Before Jake Browning started a million games at Washington, set numerous school and conference records, notched more than 100 total touchdowns and all the rest, his college coach, Chris Petersen, noticed Browning’s spirit as much as his skill. He had plenty of both, but how he worked, how hard and how frequently, stood out because he was just … extreme.
Browning graduated high school in Folsom, Calif., early, to head to Seattle and gain six months of extra preparation. That’s not unusual. But this is: Every time Petersen went to the football offices, which was often, of course, Browning seemed to be there. Before dawn. Long after dark. In between classes. Before and after practice. And he didn’t take that approach exclusively before his freshman season, during it or for his first few years. Every week Browning spent on campus unfolded exactly the same way.
“He was one of the hardest-working guys on the team,” Petersen said by phone Monday, marveling at how what he saw then connects to now. He corrected himself immediately. “Not one of. The hardest.”
