By the time November, 2011 rolled around, Washington Husky
fans were an encouraged bunch, even if they had weathered an ugly 65-21 defeat
at Stanford only a few weeks prior.
With a 3-1 Pac-12 record and a 6-2 resume that included acceptable losses in
Lincoln, Neb., and Palo Alto, it appeared that the next logical step in the
Steve Sarkisian era was taking place. The Huskies were much closer to their
1977-1992 prominence that spawned six Rose Bowl appearances in 16 seasons than
the program's nadir last decade when a 12-47 record from 2004 to 2008 spurred
changes that brought in the current regime.
Four losses in five games to finish the season while allowing an average of 40
points – including 67 in an Alamo Bowl loss to Baylor – has curtailed the wilder
expectations of the program's resurgence. The end-of-season slide led to a
shifting of roles that brought in defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox from the
University of Tennessee.
The losses also have brought Sarkisian's moderate gains within the program into
a finer focus. Having inherited an 0-12 team which he led to an upset of No. 3 USC
and a respectable 5-7 record in 2009, he returned Washington to postseason play
with a Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska in 2010 and ventured to renew optimism in
the upward trending velocity of his program. Instead, because of last season's
collapse, he's 19-19 following identical years of 7-6 football.
"I think that when we look at who we are heading into Year 4, I think
we've made incremental progress," Sarkisian said.
Incremental progress that was borne out of an 0-12 season might not be rapid
enough for a program that will need to distance itself starkly from the .500
football it has thus far produced.
At the very least, this Huskies team will be a treat to watch. Junior
quarterback Keith Price has star potential written all over him after emerging
with one of the more unpredicted performances in college football last season.
The intuitive and athletic Price withstood a beating to throw for 3,063 yards
and 33 touchdowns while finding a key groove with a pair of then freshmen in
receiver Kasen Williams and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who combined for
12 scores.
"I'm still learning things," Price said of his development.
"Obviously I'm not a senior. Last year was only my first year. But I think
the next step for me is recognizing defenses and being able to change
protections, and getting ourselves into manageable plays without coach Sark
having to tell me to check."
While the offense continues to reinforce the perception of Sarkisian as a coach
capable of putting up a great deal of points, it will be the degree of
improvement defensively this season that will determine how many more games the
Huskies win.
The schedule is among the most difficult in the country and includes an early
stretch of games against LSU, Stanford, Oregon and USC with only Portland State
and a bye week in the middle.
"Maybe we ran the score up a little too much back in the day at the other
school. I don't know," Sarkisian said of being saddled with a Stanford-at
Oregon-USC rotation to open conference play.
Considering the ground attacks they'll face early early when they encounter
Stepfan Taylor of Stanford and Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas of Oregon,
there will be an immediate need for a questionable defensive line and
linebacking unit to show development under the new regime. The Huskies finished
106th in total defense and 108th in scoring defense a year ago, allowing 35.9
points per game.
"Obviously in the beginning we have to learn it," senior cornerback
Desmond Trufant said of implementing new defensive systems during spring ball.
"There were some mistakes, but once we stopped thinking, we were just
playing and competing."
Sarkisian and Wilcox will be using a 3-4 and 4-3 hybrid system that will often
bring Trufant into the backfield on blitzes while occasionally placing him in
man coverage on slot receivers. The speed of an improving secondary will be put
to use by the coaching staff, while five-star incoming recruit Shaq Thompson
will be given an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball.
"Speed kills in this game. When you've got speed, you can make up for a
lot of things," Trufant said.
It will be a season of construction both in its defensive identity and the
backdrop from which the team will emerge to take the field. With a $250 million
dollar renovation under way at Husky Stadium, Washington will trade the shores
of Lake Washington for new digs south of downtown as it plays tenant to the
Seattle Seahawks at a reverberating (if collegiately antiseptic) CenturyLink
Field.
"Every season has been different for us," Sarkisian said. "They
haven't all been the same. The challenge for us now is to put it all together.
Ultimately, you play the hand you're dealt. You get dealt the hand, and you've
got short weeks. You've got to go on the road. You've got to play tough teams.
But at the end of the day, you play the hand you're dealt."
Sarkisian is far enough into his tenure in Seattle that wins carry a much
greater weight in his evaluation than gaudy offensive numbers or success in
recruiting. A third consecutive 7-6 season would warrant "hot seat"
references one year from now. Considering an enormously challenging schedule
that culminates in four road games over the final six weeks – including a
November 23 trip to the Palouse, where the Huskies will travel to take on a
vastly improved Washington State team under Mike Leach – Washington's margin
for error is reduced while the need to dominate the middle portion of its schedule
is reinforced.
"I don't feel like this is going to be a long, drawn out process,"
Sarkisian said about the defensive adjustments.
"I think that his thing can get turned around and turned around relatively
quickly."
