ET is home for good

When Charles Frederick and Jerramy Stevens got into a bit more than a friendly scuffle last fall, it ended poorly. The frustrated freshman wide receiver was separated from the NFL bound tight end by his buddy Rich Alexis, but the anger was still boiling up inside. He wound up walking off the practice field and back up the tunnel. Many thought that they may had seen the last of the affable Floridian.

He was fighting homesickness, getting used to the weather, and trying to fight through a nagging injury to his back that limited his work during two-a-days. After the encounter with Stevens, he’d had enough.

He wanted to go home.

Everyone from his high school coaches Terry Geogh and Bill Selwyn to his own father gave him some interesting advice.

“Everyone that loves can cares about him told him to stay at Washington,” said family friend Jeff Anderson. “They all knew that this was going to be the place where he could succeed and where people would care about him and take care of him.”

So Charles returned to practice three days later and after an apology to the team, he was back in the Husky family.

After the humiliating Orange Bowl loss, Frederick told dawgman.com, “It was great to be back home. It’s too bad that we didn’t play better but Miami is the best team in the country. I’m looking forward to getting back to Washington and working toward being that type of team.”

From that moment on, Frederick has not wavered in his decision to be a Husky. Despite not playing any meaningful minutes for Bob Bender’s basketball team, Frederick sucked it up and enjoyed his teammates.

It was an incredibly wet winter in the Pacific Northwest, but it didn’t daunt the one they call “ET.”

“I’m alright here. In fact, I think I’m perfect here. I’m going to stay,” he said with his characteristic smile.

“I really didn’t expect to play a lot last fall as a receiver, but I knew that I would get a lot of looks as a kickoff and punt returner. That’s what I love most. I love playing receiver too, don’t get me wrong, but returning kicks is something else.”

It’s a totally different environment for Charles now, with Justin Robbins missing the entire season after ACL surgery, and Wilbur Hooks limited this spring because of a shoulder injury.

“Right now there is a lot of opportunity for me to play some receiver. I’m learning things very quickly now, much quicker than I was before,” said ET.

“Reading the defense and learning the plays are the biggest challenges.”

Frederick will likely crack the four wide-out sets this fall and will be able to show off his 4.4 speed and incredible vertical leaping ability. “I’m excited to play more next year at receiver. I think I can help. I still think punt and kick returns are the best, though. Seeing everybody running at me and knowing that I’m about to get the ball, that’s it,” said ET with a laugh.

Frederick is a gifted point guard on the hardwood as well, and was introduced to his new head coach yesterday. “I had not met Romar before. He met with us today in the locker room and he seemed like a pretty nice guy. I haven’t talked with him yet but he sure sounds like a nice guy and a good coach.”

Two new starts for one of the best pure athletes to have ever suited up at the University of Washington.