Category Archives: UW Game Previews

by | October 21, 2010 · 10:45 pm

Scouting Arizona

The Dawgs play Arizona on Saturday night at 7 pm in Tuscon.  Here’s a look at what they’re up against.

Quarterback

If you haven’t heard by now, Arizona’s starting quarterback, Nick Foles, is out for this game with a knee injury.  This is good news for Dawg fans because Foles is one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-10.  Taking his spot for the game will be a very capable backup, Matt Scott.  Scott played a little bit last year and showed that he’s a solid quarterback.  He also played last week against Wazzu.  He was decent in that showing.  Scott is more athletic than Foles, meaning we could see him break the pocket a few more times than we’d like.  With that being said, I think people have been downplaying the loss of Foles.  He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the Pac-10 and their offense could struggle without him.  We’ll see.

Running Back

The Wildcats have a solid 2 back combination in Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin.  Neither are in the upper echelon of backs in the conference but both are solid in their own right.  Nic Grigsby has 340 and Antolin has 218 yards on the year.  The truth is, Arizona is a pass first team.  But, with Foles out, they may turn to the run more.  Both of these guys can catch pretty well out of the backfield.  Grigsby and Antolin are both capable of big days, but they aren’t on the same level as Jacquizz Rodgers, who was phenomenal last week (just thought I needed to throw that in there).

Wide Receivers

Arizona has one of the best receivers in the country in Juron Criner.  He’s extremely fast and is a big play waiting to happen.  Criner has 34 receptions for 562 yards on the year.  He was limited last game because of “soreness” but that is ready to go this week.  After Criner, no one has been a huge threat.  David Douglas has put up some decent numbers, 250 receiving yards.  William Wright and  David Roberts are also names to look out for.  The Wildcats really throw the ball around, so don’t be surprised if someone you’ve never heard of ends up with a big game. 

Offensive Line

To be honest, there’s not much information on Arizona’s offensive line.  They have over 700 rushing yards on the year, so that shows that they are pretty decent in that area.  Arizona runs a quick hitting, spread offense that doesn’t involve a lot of sitting in the pocket.  This makes it hard to  know how good the pass protection is.  I’ll get back to  you on this area after the game.

To the defense after the jump.  Continue reading →

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by | October 15, 2010 · 10:40 pm

Husky Predictions

Big game for the Dawgs!  On to the predictions:

Dan

Desperation is a funny thing in sports. The good teams raise their level of play in the face of desperation, while bad teams wilt. Washington’s season is on the line when they take the field against OSU. I don’t mean to overstate the meaning of one game, but the Huskies must play desperate, fiery, and make a statement. I’m tired of the excuses, even the valid ones. It’s about time UW rises to the occasion, and plays lights out at home, under the lights. I trust both offenses will play well, despite the health concerns on both teams. I think it comes down to turnovers and defense in this one, and while I don’t feel good about the Husky D, I think they will do just enough to keep the game close. I’ll be at the game for the first time this season, and after going 3-0 last year (USC, Arizona, WSU), I’m hoping my luck continues. Oregon State is a proven road team, and have played in atmospheres just as, if not more hostile than Husky Stadium. But again, desperation being the theme, I think the Huskies find a way to get it done, and keep the bowl hopes alive. Win one for Jake!
OSU-30, UW-34

Matthew

I’ve been surprised at how many people are picking the Huskies this week. I hope they’re right. I have a hard time seeing UW winning this game. The Beavers have their number, are a better team, and are getting better every week. Maybe Locker will carry the Dawgs and the defense will play their best game of the season, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
OSU 35– UW 27

Andrew

I don’t think there’s a lot in favor of the Dawgs this week.  They don’t have much momentum.  They have several key players injured.  They’re breaking in a new offensive line that seems to have quite a few holes.  And, they’re playing a team that seems to beat them up every single year.  So, I see the Dawgs winning by double digits.  Yes, I know that contradicts everything I’ve said but I’m just trying to keep up with a frustrating, inconsistent team.  I don’t know why I think the Huskies will win.  But, throughout the week I’ve had the feeling that it might happen and this week I’m going with my gut over my head.  Hey, the Beavers are pretty beat up too.  Dawgs win on a cold night.  It’s not even going to be that close.  (This is the worst prediction I’ve made in a long time).
UW-42 OSU-21

Joe

I am too optimistic for my own good.  Maybe because I am a born and bred Seattle sports fan, I have adapted to handle losing by being positive and having fun with bad situations.  The situation the Huskies find themselves in is a bad one, yet I feel good about their prospects against Oregon State.  The way I feel about this game is the same way I felt about USC.  Coming off devastating loses, the Huskies have had an uncanny ability under Sark to bounce back and play well.  I expect this trend to continue.  Locker will play better despite his quad injury.  He won’t be puking on the sidelines.  I think Sark knows he needs to run the ball more, so look for Polk and Callier to get more carries, thus helping the Dawgs win the clock/ball control battle.  The Beavers are still very dangerous even without James Rodgers.  Jacquizz scares the crap out of me.  He’ll have a huge game.  Katz has played well of late too.  The Husky defense must not give up touchdowns.  Hold them in the redzone and give the offense a chance.  I think the Husky O will bounce back bigtime and carry the Dawgs to a win.  Yup.  Mr. Optimistic.
Dawgs 31 – Beavers 30

Go Huskies!

Andrew

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by | October 14, 2010 · 2:20 pm

Scouting Oregon State – Defense

On to the defense today.  I can’t remember the last time the Huskies offense had a good game against the Beavers defense.  This year, it could be a little easier than prior years.  Here we go!

Defensive Line:

The Beavers run defense has struggle this year and that is because they lost some stars in their front seven.  With that being said, they might have the best defensive tackle in the conference, Stephen Paea.  He’s a 6-1, 310 lb. beast up the middle and will give UW’s guards and center all they can handle.  Last year, the Beavers defensive ends created havoc in the backfield.  We haven’t seen them do that so far this year.  They’ve created sacks, but not a huge amount and aren’t as big of a threat.  The entire Beaver defense is stronger inside than they are on the corners, which is a nice change from Arizona State last week.

Linebackers:

This may be the weakest spot on the Oregon State team.  Injuries and attrition have left this spot pretty open.  Dwight Robertson is a steady player at the weak-side linebacker spot. He started last year and was very productive in doing so.  But, the rest of the linebacking group may be the reason for the insane amount of yards being put up on the Beavers (456 yards/game).  Of course, the strength of schedule might have had something to do with that also.

Secondary:

The secondary has seemed a little rough so far this year.  This group returned several starters but they haven’t shown a ton yet.  On paper, this is the best unit of the Beavers defense, but they haven’t come together completely.  James Dockery is a good corner and has experience.  Both safeties are returning starters who combined for 142 tackles last year.  But, teams are still putting up quite a few passing yards on them.  This situation reminds me of the Huskies secondary.  It was thought to be a strength before the season but now it’s a question mark.  They do have potential to be good in this area.

Special Teams:

I’m writing this only because of Alexis Serna.  He’s one of the biggest reasons the Huskies haven’t beat the Beavers in the last 6 games.  That guy never missed.  Thankfully, he isn’t kicking for them anymore.  Justin Kahut, is Oregon State’s kicker and he’s done a decent job.  He really struggled last week, missing two PAT’s but before then was doing pretty well.  The return game isn’t as dangerous now that James Rodgers is out but they still have a few guys who are more than capable of putting up some big returns.

Alright, thanks for reading.  If you have any questions on the match-up put it in the comments and I’ll get to it.

Andrew



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by | October 13, 2010 · 6:46 pm

Scouting Oregon State – Offense

Saturday is fast approaching (too fast for the Huskies with the illness and injuries lingering) so that means it’s time to take a look at the Beavers of Oregon State.  Here we go!

Quarterback

Ryan Katz had the impossible job of filling Sean Canfield’s shoes this year.  He was adequate in the Beavers first couple games, but nothing more.  But, he may be breaking out now.  Last week, against what may be the best defense in the Pac-10, Katz threw for 393 yards.  He has a very strong and accurate arm.  He’s only thrown one interception on the season and is somewhat  mobile in the backfield.  It’s still his first year starting, so we can’t be sure that he’ll be consistent but Katz is looking like a really solid quarterback.

Running Back

The Beavs have one of the best running backs in the country, Jacquizz Rodgers.  He’s a small, shifty, and very quick back.  He’s ran for over 1,000 yards each of the last 2 seasons and is on pace to do it again.  He hasn’t put up huge numbers yet, but he has faced a tougher task than any running back in the nation.  It seems like he’s ready for a huge game any given week.  Let’s hope it’s not this one.  Oregon State doesn’t use many other backs besides Rodgers.  They do use receivers in the fly sweep though.  With James Rodgers out, Markus Wheaton will probably take over that role.

Wide Receivers

OSU took a big hit last week when James Rodgers went down for the season.  It’s a tough break for a great player.  With that being said, Oregon State does have a good, deep receiving core.  Jordan Bishop and Markus Wheaton are now the Beavers’ leading receivers.  Bishop is tall, 6-3, and the teams deep threat.  Wheaton has emerged over the last couple weeks, he had 7 catches against Arizona.  Oregon State also has one of the best tight ends in the league, Joe Halahuni.  He is a big threat when they get into the red zone.

Offensive Line

This has been the biggest weakness of the Beavers offense so far.  This unit might be the biggest reason why Jacquizz hasn’t gone off yet.  The offensive line only lost one player from last year, so there is plenty of experience up front.  The Beavs’ also started 4 former walk-ons on the offensive line in their season opener.  That’s a testament to great player development by Mike Reilly.  The offensive line isn’t bad, they just haven’t been great thus far.  That could change on Saturday.

The defensive scouting report will be up tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!

Andrew

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by | October 9, 2010 · 11:28 am

Husky Predictions

I’m sorry I didn’t get to a scouting report this week.  It’s been a little busy.  I’ll get back on schedule this week.  On to the predictions!

Joe’s Prediction:

I think this game will be close, ultimately the Huskies win.  I think the Dawgs, at least offensively, turned the corner verses USC.  Locker, Polk, Callier, Kearse, all played well.  The offensive line played well.  The kicking game was vastly improved.  Except for one return, the kick coverage was solid.  Obviously, defensively, the Huskies are terrible in many ways.  ASU has a solid running game, so I expect this to be a high scoring affair.  The reason, ultimately, why I like the Dawgs is because they have more to play for.  I think the Dawgs know this is a must win.  The time of ups and downs is over, they must win against ASU and they must win next week against the Beavers.  I believe they will step up to the challenge.  No excuses.  Defend your home field.  A lot of people are picking ASU to win this game.  Not me.
UW 35 – ASU 31

Matthew’s Prediction:

I’m coming to realize that nearly every Husky game will be hard to predict this year. The hope is that the Huskies found themselves last week, and everything kind of clicked into place, leading to a strong showing and fairly easy win against ASU. That could happen. They could also come out and be terrible and get beat fairly easily. I’m betting more on the former, which along with the Sun Devils killing themselves in the foot again, should mean the Dawgs third win of the year. ASU scares me a bit, but if the Huskies are going to make a bowl, this is a game they need to handle. I’m also predicting a better defensive showing. I don’t know why, but I’m sticking with it!
UW 38 ASU 27

Dan’s Prediction:

Heading into the season, I had practically already penciled in a W for this game. But the Pac-10 is deeper than I had expected, and ASU is no gimmie. In fact, the Huskies have a lot going against them in this game. For starters, you get the feeling ASU is on the verge of a big statement game. Steven Threet has thrown 7 picks in the past 2 games, but the Washinton D has just 1 INT on the season, so Threet may get away with a little more than usual. ASU also has the best return game in the conference, while UW has awful special teams coverage. Lewis and Marshall are formidable in the run game too. So while this reaks of a trap game for UW, I trust that Sark and staff will have the Dawgs in top form for tomorrow’s night game. The offense is beginning to click, and if the D can force a couple turnovers, and not give up anything big on special teams, the Huskies should win. There is the possibility of a letdown following last week’s emotional win, but I think UW realizes how important this game, plus there is the extra incentive of having lost the heartbreaker in Tempe last year, and also having been embarrased in its last home game 3 weeks ago.
Huskies-34, Sun Devils-28

Andrew’s Prediction:

I can’t wait for the Wazzu game because then I’ll actually feel good about my prediction.  As for this week, it’s another guess.  Arizona State scares me, they have a defense that should break out and an offense that moves the ball.  Their running back, Lewis, has rushed for over 100 yards in the last 3 games.  He could rush for 200 today if our defense plays like they did last week.  That being said, Arizona State’s offensive line isn’t near as good as USC.  I think the key to this game is turnovers.  Arizona State is very turnover-prone and the Husky defense doesn’t cause many turnovers.  Burfict not starting for the Sun Devils is a good break, but he’ll play quite a bit.  I really have no idea who’s going to win.  Since I picked USC last week, and the Huskies won, I’ll pick ASU this week and hope for the same result.  Good reasoning, I know.
ASU – 31, UW – 28

Go Dawgs!

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by | October 1, 2010 · 11:08 pm

Husky Predictions: USC

Matthew:
In my opinion, this is the hardest game to call on the Huskies’ schedule. I’m nowhere near ready to join the “USC is overrated” crowd, but there are clearly a lot of questions about them. Sarkisian’s claims that they’re the most talented team in the Pac-10 are accurate or very close to it. Still, they have some turmoil and a little less momentum in the program than anytime in recent memory, and when a team finally knocks them down, they might stay there a little longer than we’re used to. Can the Dawgs deliver the blow? Sure, could happen. Will they? My head says no, but I’m going to say they will. This team is bound to pull out a game sometime, and I’ll take a stab that this is the week. Call it wishful thinking.
UW 24- USC 21

Dan:
When UW upset USC last year 16-13, little did I know it would be the beginning of the end for the USC dynasty. As it turned out, USC failed to win the Pac-10, Carroll left for Seattle, and the sanctions came down hard on the Trojans. Despite the unravelling, there are two staggering numbers that cannot be ignored in this game. First, USC has won an amazing 32 consecutive home night games. Second, the Huskies have not won a road game in nearly 3 years, dating back to November, 2007. Streaks are made to be broken, and the Huskies certainly have a shot tomorrow night, but I don’t see it. USC should be able to run at will on the Huskies, which will open up the passing game for Barkley. Revenge is also on the Trojans’ minds, after what happened in Seattle last year. As for the score, I see a shootout between two offenses that are ready to get on track.
USC 42, UW 27
(I might feel more optimistic if I wasn’t currently watching Utah State handle BYU 24-7 at halftime…)

Joe:
For some reason, I like the Huskies in this game.  Everything, of course, is against them.  A still talented USC team, night game in the Coliseum, two weeks to chew on getting whipped by Nebraska, the nations worst special teams kick coverage, a ton of downer press for Jake Locker, etc.  I think these reasons are precisely why I like the Dawgs.  They should come out with fire, us against the world, chip on their shoulder attitude.  I think they will channel all the negative juju of the past two weeks and turn it into a fine performance.  Look for Jake Locker to bounce back, as USC has nowhere near the secondary Nebraska has.  I see a big game from Kearse, and James Johnson should be back for added help.  Defensively, the Dawgs must keep contain and take correct angles in tackling.  It’s really not that hard.  Stick to the basics and you’ll be fine.  I am still worried about the special teams, but Sark has made it clear they have focused on that team quite a bit at practice.  Historic road win for the Dawgs. Yes, I still believe.  UW 31 – USC – 28

Andrew:
I was going to pick the Dawgs in this game.  I want to pick the Huskies to win.  But, can they really do it?  They are outmatched at just about every position except for quarterback, and that is even closer than I ‘d like to think.  USC might pound the ball for what feels like an eternity and this game will feel lost before it ever begins.  Or, maybe the Huskies come out and show a decent run defense like they had in the first two games of the season.  Maybe the running game will finally get going a little bit.  Maybe the Jake Locker that we all expected will finally show up.  The secondary could play tight defense and the receivers could get some separation.  All of this could happen, but I don’t see it all happening.  I hope I’m wrong but for now I’m going to pick USC in a close one.  This game could be devastating if it’s a close road loss.
USC 35 – UW 31

All of the Good Guys’ are 2-1 on the year with Husky predictions.  Enjoy your Saturday and thank God for college football!

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by | October 1, 2010 · 2:28 pm

5 Things To Watch: USC

I thought I’d add a little segment to our Husky game previews about 5 things I will be watching closely on each game.  Five seems like a good, solid number.  Quick, name your favorite athlete that wears the number 5!  It’s harder than it should be for current athletes but Joe DiMaggio wins this game easily.  Okay, here we go!

1.  Jake Locker
Obviously, this is one thing to always watch if you’re a Husky fan.  The team goes as Jake goes and they’re going to need him to get going on Saturday.  This week is a little more intriguing though because he’s coming off the worst performance of his college career (actually, I imagine it’s his worst performance he’s ever had in any sporting event.  Really).  His draft stock has fallen and his team is on the brink of falling into the same terrible seasons they’ve grown accustomed to.  If anyone has the talent to turn this season around in one game, it’s Jake.  I’m hoping that Locker shows up and has a game we all remember, if he does the Huskies will be in good shape.

2.  UW receivers vs. USC secondary
Coming into the season UW supposedly had one of the best receiving corps in the Pac-10.  Through the first 3 games, that hasn’t been the case.  Sure, Jermaine Kearse had a great day against Syracuse, but there hasn’t been separation downfield and they were simply awful against Nebraska.  This week they play a secondary that is not near as good but still has talent.  The Huskies will surely test that secondary.  I’m sure the USC secondary is ready to prove themselves.  Let’s hope that the Dawgs’ receivers are the ones who prove something.

3.  The Special Teams
The Huskies face the best special teams unit they have faced all season and will need to show a ton of improvement.  UW has been absolutely terrible on special teams.  The kicker and punter have been okay.  There isn’t much of a return game to speak of and the coverage units have been just about the worst in the nation.  The hope is that this has improved in the bye week.  If it hasn’t, the Huskies don’t stand a chance.

4.  Erik Kohler
Kohler has been a bright spot in this early season so far.  The true freshman has played pretty well in the last 2 games and I look forward to taking a closer look at him on TV.  He’s going up against one of the better defensive lines in the country and will be matched up against Jurrell Casey, who was a pre-season All-American in some circles.  This is the second time in as many games our true freshman has been matched up against an All-American candidate.  I hope he holds his own and makes a little room for Chris Polk to run.

5.  The Coaches
The first match-up between Lane Kiffen and Sark provides another interesting aspect to the game.  Sark knows USC’s scheme and players pretty well.  Does that matter?  I don’t know.  It might have a tiny bit last year but it wasn’t what won the Huskies the game.  Both teams are close to the same schematically and there will be some mind games going on between coaching staffs.  Hopefully, the Dawgs win and then Kiffen says something stupid, because you know he would.  That guy drives me crazy.

-Andrew


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by | September 30, 2010 · 8:40 pm

Scouting the USC Defense

On to the Trojan defense today.  The Trojan defense struggled mightily the first game against Hawaii.  Since then, they’ve gotten progressively better but they still have some obvious weaknesses where they haven’t put it all together.  The talent is there though.

Defensive Line:
This is an area that most people regard as the strength of the defense.  That much has proven true in USC’s first 4 games, although they haven’t truly been tested.  Chris Polk will be the best back USC has faced this year and the Huskies offensive line might be the best they’ve faced also.  That’s pretty pathetic.  Anyway, the Trojans are led by Jurrell Casey.  Casey is a big 305 lb. defensive tackle who was a pre-season All American in some publications.  He’s perhaps the biggest reason USC is stout against the run and poses quite a few match-up problems up front.  Other names to watch on the line are Armond Armstead, Nick Perry, and DaJohn Harris.  Armstead and Perry have been hurt as of late but are probable for the game Saturday.  If they can’t go that is obviously a big hit to the USC defense.  They do have some decent depth here unless one or two more guys get hurt.  The Trojans’ need to rely on their pass rush to take some of the heat off the much-aligned secondary.

Linebackers:
The Trojans have had more talent at the linebacker position in the last decade than some NFL teams.  Last year, they took a little bit of a step back and it’s yet to be seen how good they are this year.  Obviously, there’s talent.  That goes for all of USC’s positions.  USC has three players in their linebacking corps who saw quite a bit of time last year, Michael Morgan, Malcolm Smith, and Derek Kennard.  Morgan has good size and is one of the fastest players on the team.  Smith started all of last year at weak-side linebacker.  Both Morgan and Smith are team captains.  Derek Kennard takes the middle linebacker spot.  He split time with Morgan last year at strong-side linebacker and now slides over.  These guys deserve credit for helping shut down team’s run games but also deserves a little of the blame for not helping the young secondary.

Secondary:
On to that weak secondary I keep alluding to.  Let me say that they haven’t been as bad as I might have let on.  The Hawaii game was truly atrocious.  The secondary was carved up the entire game and never looked that close to stopping them.  They have been better since then but not entirely.  Wazzu moved the ball pretty well through the air against the Trojans but couldn’t take advantage.  USC does have 6 interceptions on the year, that’s pretty good but when you see the amount of passing attempts against them, it make a lot more sense.  The best player in the secondary is Shareece Wright.  It seems like he’s been a Trojan for forever.  He’s the guy who laid the late hit on Jake in 2007 that most Husky fans count as a cheap shot.  He’s also a very good cornerback.  Most teams stay away from him and I imagine that the Huskies will on Saturday.  USC has been breaking in a new corner and two new safeties outside of Wright.  This will be the first time this unit has been really tested since Hawaii and will be a good gauge of their improvement.  Thank goodness this isn’t Nebraska!

Usually I end the scouting reports here but I feel like I should add that USC’s special teams are excellent.  They are the best the Huskies have faced this year.  This is an obvious area of concern since the Dawgs have been terrible in special teams.  So, consider yourself warned in that area.  I really think that might be where this game is won, which doesn’t bode well for the Huskies.

Thanks for reading, lots more coming tomorrow!

Andrew

This is our 300th post.  The 4 writers here try not to get to into numbers or stats but this seems like an appropriate time to thank you all.  I’d like to think that I’d keep writing these posts if we didn’t receive any views.  But, the reality is that supplying the reader is motivation to write.  This year has been a great start to the blog and we owe that to you all for reading!  We look forward to the next 300 (and more) posts.

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