Go Blawgs

“A Tale of Two Seasons.” That’s the title of this year’s Husky football drama. Other titles could include “Great Expectations” or “The Remains of a Season” or “Watership Down”…maybe “Les Miserables?”

As we sit here on the eve of Apple Cup at 6-5, consider how disappointing this season has been. True we started the season 5-1. But two of those initial wins were last minute escapes against lowly Cal and Division II Eastern Washington. I define a good team as one that consistently wins the games it is expected to and plays others well, even in loss.  Sadly, we have not met this criteria — by my definition, we are not a good team.

After the 5-1 start, the Huskies have gone 1-4, getting embarrassed by Stanford and most recently, OSU, the worst team in the PAC 12. THE WORST! The coaches have excused away the rotten defensive play on injuries and inexperience. If this is the case, then how do they explain the loss to Oregon State, a team with far less experience and health? And a team that, until last week, only had 2 wins. I am tired of the excuses from the coaches and tired of their requests for patience and hope that the defense will improve “in a few years” when the kids mature and get comfortable in the system.  It’s been three years – why should we believe things will get better when all statistics prove it is, in fact, getting worse?

For those of you blaming the offense or our backup QB, you are kidding yourselves. The issue now, for the last three years, and for God knows how long, is the defense. It is terrible. In all my years as a season ticket holder and a fan, I have never said “I don’t want anyone on the defense to return for the following year”…until now. It is embarrassing how teams have disregarded our defense and exploited every deficient aspect and something needs to change. Need proof? Then read Bob Condotta’s article in the Seattle Times.

He writes, “Before going further, a brief look at the numbers is in order to answer one of the questions most uttered by UW fans: Is this really one of the worst defenses in school history? Through 11 games — and with just two now remaining that aren’t likely to skew the numbers a whole lot in either direction — the answer is ‘pretty much.’” The defensive statistics show a team in decline over the last three years, not a team that is improving as you would and should expect in year three of this regime.

So as I look to Apple Cup this season on the heels of our loss to Oregon State, I have no reason to believe that we will be able to beat the Cougars on Saturday. LOGIC says both teams are pretty equal in talent. So HOPE it is. BLEED PURPLE. BE GOLD. GO DAWGS.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Late this week the worst kept secret became public.  Coach Steve Sarkisian announced the start against the Oregon State Beavers will go to Nick Montana.  Afterall, Keith Price had trouble with the knee at USC and this week at practice.  His red-hot start this season has ground down to a halt.  A combination of mounting injuries and top ranked opponents have worn on Price.  Sark announced the call for Montana via his Twitter page after Montana took every single snap in practice this week.

You better believe that there will be some attention given to this game because of the name on the back of Nick’s uniform.  Even against USC there were many cut aways to Joe and Jennifer in her #5 Nick Montana black jersey.  Montana is one of the biggest early recruits of this Husky coaching staff.  Perhaps the certain comparisons that Nick will face was summed up best in an interview I saw with Coach Sark.  Sark says something like this to the reporter making the all too common comparison.  “You are talking about the greatest of all-time.  Jeez, the poor guy (Nick) is just trying to play.”

Good luck to you Nick!  Go get a win for the Huskies.  Remember, you have #1 in the backfield.

GO DAWGS!!!  Beat the Beavers!

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

So how are you really supposed to evaluate the UW Huskies this year?  What are we to take away from the 40-17 drubbing USC handed to the Dawgs?  On one side you have the fact the Huskies are 0-4 against ranked opponents this year.  They will go through the entire year without a signature victory.  The losses to Nebraska, Stanford, Oregon, and USC had the Huskies outscored 190-93 and largely non-competitive.  On the other hand, if you looked at the games individually you probably picked the games exactly as they have turned out so far.  It seems as though the state of the Huskies at this point is they beat the teams they should but are not yet able to step up and take on the more elite programs yet.

Of the four losses the Huskies have suffered to ranked teams, to me the USC game was the most disappointing.  The Nebraska game could have been different with a couple breaks and without a nine minute collapse.  Against Stanford we were completely overmatched and overwhelmed, Oregon toyed with us and two early interceptions didn’t help.

I’m trying to pull out something positive from the game against the Trojans, the only thing I can come up with is the first touchdown pass in the college career of Nick Montana.   That pass came with seconds left in the game and really was of no consequence.  A myriad list of bad play sunk the Huskies.   Penalties, special teams mistakes like falling for a fake punt and allowing a kick-off return for a touchdown plagued the Dawg’s day.  The offensive line had issues that were frankly offensive.  Missed tackles were so prevalent you started to question their attitude, desire, and sense of purpose.

Which way is this Husky team going to go?  Win the next two games as you should, an 8-4 season is a success even without a win against a big-time opponent.  It shows continued progress with the reward of a nice bowl game.  Lose one or both and you fail to hold serve against the teams you should beat.  Fans will begin to question the direction of the program, a program showing signs of regression.  The jury’s out…

GO DAWGS!!! Beat the Beavers!

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Like the Blawgfather it has been a strange, shadowy week in college football for me.  Jim very effectively has put sentiments down that I’m sure many people feel in a tragic story that is way bigger than football.  Please read his blawg post titled “So Serious” if you haven’t already.

I have effectively procrastinated almost long enough to be cutting edge and do my first in-game blawg post.  So todays post will run the spectrum of my random thoughts of Husky football this past week. But first a small milestone I want to pass along.  This is the Blawgfather’s and Big Dawg’s 100th blawg post.  Poetic justice should be of note when I think back to my first post after beating USC and rushing the field just two years ago.  So to my partner in this crime of self amusment…Blawgfather.  Cheers to you!

Duck U… reads the favorite t-shirt my Duck loving father-n-law saw on his way up to the game last weekend.  Other than the obvious loss, what a game day.  Night sailgate, visiting family, Blawgfather and bride face painting, ceremony of the last game in Husky Stadium, the list was long and spectacular.  Just that one little thing.  The game.  The Ducks beat the Huskies 34-17 in what ended up seeming like a fairly easy game for the Ducks.  Price’s early two interceptions set the tone.  I was surprised by the speed of the Duck defense.  Two quick drives in the 3rd quarter crushed any threat the Dawgs imagined staging.  If we end up at the Las Vegas bowl, not sure I will be taking gambling advise from Coach Sark.  The game plan or the play calling seemed plenty conservative to me.  I didn’t see a team playing with house money.  Here we sit with a 0-3 record against ranked teams.

So from this bitter Husky fan to his Duck loving father-in-law.  Congrats!  At least someone in our group went away happy.  Here is my favorite t-shirt that I saw referring to the hated Ducks.

Oregon Ducks are the Paris Hilton of college football

They’re famous for no reason

They’re always getting arrested

And they have a rich dad who dresses them pretty!

One of my next door neighbors flies his USC flag every game day, until I met him he was always referred to as “Trojan Man”.  Now I know his name, but his nickname still remains.   This could be the last opportunity for the Huskies to get a signature victory this season.  The Trojans are ranked and the Dawgs have beaten the Trojans the last two years with Eric Folk field goals in the last seconds.  Looking at Pac-12 stats the two teams are quite similar but the Trojans will have revenge on their minds.  The Huskies have demonstrated the ability to beat the teams they are supposed to beat.  Can they rise up and finally beat someone they are not supposed to?  This will be the last opportunity this season.  Beat the Trojans today and you have another signature victory at their expense.

GO DAWGS!!! Beat the Trojans!

Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

I tried all week to write a post that conjured humor and wit but the atrocities at Penn State have left a pall over college football this weekend. And over me. The actions and inactions at Penn State are inexcusable, sad and unimaginable. I feel for all the kids affected for it will have far-reaching impact. And kudos to the players of Penn State and Nebraska who appear to be handling this with more grace and poise than school administrators and students, as evidenced by their meeting in the middle of the field this morning before the game to pray for the victims.

The Huskies need this win today. And we need to play well. No dropped balls. Stay in y0ur assignments. Play to your weight and physical ability. And perhaps Coach Sark will find his playbook and use it — you know, the one he lost last week when supposedly “playing with house money.” Maybe this week he will really open it up and use all of our threats on offense. BLEED PURPLE. BE GOLD. GO DAWGS!

Filed under: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »