R. J. Washington
Encyclopedia
R. J. Washington is an American football
player. He currently plays defensive end
for the Oklahoma Sooners
.
of Keller
, a suburb of Ft. Worth, Texas, where he was coached by Hal Wasson and later Tony Baccarinni. As a sophomore in 2005, he broke the school record for quarterback sack
s with 10 in his first year as a varsity starter, earning district 6-4A's sophomore of the year honors.
During his junior year, Washington recorded 87 tackles, including 18 TFLs, and 10 sacks. He received all-district and all-state honors. As senior in 2007, made 84 tackles with 11 sacks and 36 quarterback pressures, finishing his career with school records in sacks per game and per career. Washington was rated the No. 1 defensive end nationally by Rivals.com
. He was named the 2008 Southwest Defensive Player of the year by SuperPrep Magazine and was elected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
.
, Texas A&M
and Nebraska. He eventually committed to the Oklahoma Sooners, because of his grandparents, who live around 20 minutes outside of Norman, Oklahoma
.
from 1979 to 1982. Russell played on SMU's 1981 and 1982 teams during the "Pony Express" days of Eric Dickerson
and Craig James. Russell played linebacker for the USFL
's Tampa Bay Bandits
(1983) and Jacksonville Bulls
(1984–85).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He currently plays defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
High school career
Washington prepped at Fossil Ridge High SchoolFossil Ridge High School
Fossil Ridge High School is a high school located in north Fort Worth, Texas. It is the second high school of the Keller Independent School District...
of Keller
Keller, Texas
Keller is a city located in Tarrant County, Texas, in the United States. In 2011, it was ranked 93rd in Money Magazine's list of best cities to live in the United States. It is a northern suburb of the city of Fort Worth and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex...
, a suburb of Ft. Worth, Texas, where he was coached by Hal Wasson and later Tony Baccarinni. As a sophomore in 2005, he broke the school record for quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s with 10 in his first year as a varsity starter, earning district 6-4A's sophomore of the year honors.
During his junior year, Washington recorded 87 tackles, including 18 TFLs, and 10 sacks. He received all-district and all-state honors. As senior in 2007, made 84 tackles with 11 sacks and 36 quarterback pressures, finishing his career with school records in sacks per game and per career. Washington was rated the No. 1 defensive end nationally by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. He was named the 2008 Southwest Defensive Player of the year by SuperPrep Magazine and was elected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
.
College career
Washington had numerous offers from high major schools, including TexasUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
and Nebraska. He eventually committed to the Oklahoma Sooners, because of his grandparents, who live around 20 minutes outside of Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
.
Personal
Washington's father, Russell Washington, was an All-Southwest Conference linebacker/defensive end at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
from 1979 to 1982. Russell played on SMU's 1981 and 1982 teams during the "Pony Express" days of Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
and Craig James. Russell played linebacker for the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
's Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
(1983) and Jacksonville Bulls
Jacksonville Bulls
The Jacksonville Bulls were a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League during its final two seasons, 1984 and 1985...
(1984–85).