Husky Trails

Huskies End the Streak

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 02:06:00 +0000

Washington finally has a win, after having to wait nearly two calendar years between this one and the last one. Washington beat the Idaho Vandals 42-23 today in Husky Stadium.

During a day of beautiful weather the Washington offense showed that there are playmakers on the team.

They also showed that the defense is as leaky as ever, giving the Vandals more yardage than the Huskies, 412 to 374.

First with the good news, quarterback Jake Locker looked extremely sharp on the day.

He was 17 of 25 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 18 yards on the ground with one rushing touchdown.

Chris Polk added 80 yards rushing with a rushing touchdown.

D'andre Goodwin had 83 yards on three catches and looked sharp after being shut down in the LSU game.

The defense, though, was not sharp today, and allowed too many yards against a team who will be nowhere near the talent of next weeks game against USC.

The defense played zone most of the night and gave up a lot of space underneath to the short passing game.

Idaho was able to make a lot of first downs and keep drives alive.

The Husky defense didn't break until the second half, but gave up two soft touchdowns in the second.

There were two sacks that the defense nabbed, but overall they looked rather ineffective.

It will be interesting to see if it was just having the USC offense on the mind or if it was a sign of things to come.

Still, a win is a win, and it's great to end that streak.

Enthusiasm is Contagious for Downtrodden Dawgs

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:54:00 +0000

The Huskies came out of the gate last Saturday firing, outgaining the LSU Tigers in yardage despite losing 31-23.

Many pundits and fans around Seattle and the country proclaimed a successful debut for head coach Steve Sarkisian, and many felt this is a sign the Huskies are back.

Even Jim Moore, the scourge of many Husky fans, claimed that the Huskies looked like a Pac-10 team again, with playmakers abound.

There is no question that the Huskies looked great on Saturday, and will look great again Saturday the 12th against Idaho. The Vandals will have difficulty keeping up with the Dawgs.

That being said, the real test comes September 19th when USC rolls into town.

Pete Carroll, for all his talk about supporting Sarkisian leaving, could still be in the mood to punish someone like Nick Holt for walking out on the Trojans.

The game will be hard fought, but USC will lay the hammer down the way they did against San Jose State.

How the team picks themselves up after that game will be the true test of Sarkisian's coaching ability.

Let's be honest and say that since LSU was such a high profile opponent, and the trials of last season, it was easy for the Huskies to get up and play.

They will get up and play against Idaho to finally end the losing streak and give Sarkisian his first win in purple and gold.

However, the season is a marathon, and there will inevitably be some disappointment along the way. Let's not forget there was a fair amount of wasted yardage by the Huskies where they didn't score or gave up bad turnovers.

The schedule is easier than it has been in the past couple years, but it is by no means easy.

It will be interesting to see how Sarkisian keeps these players held high in the low points, and how he keeps success from going to their heads after wins.

In any case, it looks to be a more enjoyable season to watch than 2008, regardless of how many loses the Huskies have.

Huskies Sharper in Sark Debut

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:13:00 +0000

There really should be no surprise that LSU won last night's contest and the UW Huskies continued their losing streak. That being said, the 31-23 loss by the Huskies did not leave a bad taste in the mouth at all.

Last night was the debut of new head coach Steve Sarkisian, and the return from injury for quarterback Jake Locker.

Obviously a loss is not ideal, but there are positives to be pulled from the game.

The team looks completely different than it did last year, there is just such a bigger buzz around the Huskies during gametime.

The best example is that after the first score the entire team huddled up on the sideline and started jumping up and down chanting and cheering.

In terms of field performance, the Huskies outgained the LSU Tigers in passing and rushing. Something that you could hardly have said about the Huskies last season.

Locker looked sharp in the game, throwing for 25 of 45 passing with 321 yards and two touchdowns.

He would have looked better but for some throw away balls and some rather horrendous drops as well. The interception was about the worst he looked the whole night passing, which is to be expected.

Running back Chris Polk ran with purpose for 90 yards on 21 carries.

The offensive line looked great, for as many questions as there were going into the season, you really could not ask for much more out of them.

That being said, the running game diminished during the second half, with most of the second half yards coming from Jake Locker.

It's also key to point out that the staff did not use all the running backs, as they had said they would.

Defensively, they played with so much more fire and intensity than they ever did under Tyrone Willingham's staff. They made several impressive stops, in spite of allowing 321 yards and 31 points.

The secondary got a bit tossed around by the LSU receivers, Terence Toliver especially, but they will get better.

There were some heavy hits too, with one massive hit on Jordan Jefferson by Nate Williams springing to mind. Williams shook himself up on the hit.

The front seven did a great job stuffing the middle running, with most of the biggest running plays coming around the outside.

The biggest complaint about the Huskies, and I'm going back and forth on if it is truly a complaint, is that the Huskies basically beat themselves with turnovers and penalties.

There were some bad personal fouls, several substitution infractions, and others on top of the typical offsides, false starts, and what not.

There is certainly a lot of things needed to be cleaned up. The beauty of the game last night was that every play did not feel like it had the potential to blow up in the Huskies face.

They played well, they didn't feel lucky, the way it felt under the Willingham staff.

There is a lot to build on, and a lot to be proud of, in spite of the loss.

Conditioning is the Key For a Successful Season

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:38:00 +0000

With the season fast approaching for the Huskies, a lot is being made of the chances the Huskies are going to have for a successful season.

Essentially, the consensus is that the Huskies will make little to no impact on the college football landscape. No upsets on the clocks, only a few wins, and another Pac-10 cellar appearance.

However, the Huskies will be better this year, maybe not in the wins/losses column, but certainly in how competitive the team plays.

Coach Steve Sarkisian stated earlier this week that he did not expect a win against LSU, but did expect them to respect the Huskies after the game.

Bold words for a team who showed up as badly as they did last year.

If the team is going to gain any respect this year, and by conventional logic they will make a better showing of themselves, it comes down to conditioning.

Sarkisian's first priority in coming to UW was getting the conditioning program back on track. The team needed to get leaner and stamina needed to be bred back into the program.

The hiring of head strength coach Ivan Lewis was one of the most underrated assistant hires that Sarkisian made, and it is paying dividends.

The offense line has lost, all told, almost 200 pounds between all the players.

If any of you watched the debacle of the Tyrone Willingham era, you'd know that the team looked sluggish at best, and almost always faded in the fourth quarter as they wore out.

The loss of weight on the offensive line is the biggest news. Last year the line was supposed to be a strength, with experienced and huge offensive linemen.

It became apparent quickly though that no mount of experience could make up for the fact that the line was too big, and couldn't keep up with the faster defensive lines around the conference.

If the 2009 team is going to have any success, it is going to come on the back of having a leaner and more athletic team than it did in the past.

This Saturday is going to be a huge test, against a strong LSU team, but the team is hardly shying away from the challenge. They are enthusiastic to start playing and to put everything that Sark has taught them on the field.

It's going to be an exciting season, there is no doubt.

Slideshow Posted On B/R

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Hey guys,

Just posted a great slideshow of some of the better Husky players for this season on Bleacher Report. You can find the link here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/244917-husky-trails-the-washington-husky-power-players

Five Keys for the 2009 Huskies Season

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:47:00 +0000

With the season fast approaching, it is easy to get caught up in all the rhetoric that naturally flies around fall camps. The optimism can be contagious.

Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian has done an excellent job at bringing a fresh look to the Huskies. While it remains to be seen what he does on the field, he should be lauded for taking that first step.

If Sarkisian is going to be successful this season, here are going to be the keys.

Running the football.

There is no doubt that the Husky running game struggled last year. Not only did the backs themselves struggle, but the offensive line had difficulty creating holes for them.

Frankly, a starter needs to emerge out of the stables. Sarkisian was only able to rotate backs the last couple years because they all were supreme talents.

It just won't work the same here at Washington.

Chris Polk and Johri Fogerson have looked the best in camp so far, but so have Curtis Shaw and Willie Griffin.

Polk is the assumed starter, after all the drama surrounding him becoming starter last year and flopping. He has used this last season as a learning experience and as a chance to get stronger.

It's difficult because the two best runners from last year, David Freeman and Terence Dailey, are both gone from the program. That was the reason that Fogerson moved over to the running back slot from safety.

The Sarkisian offense is run oriented, so this is piece number one that Sarkisian needs to put into place. Otherwise the Sarkisian era could begin in disaster.

If the running game can succeed, it will take a massive weight off of quarterback Jake Locker's shoulders. Which in turn will help him develop into the talent he has the potential to be.

Improved Quarterback Accuracy

Both Jake Locker and Ronnie Fouch need to make great strides in their accuracy. Fouch won't see much of the field if Locker is healthy, but who knows how the season will go.

In spring and most of fall Locker has looked much improved, a mix of both being asked to make easier throws and having more solid receiver play.

The Sarkisian offense is predicated on more intermediate throws with the onus put on the receiver to gain the extra yards.

The offense of the last couple years was run oriented, with all the passing coming on really long third downs, or on big plays.

Drops have been an issue, but with the maturation of the younger receivers, that should be an occurrence that will be diminished.

Sarkisian has targeted an accuracy of 60 percent for Locker, and that may be high, but Locker looks well on his way there.

Receivers Need to Score Touchdowns

Last season was remarkably devoid of scoring, as evidenced by the 0-12 record, and the receivers scored very few of the touchdowns.

D'Andre Goodwin, the leading returning receiver for the Pac-10, had only one touchdown catches for the whole of last season.

The whole of the receiving unit? Six total catches.

Essentially the receiving corps needs to make that next step, either to get open on longer routes, or catch tough balls in the endzone.

Washington just needs to score more this season, plain and simple.

Pressure Opposing QBs More

It wasn't until the fifth game of the season did the Huskies record a single sack. The defense as a whole was atrocious at run stopping, and opposing quarterbacks had all the time in the world to throw.

It was something on the order of, on average, 63 percent completions by opposing quarterbacks during 2008.

Watching the team was frustrating because you could see them striving to get to the quarterback, but they couldn't quite make it there.

Opposing offensive lines just bossed them up and down the field.

The only bright spot has been Daniel T'eo-nesheim, who most likely will make all-PAc-10 honors this season. The guy just has a motor.

EJ Savannah coming back will have a huge impact on stopping the run game, it's up to the rest of the defensive front seven to pick up their game.

Intercept the Ball

The Husky defense only forced seven interceptions, and Husky defenders only broke up 26 passes all year.

The aforementioned 63 percent completion rate by opposing quarterbacks was no joke. They missed basically only when the quarterback couldn't throw the ball well enough, or the receiver couldn't catch it.

The bright spots are that both Nate Williams and Quinton Richardson got a lot of playing time and have looked like they can be special players for the Huskies.

The bad news is that the Huskies still haven't really sorted out the other safety and cornerback slots.

Thus far the leaders are Greg Walker at safety and Justin Glenn at cornerback, but it's really anybodies game.

Sarkisian hired both a safeties coach and a cornerbacks coach this year, as opposed to just one secondary coach, in the hopes of breathing some fire into both positions.

Jeff Mills, the safeties coach, and Demetrius Martin, the cornerbacks coach, have their work cut out for them, but have a lot of energy.

We'll see come game time if Sarkisian's hirings have succeeded.

Massive Commitment News

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Offensive Lineman Erik Kohler, of Oaks Chrisitan High School, has committed to play for the Huskies. This is a huge pick up, literally and figuratively.

Kohler plays on the same team as Husky commit Nick Montana.

This pulls the Husky class to 17 commits so far, with a healthy complement of offensive linemen.

Greg Walker Is Showing That Impact On the Defense

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:25:00 +0000

If you are Nick Holt, the number one priority in getting this Washington defense prepared is nailing down the secondary slots.

Thus far it has been a challenge, through spring and fall. There have only been two players that have put a hold on their positions; Nate Williams controls the strong safety spot and Quinton Richardson has one of the cornerback slots.

As for free safety and the other cornerback slot, it's anybodies game at this point.

That being said, over the past week, redshirt freshman Greg Walker has started to make and impact on that open free safety slot.

He has gotten praise from the coaches for his ability to hit and make plays. He's shown a pair of soft hands in catching interceptions to complement his hitting ability.

He also seems to communicate well with his fellow teammates on the defense, which is a very underrated skill sometimes.

There was a great interview with him on GoHuskies.com the other day that highlighted what I think is a fantastic attribute about him, he sounds very smart.

He knows his strengths and he knows his weaknesses, and most of all, he seems to know his place on the field in Holt's defense.

Taking some of the interviews with players over fall camp, it seems that often times the Willingham staff was not always clear on what players were supposed to do.

Chris Polk was scathing in his attack of the Willingham team, and how it had fractured right down the middle during the 0-12 season.

To have a player like Walker, who know's his job on the field, and communicates well with his fellow players, it shows serious potential for this rebuilding defense.

At the end of the day, there are a million and one reasons why this Sarkisian team is better than any Willingham team. Most of all, it comes down to team chemistry and intensity.

Looking purely at before a ball has even been hiked, Sarkisian's team has got it, Willingham's didn't.

Guys like Greg Walker help this aspect out immensely.

News and Notes

Some good news, Desmond Trufant got over his NCAA Clearinghouse issues and is with the team practicing. It should add even more competition to that cornerback battle.

Practice went short today with limited contact as Sarkisian has stressed that keeping the players fresh is the most important.

Will The Kicking Game Progress This Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:52:00 +0000

I think, as Husky fans, we can all remember the heartbreak that was last years Apple Cup. The real culprit was the shoddy kicking game. (Not to mention Tripper Johnson's absolutely blown coverage)

Last years kicker, Ryan Perkins, is gone, retiring because of constant injuries. Sophomore Erik Folk is now taking over.

For those of you who went to the Spring Game this year, I'm sure you remember the horror of Folk missing two extra point attempts.

Let's face it, the Huskies special teams over the last year or two have been absolutely horrendous.

It would be a huge bonus for the team if they are able to get the kicking and punting down pat. All reports are that the new punter, Will Mahan, is looking impressive and should help out immediately.

Folk needs to learn to slow down his kicking and not worry about what is going on around him.

It's been stated in some articles around the net and from my own observation that he rushes through the kick to get it out there as fast as possible.

Special teams coach Johnny Nansen also claims he has a tendency to look up early to watch the ball go through the uprights. The same problem I have when I whiff the ball playing golf.

Folk has a good pedigree, his older brother Nick is the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys, and he showed amazing leg strength in high school.

However, since coming to school, he's been hung up by injuries and the mental transition to college. He just isn't nearly back yet.

That being said, I think he has looked a hell of a lot better than he did in spring. There is still half a month to go to the first game, and he'll be sure to get plenty of reps in before September 5th.

Scrimmage Highlights Good Back Play

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:33:00 +0000

Tuesday marked the the first scrimmage practice for the Huskies, and while the number one offense saw little of the field, the running backs had a great day.

Several busted off some big runs or some big catches out of the backfield.

Some of the numbers are as follows:

Curtis Shaw: 4-70 with a long of 50

Johri Fogerson: 6-48 with a 48 yard reception

Demetrius Bronson: 6-31

Chris Polk: 4-8 but with a 33 yard reception

Willie Griffin: 3-16

The running back situation is going to be key in the coming year. The progress made at this position will make or break a lot of what Sarkisian is trying to install.

With no clear starter being pushed to the front, it's easy to assume that Sarkisian may employ a committee system like the last couple years at USC.

It doesn't bode well for any single running back to get that star presence, but it may be the only answer.

Locker needs a lot of weight lifted off of his shoulders to really flourish this season.

There has been a lot made of the strides he's been making as a passer, but it will be a difficult task for him if he has to throw on 3rd and 8 rather than 3rd and 3 every time.

Chris Polk has been so highly touted his first two years here, especially in the preseason. Yet, he has fizzled in the the actually game situations he's been in.

It would not be a surprise if guys like Curtis Shaw or Willie Griffin make more of an impact over the course of the year than Polk, even if Polk is the starter.

The guy who is making the biggest move is sophomore Johri Fogerson.

The former safety is looking comfortable in his new position, enough so that it is a bit of a wonder why he wasn't playing running back sooner.

The pro-style offense Sarkisian runs relies heavily on the run game, so it is good news when the backs are playing well.

The only caveat I can give is that so far they have only played the Husky defense, which was notoriously atrocious at run stopping the last couple years.

It will be a whole different animal when the Tigers of LSU roll into town.

Let's hope the backs are still up for the challenge.

Defense Seems to be Carrying the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Going into day six of the Washington Huskies fall camp, the trend thus far has been for dominate defensive play.

The way that head coach Steve Sarkisian tailors his practices is by holding a points competition between offense and defense, with a winner chosen each day.

The defense has won three of the first five practices. According to Sarkisian they came close to winning a fourth time but for some last minute heroics by the offense.

It's going to be interesting how this camp translates into the full season. The team as a whole could benefit greatly from the defense being better.

A dynamic threat like Locker benefits by having to not carry as much of the burden as he has in the past. Knowing that each drive doesn't necessarily have to be a scoring drive is important.

The only way the team has come close to winning the last several years has been in shoot-outs because the defense has given up so many points. I point you to the Oregon-UW game in 2007.

The offense, however, needs to pick up the pace. No matter how good the defense, if they are playing the majority of the game they rapidly lose effectiveness.

The defense has earned good praise so far from the head coach. It would seem that hiring Nick Holt as defensive coordinator has paid off so far.

The unit that is mentioned constantly is the linebacker corps.

Donald Butler, Mason Foster, and EJ Savannah have been singled out for praise on multiple occasions.

Savannah claimed in a post season practice the other day that this unit ranks among the best in the country.

While that statement is completely hyperbolic, it attests to the amount of swagger that the team has picked up so far. A swagger that was completely lacking last season.

The secondary, as well, has looked eager to get back to their best. They have made quite a few of breakups and interceptions.

However, they also get picked apart on some of the bigger pass plays, so it's still a give and take in that respect.

The one troubling unit is the defensive line, with only Daniel Te'o-nesheim really ever being singled out for praise in each practice.

The rest of the line seems a bit anonymous so far. Coach Sarkisian even stated in his newest post practice interview that if it was game time tomorrow that true-freshman linemen Semisi Tokolahi, Andru Pulu, and Talia Crichton would play.

I'm thrilled that Sarkisian is seeing such good things out of those guys, but it does not inspire confidence that the line is performing to it's potential.

Also, notice the disaster that was last season to show the dangers of playing so many true freshmen during a season.

It would seem that the defense as a whole, though, is poised to take a step up over the last couple years.

It remains to be seen how much that will affect the wins and losses column.

Locker Named to Maxwell List

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Jake Locker was named to the watchlist for the Maxwell award today. The award is given to the nation's top college player.

This is good news for Locker, as he was named to the O'Brien award for best quarterback as well.

This news comes on the heels of Daniel Teo'nesheim being named to the Bednarik award list for the nations best defensive player.

As I said for that story as well, the awards list really shine the light on who the best players on the Huskies are, even for an 0-12 team.

Congrats Jake on making the list!

The rest of the list can be found here.

Clarification on Tui's Role At Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:33:00 +0000

So, if you remember a couple posts back I stated that Marques Tuiasasopo was back with the team as an assistant strentgh coach.

I looked up a lot of different sources and found that he's in this role while he sorts out his NFL future. He has stated that if an NFL team came calling that would be his first choice, though he is happy being here with the Dawgs.

For those of you wondering how it is possible for him to be a coach, the NCAA rules state you can't have more than 10 coaches including the head coach, but stipulate little on support staff.

Tui has to be careful not to give any football advice, as that would be a violation, but he can assist with a lot of administrative stuff with the running of practice.

It was definitely a treat to go to practice and see him running around the field. It goes without saying that the former Rose Bowl MVP will always be a legend around Montlake.

Coach Sark has done an excellent job of including ex-Huskies in the day to day operations of the Dawgs.

He has had former greats come and talk to the team about what it means to be a Dawg. Plus, former coaches like Don James and Jim Lambright are kept close to the program.

It bodes well for Sarkisian that so many of the people from the "golden years" are flocking back to the program and offering their praise.

Teo-nesheim Named to the Bendarik List

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Daniel Teo'nesheim was named to the Bendarik Award watch list. The award is given out to the nation's best defensive player. He joins quarterback Jake Locker in reaching lists for post-season accolades, Locker being named to the O'Brien award.

While both guys are long shots for the awards, it bears out who are the best players for the team.

Congrats Daniel!

James Johnson Is Coming On Strong

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:59:00 +0000

A quick canvas of stories about fall camp will bring up one name for all of them, true freshman wideout James Johnson.

A quick receiver from San Diego who rated as a three star recruit by Rivals, has really caught the attention of the coaches, as well as, the fans and media.

He was recruited by most of the Pac-10 schools and also by San Diego State and Utah, and Sarkisian praised the staff's ability to hold onto him and bring him to Seattle.

He was praised during signing day as probably one of the most marquee players out of a fairly mediocre class, granted the staff only had so long to put it together.

Sarkisian praised the young man for the speed with which he has caught onto the system and tried to make an impact.

Wide receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty claims he is unafraid of the challenge or the spotlight, and that "when the bullets were flying today, he really stepped up."

So far he has shown good bursts of speed and incredibly solid hands. He has shown a propensity for catching passes in the endzone.

Yesterday was the first day that I was able to get out to practice, and to be honest the defense had the offenses number all day long.

Locker threw several interceptions and the defense broke up a lot of passes either through some decent coverage or some hard hits.

However, the highlight of the day was Locker thrown up a little jump ball in the corner of the endzone and Johnson coming down with it one-handed in the endzone.

It brought everyone in the stadium to their feet.

Johnson finished the practice with a good amount of catches and three touchdowns on the day. It's hard to see him as merely a true freshman.

Sarkisian, in a post- practice interview, said that the evaluation period is long but "if we were playing a game Saturday, he would play, that's for sure."

Obviously guys like D'Andre Goodwin and Jermaine Kearse are being groomed as the starters, but Johnson is making a very strong case to challenge for that role as well.

Let's not forget as well that he is only in his first year, so there is plenty of time for him to develop.

It gets hard to say when so much needs work, but it will be a great development for the offense if the receiving corps takes that step up.

Heading Out To Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:18:00 +0000

Hey guys, heading out to my first practice for fall camp. Gonna go observe the Dawgs in action after summer. I should have a recap up by tomorrow morning, so stay tuned!

The Clean Slate

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Coming off a season in which the Washington Huskies went 0-12, it is interesting to see in season previews how the past comes back to haunt the Huskies.

In truth, there is more different with this team than there is the same. The players are still the same, but so much has changed.

It's nothing to surprising, considering that there is an all new face to the program. None of the coaches from the previous regime were kept, even long time coaches like Randy Hart weren't safe.

Coach Steve Sarkisian has replaced that dour silence of Tyrone Willingham with the youthful enthusiasm of a brand new staff.

The effects are starting to show.

For one, there is a huge emphasis being placed on strength and conditioning, with coach Ivan Lewis being credited with creating a leaner and meaner team as a whole.

Bob Condotta actually has an excellent breakdown on the shape that a lot of the kids are in here.

For a second thing, Jake Locker is back, healthy, and looking extremely comfortable learning the pro-style offense.

Sarkisian said in a radio interview several days ago that there is going to be a lot of give and take between the system he wants to run and the talents of Locker as a runner.

It would seem that Sarkisian understands that while he has a system that he likes, the sheer physical tools that Locker possess give a special kind of advantage. Assuming of course they are used correctly.

The thing that bodes well is that the offense coaches seem to understand the game to an acute detail.

Coach Doug Nussmeier, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, is a proven groomer of quarterbacks and shows the direction Sarkisian wants to go with the offense.

Proven quarterback play will be the key to the offense, and it is up to Locker to fulfill that duty. Luckily he has shown the acumen and the drive to be a force on the football field.

It's up to the supporting cast to help him out now.

Since fall camp is just starting, it will be interesting to see how the lot of this shakes itself out.

News and Notes

Marques Tuiasasopo, the Husky legend himself, has been helping out during fall camp as an assistant strength coach while trying to sort out his NFL future. I'll try to have more on this as I learn more, as this is great news to have some of the greats coming back to help with practices.

Desmond Trufant, freshman cornerback and brother of Seattle Seahawk Marcus Trufant, had one of the classes he took in high school rejected by the NCAA clearinghouse and will not be able to suit up for the team in practice yet.

New Layout For the Washington Site

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Gohuskies.com got a face lift recently, and it looks really fresh. Check it out when you get a chance.

Will The Huskies' Defense Get That Fire Back?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:22:00 +0000

If you are a follower of the Washington Huskies and you don't frequent coach Steve Sarkisian's blog/website, it would benefit you to jump aboard now.

It's a great source for the behind the scenes information on the Purple and Gold.

This story caught my attention; it shows the cover of the Huskies' new defensive playbook.

The cover more or less speaks for itself on the direction of the new Husky defense under defensive coordinator Nick Holt.

The picture shows snarling Huskies, each with speech bubbles: 'Say Who?!' and 'Say What?!'

The words are part of a popular player chant, which, according to Seattle Times blogger Bob Condotta, has been forbidden the last couple years.

The story brings up the obvious question of whether fire can be breathed back into a unit that has been completely lifeless the last couple years.

The addition of Nick Holt was an excellent step in the right direction. Watching him in the last set of spring practices was a treat. I was getting pumped up just watching, imagine how it was for the players.

While Holt was the most high profile addition to the staff, some of the other coaches are real high energy and fiery. Defensive line coach Johnny Nansen is one of the loudest guys on the field behind Sarkisian and Holt.

The tradition at a place like Washington has been for good defenses with a lot of fire. It would be a great thing for the fans to get back to that.

In his opening press conference Sarkisian explicitly stated that's on of the things he wanted to bring back to Husky Stadium.

Steve Emtman, the defensive stalwart of the 1991 National Championship team, stated in an interview that what the current direction of the defense is back to the old ways.

He also said in the interview that his defensive line coach, Randy Hart, now of Notre Dame, coached them to play like animals.

Seeing the new defensive playbook, it's safe to assume that that mentality is back for the Huskies defense.

Let's hope it pays immediate dividends.

News and Notes

Safety Johri Fogerson has moved back to running back, the position he started his college career at. This is to add depth to the position, something I had questioned in my last article, but also throws the safety depth chart a bit out of whack.

This would mean Greg Walker has the lead for the free safety spot to couple with Nate Williams at strong safety. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fogerson back at safety if that unit continues to struggle.

Positions That Need Work This Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:57:00 +0000

If you are getting excited these days and you don't know why, do not adjust yourself, it's just the college football season looming large in front of us.

If you are a UW Huskies fan, you have even more to be excited about, there is a new era happening on Montlake.

With fall practices coming up next week, August 10th to be exact, what are the positions that need the most work before the first game against LSU?

Here's the list according to this humble columnist.

Cornerback

I can't stress enough how difficult the job Nick Holt is going to have coaching up this defense to the levels he had a USC. There's promise but not as much on a nationally recognize level.

The problem with the cornerback slot is that while sophomore Quinton Richardson has got one of the slots on lockdown, the other has four players listed at starter.

Justin Glenn and Anthony Gobern, two names considered for the other job, are both young and untested. However, the staff must like what they see since they are named in that starter stable.

That may be that the experienced guys on the list, Matt Mosely and Vonzell McDowell Jr., are just playing that badly.

It wouldn't be a surprise, since the unit has been so bad over the last couple years. It will be a huge benefit to have guys with experience at the position.

The next couple years are going to be interesting, considering that no matter how the secondary plays over the next year, almost all of the guys are coming back next season too.

That continuity is going to pay dividends, if not this year, then next year.

In the meantime, this set of practices is going to be essential for figuring out the pecking order at that other cornerback slot. If Holt can't figure it out by September 5th and LSU then it could be a long evening for Husky fans.

Running Back

The running back position was extremely erratic last season, and all signs point to it being the same this year if Chris Polk can't lay a stranglehold on the spot.

If he can, great, that is one less worry for the team. If he can't the depth behind him is sparse because of injuries and academic losses.

Willie Griffin is good, but he also missed all of last season for personal reasons, and the year before that the Willingham staff had him switching between running back and receiver all season.

Demetrius Bronson is a name that keeps coming up from the staff, but keep in mind he is a freshman and could potentially have the same stage fright as Polk did last season.

There are no running backs coming into the program from last season recruiting class. Sarkisian chose to focus on it in this recruiting class.

Let's hope, as fans, that doesn't come back to bite him.

Center

Through spring, the staff couldn't decide between the old hand Ryan Tolar, who is a converted guard, or redshirt freshman Mykenna Ikehara.

With the right side of the line composed of guys, in Drew Schaefer and Senio Kelemete, who have yet to play a competitive game of football on the offensive line, getting the center position down is key.

In the end it will most likely go to Tolar, who has bounced around the line most of his time here. The rationale was, I assume, that he was the most talented and thus the most likely to fill the gaps in need.

The left side of the line is solid with tackle Cody Habben and guard Ben Ossai coming back. Ossai will most likely nail that spot down, despite reports to the contrary.

The only way that Ossai won't play is if Ikehara lays claim to the center spot and the staff like Tolar better at the guard spot. Otherwise there is no reason to keep him off the field.

Locker Named to Davey O'Brien Watch List

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:27:00 +0000

The award is given to the nation's best quarterback and Locker is included in a list of 33 players that includes former Heisman winners Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow.

Locker is a bit of a long shot with such illustrious names on the list, but if Locker can pull some wins and improve his accuracy he will catapult into national recognition.

The other PAC-10 quarterbacks that made it onto the list are Kevin Riley of California, Jeremiah Masoli of Oregon, and Aaron Corps of USC.

The one odd name is Corps, considering he hasn't been a starter for the Trojan. It's a testament to the prestige of being the quarterback for USC, and the acclaim (and burden) that brings.

The rest of the names are as follows:

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, Jr., Big 12
Jarrett Brown, West Virginia, Sr., Big East
Daryll Clark, Penn State, Sr., Big Ten
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, Jr., IND
Aaron Corp, USC, So., Pac-10
Robert Griffin, Baylor, So., Big 12
Matt Grothe, South Florida, Sr., Big East
Max Hall, BYU, Sr., MWC
Tim Hiller, Western Michigan, Sr., MAC
Jordan Jefferson, LSU, So., SEC
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada, Jr., WAC
Case Keenum, Houston, Jr., C-USA
Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan, Sr., MAC
Jake Locker, Washington, Jr., Pac-10
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas, So., SEC
Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon, Jr., Pac-10
Colt McCoy, Texas, Sr., Big 12
Kellen Moore, Boise State, So., WAC
Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech, Jr., ACC
Tony Pike, Cincinnati, Sr., Big East
Taylor Potts, Texas Tech, Jr., Big 12
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, So., Big Ten
Todd Reesing, Kansas, Sr., Big 12
Kevin Riley, California, Jr., Pac-10
Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State, Sr., Big 12
Riley Skinner, Wake Forest, Sr., ACC
Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic, Sr., Sun Belt
Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, Jr., SEC
Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech, Jr., ACC
Tim Tebow, Florida, Sr., SEC
Adam Weber, Minnesota, Jr., Big Ten
Juice Williams, Illinois, Sr., Big Ten

Russell Wilson, North Carolina State, So., ACC

Apologize For The Break

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Hey guys,

So I've got some of those pesky life issues creeping up and preventing me from getting regular service here on Husky Trails. I should have an article up sometime this week, but for sure next week things will get going.

Practice starts August 10th!

Izbicki Will Be the Next Great Husky Tight End

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Let's remember that the Huskies used to be one of the great tight end factories in the country, sending many to the NFL. Unsurprisingly this has dropped off considerably in recent years

It's hard for some people to really recognize that Chris Izbicki could be the next star, since he hasn't really ever seen the field, and many consider Kavario Middleton the star in waiting.

Izbicki, the star recruit out of the 2007 class, is going to have a monster year in 2009.

At times I am loathe to make such definitive statements with so many variables coming off a winless season, but this is something I'm convinced of.

Initially Izbicki struggled under the old regime; with off the field legal problems hampering his relationship with Willingham.

However, enter the new staff and the clean slate they brought and it has been a renaissance for the Kirkland, WA product.

During spring Izbicki's name was constantly on the tongue of the coaching staff, much to the surprise of many. Kavario Middleton is still considered one of the top potential talents on the team, following only maybe Jake Locker.

Izbicki put his nose to the grindstone and churned out enough effort to get named the starter at tight end following the spring game.

He has shown a really good presence on the field, with soft hands and a big frame to help with blocking.

What leads me to predict he will have a big year is coach Steve Sarkisian's preference for the tight end position. A lot of times Izbicki and Middleton will be on the field together, and will also get a lot of balls thrown their way.

Naturally, being on a team that was winless last year and probably won't win a ton of games this year means he probably won't be in contention for national awards. Relatively speaking though, Izbicki is sure to be one of the big names for the Huskies this season.

And frankly, I've said it once and I'll say it again, I can't wait for the season to start.

Practice Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:34:00 +0000

So the Huskies' fall practice is coming up in just a paltry 2 weeks. Building on the theme that Sarkisian brought in spring, the practices are going to be open to the public as well.

So I hope to see all of you there, practices are great fun if you are itching for a little taste of football.

The schedule starts on August 10 and goes as follows:

Mon., Aug. 10 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 11 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 12 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 13 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 14 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 15 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 16 - Picture Day, 10:00 a.m. (no practice)
Mon., Aug. 17 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 18 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 19 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 20 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 21 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 22 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 23 - Off Day
Mon., Aug. 24 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 25 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 26 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 27 - Two-a-Day Practices, 8:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 28 - Practice, 3:00 p.m.; Raise the Woof! Dinner, 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 29 - Practice, 10:15 a.m. (Fall Camp Ends)
Sun., Aug. 30 - Off Day

(Schedule courtesy of gohuskies.com)

The games will start September 5th with LSU.

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Peterson) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:56:00 +0000

With football season fast approaching, thought I might share some of the photos I took last season. Maybe it will get the purple and gold blood pumping!