From winless to rankings: UW is back in the hunt

December 6, 2008 concluded the University of Washington’s worst football season ever. The Huskies finished winless and became the first Pac-10 team to ever go 0-12. Then head coach Tyrone Willingham was fired and the search for a new leader began.

Enter Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian, a former USC assistant and offensive coordinator, was hired as the Washington Huskies head football coach to help infuse an energetic, youthful and winning attitude back into a once proud football program. He worked at getting the team behind him and his plan for returning them to glory. He worked at getting the community behind him and not giving up on the team. He opened practices for everyone to see and proved things were going to be different. In short, Steve Sarkisian wrangled in the hope before it was completely lost on everyone. The hope that the UW football program, former National Champions, can once again become winners.

The Huskies can never be accused of taking the easy way out by playing a soft schedule having never played a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) since 1978. Even after their worst season ever that holds true. To start the 2009 season the Huskies opened with a home game against then No. 11 ranked LSU. Very few gave the Huskies a chance of winning, or competing, against the Tigers from Baton Rouge. But they did compete. And they gave LSU a legitimate scare although the Huskies lost 31-23.

Next came the Idaho Vandals. A team UW beat 42-23.

For their third straight home game of the 2009 season the Huskies were dueling Sarkisian’s former team, USC. The Trojans came in ranked No. 3. and, although beat up and missing several starters due to injury, they surely would beat the Huskies with ease.

“Not so fast my friend!”

The two teams slugged it out keeping the score close all day. USC didn’t play well, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that Jake Locker and the Huskies kept up stride for stride and executed when needed. In fact, Locker led his team on a 68 yard drive that ended on a Erik Folk 22-yard field goal giving them the lead only 3 seconds remaining. There was nothing left USC could do, but go down in defeat to Washington 16-13.

“It’s unbelievable,” Sarkisian said. “It’s a great moment for our program and hopefully sends a message of where we’re headed.”

And where are they headed? Of course, that remains to be seen. But, they’re certainly on the right track toward getting back to prominence. I do believe they’ve a lot of work to do, yet. But for now, the Washington Huskies have gone from winless to rankings in only three short games of the season. After beating the USC Trojans and earning a 2-1 record thus far, they have earned themselves a No. 24 ranking.

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 FB: Week one – What did we learn?

So week one of the 2009 football season is officially in the book. And what a crazy start to the season we had. After digesting each game I asked myself, “what did we learn?”

Arizona
Matt Scott played every snap during the Wildcats’ 19-6 win over Central Michigan, and he’s been tabbed the team’s starting QB, “until things change.” That’s according to head coach Mike Stoops when he spoke at Monday’s weekly news conference. That’s not to say Nick Foles won’t see some playing time, however.

Nic Grigsby, once again, quietly put up over 100 yards (118) and added a touchdown. Yeah, he’s good. Just keep it on the down-low.

Kicker Alex Zendejas Jr. tied a school record with four field goals. Is really good? Was the record really only four? He could have broke the record had he not missed a 43 yard try in the game.

Overall the defense played well keeping Central Michigan to 182 yards and one touchdown. Chippewas senior QB Dan LeFevour was kept in check all night.

Arizona St.
The Sun Devils clobbered Idaho St. 50-3. Linebacker Mike Nixon had three interceptions—one returned for a touchdown—and a blocked punt. Yes, it’s impressive. But, let’s be real. It was against IDAHO ST. The Bengals haven’t had a winning season since 2003; including a one-win season last year.

We really didn’t learn much except Arizona St. can lay a whoopin’ on a scrub team (sorry Bengals).

Cal
Jahvid Best carried the ball only ten times, but he racked up 137 yards and one touchdown in a 52-13 win against Maryland. He started his Heisman campaign off to a good start. QB Kevin Riley had a real nice showing throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns.

Oregon
I don’t think there’s much to say about the 19-8 whoopin’ the Ducks took against Boise St. The Broncos looked good (not great), but the Ducks couldn’t execute at all. With that said, they managed to keep the score within reach all game.

The fiasco after the game is what’s really getting all of the attention for this game. LeGarrette Blount lost his temper after being taunted by Boise St. Bronco Byron Hout and he ended up sucker punching him. It didn’t end there. Blount got in to it with a teammate, then with some of the fans who were taunting Blount as he was exiting the field. If you haven’t watched the video go to ESPN and check it out.

Oregon State
The Beavs played in-state little brother Portland State and did just what they were supposed to do; beat them 34-7. Another game where we didn’t learn much about how good the team really is.

The Rodger’s brothers, James and Jacquizz, both played well as did Sean Canfield. But overall we won’t know how good the Beavs are until they face UNLV next week and then Cincinnati.

Stanford
Stanford went and played Pac-10 foe Washington St. in Pullman beating them39-13. Head coach Jim Harbough has this team headed in the right direction and they started the season off right.

Running back Toby Gerhart ran well, but what we really learned is freshman QB Andrew Luck just might be the real deal. He threw 193 yards and a touchdown and looked good.

I know what you’re thinking and I know it was against Washington St. But the Cougars actually looked much improved over last season. The moved the ball fairly well and the QB play wasn’t too bad.

UCLA
UCLA came out with a real balanced offense gaining 359 total yards in their 33-14 win over San Diego St. QB Kevin Prince played well, which is something this team really needed. The defense stuffed the run well, but did give up 238 through the air. Of course, that’s bound to happen when your force your opponent to pass.

Not much to say as, again, this was a team playing a much weaker team in San Diego St. They did what they should have done and beat the weaker opponent.

USC

The Trojans started the game real slow. The first quarter ended 3-0 with San Jose St. ahead. Those questions about USC’s defense really started to look legit. So did the big questions of how well will freshman QB Matt Barkley do. But as the second quarter started and the game went on you really got to see this Trojans team become a unit. The defense picked it up. Those three points the Spartans led with in the first quarter were the only three they’d get all night.

Barkely played well throwing for 233 yards and a touchdown. He looked good and became comfortable back there. RB Joe McKnight 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Washington
In what was probably one of the more exciting games if the weekend, the Washington Huskies matched No. 11 LSU stride for stride. They really played well. Head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to have this team, and their fans, believing they can win and belong.

Jake Locker came out and quieted his naysayers—if even for one week—showing he can lead this team. He threw for 321 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also added 51 yards rushing.

The Husky defense played well enough to keep their team in the game for most of the night. If this team continues to play this well they may be bowl-bound this season. What a turn-a-round that would be.

Washington St.
So, I’ve already touched on the Cougars above (they played Stanford) and mentioned they looked much improved over their 2-11 season last year; and they do. But they still have a long way to go.

QB Kevin Lopina was able to led the team while he was at the helm, but Marshall Lobbestael didn’t do so well when he got on. The job will be Lopina’s to lose from here on out.

Losing to Stanford 39-13 is a far cry from their 58-0 beating they took last season.

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 “Dawgs Supporting Dawgs” | Steve Sarkisian Football Coach at the University of Washington

“Dawgs Supporting Dawgs” | Steve Sarkisian Football Coach at the University of Washington.
“‘Dawgs Supporting Dawgs’ to help qualified fans maintain football season tickets during economic times.”

Really? Economic times? Look, I understand the sad economic state we’re in right now as a country, but don’t you think an 0-12 season had just as much, if not more, to do with the season ticket holders not renewing? Come on UW! You basically owe the season ticket holders something, anyhow, after last season.

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 Pac-10 Links: Will USC QB Mark Sanchez stay or go, how high are the Beavers, more.

So far, USC has lost both its offensive coordinator (Steve Sarkisian) and defensive coordinator (Nick Holt) to Washington. Many, including myself, have wondered what the draw to Washington is. Holt was asked this very question and offers a pretty good answer.

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Mark Sanchez says he’s “right in the middle” on whether he will declare for the NFL draft or not. He’s rated the third best quarterback for the draft. Matthew Stafford (Georgia) has already declared, and it’s rumored that Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) is going to declare.

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Paul Buker from The Oregonian has an interesting take on where Oregon State should rank if Utah were to be considered for No. 1.

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 Pac-10 Links: Oregon State getting no respect from Pitt, Stanford flying under hoops radar, more.

Update 12/31/2008: Stanford Stays Unbeaten With 69-55 Win Over Hartford.

I love smack talk! I mean true smack talk, and not those personal jabs we see so much online today. Pitt defensive tackle Rashaad Duncan is certainly lending to the smack talk realm. In Monday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Duncan doesn’t sound impressed with Oregon State’s offensive line saying, “But the thing I see when I watched them is that I don’t think they have faced a defensive line like us. I mean, the last defensive line they played like us was Penn State and the results speak for themselves.”

Speaking of Oregon State and Pitt. While Sun Bowl officials are warning fans not to travel across the border in to Mexico, I’m thinking it would be better to warn fans about the Village People being the half-time entertainment.

By the way, Oregon State head coach, Mike Riley, received a well deserved contract extension through 2015.

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This just in! It turns out USC coach Pete Carroll knows what he’s doing. One writer (whom I enjoy reading) over at Bleacher Report criticized Pete Carroll for not handing over the offense to John Morton once Washington hired Steve Sarkisian (to be fair, several others in the media thought the same thing). But as Paul Peszko writes, Sarkisian hasn’t lost focus on the task at hand at all.

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The unranked Stanford men’s basketball team could head into Pac-10 play 10-0 with a win this evening against against Hartford. If so, Stanford can really make a case for themselves when they do open their Pac-10 play ad face No. 17 Arizona St. this Friday.

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