Arizona Preview
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 7:00 AM PDT
68 comments
Arizona picked up a bye last week at exactly the right time. The 'Cats were banged up after their win at OSU, giving them a week of rest and preparation before heading out on the road again. Arizona is 3-1 overall and this is a pivotal game in their schedule; should they beat Washington, the Wildcats are only two wins away from qualifying for a bowl and a likely finish in the Pac 10's upper division.
Mike Stoops has recruited well since arriving at Arizona, but the turning point of his tenure was not overnight. If not for a late comeback against Washington two years ago in Husky Stadium, Stoops likely wouldn't be coaching the Wildcats today. Dating to late in the 2007 season, Arizona has won 14 of 21 games, including 9 of 14 Pac-10 games and 3-2 versus ranked teams during that stretch.
This game laregely hinges on Arizona QB Nick Foles to catch lightning in a bottle again in his second start. He was 25 of 34 for 254 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions against Oregon State. Foles gives the Arizona offense the kind of passer needed to run its spread attack, as he has the arm strength to go deep down the middle, a quick release to set up screens, and the touch to throw fades to the outside.
The Husky defense ranks ninth in the Pac 10 in total yards allowed, but as opposing teams can attest, they tend to bend and not break. A key in the Notre Dame game was limiting the Irish to field goals for much of the game. Washington has played the toughest schedule in the country thus far, so they have a good idea of what is needed to keep the Wildcats under control.
Arizona has a history of struggling against mobile QB's, and Jake Locker is the most mobile QB in the country right now. Sarkisian hasn't unleashed him except when necessary, so it will be interesting to see if he decides to run Jake a bit more. Nonetheless, the Wildcat defense will have to keep a QB spy assigned to him, creating opportunities for Chris Polk.
The strength of Arizona's defense has been a secondary, led by cornerbacks Trevin Wade and Devin Ross. I don't believe there is a better CB tandem in the conference right now. Both are going to test the Washington receivers; should Locker make a mistake, either CB can quickly turn it into a defensive score.
Position Matchups
Quarterback - Washington - Jake Locker is the best QB in the conference and Nick Foles has one start under his belt. Nick had a nice debut at OSU, but Husky Stadium is a completely different beast.
Running Back - Even - Chris Polk has been solid for Washington all season and Homer is one of the better blocking backs in the country. Even with Nic Grigsby not at 100%, his replacement Keola Antolin is a very solid running back. Chris Gronkowski and Paul homer are virtually even at FB.
Wide Receivers - Washington - This one is close; Zona's Terrell Turner is one of the best receivers in the conference, while UW has the overall edge in depth. UA--like UW--prefers to distribute the ball around the field.
Tight End - Washington - The loss of Rob Gronkowski is a big problem for Arizona. Kavario Middleton bounced back with some key catches in South Bend. Chris Gronkowski moves over from FB to block at times. UW gets the slight edge because Middleton is the superior receiver.
Offensive Line - Arizona - It is closer than it looks on paper, as Washington has over-achieved this season, even if that over achievement hasn't been enough to satisfy all Husky fans. The Huskies will give Jake enough time to work his magic and Chris Polk will get his usual yards. Arizona isn't huge up front, but like Stanford, they are very quick and get the job done. The key, however, will be if UW can get enough pressure to keep Nick Foles from picking them apart.
Defensive Line - Arizona - The Washington defensive line has not had a good game since USC. Arizona, on the other hand, did a very nice job against one of the best running backs in the country two weeks ago. Containing Jacquizz Rodger's was a big key in that win. Tackling has been a problem for both teams. Chris Polk has no problem breaking tackles and the same can be said for the Arizona backs.
Linebacker - Washington - Washington has matched up and played well against every team on the schedule with this experienced unit. They will be tested this week since the Wildcats will throw the ball quite a bit in their area. Senior Arizona MLB Vuna Tuihalamaka is tied for the team high with 31 tackles, and has been an active force sideline to sideline this season.
Secondary - Arizona - The Wildcats have two of the best CB's in the conference starting on Saturday. Washington may have to replace two of their starting safeties because of injuries. I think Nate will be able to go but whoever lines up with him better have his game face on. Quinton Richardson had an off game last week while Desmond Trufant continues to get better every game. UW is taking a long look at Adam Long this week and expect him to see action on Saturday.
Special Teams - Even - Washington hasn't lost any games this season because of special teams which is a good thing. The only time they lost this sector of the game was against Stanford. Going in I don't think either team has a clear edge.
Game Match ups
Washington running game versus the Arizona defense
Ted Miller of ESPN insists that the Wildcats have a tougher defense than Notre Dame. Is it tougher than LSU, Stanford and USC too? I don't think it is. Washington, led by Chris Polk, has proven they can pick up yards against any defense. The key to Polk's game is yards after contact, while he also has the speed to break the big one when given the opportunity.
Jake Locker had a career day two years ago against this team. You would think Sark would unleash him a bit on Saturday because it is a conference game and Arizona has a big problem with mobile QB's. I look for Jake to run more in this one.
Arizona has been prone to miss tackles lately and you can't bring down a Polk or a Locker with an arm tackle. Arizona needs to improve their tackling or Washington just might control the ball a lot longer than they would like.
Washington Passing Game versus the Arizona defense
Jake plays extremely well in front of the home crowd. He really feeds on the atmosphere at Husky Stadium. He will be challenged more by the opposing secondary this week. The Arizona corners can turn mistakes into defensive TD's so he has to avoid the trap he fell into at Stanford.
The Notre Dame loss was tough on Jake and he hasn't forgotten how his team lost after building up to what looked to be an insurmountable lead two years ago against this same team. This one is really for all the marbles and the players know that. Lose this one and having to win the next four out of six to go .500 is a real tough task.
Jake needs to make sure he makes all his reads this week. He is facing some DB's who can go and get the ball. The Washington receivers on the other hand need to eliminate the drops that have been plauging them. We counted at least six or seven against ND.
Arizona rushing game versus the Washington defense
Arizona ranks first in the Pac-10 in rushing with 223.2 yards. It's hard to believe they are ahead of Stanford in this category isn't it?
When Nic Grigsby is healthy, he is among the best backs in the Pac 10. He must be wrapped up or he is going to break out for some serious yards and hurt you. The one thing that is in Washington's advantage going into this one is that Nic isn't at 100%. He has a severely bruised shoulder which will limit his effectiveness on Saturday. Washington needs to lay some hard licks on him and make him wince every time he touches the ball.
Keola Antolin will be the guy to keep an eye on if Grigsby can't go. Funny enough, we haven't seen a lot of fall off when Antolin is subbing for Grigsby. UW will have its hands full no matter who ends up starting or playing the most.
The Arizona offense had a tough time earlier this season until they achieved balance by passing the ball. That balance takes away the opportunity to concentrate on the running game and stuff it. UA has a good line but it will be nothing like they faced against Stanford. Think more quick ang agile rather than monsterous.
As usual the linebackers are going to need to come up, fill, and make key stops.
Arizona passing game versus the Washington Defense
The Arizona SBN blogger asked me if Nick Foles scared Washington? After the gauntlet of talent we have faced in the first five games of the season I would have to say that answer is no. We just faced an NFL talent in Jimmy Clausen. Nick Foles is a good looking kid but he doesn't compare to Jimmy.
The key for Washington is crowd noise and defensive pressure. We need to keep Foles inside the pocket. Our defensive ends have to contain better. Clausen had six or seven seconds to pass sometimes last Saturday. That puts way too much stress on your secondary.
The Huskies have seen plenty of spread in the past. They practiced against it all last season. I don't think we are going to see anything that really surprises us. We just need to apply pressure, get to the ball, and make more tackles.
The intangibles
Crowd noise. I expect a little over 60,000 fans to be in the stands on Saturday. That isn't a full house but it still can create enough noise to disrupt a young QB. We had about the same amount for USC and it was very loud in the stadium.
Washington held Notre Dame to field goals on five drives inside the 22-yard-line. Arizona has had problems with Rob Gronkowski out converting opportunities in the red zone and on theird down.
UW needs to convert better in the red zone. UW would likely have beaten Notre Dame had it been able to score TDs on either of two drives to the 1-yard-line in the second half. Expect Washington to take a closer look at its short yardage offense in preparation for Arizona.
The one intangible that doesn't change each week is turnovers. UW needs to have a plus turn over ratio to win this game. They should be able to do that at home.
Game Notes
Sophomore CB Trevin Wade has four interceptions this season, and eight for his career. He has all kinds of natural instincts and could be the next great UA cornerback.
Jake had one of the best games of his career against UA in 2007 when he threw for 336 yards and ran for 157. That made Jake the 19th player in NCAA history to have a 300-100 game.
UW RB Chris Polk's 106 carries are the eighth most in the nation.
S Nate Williams and WR D'Andre Goodwin are listed as doubtful for Staurday due to concussions.
S Justin Glenn is out for the season with a broken leg.
LB EJ Savannah and WR Devin Aguilar return to the lineup this week after sitting out against Notre Dame.
Through four games, Arizona ranks in the Top 20 nationally in both rushing offense and rushing defense. The Cats are rushing for 223 yards per game, while limiting opposing teams to just 94.5 markers per game.
The teams Washington has played so far this season are 21-4 on the season the rest are 19-13....Wow!
The Wildcats throttled the Huskies 48-7 in Tucson last season. Jake Locker and Chris Polk did not play in that game. Washington leads the overall series 16-8-1.
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Controlling the L.O.S.
John, if my theory is correct then Arizona wins this game. You’ve got Arizona with the advantage on both the offensive line and defensive line, according to your position matchups.
The team that controls the L.O.S. is going to win this game as it always is the case. If Arizona has a better O line and D line then us, then we’re going to have to compensate and feed off the crowd noise [see results of USC game].
To get bowl eligible, this game is a “must win”. Getting our third victory would rebuild some of our confidence and the way I see it all home games are must-winners. A young team has to learn how to win on the road, but not the case at home.
Control the L.O.S. and this game is in the bag.
All I saw was purple
L.O.S.
On paper I have Arizona better on both lines going into this game. Last week for Notre Dame I gave the Irish a slight edge on offense and called the DL even before the game. In reality based on the way the game was played the Irish were better on the DL and had a slight edge on the OL when the game was finished.
This week we have to do a better job if we are going to win the game. I think the home field advantage is huge in this one. It can give the Husky defense the shot it needs to stop some drives and the offense the confidence it needs to keep them alive. Crowd noise will be key to this victory.
Arizona is going to try to run the ball and control the clock to take the pressure off the young QB. These guys are are actually a better running team than Stanford statistically. The difference is our lines do match up better. Arizona’s offensive line is not nearly as big and strong as Stanford’s. I don’t see them bullying us. The Stanford game was simply a bad match up.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions
Arizona's OL v. Stanford's OL
Good breakdown, however I’ve gotta give Arizona’s RBs the edge over Washington’s. Polk is VERY good and I’m worried about the “greased rhino” piling up yards after contact this weekend, but Arizona averages over 100 more yards a game on the ground than Washington. No way a team averaging 121.8 a game on the ground should get the edge over a team averaging 223.8 – even if Grigsby is dinged up.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why you keep saying Stanford’s OL is bigger and stronger than Arizona’s. One look at each team’s depth chart clears that up.
Arizona’s OL averages 6’5", Stanford’s OL averages 6’5". Arizona’s OL averages 320 lbs, Stanford’s OL averages 297 lbs. There’s a reason we’re leading the Pac-10 in rushing and not Stanford.
And another thing, Foles isn’t Clausen, but Arizona doesn’t need him to be – we have a considerably better run game and defense than Notre Dame. If Foles matches Clausen’s 422 passing yards this weekend Arizona will put up over 600 yards on UDub and win by double digits. It’s safe to say he won’t produce like that, but even if Arizona gets say 300 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs out of Foles, it would take something else going haywire for Arizona to lose.
For the record, I expect a VERY good game against a tough, battle tested team. All I’m saying is that formulating win/loss predictions based on Stanford’s OL v. Arizona’s OL or Notre Dame’s QB v. Arizona’s QB assumes all other things are equal and belies the fact that Arizona is probably a more complete team than either ND or Stanford.
Does Size Matter?
This talk of heigth and weight means little. Speed & strength are what matter the most, along with all the intangibles.
Experience is well in favor of the Huskies. It is nice to be 3-1, Zona, but who have you played? Had Zona faced LSU & USC at home, and then played ND at TD Jesus, in addition to the Trees at home, then I would be a lot more impressed with all the stats and wins.
When well into the PAC-!0 games, I’m guessing Zona’s running game will still be good, but not at all on top. The diminishing of those yards per game will likely begin tomorrow evening.
Yeah I'll take...
…a quick, athletic and powerful offensive lineman who is leaner and in better condition than a guy carrying around more weight any day of the week.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Great points
Offensive Line : I don’t think they are as strong or physical as Stanford’s. I guess we find out on Saturday.
I agree that Foles doen’t need to be Clausen. If Foles picks up 300 yards 2 TD’s and no interceptions it will be a long day for UW. Do you really think he can do that? that would be an exceptional day for a QB in his second start.
A lot of writers think Arizona is superior to Notre Dame in a lot of aspects…defense being one of them. Your offense has clicked once this season so there are still more questions than answers going on coming into this weeks game. I have to agree…I was impressed by the win over Oregon State.
Can that success be repeated or sustained or was it more of a result of OSU beating themself with turnovers?
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions
If Foles picks up 300 yards 2 TD’s and no interceptions it will be a long day for UW. Do you really think he can do that?
It’s certainly possible. He put up 254 and 3 TDs and 0 INTs at Oregon State two weeks ago in his first start. OSU and Washington’s pass defenses appear to be roughly equal so far. Not saying he will, but if he builds on his first game (won’t be easy at Husky Stadium) it’s not much of a stretch.
Your offense has clicked once this season so there are still more questions than answers going on coming into this weeks game.
You’re right about the offense really only clicking once, but I don’t see why you think there are more questions than answers at this point. I can only think of two questions re: Arizona’s offense: (1) can they execute and move the ball in Seattle? and (2) can they play a clean, turnover-free game?
There are plenty of answers really. We’ve got 3 RBs who can carry the load and there is considerably less drop off between our 1st and 3rd RB than you probably realize. Our 3rd string RB had 120 yards on 13 touches against OSU (76 receiving and 44 rushing). Same with receivers – we don’t have a true #1 receiver ala Mike Thomas this year, but we’ve got about 5 legit #2 receivers.
Can that success be repeated or sustained or was it more of a result of OSU beating themself with turnovers?
We’ll see. OSU had 2 turnovers and 1 (Trevin Wade’s 1st half INT) was due to a great play on the ball rather than a terrible pass by Canfield.
I’ve said enough, your stats and my stats will be thrown out the window tomorrow. May the best team win.
Hotch
Anything is possible…we will have to see if it was a falsh in the pan or if he can continue at that pace. i have to admit it was impressive.
The reason I ask is the level of competition Arizona has faced this year. It just isn’t very close to the level that Washington has played so far. That is right…Iowa doesn’t impress me.
I think it is going to be a close game and if you are an Arizona fan you have to feel happy about where your team is right now.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Arizona's Rushing Attack
againist Central Michigan – 46 – 246 yds
againist Northern Arizona – 47 – 365 yds
againist Iowa – 25 – 148 yds
againist Oregon State – 33 – 134 yds
Your statistics are skewed big time againist Non BCS teams.
We have to take the lead early and make your young QB win the game so you abondan the run game.
Should be a good one and I cant wait to watch it!
Go Dawgs!
Good points!...
bd967. You’re my idol! ;O)
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
That flushes his theory down the toilet
Great numbers bigdave, they really show the true story, great running game against weaker teams, and average running game against average opponents. Should be a great game.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Looking Forward...
…to it! Now if we can get the DAWGhouse rockin’ everything will be good!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Get 'Em To....
show up! I’m home with the damned flu today, that I picked up on the plane back from the ND game. Trying to get all my friends to pick up some of the remaining tickets with my spare time found now. This game against AU is going to be another great one at Husky Stadium!
Bottom Line
We’ve got to get back to winning some ballgames. Arizona w/ a new QB and at home? We’ve got to have this game. Win this one and we set ourselves up for the meat of the season. Lose and we’ve got issues and Sark’s desire to turn things around faster then thought idea might get lost in the wash.
Win and we are setting ourselves up good.
Go Dawgs! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Couldn't agree more
Tonight’s game is a big game that will really set the tone for the rest of the season, definitely a must win.
GO DAWGS!!!!!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
OK, let's throw out the CMU and NAU games
Even though CMU has proven itself to be a pretty good team with a decent defense.
Iowa’s rush defense is 50th in the nation, giving up an average of 122.2 yards a game and 4.1 yards per carry. Arizona ran for 148 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry against them on the road.
Oregon State’s rush defense is 12th in the nation giving up 87.4 yards a game and 3.2 yards a carry. Arizona ran for 134 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry against them on the road.
So, Arizona actually ran the ball fairly well against their best two opponents so far when you take into account how good each opponent’s rush defenses have been thus far.
Conversely, let’s look at how Washington faired against two opponents with comparable rush defenses to OSU and Iowa:
USC’s rush defense is 5th in the nation, giving up an average of 64.8 yards a game and 2.0 yards per carry. Washington ran for 56 yards and averaged 1.7 yards per carry against them.
LSU’s rush defense is 42nd in the nation giving up 87.4 yards a game and 3.2 yards a carry. Washington ran for 157 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry against them at home.
So, against the best two rush defenses Arizona faced they went:
282 yards on 58 carries for 4.9 yards per carry.
Washington, against the two best rush defenses they faced went:
213 yards on 71 carries for 3.0 yards per carry.
Yes, this is an apples and oranges comparison and yes USC’s rush defense is better than Oregon State’s, but it gives you a crude outline of how Arizona has rushed the ball against only their quality opponents.
Like I said in another post, you can throw all these stats out the window tomorrow. Gonna be a great game.
Not to be a stickler but...
Oregon State has a good rush def. againist Portland State, UNLV, Cincinnati, ASU and Arizona. Cincinnati and ASU of which Cincinnati threw the ball 49 times and ASU threw it 56 times…these are great rushing teams. You got yards againist an inflated rushing defense.
Either way you are right about one thing…Games are played for a reason on the field.
Looking forward to a great game.
Hotch II
Once gain you have to consider the level of competition.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions
We'll See
Dear Hotch,
Yee still make little sense. :-)
Our Dawgs ran very well against USC, but Jake suffered some big sack losses. We got the yards as we needed them, against one of the toughest defenses in the history of NCAA football. Your 50th and 12th ranked running defenses are facing tougher opponents now, just at Zona is. The 42nd & 5th we have faced have already been in the hot seat, just as we have been. Gotta’ look behind the #’s to see what has been going on.
When the game gets played tomorrow, then we will know for sure. Until then, arguing on your opponent’s website makes about as much sense and me trying to convince Arizona’s senior senator that Barrak Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize today.
Still, it has been fun. This game is a close call, which is why the bloggin’ has been so interesting today. One thing we both agree on, our two great teams are going to bring out the best of eachother starting in about 28.33 hours from now. It will indeed be an awesome game! See you at there?
See you there?
Naw, unfortunately I’m a broke law student in San Diego. One of these days I’ll come up to Seattle for a ‘Zona game. I don’t need to tell you this, but you guys have one of the best stadiums and fanbases in the Pac-10.
San Diego....
is a good place to be stuck and broke. Not a bad time to be in school either. I got laid off almost a year ago, have tried three jobs since that all sucked a big one. Now I am broke & stuck in Everett. Good thing I paid for my Husky tickets and road trips b-4 my ex-wife took all the rest of my savings! Our remaining home games are gems in my life!
You are welcome
Once again one of the great things about this blog is the comfort level opposing fans feel while visiting here. Thanks for all your comments because they have all been great.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Missed You @ ND
This blog is indeed a great thing! Thanks JB. Sorry I missed you in South Bend. We wanted to check out both the Hall-o-Fame and your tailgate party, but just not enough time for both. Figgered you would be in the Husky Football neighborhood again long before we ever get to Atlanta (where the NCAA Football Hall of Fame is moving to).
I heard you might have met a couple of my friends on the plane
They saud they were talking about me on the plane and some guy from Ferndale recognized my name…was that you?
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Mike On Da' Plane
Mike, from Ferndale, & I have season tickets and go to a couple of road games per year. It is he that your friends must have met. I’m Ken Cox. Mike & I got split up on the full flight, and I won the aisle seat in the emergency exit row bye defeating Mike at Rock-Paper-Scissors, otherwise it would have been me.
gotcha
I figured it was one of you guys…
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions
UW vs UA prediction
The bitter taste in UW’s mouth from last week is still there. Remember what it feels like to win? Now remember what it feels like to lose? I think Locker and Butler will have this team ready for a battle. Their Def is predicated on speed but can they handle the spread offense with Locker at the helm? That is a lot of field to cover and a lot of players to watch…Polk, 3-4 WR’s, TE and Locker. Time will tell.
We haven’t really heard from Ta’ Amu in a while and its a shame because he was a BEAST againist LSU. Can this be the break out game for the Monster? I think it just well could be. Can the smaller UA line block him one on one…I dont think so.
With Savannah back paired with Butler and Foster with Gage and Denton getting solid reps and playing time, I think these guys will be ready to bring the PAIN! Look for a lot of tackles out of this group.
Our D-Backs are beat up and we could really use a bye week but such is life in football. Tell me this isnt a possible great story line…Fellner went from likely Gray Shirting to suiting up to possible starter/seeing solid PT! And to top it all off, he is a WSU legacy! HA. Love it. Look for his impact to be felt on more than just the kick off team. Either way at Corner we have Freshmen sensation Trufant and hopefully Adam Long will get some PT for depth reasons.
O-Line…well which one will show up? They are a tough bunch to understand. You watch them and sometimes its head scratching and other times you are utterly amazed at the downfield blocking and push at the LOS. Fingers crossed the Big Uglies show up and not the Flower Power Squad.
QB…………..Locker……………….Enough said
RB has been a HUGE plus this year. Polk is a mad man on a mission! Now can we PLEASE get some carries for some other guys?!!?! Please!!! He is a freshmen…give his body a rest. Its not like he is getting 100 yards untouched. He had 96 YAC last week…thats a lot of contact. Fogerson is a beast in the screen game and has found a great niche with this offense. We need to get Bronson ready just incase something happens. Can someone tell me the last time Sark said that Bronson was going to get in the game before the game started and actually played him………..dont waste to much time. Never happened! Either way this could be a great week for it.
NUMBER 1 TOUGHEST QUESTION OF THE WEEK!!! Who will lead in reception and yards this week? Every week someone else is Big Man on Campus! Love the depth but we need to get just a tad more consistent on catching the ball. With Goodwin out we will look to Johnson and Kearse and Aguilar, and Boyles (Boyles…who dat?) to step up and make the big play. Boyles will be called on this week (hopefully) to make an immediate impact.
One thing you have to love about Sark is that he trusts his players no matter the situation. It may make you and I say “What the heck are you DOING!” at our TV’s but it makes you want to play for a guy when he fully trusts you. Now we have to return the favor and actually produce when he gives the opportunity…you know…score on the 1 yard line….simple concept. Either way I love Sark & Co to have this team ready.
Could this be another 4th Quarter rally with Locker at the helm…Stay tuned.
UW 31
UA 24
Fellner is the grandson of former Montana, WSU, and Fresno State head coach Jim Sweeney. He is also the nephew for former Husky FB Bo Cornell.
A lot of people including Fellner’s HS coach felt he was ready to play right away. Depth at the position going in allowed UW to redshirt him. Injuries over the past couple weeks and his accelerated play at the position have changed those plans. The coaches really feel he is coming on.
Desmond Trufant is the brother of former WSU great Marcus Trufant who became a Coug because UW didn’t have room for him. He got lost in the coaching change of Lambright to Neuheisel.
I like your Ta’amu insight…it makes sense to me but is he fast enough?
I don’t see them resting Polk. Great running backs get better with every rep. Keep giving Polk the ball. I do see them using Bronson inside the ten.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 8:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Ta' Amu
Probably not fast enough…yet. But we need him to lose probably another 20 lbs to become more mobile. But as of now, he should ALWAYS eat two blockers but that hasnt happened againist zone blocking schemes. I still think right now he has the ability to be a huge factor…its just up to him.
Polk
Agree that RB’s typically get better with more carries to get in the flow of the game but can a freshmens body take that many carries…that many hits? I dont think so and I can see him deteriorating later in the season but we need all 12 games. Bronson could easily take 5 carries off his shoulders and over the next 8 games and that could make or break this season when we go BOWLING!!!
Either way Polk is a beast right now.
It's tough...
…to take Polk out when he’s running with so much intensity. I think it would be smart to get Bronson some reps though. He showed a knack for busting big runs in spring ball. Maybe he should get some short yardage runs, although you’ve got Homer back there too.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
If only.....
we could trust Bronson to not give up a fumble, then I would indeed love to see him on the field quite often. I love the way he runs with the ball, but his loose grip scares the crapola outta’ me. It is, in contrast, really impressive to see Polk grinding out so many extra yards after being hit, and yet still hanging on to the ball so well.
Has he had fumbling issues?
I mean I remember him having a strong spring and positioning himself to compete for a starting spot. Fall camp rolls around and I believe he had to work through an injury and that set him back. I know he had a tendency to rip off a huge run just about every time they scrimmaged.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Maybe that was related...
…to his shoulder injury?
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
It is his second year
He isn’t a true frosh. A year in the weight room does wonders.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
RS-Freshmen
who sat all last season because he had a season ending shoulder injury…
He is 8th in the country in terms of total carries. That is a lot of carries for anybody. You aren’t going to kill his momentum if you take 5 carries away from him…make him a 20 carry back and not a 25+ guy.
Forgot about Trufant...
Just remember Fellner’s Grandfather was a coach at WSU. Still interesting in my mind. Lots of Washington ties for him.
Also I have a hard time believing high school coaches when they say that a guy could play right away…most of the time that is just talk to make his guy seem better but in this case he may be right…time will tell. I hope he is right!
Not in this case
He was rated the #12 safety in the country so that means something. He has football in his blood and that gives him a step up. He has been around it his entire life. His HS coach happens to be one of the better ones in California and he does not mince words.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions
#12?
Scout/Dawgman (who everyone here likes and trusts) had him at #52…….
And I dont know his coach and it doesnt really matter because i take everything they say with a grain of salt…maybe you know him personally or have a relationship with him but a coach talking up a player is like someone talking up their new girlfriend…they are always the best looking ,coolest, smartest, etc. I hope he is right though and Fellner is a great Safety…time will tell!
Excuse me...
- 12 in West…lets see how he does on Saturday since neither of us have a clue of what he can do till he gets playing time at the position.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions
That is exactly what I was thinking!
We obviously both hope that his coach is right because we need him to be an instant stud when he is called upon!
A Couple Of...
…guys who the coaches have talked about surprised me. Trufant and Fellner, both guys had the coaches raving about their speed. It is really a huge equalizer to be fast when you’re playing football. Hopefully Fellner can tackle well and be as sharp picking things up as Trufant has.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
LSU
On that sack by big Tamu against LSU I thought this might be the breakout year for him too. I think he needs to get a blow from time to time for him to play his best. I think it’s critical that Everette Thompson or Tyrone Duncan step in there and be able to play solid and get into a rotation there.
The defensive line has got to get off blocks and pressure the QB! If we could do that the D would be vastly improved.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
titanic injuries
everytime I read they are starting another freshman I get a sinking feeling about our ability to win games. They simply are not mature enough with a few exceptions: Steve Emtman and the center for the Chicago Bears whose name I cannot recall at this moment.
For the future it is great if they survive without career ending injuries.
Pretty soon we will be Cougars West. Good luck Huskies.
No career ending injuries
except Noble but that was not an injury.
We have lost just one starter for the year due to injuries.
We are not deep (as Coach Holt has made abundantly clear) at a lot of positions. So if a freshmen needs to play so be it if he is the best option. My only concern is that I REALLY like to redshirt as many players as possible but Sark’s pedigree is one that the best player will play…no matter what! So if that is the case then so be it. In Sark I Trust!
Cougars West?
We have one player we were counting on out for the season at this point and that is below average for the mid point of any season.
Desmond Trufant is a great example of a freshman who cam in ready to play and earned a starting job simply because he is better than the rest of the guys at his position. I guess you need to add Trufant to your list of Emtman and Brostek.
Oh yes…by the way…Emtman didn’t play as a frosh.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions
I think he was referring to...
…Olin Kruetz.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Injuries and playing freshmen
I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to start a true freshmen. The best case scenario for freshmen is to get their feet wet, by subbing in now and then. But we simply do not have that luxury right now. We have depth issues at a lot of positions, where we’ve got to insert kids into those positions- freshmen or not. The bottom line is “bowl eligibilty” this year is the goal.
The coaching staff are good teachers and will not put kids in harms way. They are being taught the positions and how to play in those positions. The only thing they are left without besides experience is upperclassmen physiques. Yet to compensate, the coaching staff are coaching the youngsters up in order to keep them crisp in what they are doing and not simply throwing them to the wolves like you see Wulff doing over at WSU.
College football is played FAST! And many times when youngsters get hurt it’s due to them not being acclimated to the speed of the game, another reason why it is so important to go all-out in practices, you pick up the speed of the game in simulated situations.
Keys to the Arizona game:
1) Controlling the L.O.S.
2) UofW offense needs to keep our defense off the field and put up points.
3) Defense needs to make stops- especially in 2nd half!
4) Special teams needs to give Arizona the LONG field.
5) Better game management decisions from the coaching staff.
I elected to put in No.5 simply because I felt as if some of our decisions in the ND game were too risky at times.
First ND goal line stand? Sark could’ve kicked the field goal and been up 8 points. 2nd ND goal line stand? (optional) The bottom line is you always have to come up with points. I think Sark got a little hasty and greedy in the first ND goal line stand. Put up points then you have options later in the game. Not knocking Sark- I think he is a brilliant young coach who is going to really move the meter at Washington. But I thought his youthfullness and lack of game management came out during that first ND goal line stand. Always …. Always … Always put points on the board first. Doing so will give you more options as the game continues.
I Bark for Sark! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
I think he got frustrated...
…to a certain degree and decided “If you guys can’t punch it in on multiple downs from the one then I’m going to kick the field goal and take my chances!”
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Entman was a redshirt
did not play his 5th year
Huge difference from last year:
The absence of Rob Gronkowski.
We’re still having problems with big physical receivers, and this is a guy who would make any young QB look good.
play action
to freeze the ’backers and let kavario release.
this should be a big game for him this week.
Funny you mention that
When Jake sells a play fake real good things happen. That was one of the things that made Tui great. He faked guys out of their shorts. Jake needs to get better at that.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Is that something Marques can teach
within the limits of his job? I realize a lot of that’s an innate ability and may not be teachable, but I hope some of it rubs off.
by hairofthedawg on Oct 9, 2009 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Good question Dick
You would hope some of that would rub off but he is a asst. strength and conditioning coach at this point.
by John Berkowitz on Oct 9, 2009 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions
What Marques does in private, without and watchdogs around, is up to him and Jake. So long as he’s not coaching up Jake on the field or clear view of the public, I see no reason he can’t show him ball fakes in the coaches offices or locker room.
I know he’s technically not supposed to coach players on football specific things, but the situation with Marques is hardly unique around the game and you know this kind of thing happens all over.
Respect
The DAWGS still apparently aren’t getting much respect out there. Apparently zona is favored by 3.5 points. My question is why? They’ve played a mild schedule compared to us so far. We upset $C and play Notre Dame at their house right down to the wire. They did win a pretty close contest against the beavs on the road but still? I just don’t get it? We’re playing them at the DAWGhouse and well…all I can say is GO DAWGS!! Beat the Mildcats!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
3.5 points
Easy…Arizona has a better offensive and defenisve line….Uw has to pull this off with the intangibles…pro betters don’t go with the intangibles….that is why you don’t bet on your favorite team.
your right, pro bettors don't go with the intangibles.
they go with the team with the harder schedule up to this point. it is also my belief a bye week usually hurts a team more than helps. i’ll take the points. peace out.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Oct 9, 2009 11:18 PM PDT up reply actions
i'm ok being the underdawg
we play with attitude and a bit of nasty that way.
i’m getting a little impatient here.
baseball doesn’t cut it.
GO DAWGS!
by PandG on Oct 9, 2009 7:22 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
We need to beat Arizona to stay close to the top of the Pac 10
If we don’t beat Zona it puts us at 2-4, and unlikely to make a bowl. I f we win we are 3-3 with winnable games against Wazzu, ASU, OSU, FUCLA, and Cal on the horizon. The reason I didn’t put Oregon as a winnable game is because they have played much better since losing to Boise. We will play them at home so it should be a close game.
by subliminalnirvanaist on Oct 10, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions
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