Sorry for the lack of news today … I was traveling for Pac-10 men’s basketball media day Thursday.

I might yet get a few notes from Ty Willingham’s afternoon press briefing, but meanwhile, here are this week’s power rankings… with a new team at the bottom.

1 Arizona State 8-0, 5-0. One of five unbeatens nationally, and only one in conference play.

2 Oregon 7-1, 4-1. GameDay returns to Eugene … Ducks must be doing something right.

3 USC 6-2, 3-2. Defense unlikely to win this season’s Pac-10 championship.

4 California 5-3, 2-3.

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Listening to Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh this week, it’s obvious that he just loves starting quarterback Tavita Pritchard, the sophomore from Clover Park. I mean, loves him beyond his stats, loves him even beyond that victory over USC. Harbaugh is a former quarterback himself, and he just sounds like he sees the right stuff — quarterback right stuff — in Pritchard.

Because of Pritchard’s Tacoma background, the UW sportswriters got a conference call interview with him Tuesday. And, I gotta say it’s hard not to like him (although not everyone reading a Husky blog will agree, because Pritchard is

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This is the explanation coach Tyrone Willingham gave this morning regarding tailback J.R. Hasty’s return to the team.

“It simply was a young man and his family who needed just a little time to reflect,” he said. “… I’m kind of patient about certain things – you just kind of wait and talk your way through things, and it worked out where he was able to kind of see and visit with his family and was able to come back. I thought it was the right decision for him to do that.”

We also heard from Hasty.

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Tailback J.R. Hasty has returned to the Huskies, coach Tyrone Willingham confirmed tonight.

Just last Thursday it was publicly announced that the former Bellevue star had left the team, apparently dissatisfied over playing time.

However, he never left school and after meeting with Willingham, has been cleared to return.

Hasty is expected back at practice Tuesday.

If it’s any consolation, UW coach Tyrone Willingham and athletic director Todd Turner know you’re frustrated with the Huskies’ performance on the football field. And while it may not do much good, they say they share that frustration.

Willingham met the media today and admitted that the 48-41 loss to Arizona on Saturday was among the most painful of his career.

However, he said it is more important for the coaches and staff to listen to each other than to fan criticism. And he said that he has no indication that the discontent is costing him any

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The depth chart released Monday shows Byron Davenport back in the starting lineup at cornerback. Davenport had started three straight weeks, but he was beaten on consecutive plays in the first quarter of the Arizona game, was benched and didn’t return. "Byron will be back," Willingham said. "Byron will be fine."

No significant new injuries were reported in the Arizona game. However, linebacker Donald Butler nor receiver Quintin Daniels remain physically unable to perform.

Finally, Willingham indicated that something is happening behind the scenes involving tailback J.R. Hasty, who left the team last week while apparently unhappy about

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UW coaches honored quarterback Jake Locker (offense), defensive tackle Jordan Reffett (defense) and linebacker Chris Stevens (special teams) as players of the week from the Arizona game.

Honored for work on the scout teams were tight end Romeo Savant, defensive end Darrion Jones and linebacker Linus Chou.

Washington has opened a 3-point favorite for it’s game Saturday at Stanford.

The Cardinal is 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-10 in their first season under coach Jim Harbaugh.

Here is a link to the Stanford football site, and another to the Stanford coverage from the San Jose Mercury News.