Pete Kwiatkowski Defends Huskies Against Crimson Tide
Santa Barbara–Raised Defensive Coordinator Takes U of Washington Against Alabama
Trying to stop the unstoppable is the task Pete Kwiatkowski will face on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta. He is the defensive coordinator of the Washington Huskies, who will go up against one of college football’s all-time juggernauts, top-ranked Alabama, in the Peach Bowl. It is one of the semifinals leading to the national championship game.
Kwiatkowski has been coaching for 29 years, always on the defensive side of the ball. It is no coincidence that the 1975 Super Bowl was the first football game that captivated the Santa Barbara native.
“I was 7 years old, living on the Mesa, and I got hooked watching the Steelers beat the Vikings,” he said. Those Steelers were known for their defensive line, the Steel Curtain, which led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl wins.
