Bring Back the Howl - A Washington Huskies Dynasty

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2009 PREVIEW

OFFENSE[/U]

After a so-so year in 2008, this is the season for Jake Locker, now a seasoned veteran as a junior, to take his game to the next level. He has the supporting cast to make that next step, with three returning offensive linemen, leading receivers Alvin Logan and D'Andre Goodwin back, and a cadre of talented runningbacks, led by sophomore Chris Polk and junior Brandon Johnson. Additionally, sophomore tight end Kavario Middleton is back, as well. Offensive coordinator Gary Blum was able to improve Locker's numbers over his freshman season - with a 56% completion rate and just a shade under a 1:1 TD/INT ratio, but there is definitely room for improvement. With eight returning starters on offense, look for the running game to be important early.

DEFENSE[/U]

The defensive side of the ball is what will determine if Washington reaches bowl eligibility or not. The defense has a chance to be very good, if not great, with the entire front four returning, plus adding redshirt freshman super recruit Craig Noble into the defensive line rotation. Washington might have the best linebackers in the Pac-10 outside of Southern Cal, with returnees Mason Foster and Donald Butler, both impact players. The third linebacker will be a combination of Matt Houston and redshirt freshman Bradly Roussel. In the secondary, only sophomore Quinton Richardson and Nate Williams return as starters, but the addition of true freshman Shawn Wilson at strong safety instantly makes this team better with his size and speed. The Huskies were 40th against the run in 2008, which should be improved upon a little bit, but the pass defense numbers will be much better this year with the returnees mixed in with some newcomers. This, coupled with the Trojans' losses in the secondary, might make this the Pac-10's best defensive unit.

OVERALL[/U]

The schedule sets up for two early wins, against an improved Idaho team and FCS in-state opponent Eastern Washington. Then the Huskies take a week off before heading to South Bend to face a Notre Dame team many think might be a Top 15 team by the time is all said and done by the end of the season. If Washington can steal a win from the Irish, this could be a seven, eight-win season. A loss to the Irish won't spell doom, but it would take away some nice momentum. With the Pac-10 being a little down this year, Washington has an excellent chance to make a bowl, but it depends on the defense. If the Huskies can stop the run and make teams one-dimensional, seven or eight wins is possible. If not, they'll be fighting all season to stay near .500.[/FONT]

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(0-0) Idaho Vandals at Washington Huskies (0-0)
HUSKY STADIUM - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
AUGUST 29TH, 2009

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Off On The Right Foot
Huskies dominant in running game[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

By CHET HAMLIN
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Husky Beat Writer
8/30/2009

Seattle - Sophomore halfback Chris Polk posted a career-high 137 yards and a touchdown rushing to help lead the Huskies past the Idaho Vandals 48-21 at Husky Stadium. The forty-eight points is the most ever scored in the T.B. Miz era, and the 274 rushing yards is also a high-water mark for the coach.

"Our strength is our offensive line with the guys we have back, and our depth at runningback," said Miz in his post-game comments. "Obviously, we're going to want to establish the run before passing, and I thought we did that very well."

With an effective running game, a solid passing game should follow. Jake Locker, who has said he is determined to prove to NFL scouts that he is a legitmate NFL quarterback, looks like he might keep his word. He threw for only 148 yards, but had a touchdown pass and no interceptions on 13-of-18 passing. He also had fourteen carries for forty-three yards and an additional score.

"The key is that we want to limit our turnovers," said Miz. "We only had one all day, and it was in the first quarter, so from then on, it was a solid effort."

What was very shocking about the win was the defense. We knew with nearly the whole defensive unit returning that it would be a good defense, but through three-and-a-half quarters, Washington was holding the Vandals to an astonishing -37 yards on the ground, mainly by sacking Vandal quarterback Nathan Enderle six times throughout the game. But Deonte Jackson broke a sixty-nine yard run late in the contest to put Idaho back in the positive in rushing yards.

"I thought our defense was outstanding today," said Miz. "I know that we might have overmatched our opponent a little bit, but I have to give Idaho credit - when their big lineman went down, they really went out of sync. I think that helped our defense out some."

Enderle threw for just 202 yards on 17-of-36 passing, and threw three interceptions - two of them by sophomore Quinton Richardson. Tripper Johnson took the other one back nearly seventy yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Washington received a bit of bad news when starting left tackle Ben Ossai left the game with an apparent hand injury in the third quarter; the injury turned out to be two broken fingers, which will sideline him for a month or more while he heals up. Additionally, backup safety Victor Aiyewa also left the game due to a strained shoulder, but should be fine for next week against Eastern Washington.

Final Score:
IDAHO - 21
WASHINGTON - 48

IDAHO STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing:
Nathan Enderle - 17/36, 202 yards, TD, 3 INT
Rushing:
Deonte Jackson - 4 carries, 67 yards, 16.7 ypc, TD
Joe Pugh - 1 carry, 1 yard
Receiving:
Maurice Shaw - 5 receptions, 82 yards, 16.4 ypc
Max Komar - 4 receptions, 52 yards, 13.0 ypc, TD
Defense:
Adam Shamion - 9 tackles (2 TFL)
Shelton Miles - 9 tackles
Marquice Hall - 8 tackles (TFL)
Kicking:
Trey Farquhar - 3/3 XP, 3 points
Kick Returns:
Steve Brown - 3 returns, 144 yards, 44.8 avg, TD
Punt Returns:
No Stats

WASHINGTON STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing:
Jake Locker - 13/18, 148 yards, TD
Rushing:
Chris Polk - 18 carries, 137 yards, 7.6 ypc, TD
Jake Locker - 14 carries, 43 yards, 3.1 ypc, TD
Recieving:
Alvin Logan - 2 receptions, 39 yards, 19.5 ypc
Anthony Boyles - 1 reception, 28 yards, 28.0 ypc
Defense:
Donald Butler - 6 tackles (2 TFL), 2 sacks
Marquis Persley - 4 tackles (TFL)
Shawn Wilson - 2 tackles
Kicking:
Ryan Perkins - 2/4 FG, 6/6 XP, 12 points
Kick Returns:
Anthony Boyles - 3 returns, 156 yards, 52.0 avg, TD
Punt Returns:
Jordan Polk - 2 returns, 35 yards, 17.5 avg
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NCAA WEEK TWO REPORT

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WEEK 2 COACHES' POLL

1. Florida (37) 1-0
2. Oklahoma (22) 0-0
3. Southern Cal (1) 1-0
4. Alabama (1) 0-0
5. Georgia 0-0
6. Ohio State 0-0
7. Virginia Tech 0-0
8. Texas 0-0
9. Tennessee 1-0
10. Wisconsin 0-0
11. LSU 0-0
12. Kansas State 0-0
13. Penn State 1-0
14. West Virginia 1-0
15. Auburn 0-0
16. Missouri 0-1
17. Arizona State 1-0
18. Miami 0-0
19. Ole Miss 0-0
20. Clemson 0-0
21. North Carolina 0-0
22. Illinois 1-0
23. Nebraska 1-0
24. TCU 1-0
25. Wake Forest 0-0

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: BYU 161, Purdue 139, Notre Dame 94, Arizona 61, South Carolina 30

DROPPED OUT:
None

WEEK 2 PAC-10 STANDINGS

1. #3 Southern Cal (1-0, 0-0)
2. #11 Arizona State (1-0, 0-0)
3. Oregon (1-0, 0-0)
4. Oregon State (1-0, 0-0)
5. Washington (1-0, 0-0)
6. Washington State (0-0, 0-0)
7. Stanford (0-0, 0-0)
8. Arizona (0-0, 0-0)
9. UCLA (0-0, 0-0)
10. Cal (0-1, 0-0)

WEEK 2 HEISMAN WATCH

1. Sam Bradford - Junior(RS) - Quarterback - Oklahoma
2. Terry Grant - Junior - Halfback - Alabama
3. Kodi Burns - Junior - Quarterback - Auburn
4. Mike McCoy - Senior - Wide Receiver - Alabama
5. Carl Moore - Senior - Wide Receiver - Florida[/FONT]

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(0-1) Eastern Washington Eagles at Washington Huskies (1-0)
HUSKY STADIUM - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2009

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Fly Like An Eagle
Huskies Clip The Eagles' Wings[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

By CHET HAMLIN
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Husky Beat Writer
9/6/2009

Seattle - It wasn't the most dominating win, but behind Chris Polk's 138 rushing yards and two scores, Washington raced to a 35-7 halftime lead en route to a 40-7 win over in-state FCS rival Eastern Washington. Jordan Polk had an eighty-three yard return for a touchdown to put Washington up 28-7, and then Jake Locker busted through on a long run close to the end of the half to put the Huskies up 35-7.

Locker completed 19-of-26 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown, but threw a late interception. In addition, he rushed for ninety yards and a touchdown on thirteen carries. Backup Ronnie Fouch replaced him late in the game, but didn't throw a pass.

To start the second half, Washington forced a safety when Cameron Elisara sacked Eagle quarterback Shayne Smithpeter in his own end zone on EWU's first drive. Ryan Perkins would add a late field goal.

"I thought we played pretty well and were able to get some players in that normally wouldn't play," said head coach Travis Brownley. "I thought our defense was outstanding for the most part...we gave up some big plays, but otherwise, we did a nice job on defense."

Jordan Polk scored the Huskies' second special teams touchdown in as many games, returning a first-half kickoff eighty-three yards for a score, putting Washington up 21-0 at that point. Anthony Boyles, who caught two passes against the Eagles, returned one last week eighty-eight yards for a touchdown last week against Idaho.

"Special teams have been pretty special to this point," said Brownley. "I don't think we'll get a return touchdown every game, but I'd like for us to make at least one big special teams play per game. They can be big confidence boosters at the right times."

Final Score:
EASTERN WASHINGTON - 7
WASHINGTON - 40

EASTERN WASHINGTON STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing:
Shayne Smithpeter - 15/35, 195 yards, TD, INT
Rushing:
Darrin Hayes - 8 carries, 16 yards, 2.0 ypc
JoJo Johnson - 4 carries, 7 yards, 1.8 ypc
Receiving:
Dennis Halbert - 6 receptions, 61 yards, 10.1 ypc
Terry Fillmore - 5 reception, 60 yards, 12.0 ypc
Defense:
Donnie Trayhill - 8 tackles (TFL)
Aaron Ballaro - 6 tackles (TFL)
Wes Smithton - 5 tackles
Kicking:
Tron Bickell - 1/1 XP, 1 point
Kick Returns:
Paul Horton - 5 returns, 71 yards, 14.2 avg
Punt Returns:
Paul Horton - 1 return, 8 yards, 8.0 avg

WASHINGTON STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing:
Jake Locker - 19/26, 157 yards, TD, INT
Rushing:
Chris Polk - 18 carries, 138 yards, 7.7 ypc, 2 TD
Jake Locker - 13 carries, 90 yards, 6.9 ypc, TD
Recieving:
Alvin Logan - 3 receptions, 30 yards, 10.0 ypc
Anthony Boyles - 2 receptions, 20 yards, 10.0 ypc
Defense:
Shawn Wilson - 6 tackles
Cameron Elisara - 6 tackles (5 TFL), 3 sacks
Donald Butler - 3 tackles (TFL), sack
Kicking:
Ryan Perkins - 1/1 FG, 5/5 XP, 8 points
Kick Returns:
Jordan Polk - 1 returns, 83 yards, 83.0 avg, TD
Punt Returns:
Jordan Polk - 3 returns, 23 yards, 7.6 avg
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NCAA WEEK THREE REPORT

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WEEK 3 COACHES' POLL

1. Florida (37) 2-0
2. Oklahoma (22) 1-0
3. Southern Cal (1) 1-0
4. Alabama (1) 1-0
5. Georgia 1-0
6. Ohio State 1-0
7. Virginia Tech 1-0
8. Texas 1-0
9. Tennessee 2-0
10. Wisconsin 1-0
11. LSU 1-0
12. Kansas State 1-0
13. Penn State 1-0
14. West Virginia 2-0
15. Auburn 1-0
16. Missouri 1-1
17. Arizona State 2-0
18. Clemson 1-0
19. Illinois 2-0
20. Wake Forest 1-0
21. TCU 2-0
22. Miami 0-1
23. Ole Miss 0-1
24. BYU 1-0
25. Purdue 1-0

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: South Carolina 134, Notre Dame 127, Arizona 93, North Carolina 80,
Nebraska 58, Michigan State 20

DROPPED OUT:
#21 North Carolina, #23 Nebraska

WEEK 3 PAC-10 STANDINGS

1. #17 Arizona State (2-0, 0-0)
2. Oregon (2-0, 0-0)
3. Oregon State (2-0, 0-0)
4. Washington (2-0, 0-0)
5. #3 Southern Cal (1-0, 0-0)
6. Washington State (1-0, 0-0)
7. Arizona (1-0, 0-0)
8. Stanford (0-1, 0-0)
9. UCLA (0-1, 0-0)
10. Cal (0-2, 0-0)

WEEK 3 HEISMAN WATCH

1. Sam Bradford - Junior(RS) - Quarterback - Oklahoma
2. Terry Grant - Junior - Halfback - Alabama
3. Kodi Burns - Junior - Quarterback - Auburn
4. Denarius Moore - Junior - Wide Receiver - Tennessee
5. Deonte Thompson - Sophomore(RS) - Wide Receiver - Florida[/FONT]

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No Message

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HARDY CLAIMS FIVE

By Sean McBride
Rivals.com Recruiting Editor
9/9/2009

Elk Plain (Wash.) is a small town of about 25,000 residents, and haven't had much to speak of in Division I football recruits - until now. Andrew Hardy, a four-star defensive end from the small Washington town, is being heavily recruited by some of the nation's most prestigious programs - Notre Dame, Florida State, Oregon, Texas, and Southern Cal have all come calling, but he's narrowed his list to five - and his childhood favorite team, Washington, is on that list, along with BYU, Washington State, Texas, and the Trojans.

The 6'4", 235-pounder, who runs in the low 4.7's in the 40-yard dash, claims he has no favorites, but makes no bones about his home-state school, the one in which he grew up following.

"Washington is a spectacular school with tons of fan support and a pretty solid tradition of football," he said. "I haven't gotten to meet the head coach yet, but my recruiting coach, coach Blum, is a big part of why I'm really considering the home state school. It's pretty easy to see they're making progress on and off the field. A 2-0 start isn't too shabby at all."

Even though he grew up opposing Washington State, he did have some good things to say about Pullman and the campus.

"I won't lie, I'm not real fond of WSU, but they did roll out the red carpet," he said. "It's a great-looking campus set against the Washington scenery. Their facilities are nice too. If they really sell what they have going on, I might consider it, but I don't know. Seattle is really close to home, and I have friends that would like to see me play."

When it came to Texas and Southern Cal, Hardy was flattered that two of the sport's all-time greatest programs were interested.

"Never really thought about playing at Texas too much, but Southern Cal would be a tempting offer," said Hardy. "They put players in the NFL every year, and the NFL is a goal for me. Texas is losing some guys on the depth chart...and they think I could play pretty early down there, which is why I have them in my top five."

Would Hardy rule out an early commit on a visit somewhere?

"The only way I'd commit early is only if it was to Washington or State," he said. "I'd like to see what Southern Cal, Texas, and BYU have to offer before committing, but yeah, I'd consider it if the visit went well."

[Chief Bstn]

Jeff Jenkins wants playing time.