th-ranked Ducks' prowess in the classroom -- or the supposed lack thereof.

When asked during his weekly presser about recruiting wars between the two Pacific Northwest schools, Lake downplayed Oregon's status:

“I think that is way more pumped up than it is. Our battles are really – the schools that we go against are way more… have academic prowess, like the University of Washington. Notre Dame. Stanford. USC. We go with a lot of battles toe-to-toe all the way to the end with those schools. So I think that’s made up in your world. In our world, we battle more academically prowess teams.”

And that marks the first time Huskies football has ever been mentioned in the same breath as Notre Dame and USC.

By the way, Lake's Huskies are 4-4 on the season. Oregon is 7-1 and in prime position to snag one of the four spots available in the College Football Playoff. Sadly, there is no academic playoff, nor is there a weekly nationally televised selection show debating which institution's academic résumé is most impressive.

While Lake attempted to ruffle some the Duck feathers, reporters in attendance shifted the conversation towards Saturday's game, and Lake obliged them.

"I think this rivalry has been about championships and usually the winner is going to represent the Pac-12 North or they’re hunting for a Pac-12 Championship," Lake responded. "It’s been more on a higher level in terms of a lot of things are stake in that way.






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