A Look at 2009 with purple tinted shades

by John Berkowitz on Aug 8, 2009 7:00 AM PDT

Predicting how Washington will do this season on the grid iron is like throwing darts blind folded out of the back of a moving pick-up truck. None of us will know how much the team has improved until they play a few games.

Unfortunately two of those first three games are against LSU and USC. I think having a healthy Jake Locker and an enthusiastic new coaching staff gives us a good chance to be competitive in every single game this season and I think that new attitude and outlook begins on the first snap against LSU.

Washington opens up the season against heavily favored LSU in a nationally televised game at Husky Stadium. The Huskies will give the Tigers more of a game than most expect but LSU should win this game by a couple of scores. Win or lose washington needs to come out and give these guys a game with at least ten California recruits in the stands. This game is going to be a lot closer thna people think. (0-1)

The longest losing streak in Husky history ends when the Idaho Vandals offer themselves up for sacrifice in Husky stadium. The Huskies really needed this one to get the monkey off the back. (1-1)

Are Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt still friendly with Pete Carroll? The new Husky coaches face their old mentor at home for the first time. Washington traditionally plays USC tough home and on the road and had the chance to beat the Trojans a couple of time under Willingham. I think the Huskies play the tough but USC wins in the fourth quarter as usual. (1-2)

Playing a road game at Stanford is like playing at a neutral site. Even though they did a nice job rebuilding the stadium and the program people still aren't showing up for games. Stanford is a team that Washington has to beat and since we are looking at the season through purple glassed I take UW in this one. Cardinal fans..their are a few of them left are talking about a first division finish. Fifth place is there for the taking. (2-2)

Notre Dame isn't going to be a great team this year. That being said they do have the type of schedule that can get them back into a BCS bowl game. Washington is one of those questionable teams on the schedule and we are overdue for a payback victory against the Irish. I have been to South Bend every time Washington has played the Irish in the modern era. It is a tough place to play but not nearly as tough as Tempe on a warm night. Sark puts a big nail in Weis's coffin and gets a signiature win on the road. (3-2)

Arizona like Stanford is one those teams that Washington has to beat to climb out of the basement. The Wildcats have enough problems going at this point that I am predicting a Washington win with or without the purple shades. I think the Wildcats have way too many questions to answer to achieve an upper division finish this season. (4-2)

Washington should have beaten Arizona State last season and they would have if Jake Locker wasn't injured. Tempe on the road isn't an easy win. Night games in the stadium are very intimidating to visiting opponents. It will be close but I take the Sun Devils because of home field advantage. Like UCLA later in the year this is an important swing game for both schools. (4-3)

Isn't it time we beat the Oregon Ducks? It sure is and the Ducks have a new coach and some major holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Even though this game is at home, and Oregon has some problems to solve, our program simply isn't close to being at the same level yet. This game will be closer that the past six years but I have to go with Oregon because they can simply outscore us. (4-4)

UCLA was terrible last season and they are going to have to let their defense carry them in 2009 if they are going to get anywhere. Like Arizona, Stanford, and WSU these are teams you need to beat to show the program is moving in the right direction. The Rose Bowl hasn't been kind to UW while playing UCLA but I am going to predict a Husky win in Sark's return to LA. This should be a pivotal swing game for both of these teams. (5-4)

Oregon State has a lot of holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Mike Riley and Mark Banker have been adept at reloading rather than rebuilding at OSU and this season will test him early. UW gets these guys in Corvallis late in the year. It is going to be close but the home field advantage and an established program gives the nod to the Beavers. (5-5)

Washington State enters 2009 as the worst football team in about every category in the conference. The roster looks like a police blotter witht he depth and talent being suspect at almost every prediction. Washington wins and become bowl eligible in this one. (6-5)

The last time the Huskies played Cal in Husky Stadium they came away with a huge win. Husky QB Carl Bonnell stepped in for injured QB Jake Lockers and engineered a dominating win behind a poundung running attack. I think Cal starts the season as my #2 in the Pac 10 and I think they finish challenging for a BCS bid. the Huskies play them tough but the Bears simply have more talent and depth left at this point of the season. (6-6)

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I am thinking the same way

except I would think that ASU is a game that we will win…thats just my two cents. The early season games will the most important to keep confidence. 6-6 is what i expect this year.

by bigdave967 on Aug 8, 2009 7:45 AM PDT reply actions

It all sounds good John, but.......

I would like to offer you some purple Kool- aid to drink while you have your shades on, and say I sill like an upset over LSU!!!!

MUSH YOU HUSKIES!!!!

by OLDDOG on Aug 8, 2009 10:29 AM PDT reply actions

Dang John, the rest of the Domer homers are saying BCS for the Irish and you’re saying we beat them huh…i like it!

by ChazzReinhold on Aug 8, 2009 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

We Won't beat the Domers

The only way I think we have a legit shot at beating ND in South Bend is if we are fortunate to pull off an upset vs. LSU, USC, or both. That would really tell me something. But if we fail to beat the Bayou Tigers and Tommy Trojan then we aren’t escaping touchdown Jesus with a victory.

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 8, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Split

I think we should split each state. I think we beat Ucla, Stanford, Oregon State, Arizona, and Washington State and a non league win over Idaho.

Oregon is beatable at Husky Stadium. My question is do they have somebody good enough to play QB if their starter goes down? The ducks have had problems keeping QBs healthy for an entire season. Is this a trend or lousy timing? If their starting QB goes down, the ducks are an entirely different team.

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 8, 2009 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

ESPN's First Take w/ Coach Sarkisian

Anybody catch the show? Saw it online and WOW! Do we have the right coach in house. Willingham might’ve been a solid coach back in the 80s and 90s, but his bussiness-only approach was a freakin’ dinosaur. College kids want to have success, but they want the journey to be fun in the process.

I have no doubt this ballclub can go 6+ wins this year. I keep saying that coaching passion, excitement, adrenenline, and acceleration can push a team to victories w/ out 5 star talent. I think the attitude adjustment that Sark, Holt, and the rest of the coaching staff offer is good for 4 wins by itself. Add play calling, scheming, and gametime adjustments, a ball bouncing our way, add a key injury to an opponent, and add venue and we’ll hit that 6+ mark.

Really think Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington State need to be a little afraid of what is coming. A purple storm in on the horizon and it is going to wreck habic in the NW. The Jewel of the Pac 10 is glimmering once again.

Go Huskies! WOOF!!!

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 8, 2009 12:35 PM PDT reply actions

Agree 100%

Our 2 deep talent level across the board is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. What we have is 3 and 4 star talent that played with zero star confidence due to a zero star head coach. With the new attitude and enthusiasm of Sark and company, plus the upgrades in coaching ability (even though inexperienced as a HC), plus a healthy Locker, I really think we are going to shock some people this year….

I really think Sark means it when he says that it isn’t going to take that long to turn things around. He sees the latent talent that we have, but he just isn’t going to shoot his mouth off (unlike Kiffin).

by socalblazer on Aug 9, 2009 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I've got us 6-6 ...

… but I have us going down to ND and beating Oregon St (I’m not as infatuated with that team as some … their QB situation could really make them one dimensional).

"Greed is Good."
So is Rudy.

by Gekko Mojo on Aug 8, 2009 4:39 PM PDT reply actions

I don't think

we have the D line to stop the running game and both Moevao and Canfield are capable of burning us if we load the box. I think it’s just a bad style match up. If Batts can come in and hit hard and our CB’s can step up I think we could give ND fits.

Either way I hope we can give all these guys a game, it’s about time we stop being the Pac-10’s doormat!

by B Money on Aug 8, 2009 6:00 PM PDT up reply actions

there are a lot of seniors missing from last year's Beav squad ...

… and I can’t accept that either Moevao or Canfield will be among the upper tier of playmakers that Holt is going to face this season.

Gekko is in Vegas .. Sin City will never be the same.

by Gekko Mojo on Aug 8, 2009 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I Agree with

Moevao or Canfield will be among the upper tier of playmakers that Holt is going to face this season

but they’re both very capable QB’s. I tend to think that our D line (sans DTN) is a big question mark. We’ve got alot of talent, but nobody has shown much on the field. Also, unlike our O-Line, we don’t have a Jake Locker to pick up the pieces on broken plays.

I think OSU is a quality program with a top notch coaching staff. They have enough talent to give anyone a good game and enough smarts on the sidelines to play to their strenghts. ND has great talent, but they have a very subpar coaching staff and can be beaten on any day. They got beat by very average BC and Syracuse (at home to SU) teams last year. That smells like an upset special to me.

I guess realistically we shouldn’t be talking about either being a beatable team on our schedule. I’m just saying if I had to pick one I think we matchup better with ND.

by B Money on Aug 8, 2009 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Where are you guys getting this ill-conceived notion that ND is going to suck?

Most experts have the Irish at 9 or 10 wins this season. They didn’t lose many kids to graduation and unlike us, they have an easy schedule.

This game (Washington at Notre Dame) is in South Bend. And in order for us to play well in big games, we’ve got to first learn how to play well in big games. That hasn’t been happening too often lately for us. Now I think we may be able to shock the world vs. LSU or USC due to both are home games, yet if we can’t formulate a way to win a big game in the comfy confines of Husky Stadium then I don’t see us going into a hostile environment an steeling a win, such would be the case in South Bend, IN.

Not saying upsetting ND is impossible, but I am saying in order to prove me wrong would require the team to do something earlier in the season that would give them something to go into that game with, and a win over the Idaho Vandals is not good enough. To have a chance vs. ND is going to require us to win, or at minimum, play very well vs. LSU, USC, or both. Is it possible? Yes. I’ve even stated that a possible upset vs. LSU is possible. But we aren’t beating the Domers without some sort of early season success. Young teams that don’t know how to win, who have grown accustom to the vicious cycle of losing don’t pull off upsets in hostile environments. We’ve got to get it done at home first before attempting that trick on the road. That is where I stand.

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 9, 2009 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

I think we’ll have a better idea of the ND game when we’re closer to it. Right now, on paper, it doesn’t look good. But I’m not gonna call it a loss just yet. Luckily for us we don’t have to wait very long to see if Sark is the coach we believe he is and if he has the team playing like we want him to.

The Irish are very beatable and it’s one of the games besides whOregon and Wazzu that I want to win badly. ND fans are unbearable.

by ChazzReinhold on Aug 9, 2009 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions

LSU, definite maybe- USC.. . . .NO WAY!

You gotta understand crazi, whether we win or not at the Horse Shoe the week before our match up – USC will be ready to play against Sark and Nicky. Here’s the thing about Coach Carroll, his outward and public persona is that “he has no agenda”. And to some extent, that’s true. But here’s the thing (and it’s just my opinion), that “arrogance” thing that ‘SC people supposedly have. . . .I fear it’s real. To that end, I think Coach Carroll might be afflicted. It’s now kinda easy for me to extrapolate our losses to fUcla, Stanford, and OrState in 3 consecutive years: he just didn’t take them that seriously, and furthermore- neither did his “leaders” of the team (Rey M, Brian Cush, et. al)

Know this: to Coach Carroll, Coaches Nicky and Sark are definitely “on his list” of those to fear and worry. Like Charlie Weis before them, Sark and Nicky has Coach Carroll’s attention. He will go into that game with a major master plan. (separate from the normal playbooks, Coaches Sark and Nicky know plenty what I’m talking about and know they’ve got one) If the Huskies beat ‘SC this year or next. . . .I’ll seriously eat a bug!

However, Coach Meaux-ron Miles at LSU is in for doozy. He won’t take the Huskies seriously and expect to cash his check for visiting the fine city Seattle and come away with a win. I don’t expect it to be that easy, matter of fact- I predicted an early shocking win over the Tigers of LSU, but it was more predicated on Sark’s master plan for LSU, element of surprise being the first game of the season for both schools, and Holt’s awesome preparation for Miles’ team. Don’t get me wrong, I think LSU is a fine team this year- I just think those in the SEC think there aren’t any teams other than USC that can take it to them.

If the Huskie are sticking shells into their chests HARD into the 4th quarter, LSU will fold. Key in the game against LSU is stopping their screens, dumps, and long yardage receptions. They’ll get their yards between the tackles on 1st, let’s just hope not on 2nd downs. They’ll get their short-yardage slants, it’s just hard to stop them on that front- as they’ve got strong wideouts who can take most any CB off the line in their first step and they run practically perfect routes. All teams in the SEC have wideouts like that, that’s why they get drafted so much. But, if the LB’s, DL and safeties can cough up some fumbles and get some much needed TO’s- that’ll be just awesome. I see 2 – 3 takeaways in this game will keep the Huskies in it. Doubt we’ll get the INT’s, but if we do – GREAT! Those are sometimes better because of the yards after the INT. Sark will play to get to the red-zone and hopefully our kicker will kick the Huskies into victory.

LSU is damn hard to get beat for touchdowns in the red zone. Damn hard. (except for that Florida game last year, in which they got thoroughly dismantled- LSU will be good defensively. The thing we got going for us is. . .Bo Pelini is at Nebraska. This is the year Meaux-ron Miles will have to prove he can win without Saban’s recruits and/or Pelini’s defense)

Short of the long of it. The Huskies have a better than good chance of upsetting the Tigers of LSU and have a very slim chance of upsetting the Trojans of ’SC.

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 Aug 9, 2009 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions

I get it

My point was that if we can’t beat LSU or USC then surely we won’t have any bussiness thinking we can storm into South Bend and steel a victory from “Our Lady in Victory”.

I think every Husky fan including myself completely respect the hell out of what Carroll has been able to do. And as a Husky fan I can tell you this, Pete Carroll is NOT going to take us lightly up here. I know what’s going on and I get it. Carroll has got to use the USC/Washington game as a statement game. He (Carroll) knows that Sark and Holt mean bussiness and are very good recruiters.

Knowing that Sark is bringing in a USC-like offense and Holt is going to implement defensive tactics that were very popular with the Men of Troy, we may be the only guys that can recruit the same type of athletes Carrolll is accustom to signing on the west coast. And with that said Carroll needs to make a blanket statement with this game so that he still has that highway to lure the 5 star athlete. Meanwhile Sark and Holt would love the opportunity to thwart their ex boss so that they can rebuild our california pipeline in order to recruit the SoCal 5 star athlete.

If you think I am delusional- I’m not. I know what is going on, I am informed and well educated on how things operate in the Pac 10. Sooner or later Washington is going to dump on USC. Could it be this year? Doubtful but never say never and when you’ve got the most awesome specimen in talent in your backfield (Locker) then anything is possible. Our problem is that we haven’t developed that talent, nor the talent surrounding the kid. We’ve got two of the very best now to see that thru. But I agree in part, only because I’m a realist. But the fan in me says it’s up for grabs bud … WOOF!!!

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 9, 2009 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Of course I don't think you're delusional

I love your comments, and I agree with what you think and write 90% of the time. (I’ve got only 2 guys like that over at CC – frak and DFWTrojan, for what it’s worth). I got more of “my guys” here at UW than I do at CC (here’s looking at you dawgfan, OLDDOG, Chaz, and B Money)

I think the key for Coach Holt is: (a) to hunt down and hurt any and all USC QB’s (b) keep the safeties deep, both D Williams and RoJo can and will hurt anybody deep and watch out for DWill’s curls, he’s fantastic at shedding his first 2 tacklers, once he’s in the open field- he’s gone! © stack the box with 5 guys, stop the end arounds and screens, if our tackles pull? they’ll pop hard, and are taught to put the hurt on LB’s. and the worse part? our TB’s love contact, they’ll put the hit on their tacklers and love doing it, (d) misdirection and a lot of movement on the line is crucial, so Sark is gonna have to “teach up” cadence and QB audibles for Locker- if he nails it down and the team builds chemistry to the point of 80% execution- that will mess up our LB’s and defensive play coverage. Getting our Mike to bite and having TayMay out of position will allow Locker to BURN US with his arm and/or legs.

It is doable, but the players/personnel have to be up to it. Every game is a toss-up, especially in the PAC 10. Mike Riley is, I feel, equal to Coach Carroll as a coach. He’s devised great game-plans for us and he’s really the only “aggressive” coach to take it to Coach Carroll. Coach Holt is in the same coaching mold as Coach Riley. He’s smart, organized, aggressive, and loves challenges. I’m curious to see how Sark opens his playbook for the PAC 10, and it’s too bad we play each other so early. I’d love to see a few game under his belt in the season in order to better get a good read on how he’s gonna play us. He’s the “X-factor” in all this.

Again, if he, Locker, and the rest of the offense become lock-step in formulating and applying the proper timing of plays and sets of plays- he, of all people, can breakdown Coach Carroll’s D. (it IS Coach Carroll’s D, especially now that Coach Holt is gone. Coach Seto is basically figurehead this year)

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 9, 2009 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions

USC should have our number for the next couple years...

but an upset this year could be a real possibility. If we sneak out of Husky Stadium 2-0 and USC puts the smack down on tOSU (they’re signature win) we could be flying high enough to bite you guys on the big game hangover. I’d say 19 out of 20 times SC wins this game, but at home and with some new found intensity we might be able to shock the world.

by B Money on Aug 9, 2009 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I was emailing my buddy from high school

back in 2007, he graduated from Stanford and at the time was working for the Packard Foundation in Palo Alto- it turned out to be this epic thread regarding Jim Harbaugh’s first year and how much Harbaugh had been getting under Coach Carroll’s skin (in hindsight: Coach Carroll was treating Harbaugh almost in the same vein of dismissiveness as Coach Weis had been talking to the media regarding Coach Carroll no less than 2 years earlier- so anyways. . .)- I was all “now way this” and “no way that” to all these endocrinologists, immunologists, urologists (basically, all pediatric specialists. . . eeeesh- you’re gonna love this) – so, what do I do- send my buddy a copy of $500 bet I place on a Stanford win- no points. Told them I’d donate any and all winnings to the Packard Foundation. (32 doctors received this retarded email, I was feeling good!)

By the following Thursday, I placed a $1,3700 credit card donation to the Packard Foundation, pediatric endocrinology dept got the bulk of it- where my buddy had his fellowship.

Moral of the story for me: don’t talk, at length about, a ’SC favored football game.

I will not discuss this with you or anyone else. (please to bait me in this, that Stanford game was bittersweet for me. on many levels)

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 10, 2009 4:59 AM PDT up reply actions

edit

That’s $1,370.00. (i haven’t had a winning wager like that in football before, or ever since. boxing? yeah. football? no f-ing way. that was bananas!)

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 10, 2009 5:01 AM PDT up reply actions

last thing

worse part about this whole deal?

the day I donated my winnings. . . . .was my birthday.

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 10, 2009 5:10 AM PDT up reply actions

sh_t. . . .i gotta get on my morning run!

it was also, THE BEST PART!

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 10, 2009 5:14 AM PDT up reply actions

I should have written some kind of. . .

. . .“emoticon-wink”, as- . . . . I am totally not serious about the “not talk about this USC favored games business”. Yeah, it was a total burn on me, AND I AM a little retardedly superstitious – this is true, but I am rather tranquil about the whole 2007 Stanford game. Just thought I’d tell you all a nutty story surrounding it. (“tone” doesn’t translate very well in blogosphere, yes?)

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 10, 2009 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Notre Dame is HIGHLY overrated!

Last year we were suppose to improve and maybe even reach the 6-6 mark, yet a loser of a coach turned us into a 0-12 team. I don’t care how many returning starters ND has, as long as Charlie Weis is the head coach they will be mediocre. I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about college football that he doesn’t get. He needs to learn this isn’t the NFL.

"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"

by Lear Pilot on Aug 9, 2009 8:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Agree completely Lear

I don’t see them as a #22 (USA Today) or a #24 (Athlon) team, but hey. . . .if asshats wanna put them in the Top 25? Fine by me. If for any other reason than to make it appear for Husky and Trojan SOS to be better. . . .as we both beat them down. Coach Sark has always developed a great game plan for them. When Sanchez came into South Bend (when he took over after JDB broke his fingers in the 2007 Stanford game), it was the single best QB performance from a Trojan QB at South Bend in, like. . . ever. Sanchez blanked the Fighting Rash! Shutout. Total blowout. Last year, the Trojans toyed with them and won handily- it was almost sad to watch Charlie Tuna on the sidelines. But. . . .“f” ‘em. They’re Notre Dame. I respect the heck out of their tradition and I’m beside side myself with their history of greatness (not sarcastic here) but. . . .when Charlie came on board, he had absolutely no respect for Coach Carroll, Coach Chow, and the rest of our program. If he would have won that “Bush Push” game? We’d be singing a different tune today, as I’m sure that could have changed all his fortunes/misfortunes in South Bend. I mean, . . . .can you imagine? We think CBS hugs the SEC’s nuts don’t we? NBC would be sucking Notre Dame’s THIGHS right now!!!! Which would mean, the college media machine that washes our brains would have us seeing Green & Gold and PukeBlue & NeonOrange (FL) at this very moment. Hell, Coach Carroll might be coaching the Dolphins if that all played out differently. Don’t laugh! I woulda/coulda been?

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 9, 2009 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed Lear

But looking at the Washington/Notre Dame game is their any reason why anybody would assume we’d win this game? For starters we’ve never beaten the domers. What are we vs. ND? 0-8?

Given the fact that this is still a young team that doesn’t yet know how to win, I don’t think they come out from under Touchdown Jesus with a victory. It’s too tall of an order to expect a young team, who as of now, does not know how to win a game and expect to waltz into a hostile environment and win.

Charlie Weis is still looking for that signature win. His biggest victory was actually a loss to USC. The funny thing about it is he got a contract extension out of the loss. I expect ND to win 8 or 9 games this year and Weis should be on the hot seat because with that schedule he should win 10 or 11.

All I saw was purple

by crazidawg on Aug 9, 2009 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions

I hate it when we agree, it's so boring

I agree, I think they are highly overrated, but I also wouldn’t dare predict a UW win. If it was at Husky Stadium our chances would be much better.

That being said, if I had to predict an upset victory, and my options were LSU, USC, or ND, I’d pick ND 99 times out of 100.

"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"

by Lear Pilot on Aug 11, 2009 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about college football that he doesn’t get.

I think it might just be that he’s a crappy motivater. He pulls in great classes, but his teams just seem half-hearted on the field.

by B Money on Aug 10, 2009 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

But, I’m not sold on his recruiting ability. I think his classes are rated high because they are ND, not necessarily by their talent alone. I’ll be very interested to see how many of his recruits make it to the NFL.

"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"

by Lear Pilot on Aug 11, 2009 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions

3-9

Idaho, WSU, and one of Arizona, Stanford, or ASU.

by lailaihei on Aug 9, 2009 1:27 AM PDT reply actions

I like us againist all the teams you just mentioned...

I think we get at least 5 wins as long as our team can play hard every single game after LSU and USC. Their mental stability is on a fine line and they need confidence.

by bigdave967 on Aug 9, 2009 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions