Tag Archives: UW Huskies

by | January 6, 2013 · 7:07 pm

Husky Recruiting Chit-Chat

While the Seahawks are storming through the NFL, the Huskies ended their season on a down note with tight losses in the Apple Cup and Vegas Bowl.  Despite the disappointing end, the outlook for the 2013 Huskies is bright.  They only lose a few starters, and with improved offensive line and quarterback play, both of which I would consider likely, they should be ready to make a run at the top of the conference.  Right now the Husky coaches are locked into recruiting season, and it’s looking a lot more promising than the end of the football season was.

Signing day is the first Wednesday in February, about a month away.  Right now the Huskies have a class of 20 commits, and it’s an excellent group.  Most recruiting rankers consider it among the top 10-15 classes in the country, for whatever that’s worth.  They’re likely to take a class of about 25 players, although I would expect some turnover among the 20 current commitments.  The last month of recruiting is crazy, like that November Saturday when the top four teams all lose. Kids will change their minds, and unfortunately some will be encouraged to look elsewhere by coaches, either because they haven’t progressed as much as expected or because there’s someone better to take their place.

I’m not going to go too in-depth with this post since a lot will change before signing day.  The Huskies already have a quarterback in the boat. Troy Williams is supposed to start classes at UW tomorrow, taking him off the market and letting him participate in spring practices.  He’s a good one, compared to a bigger and more polished Keith Price at the same point in his career (although that was a bigger compliment 4 months ago).  I doubt he’d play this year due to the Huskies’ depth, but it wouldn’t be a shock if he made a run at replacing Price in 2014.  S Trevor Walker is also supposed to enroll early, but probably not until spring quarter. Continue reading →

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by | December 3, 2012 · 9:35 pm

Catching Up with the 2012 UW Freshman, Pt. 1

The Husky football season is largely over and temporarily stuck in that weird purgatory bowl game and the end of the season.  The Husky coaches spent most of last week out recruiting, and there are visitors scheduled for the next few weekends. We’ll get into recruiting more in the coming months, but I thought this would be a good time look at last year’s recruiting class to see what they did this past season.

I’ll start with the redshirts, the guys who didn’t play this past season.  Depending on how much I feel like writing, the guys who played might come in a later post.  We’re just going to have to see how this goes!

The Offensive Linemen
Jake Eldrenkamp, Taylor Hindy, Nathan Dean, Cory Fuavai
I’m lumping all of these guys together because they’re offensive linemen and I therefore know hardly anything about them. No offense, guys.  Eldrenkamp is the most highly thought of, and probably would have been the next to play if the Great Injury Plague of 2012 had continued. Dean was considered a tackle prospect during recruitment, and the Huskies need those.  Fuavai used to be Cory English, but changed his name last summer.  Still confuses me sometimes.  I look at the roster and say, Who’s that guy?  So confusing.  Hindy was a surprise commit right at signing day.

This group was conspicuous for the lack of some major local recruits like Josh Garnett and Zach Banner, but it’s a solid class still.  That redshirt year is standard and necessary, and hopefully the only reason any of this four will have to play in 2013 is for exceptional talent.  Another year to get better and stronger is almost always needed for players in this position.

The QB’s
Cyler Miles & Jeff Lindquist
Both Miles and Lindquist were among the best QB recruits in the country as big, mobile guys with good arms and intelligence.  Miles drew  raves all through the season and is reportedly further along than Lindquist.  I’ve even seen some suggest Lindquist might change positions, but that seems premature.  Both have outstanding talent, but it takes players different lengths of time to acclimate to college football.  Both will have a shot to find playing time in 2013, but it would be best for all involved if Keith Price could get back to good football.  Starting a freshman quarterback is rarely a good option, but these two are not the typical freshman quarterback, or so we’ve been told.  They were the highlight of the class on signing day and have done nothing to tarnish their appeal. Continue reading →

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by | November 22, 2012 · 9:40 pm

Apple Cup Predictions

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  Hopefully your day was full of turkey, people you love, and Mark Sanchez running into his lineman’s butt.  Worst football play ever.

One quick piece of news broke today.  Devon Blackmon, a wide receiver who recently left the Oregon program, is reportedly transferring to the UW.  He has to sit out a year but will be eligible in 2014 with two years to play (or maybe three. Not sure why that’d be, but I saw one news outlet reporting that).  Blackmon was a highly rated recruit out of high school who considered UW at the time.  I wonder about a guy who couldn’t get on the field much for a team with inconsistent receiver production, but he’s a talented, athletic guy and hopefully that will show by the time he can see the field.

Before I get to the predictions, in the spirit of the day, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate the UW coaches.  I’m not sure how good the basketball team will be this year.  They’ve been spotty thus far and have less talent than in some recent years.  That said, I could not appreciate Lorenzo Romar more than I do.  Some people question his ability to take the team to the next level, and he might never do that.  Romar’s value goes beyond the court, though.  He’s one of the classiest, most respectable coaches in the country.  He has a lot of personality and great stories.  It would take the program completely cratering to convince me that the program would be better without Romar than with him.  Some people value winning at all costs, but I’m not one of them.  I love having a program that I feel good cheering for that’s also quite successful.

It remains to be seen whether Steve Sarkisian will succeed in returning the Huskies to prominence, but I think the job he’s done so far is commendable.  Sark has brought enthusiasm that was desperately needed, and he’s been a coach that Husky fans could watch grow along with the team.  While he doesn’t quite have Romar’s reputation, he’s conducted himself quite well.  He holds players accountable but also treats them well.  Mike Leach’s actions in Pullman have thrown into sharp relief how lucky we got with Sark.  Last week in Colorado, he brought the team onto the field early to watch Ralphie, Colorado’s buffalo mascot, run across the field.  It always feels like Sark takes the football quite seriously but also realizes that the football gives lots of amazing opportunities.  I think he has a nice balance, and I think that will benefit him in the long run.

Maybe the Huskies don’t have the best teams in the country, and maybe they won’t anytime soon.  Still, we’re lucky enough to have coaches that are easy to cheer for while they’re successful.  Go Dawgs!

Andrew

The Cougars lost to Colorado.  The Cougars played with ‘good effort’ last week, according to Mike Leach, and lost 46-7 to a Pac-12 team with 6 wins.  Serious question, would the Cougars get bowl eligible in the Mountain West Conference?  They barely beat UNLV, who is the worst team in that conference.  They’d lose to Boise, San Diego State, Fresno State, and probably Nevada.  Air Force, Wyoming and Colorado State might be toss-ups.  They might get to four wins in the conference.  I’m sure you wanted to know all of this….  Here’s my prediction.

The Cougars are just awful and falling apart.  Mike Leach is accused of having players roll around in a sand pit until they vomit as a disciplinary action.  Their best player left the team.  They lost to Colorado and are currently on a 9 game winning streak and if that’s not enough, their current best player (Travis Long) is questionable for this game.  Now, I know you throw out the records for the Apple Cup, especially when it’s in Pullman.  No question, the Cougars will come out fired up and have had moments where they’ve executed this year.  But, talent does matter some, even in rivalry games.  I think the Huskies will pull away eventually in this game and end up winning by a couple of scores.  I’m excited to see if the Husky secondary can hold up against the Cougars fairly decent passing attack.  Also, when the WSU defense shows up and plays hard, they have done some good things and kept the game close.  The Huskies will need to get off to a faster start than last week and not let the Cougs linger or gain confidence.  It should be an entertaining football game and I think the Huskies will end up with their 8th win, even if it’s not comfortable for some of the game.

UW 30 – WSU 17

Matthew 

I keep trying to get worried about this game.  Apple Cups do get weird, and these Cougars have some talent.  The Cougars have been so bad, though, and the Huskies are playing awfully well.  The Huskies pass defense has become one of the best in the conference, and all the Cougars do is pass.  They have the worst rushing attack in the conference and maybe the country.  I would be really surprised if the Huskies lose.  I think it’ll be close until the Huskies can deliver a blow or two (or the Cougars kill themselves in the foot).  That might take a half, or it might take two possessions.  The Huskies have lost Apple Cups that seemed a surer thing than this one, so no guarantees, but the Dawgs should win this one without much trouble.

UW 38 – WSU 13

Joe

The Apple Cup.  First, this game means a ton to me as a Husky fan.  No other game gets me more fired up.  I want to beat Wazzu, and I want to beat them bad.  Nothing is worse than an overly confident Cougar fan who gloats over one Apple Cup victory.  I like the lovable, funny loser Coug fans, not the cocky, drunk morons who come out of the woodwork after a victory. (I realize Coug fans are actually drunk whether they win or lose…)  If I had my way the Cougars would never win an Apple Cup.  Ever.  I like normalcy in life, and normal = UW Apple Cup victories.  Sound arrogant?  Yup, but that’s the reality of things when it comes to this game.  I hate Wazzu, always will.  Ok, now onto the game.I will keep this very simple.  It’s the same thing I have been saying since before the Oregon State game:  Run the ball with Sankey. A lot.  Then play action to ASJ and Kasen.  The Huskies have been doing this with a lot of success the past four games, and it’s translating into victories.  Second, keep doing whatever you’re doing Coach Wilcox.  The Huskies have improved by over 60 spots in total defense nationally between last season and now, warranting me to officially feel like the UW defense is “back” to some semblance of it’s former glory of tackling well and reading offenses with confidence.  As well, for the first time in over a decade, I feel the UW defense has legitimate star playmakers.  Shaq Thompson and Marcus Peters are future all Pac-12 players, Desmond Trufant has been nothing less than stellar all year, Danny Shelton has been a force on the line and John Timu and Travis Feeney (who I am massively impressed with right now) have been tackling machines all year. Look at this, I’m gloating over the Huskies defense! Amazing.  I personally expect the Huskies to come out and dominate the Cougars.  I know this is a rivalry game and it’s all circle the wagons talk in Pullman right now, but the fact is this:  The Huskies are a better football team. Period. Better players. Better coaching. The only thing going against them is the game is in Pullman. That isn’t enough for the Pirate and crew.  Drew Bledsoe and Phillip Bobo ain’t walking through that door.

UW 34 – WSU 17

Dan

It will feel odd being at work during the Apple Cup, but that’s the case for me this year.  I’m sure I’ll find a way to see some of the game but I feel like this will be a predictable outcome yet again. They say you throw out the stats and records for the Apple Cup, but honestly if the Huskies lose this game, it will be because everything that could go wrong does, and the Cougs play out of their minds. That’s possible, but quite unlikely.  WSU has not won a conference game for a reason. They are dreadful in all phases of the game. There’s no telling how long it will take for WSU to make it back to respectibility and playing in bowl games. The Huskies are in nearly the complete opposite position. The arrow is pointed up for the UW program, and while I’m excited at the possibility of finishing this year with 6 straight wins, I’m already gitty about next season. As for today, I see a slow, weird start for both teams. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a one score game at halftime, but ultimately we will likely see a lot of Bishop Sankey, some play action pass to ASJ/Kasen, and plenty open space in the Cougars defense will . Throw in a couple turnovers on D and by the 3rd quarter, things should go according to plan for Washington.

UW 30 – WSU 17

Go Dawgs!

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by | November 1, 2012 · 8:34 pm

UW vs. Cal Predictions

A couple quick thoughts before the predictions:

  • The big game related news today was that Cal’s phenomenal wide receiver Keenan Allen will miss the game and potentially the rest of the season with a knee injury.  Allen is a huge threat and the focal point of Cal’s offense, so the loss should make the game much easier for the Husky defense.  That aside, I’m kind of sad Allen will miss the game.  I’ve written about him before, and he’s easily my favorite non-Husky in the Pac-12.  He’s only a junior, but I can’t think of a player more likely to go pro.  Maybe he’ll surprise everyone, but I’m hoping we next see him in a Seahawk uniform next fall.
  • One of the biggest topics for discussion this week has been Husky fans rushing the field after Saturday’s win.  A lot of fans thought a win over Oregon State is never worthy of rushing the field, no matter their ranking.  I can understand that viewpoint, and I agree to some degree.  But really, who cares?  Most of the people on the field were students, and most of those students weren’t around when the Huskies were good and beat the Beavers with regularity.  Being on the field is cool, and if people are excited enough about a Husky win that they feel the need to get down there, that’s great.  Some day we’ll be back to the point where the only reasons to rush the field are going to the Rose Bowl or winning the national championship.  Until then, the fans have to grow along with the team.  As long as everything is safe, it’s just not a big deal.
  • Most sports fans are superstitious.  Most of us know that the superstitions mean nothing, but it doesn’t stop us from wearing the same shirt or underwear throughout a winning streak.  My family has had lots of Husky superstitions over the years, from lucky shirts to hats to cheers.  One year we were sure a poncho was lucky.  Every time someone put the poncho on, the Dawgs started winning.  Eventually, we had it spread across the couch while watching a game on TV.  They lost that game, I think, although I did wear that poncho this past Saturday, so maybe it regained some magic.  Anyway, KJR unveiled the Huskies ultimate lucky charm on the Husky Honks show yesterday: Dick Baird’s mustache.  Evidently, he pledged to regrow it after the Arizona game, and now says it’s not coming off until January.  We’ll see how it works, but I see no reason why this wouldn’t be the missing piece in the rebuilding.

Here’s the predictions!

Andrew

There aren’t many things that are going against the Huskies going into their Friday night showdown in Berkley.  They’re playing Cal, who was just dominated by a winless Pac-12 team.  Cal is without their best player, Keenan Allen.  The Huskies are coming off one of their better games of the season.  The offensive line seems to be meshing at least a little more.  This is the type of offense that the Husky defense has excelled against this season.  Rumor has it, I’ll probably be watching this game with Dan and I can’t recall the last time the Huskies have lost when I watch a football game while being in his presence (knock on wood).  With all of these things going for the Dawgs, how can they lose?  Well, it’s a weird game, on a Friday night and Bigelow (of Cal) is starting to get going.  Also, the Huskies haven’t won a game on the road in over a year.  I can’t pick them in this game knowing that.  I hope they’ll win but they haven’t shown enough consistency for me to predict a win.
Cal 27 – UW 21
Joe
The Huskies roll into Cal a four point underdog on the road. I take that line to mean the guys in Vegas were not too impressed with the Dawgs’ victory over then #7 ranked OSU. I’m not sure I agree, but then again, don’t ever bet against Vegas, you’ll most likely lose.  Cal is coming off a road thrashing at the hands of the Utes of Utah, who last time I checked don’t exactly have a juggernaut offense, yet were able to score 49 on Cal.  I haven’t been impressed with Cal all year.  They have an incredible ability to NOT be able to get up for games.  They’re stoic, detached from emotion for wide swaths of games. I don’t really see how Friday night will be any different.  The Huskies come in with more to play for, and more to lose.  I expect the UW coaches will be able to motivate and come up with a game plan that will work vs Cal, something Sark has done quite well over the past three seasons.  The Huskies committed to run the ball last week and it worked.  Ball control was key, as well as mitigating turnovers.  If the Huskies can control the clock, run the ball, and win the turnover battle, I see no reason why they can’t win this game.  Throw in the fact Keenan Allen will not be playing, and I like the Dawgs in a close one between mediocre football teams.
UW 24 – Cal 23
Matthew
I hate predicting what these Huskies are going to do.  They should win this game fairly easily.  Cal is playing terribly, just lost their best player, and seems to have given up somewhat on the season.  But the Huskies are on the road, so all bets are off.  The hope is that the road woes are in large part due to quality of opponent and that the Huskies found a bit of attitude and character in the win over the Beavers.  A key will be Cal QB Zack Maynard, who is incredibly inconsistent but capable of a solid performance on occasion.  The Huskies need to get consistent pressure on Maynard.  The Cal offensive line has given up the most sacks in the conference, so this is a great chance for the young Husky D-line to grow up a bit.  Who knows if any of these things happen, but I’m betting the Huskies are finally ready to take a step forward.  Two obstacles go down Friday as the Huskies get a road win and score more than 21 points against an FBS school for the first time this year.
UW 31 – Cal 17
Dan
There are 2 ways I can think of regarding tomorrow’s game.  First, Cal just got thumped and ought to be desperate for a win (like UW last week), and the excitement of a Friday night game under the lights might propel them. On the other hand, it could be Cal just got thumped because they suck, Tedford is a lame duck coach, and without their best player tomorrow, UW has the advantage. I’m leaning towards the latter, not just because I’m hoping for the latter, but because I genuinely think the Huskies will win a low scoring game on Friday.  There’s not a team in America that has been tested like the Huskies, who are finally through a 7 week stretch  of 5 games vs. top 10 opponents (plus Arizona on the road). I expect an energized Husky team ready to win its first road game, and Keenan Allen’s absence really is the X factor in this one.

Huskies 20 – Cal 13

Go Dawgs!

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by | October 26, 2012 · 9:59 pm

UW vs. OSU Predictions

Far in the past, in the olden days of 2003, the Great Beaver Council gathered ‘neath the Wannahanatucket Dam. Times were dire. Beaverdom was in disarray, splintered and sputtering. There were not enough Dutch boys in the world to plug all the holes that threatened to drain the great Beaver nation of its peace and prosperity. Barring a miracle, the Beavers would disband this night, each going his own separate way. A beaver alone in the world amounts to nothing more than a pile of sticks.

Into their midst waddled one from the past. He was a quiet Beaver, genial but brilliant. Once he had led them, but his tail grew tired and his teeth longed for a harder tree to gnaw. He went searching for adventure. Stories of his time away were hazy, shrouded in wisps of rumor and awe. The newer beavers to the Council watched with eyes wide and teeth bared in respect. The quiet one began to speak, and the den grew still. He told stories of peaceful times past and yet to come. He talked of dams great and small, dams built to perfection, with a workmanship unshowy but stout and effective. The building would not be easy, he told them. He had seen a great many things in this world. He understood that beavers were not like the lions or elephants or the birds that flew over their dams. The beaver is a humble creature, noble in his own way.

To retain that nobility, to rebuild Beaverdom to the great society it once was, they would have to work, and harder than they had before. He spoke his vision of dams built far and near, with waters cascading down new pathways, bringing water to new lands. As he spoke, his fellow beavers began to nod. They would live this way; for the pride of all beavers, they would sharpen their teeth and pound their tails. They would draw together as one, and they would be unstoppable. They would not seek attention, but any who crossed them would know they were beavers. More, they would know what it means to be a beaver.

That day is long past, a memory for some, a myth for others. The quiet one still leads. No matter how wide the river or how thick the tree, he gazes calmly ahead, unbowed by the coming challenge. His beavers fall in line behind him. They know what they are and they know that behind their leader they will prevail. They are beavers. They build dams.

Joe

Last Saturday night was by far my most frustrating experience watching a Husky game since Sark took over. Words really cannot describe the level of frustration and anger I felt towards the UW. They got flat out dominated by a frankly mediocre Arizona club (I’m not buying UA overall, they have some nice pieces on offense but that’s it). I expected Arizona to move the ball on the Dawg’s defense, but the ease with which they did infuriated me. But the brunt of my angst was directed at the offense. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. Poor pass blocking against a flat out terrible pass rush, poor QB play (I won’t rehash Price’s night here, just Google if you are a glutton for punishment), complete ineptitude by all receivers not named Kasen or Austin and poor play calling not getting Bishop Sankey the ball more kills me. I love Sark. I’m one hundred percent in his corner and have always been okay with his play calling. But this year it’s different. He’s off. His mojo is gone. Possibly not having old buddy Doug Nussmeier helping him call plays has handicapped Sark a bit. I think there’s a lot to it. If Nick Saban thinks you can run Alabama’s offense, you gotta be good. Sark must adjust. He must commit to running the ball. A lot. Now. The passing game is shot. Price is a total mess. If UW expects to beat Oregon State, they gotta toughen up and run the ball, then pepper in play action to Kasen and ASJ. That’s it, that’s all they have. The spread offense is toast for this year. Time to load up with all you have up front and play ground and pound three yards and a cloud of dust Woody Hayes ball. If it kills Sankey, so be it, he’s young and clearly is okay with contact. If Sark does this, I really think UW has a great shot to win. But it’s a long shot. OSU practically makes no mistakes, they play hard and disciplined. They play straight forward, basic football that just plain works, which will be enough to win on the road against a box of chocolates UW team that’s completely unpredictable.

Benny 22 – UW 13

Matthew

It’s not impossible that the Huskies win this game. It’s not even crazy to predict it. For being undefeated, the Beavers are somewhat untested and unintimidating. Until they chew through the evergreen in your back yard and drop it through your bedroom window. The Huskies will have to play their best game since Stanford, and maybe their best of the season, to win this one. Being at home helps. Having Sean Mannion coming off knee surgery can’t hurt. What this really comes down to, however, is Keith Price finding his way back to enjoying football and trusting his teammates. Reports from practice this week have been good, but that only means anything if they play better in the game. I want to pick the Dawgs, and I think they could win, but it’s crazy to expect them to do so until they actually show something.

Beavers 31 – Huskies 17

Dan

WARNING: HOMER ALERT!
Apologies for the late entry. Let me start by saying I’m not an OSU believer, I’ve seen a lot of Beaver football this year and nothing stands out to me that would suggest they really are a top 8 team. They don’t beat themselves, granted, but I can’t imagine this same team which struggled against Utah last week is really going to stay undefeated until the Civil War. Tonight will be the first loss of what I expect will be a 2 or 3 loss OSU team by seasons end. UW is desperate, they are one uppercut from being knocked out, and people are questioning their heart. That’s a scary team to face at home on a Saturday night. I have a good feeling about tonight, for no good reason, except that OSU is due to lose, we are due to win, and my wife will be in attendance. The last 3 times she’s gone to a game which UW was the dog, they’ve won.

Huskies 31 – Beavers 17

Andrew

There are a lot of reasons I think the Huskies might pull an upset this week. Here are a few:
  • The Huskies are a different team at home. All in all, they’ve been a pretty good team at home. No, the offense hasn’t been up to par at home but they have done enough to win.
  • The Beavers are undefeated but they aren’t dominant. They’re a very good team who doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. But, the Huskies have been able to win close games under Sarkisian and at home I think the Dawgs have enough to take a win.
  • The offense can’t get much worse. Sooner or later, they are going to have a decent game where they score over 24 points. It’s bound to happen.
  • The defense is going up against a pro-style offense. The spread has caused them many problems but they’ve done pretty well against pro-style.
  • Matthew sent out an email asking for our predictions and he wrote, “Tonight, be brave and full of courage. Write like your fingers are afire with the flames of wisdom. Don’t let the man get you down. Send me your predictions.” That fired me up.
With that being said, I’m not going to pick the Huskies. After last weekend, I don’t see how I could. That team will win two more games this season max. Now, I think the Huskies are better than that, but until they prove it, I’m not going to pick them.
OSU 31 – UW 20

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by | October 20, 2012 · 9:33 am

UW vs. Arizona Predictions

Just a couple of quick thoughts before the predictions…

  • I don’t follow high school football real closely, but it seems the Seattle area is especially potent this year.  Bellevue is ranked #3 in the country by ESPN.  They have one current Husky commit, MLB Sean Constantine (who unfortunately just broke his arm but should be back for the playoffs).  Myles Jack is a terror at LB and RB, and while he’s currently committed to UCLA, people seem to think there’s a good chance he changes to the Huskies.  That’s not even mentioning junior Budda Baker, who will easily be the top recruit in the state next year as a RB/Safety.  Out in Sammamish, Skyline’s good like always and Max Browne is the top quarterback in the country.  At least two other quarterbacks are Division I commits, Bellarmine Prep’s Sefo Liufau to Colorado and Eisenhower’s (in Yakima, my hometown) Kolney Cassel to Southern Methodist.  I don’t know how good the teams are throughout the state, but there’s plenty of talent, led by Danny Mattingly in Spokane.  He’s committed to Notre Dame, but the Huskies and others are working on him.  And how about the kickers?  Mt. Si’s Cameron Van Winkle will be a Husky next year, and Austin Rehkow kicked a record 67-yarder in Spokane this week.  Congratulations to everyone so far, and get out and see a game if you get a chance.
  • We’ll get more into recruiting once December and January hit, but it’s shaping up to be a fun year.  The Huskies have 18 current commits, a class rated #2 in the Pac-12 right now.  It’s not expected they’ll take too many more than that, but experts have speculated that as much as half the class could be different by the time signing day gets here.  The good news is that the Huskies are still in on some big-time prospects.  I’ll try to put up a more detailed post if the Huskies have a big weekend of visitors soon.
  • On the basketball recruiting side, news is looking good.  PG Nigel Williams-Goss, a playmaking true point type, has been committed for a while.  This week, Darin Johnson, a shooting guard from California, committed.  Both are four star recruits.  The Dawgs will likely take two more players, and those will hopefully be forward Aaron Gordon and SG Isaac Hamilton.  Hamilton is the less likely of the two, but that’s fine if they get Gordon, who is possibly the best player in the country.  He’s a skilled high flyer who has been high on the Huskies for a while.  We’ll see if they can hold off Arizona and Kentucky, among others.

On to the predictions!

Andrew

This is a hard game to pick.  On one hand, the death march that is the Husky schedule is over.  They are now playing teams that they probably have more talent than and should be able to compete with and get some wins.  Arizona has a terrible defense and the Huskies will actually score tomorrow.  On the flip side, night games in Arizona are so weird.  They seem to use some sort of trickery down there in the desert.  Maybe the Sun Devil helps both teams?  I don’t know.  I’m getting off track.  Arizona’s offense is incredible and our defense is much improved.  Our offense is struggling and Arizona’s defense is terrible.  That all looks like a draw to me.  There doesn’t seem to be a clear advantage in the special teams department.  Maybe these teams will tie?  You can’t do that.  Today on KJR, Sark said that they’ve had this game circled on their calendar before the season started.  He said that they knew the second half would be incredibly important and called this game the biggest of the year.  It seems like he and his team know the importance of tomorrow.  I was going to pick Arizona until I heard that interview.  He won me over and now I think the Dawgs pull this one out.  The defense will need to get opportunistic stops and get tough in the red zone.  The offense needs to roll.  There’s no other option.  Keith Price can do it.

UW 38 – Arizona 31

Dan

The Dawgs roll into Tucson licking their wounds from the past 2 weeks. At 3-3, UW has gotten past the toughest part of the schedule, and it feels like they’ve approached a fork in the road. Tomorrow night’s game could propel the Huskies to a strong finish, and I will be rooting hard for that, but the schedule only gets slightly easier now and things could quickly unravel for the Huskies. The new and improved defense will have its hands full yet again against Rich Rod’s dynamic spread. Zona will score often, so to me this game will come down to whether Keith Price and the Washington offense can keep pace. I see a good ole Saturday night barn burner, full of entertainment, but ultimately Arizona has just enough firepower to beat this searching, beaten up Husky team.

Wildcats 38 – Huskies 34

Matthew

This game could very well shape the rest of the season, for both of these teams.  The Arizona offense is potent, but it’s potentially a better matchup for a Husky defense strong in the secondary.  The Huskies need to stay strong against an excellent running back in Kadeem Carey and find a way to muster a bit of a pass rush when Matt Scott holds the ball for any time at all.  I think the Huskies can hold them relatively in check, but the question is whether they will from the beginning.  That seems to always be the question with this team.  This game will likely come down to how healthy the Husky offense can get against a terrible Arizona defense.  I’m betting they feel pretty good by tomorrow morning.

Huskies 38 – Wildcats 28

Joe

The Huskies come into their Saturday night match up with Arizona as the worst passing offense in league. Not many followers of this program even thought that possible at the beginning of the year, yet here we are.  Keith Price has regressed from last season. Kasen Williams and ASJ have yet to make any significant impact on opposing defenses, and the remaining receiving corps have been very quiet. The reasons for this are manifold: the offensive line’s pass blocking has been sub par, Price simply does not look like the same QB from last year, losing starting tailback Jesse Callier and frankly the level of opponents has been strong. Throw all that together and you get a mess in the passing attack. The good news?  Arizona! The ‘Cats are simply terrible defensively, ranking near the bottom of the Pac-12 in every category imaginable. U of A simply cannot get pressure on the QB, and they don’t force turnovers. This will be the first game since PSU that UW should be able to move the ball, even in light of the above negatives casting a shadow on the offense. I fully expect Keith Price to find a rhythm and have a big game in tandem with Kasen Williams, who is flat out due to have an 8 catch, 190 yard 2 TD performance. Watch for the Dawgs to run as well, giving Bishop Sankey a heavy work load. I feel really good about this game despite the traditionally notorious and bizarre effect a night game in Tuscon can have on road opponents. I think the Huskies have more talent, top to bottom, than the Wildcats, which will lead to a wild, yet satisfying win.

UW 38 – UA 34

Go Dawgs!

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by | October 13, 2012 · 9:12 am

UW vs. USC Predictions

I’m already late putting this up, so I’ll just dive into the picks.  If you want a little more of an introduction, read Andrew’s post below.  Here we go!

Dan

In the Sark era, the Huskies have typically been extremely motivated to play the Trojans. UW has won 2 of the past 3 meetings, but it is hard to know which Washington team will show up tomorrow. Against top tier competition like LSU and Oregon, UW has not put up a fight. This is a trend that has developed over the past few years, with few exceptions. USC may or may not be in the same top tier category, but there is no denying the talent on their roster is second to none. CenturyLink Field is not the same home field advantage that Husky Stadium offers, and when it comes down to it, I see the Trojans making enough explosive plays and rattling Keith all day long. The Huskies will put up a fight, but fall short tomorrow.

USC-30, Washington-20

Joe

For some reason I feel good about this game. Maybe it’s just my optimistic side coming out, maybe it’s pure psychology after getting waxed by Oregon, or maybe it’s the fact that USC simply doesn’t have a stellar track record playing on the road in Seattle. Whatever the treason, I see the Huskies bouncing back this week and playing well.  USC obviously presents problems offensively. Lee and Woods paired with Barkley and Redd is potent. USC will score in this game. How much is the key. With the Dawgs offense struggling to find an identity, even a mediocre offensive performance by the Trojans will likely net them a win.  I hope to see Sark commit to the run early and often. Bishop Sankey has played well enough to earn the trust of the coaches and see more touches. I’m not high on USC’s defense, so I expect UW to move the ball. Unfortunately red zone offense has been poor and Keith Price simply hasn’t played like the Price we saw last year, mostly due to lousy pass protect.  In the end, even though my heart and a big part of my head says UW pulls the upset, I’ll go with Vegas on this one.

USC 33 – UW 20

Andrew

The Huskies will have to fight an uphill battle tomorrow against a team that is more talented than they are.  Yeah, what else is new?  When looking at the Husky schedule before the season we all hoped that the Huskies would be 3-3 after these first 6 games.  Sure, 4-2 would be great but it just wasn’t very reasonable.  Now, it doesn’t seem all that far away.  The Huskies play at home tomorrow where they have won 10 of their last 11 games.  The Trojan defense is giving up 26 points per game on the road and haven’t played any dynamic offenses yet.  The Huskies haven’t put together a complete game yet, no, not even against Stanford.  I see this game either going to the Huskies in a close win or the Trojans in a 2 or 3 score game.  As I’ve given you stats and information that suggests that the Dawgs might have a chance tomorrow, all I can think about Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.  We only have one really good corner and that’s the biggest reason I’m picking USC.  I hope I’m wrong.

USC 35 – UW 20

Matthew

Andrew’s written before about how terrible I am at making predictions.  In the heat of the moment during a game, as soon as I make a pronouncement about how the game’s going to go, the opposite happens.  So I’m always a little hesitant to pick my team, knowing my unique jinxing powers.  I’m also leading our Pac-12 predictions though, so I think this power only exists during games.  Anyway, I’m picking the Huskies to win today.  I’m by no means positive they will, but I think they have a great shot.  They’re slowly working on their issues.  The offensive line has improved and was fine against Oregon, not a strength but at least serviceable. The running game and defense are far ahead of where they were last season and early this year, respectively.  I’m betting today is the day the Keith Price and the Husky passing game explodes.  The Dawgs will have to cut out the mistakes they made at Oregon, but they do much better at that in Seattle and when the opponent isn’t Oregon.  I don’t think anyone feels that this is a game the Huskies have no chance of winning.  I think the Huskies play their best game of the year and pull out the upset.

UW 27 – USC 21

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by | October 5, 2012 · 9:37 pm

UW vs. Oregon Predictions (Or Not)

As has become our tradition, there will be no Husky predictions for the game versus Oregon tomorrow.  This is nothing more than a sidestep around an honest prediction, because none of us could truthfully pick Washington to win this game.  When the Huskies regain their footing in this series, we will make predictions.  For now, take our silence as acquiescence to the Ducks domination.

That’s not to say that the Huskies aren’t making some level of progress.  I expect a closer game than we’ve seen recently, although that potentially still means a blowout.  I think the improved speed and simplified scheme of the Husky defense, not to mention Justin Wilcox’s creativity, gives them a chance to limit Oregon in a way that would have been incomprehensible last season.  The Husky offense is the danger here.  While Oregon’s defense is not as physical and pounding as Stanford’s and LSU’s were, it is faster and near the same talent level.  The Huskies must find a couple extra seconds for Keith Price to throw and running lanes for Bishop Sankey to fill.

While Oregon is undefeated and number two in the country, they are somewhat untested.  They demolished Arizona, who is probably not much worse than UW, if at all, but Arizona is a much different team: offensively talented but still seeking identity, with a spotty defense.  It’s unclear exactly what the Huskies are, still, but that’s also true of the Ducks.  An incredibly soft out of conference schedule has left open the potential for a Duck squad waiting to be exposed.  Their offensive line isn’t quite as dominant as usual, and LaMichael James’ departure has left them just a tiny bit short in the dependable playmaking department.  Throw in a freshman quarterback who occasionally makes freshman mistakes, and there’s a chance of something happening here, but the chance is slim.  Oregon is still fast and disciplined and coached by a genius.

It’s common for teams to play the Ducks tight for a half.  The Cougars just did it, and the Dawgs have done it before.  I hope to see more than that this time.  If the Huskies can keep Oregon within arm’s reach into the fourth quarter, I’ll be happy.  There are no moral victories, but sometimes an actual victory takes a few steps, and a competitive game throughout would be the first of those steps.

Go Dawgs.

-Matthew

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