Monday, March 31, 2008

The Monday Morning Wash

Spring is once again in the air and there is a flurry of Spring sports activity going on over at Montlake. Not much news about football this past week, but that will soon change since Spring practice is about to get under way.

The Husky football team has a lot of new faces on the coaching staff, and hopefully that will help the defense rebound from the most dismal season in modern football history. On the offensive side of the ball most can't wait to see if Jake Locker is an improved passer. The game will obviously slow down for him this year, and while he will be throwing to a WR crew with little experience the talent level at that position is making a quantum leap. Keep an eye on newcomers Chris Polk, Anthony Boyles, and Devin Aguilar.

At RB with Rankin gone, the inside track on the starting tailback spot would logically fall to sophomore Brandon Johnson, who was Rankin's backup last year and is the most experienced tailback on the roster. Johnson showed a convincing flash of what he's capable of when he ran for 121 yards on 23 carries last season vs. California. The only other tailback on the team is fourth-year junior J.R. Hasty, who carried the ball six times last season. Two other tailbacks who redshirted the 2007 season will be given every chance to fight for playing time -- Willie Griffin and Brandon Yakaboski. For Hasty it is definitely do or die time, and it will take an eye opening performance this Fall to get him out of Ty's doghouse.

We all want to see improvement at TE. Gottleib should continue to improve as a blocker, but Izbicki should begin to challenge for the starting job after a year in the weight room. He just has more natural tools than the other guys. Johnnie Kirton will be studying in South Africa, so he will be missing Spring drills. We all of course are waiting for Kavario Middleton to arrive this fall.

The offensive line should continue to improve. By this Fall the Huskies should be close to where they need to be as far as depth, and experience go. They will be a little green behind the starting tackles as Fancher, and Armelin are only redshirts, so you hope that Habben, and Ossai can keep healthy. On the inside Garcia, Tolar, Bulyca, White-Frisbee, Shugert, Sedillo, and Rosborough match up well with great Husky lines of the past. Keep an eye on Shugert, he is a future star, and the future isn't that far away. garcia should be the best center on the coast.

The bad news on the defensive side of the ball is the Huskies have to rebuild the defensive line. The good news of course is they are rebuilding perhaps the worst performing defensive line in the history of the school. Daniel Teo Nesheim is the only sure starter, all the other spots are up for grabs. The big question is whether Washington will go with a three man, or four man line? New DC Ed Donatell doesn't know for sure yet, but hints it will depend on the situation. He should have a better idea of what is going on after he evaluates the talent this Spring.

The LB's should be solid, and they represent one of the most experienced areas of the team. The question with these guys is health. They were walking wounded last year and it hindered their performance. Keep an eye on their health this Spring, I think that will be the key to their success.

The DB's lose some talent, but have a lot of new talent coming in the Spring and Fall. Wells will sit out the Spring rehabbing his knee, but will be back this Fall. Harris, and Forrester provide solid depth, and experience. That being said the improvement at the position will come if the young guys like Aiyewa, and Williams push the veterans to the side this Spring.

At CB Davenport will be the starter on one side with a free for all fight for the other side. Quinton Richardson is moving over from Safety, and if he breaks into the lineup the experiment could be a big deal because he can be an extra force shutting down the run. Going into Spring Murchison, McDowell, and Mosley have the most experience, and all three will get long looks.

Bronco could beat up Ty any day of the week.

If I wrote that and then re-read it, I'd be really depressed. If I were a Husky fan reading that, I'd be really depressed.

As a Cougar fan, I'm stoked! Go Cougars!