UDubSports.com - Upon further review: Oregon

October 27, 2009

Ryan Petitt
UDubSports.com Publisher

Upon further review last Saturday's loss to Oregon was an unpleasant reminder that the Washington Huskies still have a ways to go. They need more talent, more depth and more time with the coaching staff if they want to compete in upper half of the Pac-10.

After the first three games it was easy to forget how far this program had sunk in prior seasons. Competing with SEC power LSU felt comforting, getting win number one over Idaho felt familiar and cheering in mass after a stunning upset over USC nearly made the memories of 0-12 disappear.

Sorry to say, but last Saturday was a reality check.

No, this team isn't 0-12 bad. They are coached too well and play with too much heart and intensity that can only be admired. Yes they were in the game with Oregon for a half and should have been leading by two scores when both teams took the locker room after 30 minutes. But the third quarter was further proof that no amount of coaching or effort can make up for a gap in talent over the course of a season, especially one as grueling as Washington's.

"I think we've played hard. You look at the teams we played against, we played against three of the top 10 teams in America right now in USC, LSU and Oregon," explained Husky head coach Steve Sarkisian on Monday. "I think we had opportunities as much it doesn't look like in the scoreboard versus Oregon, we had opportunities in all three of those games to win all of them. We won one of the three, then you throw in Notre Dame whose a top 25 team, you throw in Arizona whose a top 25 team and we've played some pretty dang good people. And we've played hard, we've played physical, we've battled, and we've competed."

It is true and this alone should give Husky fans comfort. Rethinking expectations is easy, it happens to most teams every season. But the goal for this team before the season began was to be respected. Sarkisian never put a win total on success. He never swore the sky would fall if Washington didn't make a bowl game. He was looking for respect and in his first season it's safe to say they are earning it.

"Our goals will never change," Sarkisian said. "It doesn't matter what our record is. Our goal is, when the game's over, when the opponent comes to shake our hand, that they respect us. I don't think that's happened every game, but for the most part they have, because we've played with a passion, with an effort, with an energy that people respect."

This young Husky team is learning that while respect comes with effort, it takes much more to get wins. But they are getting closer to where they want to be and are showing sings of improvement in a short amount of time. Heck, the Husky defense couldn't get out of their own way for much of the season but have looked increasingly better the past two weeks. Against Oregon's high powered offense they got their first three and out to open a game and held a team scoreless in the opening quarter for the first time all season. It took a trick play and a special teams breakdown for Oregon to score any touchdowns in the first half. But Washington couldn't capitalize and watched a possible win against a bitter rival turn into their sixth loss in a row.

That is part of the process and the type of growing pains such a young team will face. Washington started three freshman in the secondary while three more got significant playing time along the defense line. On offense Washington is counting on a two freshman to lead and others to provide depth.

It has all been an emotional roller-coaster for even the most veteran players with so many last second wins and heartbreaking loses. Just how mentally tough the youngsters can remain will go a long way in decided how the final four games play out. There are still winnable games remaining, perhaps even three winnable games, enough to get them bowl eligible, but first this team must respond to adversity.

"Adversity can come in a lot of different shapes, forms, sizes in football games," Sarkisian said. "And we've been faced with a boatload of adversity this year. Sometimes we've responded well, and other times we haven't. So the challenge for us to assess is: how do we rebound?

They will have plenty of time to asses this and much more with a bye week ahead. It's also a time to reflect, respond and just relax a little bit, and that's something this team certainly deserves. A lot has been asked of a first year head coach. A lot has been asked of a team that isn't used to winning many ball games. A lot has been asked of a team made up mostly of freshman and sophomores. And a lot has been accomplished.

Now the toughest test faces these Huskies. Tired, beat up, mentally bruised and fragile, can they close the season out strong?

"I think we're a team that is still somewhat fragile - obviously physically," Sarkisian explained. "We don't quite have the depth, and we talked about it going in, when injuries start to mount, it takes its toll. The natural thing is to look at offense-defense. Well, it can take its toll on special teams as well. I think we're a fragile team physically, and I think we're a fragile team, somewhat, mentally.

I think for us to look at the closing of this season - these four games - are we playing to the level of our capability?," he continued. "Are we maximizing our potential to be competitive in every game? And that's what I want to get done. When we go play UCLA, when we play Oregon State, when we play Wazzu and when we play Cal, that we are going to maximize our potential in those ballgames to be competitive."

These Dawgs have fought all season and there is no reason to think they will roll over now.

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