The Huskies are ever improving, to the point where they nearly beat a Marquette team that is among the best in the country. Tony Wroten played the best game of his career and Darnell Gant hit several big shots throughout the game while most other players played like you'd like to see. Except Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy had one of the worst performances of his career, including a poorly thrown pass to Terrence Ross in crunch time that led to Marquette taking the ball the other direction and scoring. But his biggest problem was that he couldn't throw the ball in the ocean standing on the shore, and that's something that comes and goes... usually. Sometimes players have off nights, and sometimes certain stadiums give certain players trouble locking in on their target with their sightlines and depth issues. Let's hope for the team's sake that it was the former, and not the latter.

Duke is a very good team (shocking I know). They're good, but not some unbeatable machine. The Huskies have the length to match up with anybody, and as long as Aziz N'Diaye can stay out of foul trouble Duke shouldn't have too much of an interior size advantage. The key for N'Diaye will be keeping the Plumlees off of the offensive glass. Desmond Simmons (who quietly had a very good game against Marquette) will be counted on as well.

My dreams of Abdul Gaddy handling the ball with Scott Suggs and C.J. Wilcox on the wings, while Terrence Ross slashes to the basket and N'Diaye mans the low post will have to wait another year (hopefully) as Suggs is not going to be suiting up this season. Some people have said that one of the biggest losses is Suggs' leadearship, but that is nonsense. The biggest loss is his 45% three point shooting. Here's hoping he gets in the weight room and the gym, improves his game more than he already has (remember, some thought he would transfer after his freshman year when he looked completely lost at times) and helps next year's squad to great things.

The hiring of Jim Mora Jr at UCLA is viewed by many as a huge risk today when only a couple of years ago when Washington was looking for a new head coach he was viewed as a potential savior by many.

Mora was an extremely hot commodity back in 2008 when he was an assistant with the Seahawks. Multiple NFL teams wanted to hire him as their head coach and boosters at UW wanted to fire Ty Willingham so he could replace him. The Seahawks reacted by naming him head coach of the future to tie him up for the eventual and planned forced departure of Mike Holmgren.

So what has changed in only three seasons?

After turning down his alma mater (UW) he only lasted one season as head coach of the Seahawks before being fired in a sweeping front office regime change. He went from being hot to not overnight even though it wasn't exactly his fault.

Thanks to a huge financial settlement from the Hawks he didn't have to go back into coaching immediately. He could have easily taken another DC job in the NFL but he wanted his family to stay put for a few years before he made the next move. So he spent his time on TV and radio being a a well paid analyst rather than coaching.

Why did UCLA find him so attractive?

He was a name and he was available.

His background is very similar to Pete Carroll.

His father is in a really cool Coors Light commercial.

He initiated contact and wanted the job which was something the other supposed candidates did not do. UCLA really had to dig to find somebody interested in the job after Chris Petersen led them on and turned them down.

He also probably received an extremely strong recommendation from one of his car pool buddies and best friends Steve Sarkisian (who UCLA also coveted). Mora and Sark live on the same block and have kids who are about the same age. The two families have become extremely close since Sark moved to Seattle.

What is the risk in hiring Mora?

He doesn't have any experience running a college football program....but neither did Pete Carroll.

He doesn't have a network of connected college position coaches to build a staff with...but neither did Pete Carroll.

He doesn't have any experience recruiting and he has said in the past that it would be more of a necessary evil for him rather than something he actually enjoyed doing....Pete Carroll loved recruiting and took it to the next level so that will be a challenge for Mora.

He is extremely quotable...especially when he is hacked off...the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

His heart will always be in the NFL, Seattle, and at the University of Washington. So if he does have success I don't see him sticking around all that long in LA because he just isn't an LA type of guy.

How will he do?

He is a Husky from the Don James family tree of football coaches...he is going to kick some butt before he returns to Seattle or the NFL. Enjoy him while you can Bruin fans. He is definitely a couple of steps up from Toledo, Dorell, and Neuheisel.

Scott Suggs will not play this season after undergoing surgery before the start of the year. The thought was that he'd come back and be able to contribute by midseason and be ready to go for conference play.This effectively makes Darnell Gant the only senior on the roster, which does a couple things:
1) Alleviates recruiting concerns for this year, as there will only be one available scholarship.
2) Makes next year's team better, as it will be bringing almost everybody out.

These two things are of course contingent on transfers and early entries, and while nobody on the roster has really played well enough to move up draft boards all it takes it a hot March.

Suggs is one of the best shooters in the country, and having a full season of him next year is better than part of a season this year. He would have had to work his way into a rotation that already has some pretty good players and he'd be doing so from a disadvantage not being 100%. All in all, probably the right move for all parties involved.

Washington will be hosting recruits over the next two weekends. The Huskies have four confirmed visitors for this weekend as of this morning but Dawgman expects that list to expand to 10-15 by this evening. We will be back with updates and summaries once they become available.

OT Zach Banner...He says that he won't make a decision until after January 14th. Most think that decision is to be a Husky where he is actually being recruited to play football and basketball. Banner has already visited Oklahoma, Michigan, and Notre Dame. He is also going to take a visit to USC in January

OT Menelik Watson...JC guy from Saddleback is just a monster at 6'7 310. He doesn't have an offer but I saw his photo and it frightened the holy hell out of me. He just popped up on the radar and if he can qualify I bet UW offers and he pops. An extra and experienced body at tackle is a comforting thought.

WR Dwayne Washington...He is already committed and his film looks pretty awesome.

QB Jeff Lindquist...The top quarterback in Washington has been committed for quite some time. He had a great senior season which reinforced his status at a top 15 QB.

How not to search for a new head coach

When you fire your head coach you should have a plan in place to hire the next one.

Arizona and Washington State did.

UCLA and Arizona State apparently did not.

The Sun Devils were turned down by Kevin Sumlin and Larry Fedora. Then they decided on June Jones who said yes. Once word leaked out that they were hiring Jones the phones starting ringing with disappointed boosters and ASU pulled the offer at the negotiating table with little explanation.

Word on the street is that the Devils will now focus on Jim Leavitt, Justin Wilcox, Art Briles, and possibly UW's Dan Cozzetto.

UCLA's Dan Guerrero had over an entire year to put together a short list of who to hire after he fired Rick Neuheisel. The Bruin's top choice was Boise State's Chris Petersen who turned them down. Miami's Al Golden wasn't interested either. Guerrero next pitch was to our own Steve Sarkisian who also said he wasn't interested.

Up next is Jim Mora Jr (no college experience) who is reportedly interested in the job. June Jones (SMU) who was just fired at the negotiating table by ASU is also in the mix. The biggest rumor is that Jim Tressel (makes Neu look like a choir boy) may be a candidate to be an assistant coach under Mora if he gets the job.

Charlie Weis to Kansas....Wow!

Big East Expansion

The Big East Conference introduced Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, Southern Methodist and Central Florida as its newest members, effective in 2013. Air Force, Navy, and BYU were also invited but declined the invitation to join at this point in time.

Interesting Factoid

Boise State has never signed a five star recruit. Since 2003 they have only signed a total of six four star recruits. They have never signed more than two four star recruits in any year.

Sad news out of Corvallis this week

Oregon State defensive tackle Fred Thompson died Wednesday night after he collapsed while playing basketball at a campus recreation center. Thompson, 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds, was a true freshman from Richmond, Calif., who played at Oakland Tech High School.

Cory Littleton who is 6'4 220lb DE/LB from Mount Miguel HS in Spring Valley, Ca has reportedly committed to the University of Washington according to the usual sources. He picked the Huskies over WSU, UCLA, and Nevada. Supposedly he will be groomed to fill a Josh Shirley type role on the football team.

I think Cory is going to end up being a pretty good player. He has good speed, a frame you can build on, he can change direction like a cornerback, and he closes exceptionally well. I think he is a really good pick up!

Link to more film on Littleton

I do respect your (I Hate Holt) opinions but you amuse me because you guys aren't looking deep enough for the cause of the problems on defense. You guys are forgetting that this was always going to be a five year rebuilding process...and that Sark is actually ahead of the curve in that regard.

(I want to mention another thing...asking for Coach Holt to be fired in every single thread is getting old...we get it...we won't forget it...you want Coach Holt gone...we know....despite that he isn't going anywhere...maybe you should vent here...they love constant venting over there.)

To simplify it all by saying that it is a coaching problem that can only be rectified by firing some or all of the coaches on defense is something that I can't buy into at this point. Sure...I have seen games where the schemes could have been better/different...but the overriding factor has always been the overall lack of talent, speed, size, and experience on the field.

Bad defense at UW didn't start with Nick Holt. The seeds for that were sewn when Lambo was fired and Neuheisel was hired. How many successful DC's have we had since then? Tim Hundley? Phil Snow? Kent Baer? Ed Donatell? Nick Holt? Were these guys all terrible DC's or is there something else terribly wrong?

Great defenses start with great recruiting and as I examine the five classes dating back to 2007 that make up the current roster I don't see great recruiting on defensive side of the ball. (I really don't see great recruiting period pre- Sark) except for some lucky gets with local guys in 2008...by the way...the attrition and dead wood in that particular class is just embarrassing.)

72 total players were recruited during that time period and only 36 of them lasted 4-5 years at Washington. You can't build great teams or defenses with a 50% attrition rate in your three oldest classes. You also can't do it when you have to play young players too early to make up for it each year.

Below is a list of the guys who lasted 4-5 years on the defensive side of the ball. How many Tim Peoples, Jimmy Rodgers, Dennis Brown's, Demarco Farr's, Mark Lee's, Fred Small's, Anthony Mason's, Travis Richardson's, Jason Chorak's, Tommy Smith's, Larry Triplett's, Shane Pahukoa's, Willie Galoia's, Steve Emtman's, and Chico Fraley's... (must I keep going on...) do you see on the list below?

2007...Marquis Persley, Quinton Richardson, Nate Williams, Cort Dennison, Vic Aiyewa, Vonzell McDowell, Kelani Aldrich, and Mason Foster.

2008...Alameda Ta'amu, Everrette Thompson, Justin Glenn, Anthony Gobern, Adam Long, and Greg Walker.

2009...Semisi Tokolahi, Talia Chrichton, Desmond Trufant, Nate Fellner, and Will Shamburger.

The problems with our defense can only be corrected by:

1. Recruiting better players.(The next two classes are extremely key.)
   
2. Not playing those better players immediately so they don't get hurt. (Aren't you sick of freshmen DB's having shoulder surgery and missing a year of development to play a few meaningless plays?)
3. Doing a better job developing those better players. (I guess this would be all about coaching...please interject Lear.)
   
4. Keeping the majority of those better players in the program 4-5 years. (You won't win with a 50% retention rate.)
5. Recruiting some major impact guys on defense. (We need some ASJ's and KW's on the defensive side of the ball.)

Please Discuss!

How does the potential 2012 defense compare to the one that Nick Holt took over in 2009?

As we discussed in the previous article former Husky recruiting coordinator Dick Baird feels the Huskies are another thirty quality bodies away from competing at an elite level in the BCS. I think the majority of those thirty bodies need to be allocated to the defense.

Defensive Line - About the same

In 2009 Sark inherited a starting defensive line made up of So. Alameda Ta'amu (Four Year Starter), So. Cameron Elisara (Starter/Bust), Sr Daniel Teo Nesheim (NFL), and Sr. Darrion Jones (Starter/Injuries). Backing them up were So. Tyrone Duncan (Transfer), Jr. Deshon Matthews (Bust), So. Kelani Aldrich (Injuries), So. Everrette Thompson (Starter), RS Craig Noble (Medical Red Shirt).

Three of Sarks 2009 recruits Fr. Semisi Tokolahi (Starter), Fr .Andru Pulu (Transfer), Fr. Talia Chrichton (Back up) played immediately. Promising nose tackle Fr. Chris Robinson (Medical RS) sat out rehabbing a knee injury.

Pulu and Aldrich had the ability to start and be pretty good. Aldrich had a chronic knee problem which caused him to retire a year early without ever coming close to reaching his potential. Pulu was expelled from the University after a brutal attack on another student that earned him jail time.

Heading into 2012 SR Semisi Tokalahi and Sr Talia Chrichton are the lone survivors of that group who at least on paper should have played much better than they did over the past three seasons.

So. Danny Shelton and Sr. Semisi Tokolahi are the probable inside starters in 2012. Shelton did some nice things at the end of the season in a couple of starts. Tokolahi should be closer to 100% after being limited in 2011 while recovering from a leg injury suffered against WSU in 2010.

So. Haouli Jamora suffered a torn ACL early in 2011. He is potentially one of the better DE's in the conference. So. Josh Shirley had his moments on the edge by needs another 20 solid pounds to hold his own.

So. Lawrence Lagafuiana, Jr. Sione Potoae, So. Andrew Hudson, and Sr Talia Chrichton are the key backups. The reviews were mixed on Lagafuiana. Potoae was limited early with chronic knee pain. He got some reps but didn't really impress. Hudson has a bright future. He played inside and out last season.

RS Taniela Topou is guy who will push for time at three technique. RS Corey Waller is a speed guy who will apprentice behind Josh Shirley. RS Justin Finau is another kid that will push for time because he adds some size that is missing on the edge.

So is this current group better than what Sark started with in 2009? I don't know if it is potentially any better or even deeper than when they took over.

The graduation of Alameda Ta'amu will certainly be felt in the middle. I think Shelton could end up being better but it will take some time. The teams lacks size on the ends. Shirley and Hudson could use another 20 pounds apiece. Jamora and Tokalahi need to return at full strength from injury or it could be another long season for this group. It would be nice if Tupou and Finau broke out this spring and started pushing for meaningful time in the rotation.

Help is definitely needed from the recruiting trail. Washington will take up to six defensive linemen in 2012. Some of that emphasis will be on increasing size and speed out on the edge. True nose tackles are at a premium this season and UW will be very lucky if they end up closing on one.

Linebacker - Younger...faster... smaller... yet to prove themselves

Back in 2009 Sark inherited a pretty good looking group of linebackers that included four athletes with NFL potential. Remember when UW went toe to toe with LSU and upset USC? Those guys were partly responsible for that.

Sr. EJ Savannah (Starter), Jr. Mason Foster (NFL), Sr. Donald Butler (NFL). Backed up by Sr. Jon Gage (Walk On), Sr. Trenton Tuiasosopo (1-B Starter), and So.Cort Dennison (All Pac 12) who eventually replaced EJ at OLB was making his move.

Jr. Vic Aiyewa was about to make a move to LB from safety (two years to late). Jr. Matt Houston was in the depth and played a bit on special teams. Fr. Jordan Wallace (Bust), RS. Kurt Mangum (Bust), So. Alvin Logan (Medical RS) had moved over from safety after starting out at wide receiver. Fr. Tim Tucker (Moved to FB) were all buried trying to find their way. Undersized RS Bradley Roussel never made out of the dog house after being caught with ganga at the dorms and left the team during the spring.

Heading into 2012 can you find four linebackers on the roster with NFL potential?

Back in 2009 this unit was top heavy with experience and NFL talent. Three seasons later this unit is one of the youngest on the team. Jr. Thomas Tutogi takes over for defensive MVP Cort Dennison in the middle. Tutogi flashed potential here and there on special teams in 2011. He has the size and speed you like to see at the position.

So. John Timu and Jr. Princeton Fuimaono had some rough moments learning on the job last season which is to be expected from first and second year players. They need to put that experience to use and add some size to move to the next level in 2012.

So. Jamaal Kearse and Jr.Garrett Gilliland also started a couple of games in 2011. Both are capable of pushing the starters for playing time. Jr. Cooper Pelleur played primarily on special teams. RS Matt Lyons and RS Scott Lawyer sat out the year to add some size. They both have good speed and will contribute on special teams.

Washington's recruiting results have been mixed at LB since Sark arrived. Tim Tucker, Victor Burnett, and Kurt Mangum were busts at MLB. Highly rated recruits Chris Young and Darius Waters didn't qualify due to grade issues which has left some serious holes to be filled.

Washington has commitments from MLB's Blake Rodgers and Ryan McDaniel for 2012. They may take one or two more.

Cornerbacks - About to get a lot better

Back in 2009 RS Adam Long ( Injury), Fr. Desmond Trufant (Three Year Starter) , So Quinton Richardson (Much Maligned Starter), and Jr. Vonzell McDowell (Back-Up) were all splitting time and competing for starting jobs at corner. Jr. Matt Mosley (Transfer), Jr. Marquise Persley (Depth), Fr. Anthony Gobern (Back-Up), and RS Anthony Boyles (Transfer) filled out the depth.

Sr. Desmond Trufant and Jr Greg Ducre are the returning starters in 2011. They both have a lot of experience and they should be able to improve on their 2011 performances. RS Marcus Peters will push Ducre for his starting job. JC transfer Antavius Sims joins the team this winter and will compete for a spot in the rotation. Sr. Adam Long is returning after surgery to repair his ACL. Tony Gobern will continue to provide depth.

The future of the corner back position at the UW is in this years recruiting class. Sark is bringing in at least six athletes who are capable of playing the position. Demontae Kazee and Bryan Harper have already committed. Big time recruits Brandon Beaver, Alphonzo Marsh, and Kenyon Seymour are all extremely high on Washington. Erich Wilson might get a look at being a tall corner depending on who comes in at running back.

Safeties - Improved...much better

Jr. Nate Williams (Four Year Starter) and RS Justin Glenn (Starter) were the starters at safety until Glenn suffered a traumatic leg injury in a loss to Notre Dame. Fr. Nate Fellner (Starter) took over and started until Sr Jason Wells (Injuries) was able to return to action for the last couple of games. Wells was a NFL capable force until he was seriously injured. RS Greg Walker (Depth), Jr. Vic Aiyewa (Starting LB) provided the rest of the depth.

Jr. Sean Parker returns as a starter at safety in 2012. The second year player started asserting himself over the last half of the 2011 season. RS James Sample is the man to beat at the other position despite limited play before blowing out a shoulder last season. Jr. Will Shamburger, Sr. Nate Fellner, and Sr. Justin Glenn are capable of competing for starting jobs.

So. Taz Stevenson sat out last season with an injury. RS Travis Feeney was impressive enough on the scout team that the coaches toyed with playing him early. RS Evan Zeger was hurt coming into camp and spent the past year toiling on the scout team.

Taylor Lagace, Darien Washington, and Jason Thompson are the current 2012 commits. UW also remains in play for Shaq Thompson who will choose between UW and Cal.

I realized that I had died and been reborn numberless times but just didn't remember because the transitions from life to death and back are so ghostly easy, a magical action for naught, like falling asleep and waking up again a million times, the utter casualness and deep ignorance or it.

-Jack Kerouac, On The Road

It seems every UW basketball season adheres to a similar outline. The team has its struggles on the road which cause a lot of reactionary things to be said about the greatest thing to happen to the program since, well, ever; things like "Fire Romar!" and "Romar can't coach!" despite Lorenzo Romar being the only reason the Huskies are not the Sun Devils.

The second part of that outline that has been cropping up lately has been that the team figures itself out and manages to find ways to win games when they're not sleeping in their own beds the night before. Oddly, this is never used as evidence of LoRo's coaching ability. Strange.

The negative Nancies are out early this year my friends, being that the team has played more games than usual away from the comforts of Hec Ed. And now the Dawgs find themselves in New York with two big time opponents lurking. So with the difference of scheduling between this year and last, it may turn out to be a positive thing ultimately, with the team able to avoid having road woes in conference if they can get it straightened out before then. It has happened before. We've seen it, so it's not too implausible.

But I am not here to give you the warm fuzzies and tell you that it's going to be straightened out by tonight or tomorrow. Marquette is really good. Even if the Huskies were playing their best ball of the season they would have their work cut out for them tonight. The Golden Eagles are tested, having just beaten a very good Wisconsin team, and have two guys - Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder - who are not playing so much like they're human basketball players as they're playing like autonomous basketball playing robots, which apparently are a thing that you can make.

I have full confidence that the Huskies will right the ship at some point and be a quality team by year's end, and I would love for it to happen tonight or Saturday. But I know, as should you all, that it's much more likely to happen in a month in Boulder.

The Pomeroy Rankings say Marquette has played the 6th best basketball in the country thus far this year, so let's not go jumping off of any cliffs a few hours from now if the result is less than desirable.

Play on special teams is an excellent indicator of where a program currently is from the perspective of experience, depth, speed, and overall talent on the roster.

When Sark arrived in 2009 the situation was bleak which is a pretty honest assessment to make when you are taking over a team that went 0-12 the previous year. The exceptions were a QB named Jake Locker and a decent 2008 recruiting class that included players like Chris Polk and Jermaine Kearse. (Only 3-6 players from that 2008 class will be on the roster in 2009.)

There was also an easy 25-30 pieces of dead wood on the roster that needed to be trimmed to make way for the future. That future wouldn't meaningfully start until 2010 when Sark brought in a 28 man recruiting class that would be ranked among the top fifteen in the nation.

Looking back at 2009 the Huskies weren't anything special as far as special teams were concerned. They didn't cover kicks particularly well and they weren't a threat to return any to the house either. They did play well enough for Washington to earn a 5-7 record...scare LSU, upset USC, get screwed at Notre Dame, and finish with strong wins over WSU, and Cal.

Sark tossed a large portion of his 2010 recruiting class into the fire by playing them early on special teams. The results weren't pretty. ABC announcer Gary Danielson called Washington's special teams performance against Nebraska the worst special teams performance he had ever seen from a BCS program.

Things didn't improve until Sark started playing his veteran starters over the last half of the season. Washington rebounded to beat Nebraska in a 2010 Holiday Bowl rematch with an excellent combination of defense and special teams play.

Overall performance was much better in 2011 but special teams miscues cost Washington a win...or at least the chance to win onw the road against Nebraska.

Does Washington have what it takes to make the break to a higher level in 2012?

Punt Returns - About to break out

So. Devin Aguilar and So. Johri Fogerson were the designated punt returners in 2009. They both flashed some potential but neither stayed healthy enough to keep the job over the next two seasons. So. Cody Bruns took over after Aguilar was injured in 2010 but his entire job consisted of catching the ball, falling forward, and not fumbling it.

Fr. Kasen Williams took over the job in 2011. He only averaged 7 yards per return and was never able to get going and break one. Incoming Fr. Melvin Hall will most likely take over the job this spring. Hall has the great initial burst plus all the slippery moves to become the next great UW punt returner.

Kick Off Returns - Definitely Improved

Nine different Huskies returned kicks in 2009. So. Quinton Richardson, Fr. James Johnson, RS Chris Polk, and So. Jordan Polk returned the bulk of them for 18.6 yard average and a long of only 37 yards.

Fr. Jessie Callier, Fr. Kevin Smith, Fr. Sean Parker took over the bulk of the return duties in 2010 for an average 0f 20.4 and a long of 57.

Callier and Smith averaged 23.8 in 2011 with longs of 64 and 58 yards and should be able to increase their numbers once again in 2012.

Kick Coverage - Better

One thing that would really help the kick off return coverage numbers would be having a kicker who can kick the ball deep or out of the end zone with some regularity. Erik Folk has been part of some great Husky moments but his leg was never strong enough to give Washington an edge in this area. Folk graduates after this season and the Huskies will be bringing in a kicker as soon as this spring to replace him.

Place Kicking - Up in the air

So. Erik Folk was an unproven and oft injured kicker going into the 2009 season. He responded well (kicked a game winner against #3 USC) and held onto the job for three years. Folk has been clutch for most of his career inside the 40 but he has always lacked the leg strength to be accurate at greater distances. Folk graduates after this season and UW hasn't picked up a commitment yet from a new kicker.

Punting - About the same

2009 was Jr. Will Mahan's only full season because of injury. He did a really nice job locating his punts and achieving hang time. He blew out a knee early in 2010 and Jr. Kiel Rasp came to the rescue for the next two years. Both of these guys are excellent punters who will graduate after this season.

Kory Durkee impressed everyone who saw him punt in the Dempsey (he hit the roof) this summer during camp. He arrives in 2008 to take over the punting job.

Deep Snapper - Up in the air

Danny Morovock was the deep snapper when Sark arrived. He was a four year starting specialist specifically recruited by Willingham to eliminate problems in the kicking game. It was one of the few things that Ty did that actually worked.

In 2010 Jr. Brendan Lopez took over the job. He was local guy who went to Bellevue HS and then walked on at Michigan to keep his buddy Steve Schilling company. Things didn't work out for him at UM but he earned a scholarship for a year and a half at Washington which is pretty sweet.

I am not really sure who will be doing the deep snapping in 2012 but I am sure they will have a good idea by the time spring practice rolls around.

Kick Blocking - Improving (Unintentionally omitted in earlier version)

Great teams block kicks and if Washington wants to be a great team again they are going to need to start following suit. The Huskies blocked a punt deep in WSU territory and returned it for a TD in the Apple Cup. It was the first time that they had done such a thing since 2006.

Consider that a very good sign and I think you are going to start seeing more of that in 2012 because you are beginning to deal with a more mature team that has had yearly upgrades in speed and talent since Sark arrived.

Factor in the future play of such freakish athletes as Kasen Williams, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Kevin Smith, Antavius Sims, and Marvin Hall. These kids are going to be involved in a lot of big time special teams plays over the next 3-4 years.

A good friend of mine asked me last week where I thought the Husky football team currently was in the overall rebuilding process.

My answer was a little over halfway when it came to overall talent, depth, and experience on the roster. Dick Baird agrees. He feels the Huskies are about thirty quality bodies short of where they need to be which sounds just about right.

When Sark was hired I commented that it would be at least a five year project to rebuild this program into a national title contender. Just for example both of the lines had to be completely rebuilt from top to bottom and that takes 4-5 years to do it right when you don't have the luxury of using JC talent.

So lets start off by comparing the 2009 roster Sark started with to the anticipated fall 2012 roster which should give us a pretty good idea of how productivity, talent, and depth have progressed.

Offensive Line - Improving

The 2009 offensive line that Sark inherited listed Jr. Cody Habben (Starter), Sr. Ben Ossai (Starter), So. Greg Christine (Walk-On), So. Senio Kelemete (Three Year Starter), and Jr. Ryan Tolar (Starter) as starters. Just as today So. Nick Wood (Depth) was the unlikely first player off the bench.

So. Scott Fancher (Leg Injury), So. Mark Armelin (Quit), So. Scott Shugert (Transfer), RS Mykena Ikehara, RS Drew Shaeffer (Starter), Sr. Morgan Rosborough (Bust) , RS Alan Carroll (Quit), and RS Terrence Thomas (Medical RS) made up the rest of the depth.

Heading into 2012 three year starting center Sr. Drew Shaeffer is the only survivor from the 2009 group. Talented third year guards Jr. Colin Porter and So. Colin Tanigawa will flank him. Jr. Erik Kohler, So. Ben Riva, So. Micah Hatchie, and RS Dexter Charles will fight it out for the starting tackle jobs. So. James Atoe, So. Mike Christe, and RS Siosifa Tutunga fill out the depth inside and get their first serious looks at playing time this spring.

We keep hammering the proven theory that you win most often with fourth and fifth year players on your offensive and defensive line. The Huskies are getting closer to doing that. In 2012 they will be starting one fifth year senior, two third year juniors, and two third year sophomores.

Overall it is a huge improvement in overall talent and depth compared to 2009. Nothing against Habben, Ossai, and Tolar but kids like Porter, Tanigawa, and Kohler have way more upside.

Back in 2009 there was a lot of dead wood...not so much in 2012. I think the overall quality and athletic ability of the line has done a 180 since Sark arrived. They still are a year or two a way from fully maturing not to mention completely filling out the depth until this unit becomes an assembly line that pops out fourth and fifth year starters a very season.

If the Huskies can add the likes of Zach Banner, Josh Garnett, Shane Brostek, Nathan Dean, Cody English, and Lacy Westbrook to the squad in 2012 the foundation for the future is pretty much complete. Sark and Cozzetto can start recruiting with the goal to reload each year rather than rebuild.

Tight End - Improved

Washington was once known as TE University but the position basically disappeared under Rick Neuheisel. Ty Willingham responded by recruiting two of the top TE's in the country to attend UW and they both ended up being busts.

So. Kavario Middleton (Transfer) had all the tools but he never got on the same page as Sark. His career ended in a flurry of failed drug tests, weight gain, and a transfer to Montana. So. Chris Izbicki (Quit) never came close to living up to his potential either. A set of stone hands didn't help him. Jr. Dorson Boyce (Bust) and Fr. Marlion Bennett (Bust) were both Sark recruits brought in during his first year who didn't play much.

Middleton left the team prior to the 2010 season and Washington ended up using walk-on OT Daniel Kanzcugowski as a blocking TE for most of the season. Izbicki quit over playing time before the end of the season. The versatile Kanzcugowski was ineligible due to grades last season.

TE never got truly untracked until last season with the arrival of Fr. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, RS Michael Hartvigson, and RS Andrew Hudson. All three of these guys are capable of being All Pac 12 players. Production at the position has finally returned to where it used to be during the glory days.

The Huskies would love to add a TE to the 2012 class but it isn't a strong year for TE's out West. With three young players sharing time UW can wait another year if necessary to being in more depth.

Wide Receiver - About to take it to the next level

Jermaine Kearse So (All Pac 12), Devin Aguilar So (Starter), James Johnson Fr (Starter). were the starters in 2009 and for the most part have held on to those jobs over the past three seasons when they have been healthy.

Kearse flashed AA potential at times but a series of drops over the past couple of years dimmed his star. Aguilar was a steady presence and a very good down field blocker. Johnson had an impressive frosh season but lost most of his sophomore year to a nagging injury. He came back strong last season to reclaim his starting job once again only to lose it late in the season because of injury.

Cody Bruns So (Depth), DeAndre Goodwin Jr (Starter), Jordan Polk So (Transfer), Luther Leonard RS (Depth), Vince Taylor RS (Quit) provided the depth in 2009.

The Huskies will be led in 2012 by So. Kasen Williams who has the potential to be one of the best receivers in Husky history. Sr. James Johnson and Jr. Kevin Smith are very talented. I am really interested to see what Smith will do with his extra chances in 2012.

Sr. Cody Bruns is the first guy off the bench. He sat out last season to help his mom after his dad passed away unexpectedly. This is a good move which adds some experience and maturity to the unit. So. DiAndre Campbell is promising but needs to hold onto the ball better. RS Josh Perkins and RS Jamal Jones get their first shots at playing time and providing quality depth.

Fr. Marvin Hall joins the team winter quarter after sitting the fall out to improve his grades and qualify. Hall is an explosive player who will add a lot of excitement immediately to the return game.

The Huskies have recruited the position well so far in 2012. Fr. Michael Rector, Fr. Kendyl Taylor, Fr. Dwayne Washington join the team in the fall. UW might still take another if the right kid wants to call Montlake home.

Sark had a lot of talent to work with when he arrived but most of those guys had similar size and talents. Over the past three years Sark has recruited bigger more physical kids while keeping the speed while cutting back on the smurf size players.

Running Back - Deeper

Sarkisian had personally recruited RS Chris Polk (All Pac 12) when he was at USC. The staff immediately went to work bringing out the physical side of Polk who responded by picking up over 1000 yards in his first full season toting the ball.

Demetrius Bronson Fr (Transfer), Johri Fogerson So, Curtis Shaw So (Transfer), Willie Griffin So (Transfer), Brandon Johnson So (Transfer), Brandon Yakabowski RS (Medical RS) where the backups in 2009. Not a single one of those guys are left on the roster (thank god).

Chris Polk has one more year of eligibility at Washington but he is probably headed to the NFL in 2012. Chris has distinguished himself as being a hard worker. Nobody in the conference gets as many yards after contact than Polk. He will be missed in 2012 but the Huskies have some talent in the stable to replace him if needed.

So. Bishop Sankey is the heir apparent and he looked really good in limited action last season. He has more of a burst than Polk does and he has the ability to run well between the tackles. Jr. Jessie Callier has spent the past two years backing up Chris Polk and being a key player on special teams. Talented So. Deontae Cooper has sat out the last two seasons with knee injuries.

Washington will bring in up to four running backs in 2012. Fr. Tairen Owens and Fr. Erich Wilson are already committed. UW is also hot on the trail of Keivarae Russell, Chris Brown, and Kelvin York who is described as a Polk type clone.

Quarterback - Loaded

One big reason for Washington's problems last decade was the lack of talent at QB on the roster after Cody Pickett (NFL) graduated in 2003. Rick Neuheisel and Keith Gilbertson get to take the blame for that one. Neither were able to recruit a big time QB to Washington that was ever capable of performing at a high level.

Ty Willingham attempted to remedy the situation in 2006 when he recruited Jake Locker (NFL First Round) who went on to become a four year starter after sitting out his first season. Locker had a lot of talent but he wasn't a natural passing QB. He came from a Wing T offense in HS which required him to run the ball and hand off most of the time.

Locker was far from a finished product when Sark arrived in 2009. He was one of the most feared runners in the conference, but his touch, accuracy, and ability to make reads down field needed a lot of work. So. Ronnie Fouch (Transfer) was his back up. Unheralded Fr. Keith Price (Starter) was starting his first spring.

Jr. Keith Price is the unquestioned starter heading into 2012. He tossed a school record 29 TD passes in 2010 and actually made the fan base forget about Jake Locker for the most part. The only knock on Price is size and strength. He could use another 15-20 solid pounds to become mire durable.

So. Nick Montana is the current back up. He had mixed results in one start and a bit of back up duty in 2010. He needs to improve his arm strength and play faster if he has any hopes of becoming a starter some day at Washington.

RS Derrick Brown has the ability to pass Montana on the depth chart next season. At 6'3 236 he is built more like a LB than a QB. A number of folks who watched practice this season commented that he reminded them of Jake Locker with a more accurate arm.

The Huskies are bringing in two top 12 QB recruits for 2012. Jeff Lindquist and Cyler Miles have the tools to become excellent QB's while at Washington.