We're back on-line after being down for a while there, and we'll try to quickly catch up on a few things.

UW coach Tyrone Willngham just concluded his briefing with the media and said that the team appears relatively healthy.

RB David Freeman made it through all of Tuesday's practice without incident, he said, even taking a few hits along the way. "He worked well,'' Willingham said.

Also back to practice were S Johri Fogerson, who said he is over his illness that held him out last week and also recovered from a sprained ankle that limited him previously, and LB Josh Gage, who suffered a sprained arch against Arizona that held him out last week.

Willingham said that the competition at the tailback spot should now be spirited with Freeman back and Terrance Dailey listed as the starter, with Willie Griffin and Brandon Johnson also in the mix. Willingham said ideally he would have a two-tailback rotation allowing each to get comfortable but also allowing each to get some rest.

He said Dailey is the fastest of that group, one reason he has now emerged as the starter. He said Dailey has the kind of speed needed to break one, as evidenced against OSU, and which the team needs to get its running attack going.

Willingham also said he likes the fact that the two safety spots figure to be the same this week with Nate Williams and Victor Aiyewa listed as the starters, a continuity often lacking this season. He said that gives them a chance to start getting comfortable with each other on the field which should give them a chance to improve.

But Willingham said that overall "we are still just missing a few too many things'' in the secondary, such as taking bad angles or not playing the ball as well as needed.

Willingham was also asked to respond to a quote from former Stanford AD Ted Leland in this story in the Chicago Sun-Times today that while he's a good recruiter, he's not an aggressive recruiter and doesn't make promises with a wink. Leland hired Willingham as coach at Stanford.

Said Willingham: "My take on that is first of all I thank Dr. Leland for that because I think that is genuine. It is a quality I hope that has integrity and great character to it, that you always want to surround yourself with young people that are goal-oriented and hopefully focused on their football and all the other aspects of their life also. So that would be my take on it that he is saying I am someone who goes into the home and will not say or do something or commit to a kid someting that is out of the realm of us providing.''