Retrospection Evaluation–Washington

Posted by: Avinash on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

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Jake Locker should have invested heavily in health insurance if he knew Ty Willingham would turn him into a moving punching bag. The Huskies had the hardest schedule in Division I football and predictably were torn apart by season’s end. However, that did not stop the Huskies from losing games they should have won.

Wins: Other than stomping over lifeless Cal, Louis Rankin managed to run all over Stanford as well. Also an impressive win at Syracuse and beating up a decent Boise State team to start 2-0. And then the pain began.

Losses: Washington has been a terrible closing team, holding the lead against Hawaii (up 28-7), Ohio State (7-3 at half), Arizona (41-26 in the 4th), Arizona State (17-10), and in the Apple Cup (35-28 in the 4th) before blowing all of them and staying tied with USC (14-14), UCLA (10-10), and Oregon (31-31) before blowing those three. Even Rick Adelman was embarrassed. If the Huskies play three quarter games they probably are in a bowl game. But this seems more like a trend with Ty Willingham coached teams–the Huskies blew leads to Cal and Arizona State last year, although not as spectacularly as this year’s losses.

Strengths: Jake Locker. This kid is going to be the Living Dead by his fourth year, but for now he remains a modern marvel. He gets hit, he gets pulled, he gets back up and takes it. If this is the last team we end up facing in 2008, I’ll be reciting the Rosary multiple times.

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Washington also had a surprisingly strong run attack, paced by Rankin and the mobility of Locker. And that. Was. It.

Weaknesses: Their defense erodes as the game goes on. The Huskies were last in the Pac-10 at rushing defense, last in the Pac-10 at pass efficiency defense, last in the Pac-10 in total defense, next to last in the Pac-10 at scoring and pass defense…you get the picture.

Draft prospects: Um, none? Rankin maybe if he gives it a shot, or Marcel Reese (a grand total of nine receptions, WOOOO!). Huskies football did not have a great 2008, and the stock of anyone affiliated with the team suffers. It’s a pretty young group though, so things can only get better in the coming years. You’d think.

What our game showed us about them: When your defense doesn’t come to play, you usually lose? What else is there to say?

Provide your Husky thoughts in the comments.



Topics: Analysis, Cal Football, College Football, Teams

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