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Chris Petersen Media Day Interview Part 4

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Twitter bans, social media in recruiting, Budda Baker, Keishawn Bierria, and coaching players up are talked about.

Otto Greule Jr

You had a Twitter ban at Boise State. Did you carry that policy over with you to Washington?

No, I did not. We kind of said we'll see how this thing goes. Trying to get out of the dark ages. I know how important social media is to everybody and certainly our kids so hopefully they use it correctly and use it in a positive manner. As a way to draw attention to the program. So that's a balance. We're kind of working through that. There are five other things they could do. They had other things they could do, it was kind of making a little bit of a point. But still trying to meet these guys halfway.

But did you tell them you have the right to revoke those privileges?

Yeah, we talked about that. Hey, okay, I'm on your terms now and let's see how this thing goes. If somebody's out of control with it or doesn't do it right, we'll have to have a conversation about that.

Are there any other policies from Boise State that are hard for the players to accept?

I don't think so much of that. Just everything's different in terms of how we lift weights, certain expectations, classroom stuff, all those things. In you start putting these things together, a little adds up to a lot. Those things aren't changed overnight. It's a process that you're working through.

Do you think a Twitter account might be useful for you?

Yeah, a little bit, a little bit. One thing when you're recruiting, it's such a strong way to communicate with these guys. I don't like Facebook at all. The only reason I do it is for recruiting. So any person I knew in the past that has to do with eligibility, I don't talk to them on Facebook, so it will probably be the same thing with Twitter.

On Budda Baker:

Yeah, can't wait to get out there and see what he can do playing football-wise. I know he's been over there in our elite program, they're doing a good job of working his tail off. Really excited about him because I think he's a really good person. Just all about all the things that we want our program to know about in terms of working hard and being humble, and playing great football and loving his teammates and all those things.

I think we'll look at him at safety and see how the safety corner thing and see how that goes. He's dynamic with the ball as well. Playing with the kick return type thing as well.

I'm sure you’re a loyal guy and committed. But what makes you finally say the time is right to switch schools?

Loved the place I was at without question. Could have stayed there a long time and been happy. But I felt it had to do with growing and stretching myself a little bit, and the opportunity in Washington, being the special place that I thought. But it's really hard to kind of tell you why. It's kind of a gut feeling.

The other thing is that you had a particular ability to go into areas and find players and coach them up. Did your philosophy change all about that?

Yeah, I hope we can. The one thing that needs to not change is the evaluation of one type of person as a kid. If you get that guy, you can push them and develop them. That's what we did was develop these kids because they were all about what we were all about. Not everybody can do what we do. You guys might understand a little bit, but the average person on the outside looking in, they don't understand how hard this thing is. It's hard to go away and go to college and all those things, and we stress them so hard with this high level of football and academics. We are on them about everything. They're not all about the things that you're all about. It just doesn't work.

So that's what our coaches did so well in Boise. They got the guys that fit us and believed in what we were all about.

What happened to players who wanted to originally follow you from Boise State to UW but didn’t?

Wanted to stay home at the end of the day.

On Keishawn Bierria, LB RFr.

Keishawn has done a really good job for us. I think he's going to be a good player. He had a good spring, and I think he's going to be in the mix for playing time this fall for sure. I know he's a really good special teams player, and I know our linebacker coach really likes him at linebacker.