Ten things to take away from Tuesday
by John Berkowitz on Apr 1, 2009 7:53 AM PDT
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Print1. The Huskies are are starting from scratch and everyone is getting the opportunity to earn a place on the team.
2. The level of tempo has increased and more things are getting done in the short time allotted. Teams play like they practice. The faster they practice the faster they play.
3. There is some pretty intensive one on one teaching going on. Sarkisian is active all over the field working one on one with players. Coach Holt is seriously loud.
4. The offensive line is being completely overhauled to find the right combination of players to provide the push to move the offense. The Huskies are trying to put together an athletic group that can run. Expect the lineup to shuffle for most of the spring as they tinker with what works best.
- C Tolar - Ikehara
- G Kelemete - Rosborough
- G Ossai - Sedillo
- T Schaeffer - Carroll
- T Habben - Fancher
4. EJ Savannah is still the best defensive player on the roster after taking an involuntary year off. The linebackers as a whole played well yesterday and should be one of the best LB units in the Pac 10 this season.
5. Jake Locker has a lot of work to do to become comfortable in the new offense. Jake is still throwing high and his instincts are still to run first. His next three weeks playing actively under Sarkisian and Nussmeier will be interesting to watch.
6. Chris Izbicki is going to get a lot of time to show what he can do this spring. Middleton and Izbicki are the only scholarship TE's on the roster. Dorson Boyce is missing out on the opportunity to earn a starting spot by not taking care of academics.
7. Daniel Teo Nesheim is getting looks inside. The Huskies want to rotate him through the lineup to make it harder for teams to prepare for him.
8. Chatter on the field. Willingham hated chatter the new coaches love it. This team is going to be allowed to be more emotional.
9. No moves yet in the defensive backfield. We still expect the coaches to make some moves to balance out the team over the next three weeks.
10. Team fitness has increased. The weight loss is impressive and you wonder how Sarkisian did more in that area in four months than Willingham did in four years. That being said miracles don't happen in four months. Check back in 20 months and you will see a roster capable of physically challenging for championships if they keep it up.
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He must have
losing was definitely his forte and maybe sucking on lemons, he always looked like he had just done that:-)
Its a slow day here too
in SoCal. Doing my taxes, went for a walk when my head started to hurt, in 75 degree weather, sun shining. Dawgs are coming back to life, Life is good.
Z-z-zing!
Comer4tide to Nico2.0: "How come I've never heard of any of your random songs?"
Todd to Comer: "Because if you had, he wouldn't listen to it. BOOM. Roasted."
Nico to Todd: "Shouldn't you be off voguing somewhere?"
by BixBeiderbecke on Apr 1, 2009 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Glad to hear that everything started off on a good note.
Still have 14 more practices to go
Rosborough was getting an earful from Cozzetto while I was watching them. Good to see the coaches always pushing for better performances from every player.
I think you misunderstood the Coz
he was just concerned about the player’s comfort and suggested it might be more comfortable in the locker room……….or maybe Oakland.
YESSSSS!
This is all encouraging news for sure. I realize that it’s only the first week of Spring practice, but to me- it all points to the boys “buying into it”. I’m so glad the coaches are getting through. I can’t wait to see the product on the field of play.
I know this sounds weird, and some of you won’t believe me when I say this- but I’d love it to see the UW at the top soon. Rather than later. It makes for a very competitive PAC 10, and I’m so sick and tired of every fan from other conferences saying the PAC 10 is “football weak”. The Huskies are coming back! And I hope they get and stay there for quite some time.
Comer4tide to Nico2.0: "How come I've never heard of any of your random songs?"
Todd to Comer: "Because if you had, he wouldn't listen to it. BOOM. Roasted."
Nico to Todd: "Shouldn't you be off voguing somewhere?"
Curtis Shaw
Did anybody see him? How does he look?
the pac 10 needs a healthy UW
only two other teams from the Pac 10 have won Rose Bowls since ASU won it in the ‘86 season and one of them was UW. Until UW can rise up to balance out USCs dominance, our conference will always be perceived as a one-horse circus. Cal and OU have had 20 years to become a year-in, year-out threat, and it hasn’t happened.
"Greed is Good."
So is Rudy.
USC Needs US
Why do you suppose Pete Carroll loved the idea of Sarkisian taking the head coaching job at Washington? When top assistants get head coaching jobs, they usually find themselves outside the conference from their ex boss. But from what I’ve read and listened to is that Carroll is excited for Sarkisian landing the head coaching job at Washington. Why so excited? Could it be that Carroll and USC sees that the Pac 10 is not very competitive in terms of what the rest of the nation sees? The fact is the Pac 10 looks and appears to be a stronger league when USC is facing stiff competition from Ucla, Washington, and Arizona State. When all four of these programs are in the upper half of the standings, the Pac 10 looks to be a strong league.
I think Carroll and USC need us to be competitive again. I think Pete was excited to send Sarkisian up, but his smile turned into a frown the moment Holt jolted for Seattle too. Now with both Sark and Holt up here, Pete might have too much competition for his own good.
USC has dominated Pac 10 football for three reasons, they are:
1. Ucla
2. Washington
3. Arizona State
For the majority of the last 4 to 5 years all three of these programs haven’t been quite up to par with their traditions of being a super power in football. Arizona State has been close, but clearly they are not the program they use to be. Ucla went thru some mediocre seasons under coach Dorrell, and well we know where we’ve been lately.
Other then that it has been USC and the three upstarts (Cal, Oregon, and Oregon State). All three of these schools have had their chance to win the Pac 10 outright and have failed. What does it come down to? It comes down to tradtions and resources. Washington, Ucla, and Arizona State all have the resources and tradtions to compete with USC. Cal, Oregon, and Oregon State do not. So I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that USC will continue to romp thru the league until Ucla, Washington, and Arizona State become competitve again. And I’ll end on this note, the next team other then USC that will win the Pac 10 outright will be either Ucla, Washington, or Arizona State. Cal, Oregon, and Oregon State have had their runs and it wasn’t good enough.
Although USC won’t tell you this, but they need us. They need those in league nationally televised Pac 10 games featuring USC vs. the real Pac 10 big boys. USC vs. Oregon? That stuff is just regionally televised and it doesn’t sell to the viewers. We do!
All I saw was purple
USC needs us - Part II
I think that there is a pretty good chance that Pete Carroll’s replacement is getting his feet wet as a head coach at Washington right now.
I don’t think that there are many jobs he would leave for but SC is probably one of them.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 3, 2009 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Depth Chart
I’m going to say right now that the depth chart is going to be very different by the time spring ball is over. Just a gut feeling, crazi/karnac dawg, are you feeling me? ;O)
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Not sure...
Offensively we’ve got good talent. TE is a little thin, but we’ve got two studs at that position. Sark will probably move a guy over to fill the taxi squad. Our backfield is deep and our receivers are deep. The only thing that will change their is who becomes the ones, twos, and threes. OLine is not great talent-wise but we’ve got great teachers, and of all the positions the O line is the most teachable.
Defense is going to be a huge key to the season. Our LBing corp is pretty much set. We need to find the right combinations of down linemen up front. In the secondary we need to find kids that can cover. Not too concerned about interceptions or knockout hits. The main thing we need back there is kids that can cover- because if you can’t cover, then you can’t tackle, can’t intercept the ball, and you can’t get a pick 6. Our secondary has been laughable for a few years and the main reason I believe is because we’ve forgotten the one main element of the secondary. YOU HAVE TO COVER!
Keys to the season (not in order)
1. Defense
2. Offensive Line
3. Special Teams
I believe the offense will roll this season, but it won’t roll unless the big uglies up front are doing their job. Defensively we’ve got to try to make the opponent kick FGs rather then score TDs. And our offense needs to help the defense by keeping us off the field. And the last thing, field position will be HUGE. I am a strong beleiver in not giving the opponent the short field. One thing I do no like what USC does, they go for it too often on 4th and short. Always, Always, Always play for field position and live to fight another day.
All I saw was purple
This is encouraging
With UW having just two healthy, scholarship tight ends at the moment - Middleton and Izbicki - each will get a lot of turns this spring.
"We are taking a lot of reps so we will both get that much better,‘’ Izbicki said. "It’s a good opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to it.’’
He also said he’s in the best shape of his career, saying he’s 6-3, 245.
"I lost six percent body fat in the winter workouts,‘’ he said. "A lot of hard work in the off-season.’’
Another good sign
Coach Sark named Izbicki the offensive player of the day for the first practice. Check out coachsark.com! (Donald Butler for the defense.) I love that he’s making this kind of information public.
Depth Chart
There will be lot sof changes as the coaches get a better feel for personel and where the needs are.
Locker
From the picture above, Jake Locker appears to be getting the machanics down. His footwork looks much improved, the location of the ball (up high), and his eyes are down field going thru his progressions.
Locker’s machinics last year were all over the place and he never looked comfortable back in the pocket. Looking at Locker, I get a sense that he is picking up the pro rather quickly. Accuracy will come in due time. The machinics, footwork, and reading progression are key to the pro. Accuracy will come as Locker gets more comfortable in the new offense.
All I saw was purple
You can see all of that in a picture?
Tell the truth, you must be Mike Holmgren and don’t want us to know your true identity!
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
The Eyes say it All
Lear take a look at Sark’s eyes. His eyes are fixed on Jakes progression reads. Now if Sark were looking directly at Locker in his 5 step QB drop then surly Jake wouldn’t be picking up the pro as quickly as we all hope. With Sark not looking directly at Locker, instead he (Sark) is looking where Locker is looking Jake is progressing into a pro style QB.
And no, crazi is not Holmgren…
All I saw was purple
Give me a break
You can’t tell what Sark’s eyes are looking at. He could just as easily be watching the offensive line.
“Now if Sark were looking directly at Locker in his 5 step QB drop then surly Jake wouldn’t be picking up the pro as quickly”, come on, you are kidding right? Can’t a coach be watching his footwork? You really need a reality check, NOBODY can tell that much from one picture, and if you think you can you are delusional.
If you really think you can tell by that picture how well Jake is picking up the offense, then you really need a big reality check.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Why so Negative?
What I meant by “if Sark were looking at Locker’s footwork” or at Locker then we’d still be in phase I of implementing and teaching pro style QB 101, because learning the footwork, motion, ball placement are step one in teaching the pro. Sark is not looking at Locker that much I do know and it is good that he isn’t, it means that we are learning the position rather quickly.
Ever hear of still photos Lear? In the NFL, coaches use still photos on the sideline to illustrate to the players what the opposition is doing or may do, I’m quite certain you’ve seen NFL clubs use these as a tool. Well if the NFL can gage something from a still photo then surely I have a trained eye just the same. Isn’t the picture of Locker a still photo? From your argument Sark could be starring down the lunch wagon and eyeing a big sandwich.
What I know and what you know are polar opposites when it comes to teaching and coaching football. I can see progression in that picture and that’s all that needs to be said. Maybe you are just miffed because we aren’t using the spread offense anymore (joke intended).
Yes a photo can tell you a lot. On the other hand since I am not present in the picture, Sark could just as easy be gazing at that big sandwich as well.
All I saw was purple
All hail Crazi, the only guy on this blog who knows football!!!
Just because I like the spread offenses, doesn’t mean I know nothing about football. You need a serious reality check, and the reality is most fans on THIS site are pretty knowledgeable when it comes to football.
Sark and Locker haven’t worked together before, so Sark BETTER be looking at his footwork. A QB can have great knowledge of the offense and still have piss poor footwork. The two are NOT always combined.
NFL teams you multiple photos to show how the defense reacted to a play. You CAN NOT tell from that photo what Sark is looking at, end of discussion.
Until you tell us what makes you such an expert at “teaching and coaching” football, you are nothing more than an average blogger with “delusions of grandure”, who for all I know is still in high school.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Lear all I know is football- it’s in my blood and I live it 24-7. Now I do see progress in that picture whether you want to or not- that’s your business not mine.
You don’t have to agree with my take on things and since we butt heads all the time, I can see that we don’t. It really bothers you that you don’t know who I am. Let’s just say I am a Husky blogger just like you and all the rest of us. I’ve been a Husky fan since before I can remember, I know all the rich history of Husky football, and I know teaching and coaching football. That is all I am going to announce to the general public.
Actually I think it is great that we don’t see eye to eye on things. It makes for great blogging entertainment. And please oh please, don’t hail me. Agree with me or disagree with me, either way it’s cool.
Go Dawgs! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
We all love and live football, why else would we be on this blog after an 0-12 season.
Thinking you can tell improvement from a single picture is why internet bloggers are called the “ignorant masses”. Do us all a favor don’t act like a coaching expert unless you can give proof of your coaching expertise.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Fair enough. Do you want my resume? Am I applying for a job? All I said was I see something visual in that picture and you come on and critique the hell out of me. Fine, you want to play the negative card. All those in favor of Sark starring down the lunch wagon say I.
If you can’t see progression in that picture then you really don’t know a lot about football, more precisely the play of the pro style QB. But who am I? Just another ignorant portion of the mass pretending I am someone right? Good Grief!
All I saw was purple
Yes, I'd love your resume
You are making HUGE assumptions off of one picture, you sound like you think you are a QB guru, which if you were you’d be employed as a QB coach.
Here’s what you can see in that picture:
1) Jake Locker – You can critique his form, how he’s holding the ball, and MAYBE where he is looking. You can tell VERY little about his footwork, and even less about how he’s working through his progression.
2) Coach Sark – He’s not looking at Jake, that is ALL you can tell.
Pop quiz hot shot (“Speed” reference) – how many people is he working with in that picture? Is the whole offense participating? Is it a 7 on 7 drill? Or is he working out with ONE receiver? The truth is NOBODY can tell from that picture alone. Sorry if I seem negative, but you come on a blog and act like a football expert, but yet you won’t let anybody know what qualifies you as an expert. I’m up front an honest with everybody, I was born and raised on Husky football, I eat and breathe football, and I love offense and QB’s. But I’m realistic and know that is all of my qualifications. So until you prove why I should treat you like an expert, in my mind you are nothing more than a high school computer geek who couldn’t make the football team.
In other words: put up, or shut up.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
I am not applying for a job so no resume for you. Do I sound like an expert? Well if I sound like an expert, maybe I am- but I never said I was now did I. You are reading WAY too much into all of this. In my original post I used the word “appears”. Ding … Ding … Ding
You want to quote me as saying something with tremendous foundation to it. When someone uses the word “appears”, they are making a general assumption. I have assumed that Locker is getting the footwork down, I have assumed he is manuvering back in his 5 step drop correctly and cradling the ball correctly as a pro style QB aught to. I have assumed that Locker has been studying film related to the pro style scheme and is going thru his progressions. That’s it!
From what I saw from Locker last year and the year before, his mechanics were all over the charts and would thus explain his sporadic play at times- that and a non-performing offensive line. Yes it is a still shot of Locker, but if a person were to put that still photo in motion, any person with a imaginary trained eye can see progress. Yet again this is all based upon “appears”.
We’ll see how everything develops as the season comes, I anticipate Locker playing w/ a different set of rules in terms of running the football (hows and whens).
Keep it classy Lear…
All I saw was purple
Sounds like a 180 degreee turn around
I’m sure you know the definition of assume, if you don’t let me know, I’d be glad to fill you in.
You are drawing a LOT of assumptions off a simple picture. I have no problem with you making assumptions, just don’t push them off as what your trained eye sees in a single picture. First you say you KNOW teaching and coaching, now you are back pedaling and saying you are drawing assumptions, which is it?
“Imaginary training eye” – that is your exact quote and I think it sums up my entire point. You can not see all of that in a picture, and non of it APPEARS to be in the picture.
I am being classy, I haven’t done any name calling, what I am doing is holding you accountable for what you say. Do me a favor and tune down the imagination a bit. All I’m asking is don’t try and sound like an expert, unless you are willing to back it up with a resume.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
For future reference how about you assume everything I say is based on assumptions and let’s leave it at that.
And I don’t find it the least bit classy when someone misquotes and misinterprets another’s post and continues to ride their ass for it. This isn’t fun anymore. I’m out
All I saw was purple
Good try
I REALLY wanted to drop this, but know you are trying to make this about me misquoting you. I quoted you exactly word for word. Please don’t make me continue this by proving myself. And for the sake of others on this blog, please don’t keep refering to this argument. As you said, keep it classy.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
that is refering to it on other threads
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Wow
I think you guys both make good points.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 5, 2009 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions
So until you prove why I should treat you like an expert, in my mind you are nothing more than a high school computer geek who couldn’t make the football team.
In other words: put up, or shut up.
Maybe crazidawg is exactly what you think he is. Or maybe he’s a high school kid, but happens to be named Jake Heaps – obviously extremely doubtful, but I’m giving you a range of possibilities to consider, including the fact that a high school kid could potentially know a lot more than you about football. Or maybe he’s like most of us – a fan who’s watched a lot of football but has little to no high-level experience playing and/or coaching.
But if he isn’t, and he’s in a position where revealing who he is compromises himself, his job or his relationship with the UW (if any), then you’re leaving him in a no-win situation.
FWIW, the way crazi nailed the assistant coaching search shows to me that he’s someone worth listening to. I don’t know what his background is, but his history of posting here shows he’s pretty sharp with regards to what’s going on in Montlake right now. I don’t fully agree with his rants against the spread offense, but I get why he’s a fan of pro-style offenses and the benefits it could provide the UW.
I’m not sure why you find it so necessary to try to bicker with crazi and question his knowledge and his resume – it’s distracting, it’s divisive and in a way it’s insulting to the rest of us. I don’t know if crazi is correct in the way he interpreted that photo of Jake & Sark, but it’s up to me to decide how much stock to put into crazi’s opinion. I don’t need you questioning him about his read of that photo and whether he’s qualified to offer such opinions.
How about you give it a rest before this blog starts to resemble the Dawgman.com boards at their worst?
"that is all I'm going to annouce to the general public"
That sounds like code for I’m hiding my identity so people won’t realize I’m still in high school.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
The ONLY thing you can tell from that photo . . . .
is that Sark is not looking at Jake. He could be looking at ANYTHING else on the football field.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
All offenses can work if they are executed well
Willingham never had a chance with the spread because of personel.
I don’t really care what they use as long as it works.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 3, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions
I noticed..
..there is no W on Jake’s helmet. Is that part of the new look? or just a practice thing?
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