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by | September 28, 2010 · 9:50 pm

Scouting USC Part 1

On to Pac-10 play and teams that I know much more about!  Here we go!  Because of a lack of time I’m going to put these posts into 2 parts, offense and defense.

Quarterback: Matt Barkley plays the quarterback position for the Trojans.  He is a True Sophomore and seems to be coming into his own this season.  Plus, he’s just so gosh darn cute.  The knock on him is that he’s a little bit inconsistent still.  He tore apart Hawaii but didn’t look quite as good against Virginia and Minnesota.  He threw the ball all over the place against Wazzu but he was also picked off twice.  Barkley can force throws but he makes a good share of them.  In the next 2 years Barkley will be the best quarterback in the conference but not quite yet.  He’s still maturing and hopefully will go through some growing pains on Saturday.  He’s enough to scare me and could pick apart the secondary.  Although, the UW secondary may be the best he’s played, which is really, really pathetic.

Running Back: The Trojans have played 5 guys at this position.  I’d tell you who the starter is for this week but only Kiffen knows, and I wonder if he even knows.  Last week, Stanley Havili ran all over WSU.  Havili is a big back, the kind that UW has had trouble with in the past.  He has played fullback most of his career but is a good power runner.  He’s also a good receiver out of the backfield.  Marc Tyler is the Trojans leading rusher on the year.  He ran for a lot of yards against Hawaii in the opener but has seen a ton of action since then.  I don’t know why.  Allen Bradford is back there.  He’s another big power-back but not quite to the extent of Havili.  He does have pretty good speed though.  C.J. Gable is there to fill in the Joe McKnight role.  I’d say he’s there to fill the Reggie Bush role but he’s not near the player that Bush was in college.  Then, there’s true freshman Dillon Baxter.  He was close to the top running back recruit in the country last year but he hasn’t really gone off yet.  He’s been solid in limited playing time, but not amazing.  Any 5 of these guys could kill you.  Heck, they probably have someone behind these guys on the depth chart that could kill you too.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: The Trojans have many weapons here too.  We’ll start with Ronald Johnson.  He’s the leading receiver on the team and also the punt returner.  His punt return for a touchdown against Hawaii was a thing of beauty.  He has 249 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns on the year.  He might be the best skill position player the Trojans have, which is obviously saying something.  Robert Woods is their next guy.  Woods, a freshman, has caught 13 balls for 175 yards on the year.  Barkley does a nice job of spreading the ball around to other guys also.  His running backs are used a ton out of the backfield.  Brice Butler had a solid year last year, as a receiver, but hasn’t done a ton this year.  Keep an eye on him.  At tight end, USC has Rhett Ellison.  He’s their 4th leading receiver and does a nice job in both aspects, blocking and receiving, of the tight end’s game.

Offensive Line: The Trojans are strong up front.  They have averaged over 6 yards a carry this season and have done a pretty nice job of protecting Barkley.   Led by center, Kristofer O’dowd, USC returns 3 offensive lineman from last year.  This unit wasn’t as good against Virginia and Minnesota but they played really well against WSU.  Maybe because it’s WSU or maybe it’s because they’re coming together as a unit.  They do lack depth here as opposed to the other offensive positions, but at the moment they’re healthy.

I’ll be back with the defensive scouting in the next couple days.  Thanks for reading!

Andrew

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by | September 23, 2010 · 5:14 pm

Glory Days–Watch and Smile

-Dan

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by | September 20, 2010 · 3:07 pm

Perception vs. Reality

3 games into the 2010 Huskies season, I am not ready to say this team is destined for a Mariner-esque flop, but the similarities are there; year 2 of the new regime, Locker is back (kind of like the Cliff Lee acquisition), and expectations are high following a promising first year. Now that Washington is 1-2 and headed to USC in 2 weeks, the Seattle sports fan in me can’t help but think of what became of the M’s this year. Following Saturday’s debacle, it occurred to me that Nebraska may have exposed our true colors. Whether the Huskies rally around this “reality check” remains to be seen, but I’m wondering if my perception of this team, and Jake Locker, may be a bit off. Should 6-6 be the realistic goal in year 2 of the Sark era? Will Jake ever reach his potential while at UW? Is the defense any better? Through 3 weeks, these are questions I am asking.

When you follow a team closely in sports, perception and reality tend to blur. It’s what being a homer is all about; You view your own higher than others do. Following the Huskies closely like I do, of course I am inclined to drink the Kool-Aid. Ask me in August and I’d say our wide receivers are a superb group, that our coaching is top notch, our quarterback is the best in the nation, and our secondary is solid. Maybe some of this is true, maybe it isn’t. One thing is certain, perception and reality often differ.

When it comes to Jake Locker, I love the guy. Heck, my dog is named after him. I love that he picked UW over the likes of USC, that he stuck through these hard times, and that he came back for his senior season. I love his humility, his grit, and leadership. I will love Jake at the next level, and will cheer for him no matter what team he plays for. He is a martyr for Husky nation. But my perception of Jake as the best quarterback in the nation may not be reality. Heck, he may not even be a top 3 QB in his conference.

Is Jake better today than say, Kellen Moore? Comparing the two is tough given the talent that surrounds them, and the system they each play in. We know Locker has sky high potential, but the reality is he will probably not reach his peak in college, whereas a player like Kellen Moore most likely will. Jake will be drafted high because of his potential in 5 years, not for what he accomplishes in college. Some players are perfect for the college game (i.e. Eric Crouch, Kellen Moore, Jason White), but not a fit for the NFL, for various reasons. Jake is definitely not one of these players, but at the given time, Moore may be the better quarterback. One bad week should not make or break a player’s image, but it makes you wonder what the reality is.

All this to say, the hype that surrounded this team has taken a hit, and the image of what this team can actually accomplish is gaining clarity. If UW gets blown out at USC and Locker has another 4-20 type game, the bandwagon will have some open seats, similar to Safeco Field by about the middle of June. The jury is still out on this season, and on Jake Locker as a collegiate quarterback, but I’m starting to doubt that we will see massive improvement like we did last year out of this team, and Jake Locker.

-Dan

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by | September 20, 2010 · 12:56 pm

Mitch Levy’s Game Tweets

Mitch Levy, from Sports Radio 950 KJR…

Like it or not, having the worst kick coverage team in major college football is plain and simply a reflection of the coaching staff.

I don’t think Nick Holt has done as good a job in his first year and a quarter as everyone else does. Def should be better than it is.

Nebraska drive to make it 28-14 was the most telling. 8 consecutive running plays right up middle. No 3rd downs. Blew UW’s interior def away.

Wide Receivers not as good as I originally thought. Against NFL caliber DB’s, no separation. Didn’t help Jake out.

Think #10 did a lot more than kill his Heisman chances. I think he clearly hurt his draft stock. He’ll be dropping down ‘big boards’ monday.

What was the freshman Ducre doing on 3rd and 14?
What was Desmond Trufant doing on 3rd and 16?
What was Quentin Richardson doing on Nebraska’s 2nd play from scrimmage?
What was Nate Williams doing on 1st play of 2nd half?

I don’t think I am as pessimistic as Mitch is, but I respect his opinion because he is not a homer and usually tells things how it is. I agree with his game tweets from watching Saturday’s game, although I am not heartbroken to get pumbled by an obviously superior Nebraska team. In fact, the BYU game still stings for me more than this loss. Saturday’s loss was just 1 game out of 12, and while it sucked to lose in the 2008 fashion that we did, it at least opened our eyes to what may actually be a realistic goal from this team. I will post more on this “reality check” later!

-Dan

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by | September 18, 2010 · 7:14 pm

Nebraska v. Washington postmortem

I am a glutton for punishment, so I am typing out my thoughts after witnessing my favorite school get absolutely destroyed by a vastly superior football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. There are a million different directions to go with this, but I’ll just touch on a few things that I am steamed about:

Demeanor – The Huskies came out flat and emotionless. I was shocked by this. How on earth can a team come out this way in front of their home crowd on national TV? They all looked like deer in the headlights. Inexcusable.

Special Teams – Simply put, the kickoff coverage was an embarrassment. Throughout the first half, Nebraska had tremendous field position. This put undue pressure on the defense. The outcome was short fields for Nebraska, leading to scores.

Wide Receivers – Terrible. I don’t care how good Nebraska’s secondary is. 4 receptions. FOUR. I have been hearing for a while now that Jake and Huskies offense has so many great weapons at WR. Well, not today, and that is too bad. Today was an opportunity to step up and play on a big stage and prove they are ready for the bigtime. Instead they flopped.

Playcalling – I really hate to even go here, because I have been a huge fan of Coach Sark’s playcalling, even if it has been erratic over the past season. Today though, I have major issues. It was painfully clear early on the Huskies could not get a passing game going. They could run the ball. On the Huskies 3rd possession, the Dawgs ran the ball down Nebraska’s throat, en-route to an 80 yard drive for a touchdown. I realize defenses make adjustments, so I am sure there is a reason the Huskies went away from the run, but over the next 3 Husky possessions, the Dawgs ran 11 plays for a net 9 yards. Very few runs. Mostly disastrous passing attempts. Momentum swung back to Nebraska during these possessions. Would have loved to see the Dawgs run more early in the game.

Tackling – Beyond bad. Atrocious. There’s not much to say here. Anyone who watched the game knows what I am talking about. Whiffs. Ole’s. Bad angles. You name it, the Dawgs botched it.

Of course Jake Locker had a bad game, and he is taking most of the heat for the loss, but he’s low on my list. It’s easy to take pot-shots at the high profile QB, and there are plenty of Locker haters out there having a fun time. The loss today was a team effort. Every aspect of the game was terrible. Everyone is responsible, top down. I think Coach Sark should take the most heat, he is getting paid, he is the face of the program, this is on he and the coaches. This is not a bad thing, I want my head coach to take the heat rather than the players. I still have a lot of hope in Sark and the coaches to rebuild this program. Yes, they are still rebuilding, games like today prove they are far from being an elite program again.

Right now, unfortunately, 6-6 is the best they will do. The Pac-10 is a grinder, and they have brutal road games waiting for them, starting in two weeks at USC. The next two weeks better be spent on the basics and self reflection. I think too many people around the program have been reading their own press clippings rather than playing with an earn everything mentality. Despite all of this, I am still hopeful this team can make a run in the unpredictable Pac-10. Anything can happen any week. The road ahead is a very difficult one, here’s hoping this group of Dawgs find themselves and play real, true Husky football.

-Joe

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by | September 17, 2010 · 8:39 pm

Husky Predictions: Week 3

The Dawgs face Nebraska at 12:30 tomorrow.  Go purple, be gold!  (One of these days I’m going to write about how bad Seattle teams are at making little slogans.  Or maybe that’s every team).

Matthew’s Prediction:
I want to pick the Huskies to win this game, but I just can’t quite do it. Still, a week or two ago, I gave them little chance, while now I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they won. Reasons for my change in perspective: I’m not so sure that Nebraska’s as good as their ranking, and they’re starting a freshman quarterback in front of the biggest Husky Stadium crowd in years. Unfortunately, those reasons are all about the Huskers. Part of that is because I know much more about the Huskies, but it’s mostly because I’m not convinced that UW can do enough to win this game. Can they stop a spread option offense similar to the Oregon offense that has run over them the last few years? Can the offensive line open enough holes to provide the rushing attack that will be necessary? Can Jake be accurate enough to work against a 7 man secondary? I can see the answer to any of those questions being “yes”, but I’m not willing to commit on any of them. This game is getting compared to the USC victory last year, but I think a win here would be different. That game, the Dawgs were huge underdogs who caught USC sleeping. That won’t happen Saturday. A win against Nebraska would be a statement rather than a surprise. I think they can make the statement, but I’m doubtful they will.
Nebraska 31, UW 24

Dan’s Prediction:
Watching the Holiday Bowl last year, and seeing the 20th ranked Huskers dismantle Arizona 33-0, I remember thinking NU may be a top 10 team by the time UW faces them. As it has turned out, Nebraska is #8 in the country and rightfully so. For Washington to compete in this game, it starts up front on both sides of the ball. On defense, UW must be effective stopping Nebraska’a potent rushing attack, and on offense, the O-line had better protect Jake against a stellar D-line. I don’t think Big Red knows exactly what it’s in for in terms of hostile atmosphere, similar to when LSU came to town last year. The crowd noise should rattle Martinez, their freshman QB, and some misty, overcast conditions will paint a perfect backdrop for a USC-esque upset. However, I just don’t have the confidence to pick UW in this one. Nebraska reminds me of Oregon with their mobile quarterback and zone read option attack. This deceptive style of offense has killed the Huskies in recent years. Keep Martinez under 250 total yards and I like our chances. On offense, the Huskies have the weapons, but Nebraska counters with a great secondary and given the pressure Jake will be under, he might start forcing some throws.
I have waited for this game for a while, but ultimately I see Nebraska winning, 31-20.

Joe’s Prediction:
This game is a brutal one for me.  I am picking Nebraska to win, but that is not what my heart says will happen.  I am a Husky through and through, so of course my soul says the Dawgs always win.  But throughout the day today, all I can think about is Taylor Martinez running all over the UW defense.  The Dawgs have been systematically unable over the past year to stop an opponent for all 4 quarters.  Every game, the opponent rips off a big play, or converts a 3rd and long, which breaks the Huskies backs.  I will say the UW defense has played better this year for sure, but a highly talented scrambling QB like Martinez will cause problems.  I have 100% confidence the Husky offense will score, no matter how good Nebraska’s defense is.  The Dawgs have too many weapons.  They will get their points (the BYU game was an aberration).  I just keep coming back to the dreaded “Big Play” that will invariably be the downfall of the Huskies.  I hope I am completely and utterly wrong on this prediction.
Nebraska 34 – Washington 31

Andrew’s Prediction:
This may be the biggest Husky game in years.  It definitely is the biggest since around 2003, since the Huskies have their best team since then.  Many people have compared this game to the USC one last year, but, like Matthew, I don’t see it that way.  If the Dawgs pull off the upset I see this game more like the Miami game in 2000.  If UW wins this game it could really jump-start them.  The Huskies will be ready and I don’t think they’ll get blown out.  I expect a competitive game but in the end I don’t see us winning this one.  It’s not out of the question by any means, as the week went on I started to believe more and more.  If the Huskies lose this it will be because of the battle on the lines.  Both lines need to step up against a superior opponent.  The skill positions are fine.  Our quarterback, receivers, and linebackers are better than theirs.  But, it’s lost on the lines I think.  It will be great to see Husky Stadium packed and hear it rock like it hasn’t in years.  I’m praying for a repeat of that 2000 Miami game, but I don’t think they can quite do it.
Nebraska 24 – Huskies 21

Go Dawgs!

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by | September 16, 2010 · 11:11 am

The End of an Era

My family has had Husky season tickets for 13 years.  We started with 3 and then upgraded to 4 once I got older and my sister got interested.  Husky games became more than just football games, they became family events.  They were a chance to see my brother, who was here in Seattle while I was in Yakima.  They became a chance to hang out with my older siblings, as we walked from our bleachers to Dempsey Indoor to Hec. Ed and back before the band took the field.  Saturdays became day long events with the family and the Dawgs fit right in with family.  It became routine, but not the kind of routine that you take for granted, the kind you cherish.

My sister would miss a game here and there because of coaching gymnastics, still she was more faithful than almost all Husky fans during this time.  My friend Derek would come along whenever we found an extra ticket, which was often.  My dad was there all the time.  He loves the Dawgs, but something tells me he goes to these games more than just to watch football.  My brother and fellow Good Guy, Matthew, was a constant.  In fact, Matthew and I haven’t missed a home game since 2003.  That changes this week.

As Matthew goes back to school to pursue his masters in teaching, he has to miss a game this Saturday.  So, the streak of 46 games in a row together ends.  This streak has seen the full tenure of 3 head coaches for the Huskies.  The Seahawks have also gone through 3 head coaches during this span.  The Mariners have gone through 5.  We’ve seen some bad football together but we all kept showing up.

To make matters worse, my sister won’t be able to make the game this week either because of a gymnastics conference.  Frankly, I’ll be a little lost on Saturday.  I’m sure whoever takes the extra ticket will fill in just fine but they won’t have Matthew’s knowledge of the game or Rachel’s tenacity in walking straight into other opponent’s fans.  The person who fills in won’t know the routine.  I’ll be sure to teach it to them but it won’t feel quite right.

This week has the potential to be one of the greatest Husky games in the last decade.  It could vault the Dawgs into the top-25 and give them momentum heading into conference play.  I will be ecstatic if they win.  But, it won’t feel quite right.  It’ll feel better in a few weeks when we play Arizona State and each take our respective roles in the bleachers under the Husky-tron.

I know the saying, “streaks are meant to be broken.”  But, I’d rather this one wasn’t.  It’s the end of an era, just as the Huskies are trying to start a new era of winning.  Maybe it’s fitting that we’ll have to start a new streak, just as UW looks like they’re turning the program around.  In a time when the Huskies have gone through the worst spell in their history, loyal fans have been harder to come by.  That’s what makes my brothers streak even more impressive.

Matthew, we salute you.

Andrew

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by | September 15, 2010 · 6:41 pm

Scouting Nebraska

The Huskies face their toughest task yet this week in Husky Stadium, a top-ten Nebraska team.  We know a little more about Nebraska than the first two teams of the season just because they don’t have so many question marks.  That being said, there are still a few unknowns for the Huskers.  Nebraska hasn’t played anyone good yet.  They played Western Kentucky the first week and beat them 49-10.  Last week they beat Idaho 38-17 in a very sloppy game.  Let’s looks at this Good Guy’s style, position by position:

Quarterback: Taylor Martinez starts for Nebraska.  If you have read anything at all about this game you’ve probably heard Martinez’s name come up.  He’s a red-shirt freshman that surpassed last year’s starter, Zac Lee, during the off-season.  Martinez is fast.  Jake Locker fast.  He’s said to have 4.5 40 and has run up and down the field against his first two opponents.  Martinez is averaging 13.8 yards a carry and has the capability to break a huge run.  I could see him running right by the Huskies defensive ends the entire game.  Throwing may be a different story.  He’s said to be perfectly capable with his arm but hasn’t proved that yet.  Frankly, Nebraska hasn’t needed to throw the football very much yet.  Martinez is 22-34 on the season throwing the football.  That’s a good completion percentage, but keep in mind the competition.  Martinez, and the Nebraska offense as a whole, has been a little turnover-prone in the first couple games.  Last week, the Cornhuskers fumbled 8 times!  Yes, 8 times!  They lost 3 of them and Martinez also threw an interception.  All in all, the quarterback position seems to be in good hands at Nebraska.  Still, it’s the first road start for a freshman in a Husky Stadium that should be louder than it has in years.  Martinez is a stud but still unproven.

Running Back: Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead are Nebraska’s main backs.  Helu is supposedly the lightning to Burkhead’s thunder.  Burkhead is a very solid guy with a good burst but is lacking the big-play speed.  He is also a good receiver out of the backfield.  Helu is a lot the same except he isn’t used as a receiver quite as much.  Helu did rush for 1,147 yards last year.  Obviously, he’s a proven, good player.  He may have a little better overall speed, but Martinez is the big play guy in the Nebraska backfield.  The Huskers go without a fullback generally, because of their spread offense attack.  Think Oregon as far as formations go.  Burkhead has also lined up in the Wildcat quite a bit.  I don’t really understand why the Huskers would do this since they have Martinez now but don’t be surprised if you see that on Saturday.

Wide Receiver: This is probably the biggest question mark for Nebraska.  They have two really big guys, Niles Paul and Brandon Kinnie, who are both over 6’2″, 220.  Paul also runs a little bit in a fly-sweep type play.  The two guys I mentioned are possession type receivers, but given their size, it seems like they would be pretty good down-field, also. The Huskers don’t really have any proven deep threats, yet.  We’ll see if they take any chances this week.  Mike McNeil plays a tight end/receiver type role.  He’s another giant, standing at 6’4″, 230.  The rest of the receiving corps is an unknown and they seem to lack consistency as a whole.

Offensive Line: Nebraska returns 4 of 5 starters on the offensive line but did lose their best player to graduation.  The line doesn’t have any huge stars but they’ve been solid thus far, leading the Huskers to 324 rushing yards a game.  The line wasn’t great last year, but wasn’t bad either.  Their line might not be quite as good as BYU but it’ll be a tough match-up for the Dawgs up front.  The Huskies will most likely bring a lot of guys in the box to try to stop the rushing attack.  The Husker line is pretty strong, all in all.

We’ll get to the defensive side of the ball after the jump. Continue reading →

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