Monday, August 11, 2008

The Monday Morning Wash

The injury to Jake Locker last week helped all kinds of emotions boil to the surface on the message boards. A lot of fans weren't happy about the way Willingham handled the news about the medical report.

I think he may just be tired of answering the same question over and over.

Tyrone is in a can't win type of situation until his team starts winning more than they lose.

You can listen to the Willingham press conferences each day over at http://www.gohuskies.com/

Expect Jake Locker to be back practicing by the end of the week.

Another player to keep an eye on this week is Juan Garcia. He has done well the first week moving straight ahead. In the next week or two they probably are going to take a cautious look at how he moves laterally. When you see him moving laterally that will be a pretty good sign that he is getting close.

The Huskies will hold two-a-days Monday, Wednesday and Friday, single practices Tuesday and Thursday, and a split squad practice on Saturday.

Remember Cory Mackay?

He was a TE/LB/WR recruit who decommitted from UW to go to WSU. The story back then was UW wanted him as a LB, but WSU wanted him as a big WR or TE. One week into practice at WSU he has been moved to LB by Cougar head man Paul Wulff.

Ben Olson Goes Down Again

In our UCLA preview we predicted that Ben Olsen wouldn't be able to stay healthy the entire season. Ben went down in practice yesterday with a broken foot and will be sidelined for eight weeks. Kevin Craft and Chris Forcier will battle it out to see who takes over.

This is going to be a tough first season for Rick Neuheisel and his crew. Don't undersestimate his abilities. The man thrives when his back is against the wall. Rick is one of the better gameday motivators I have ever seen.

Oregon Scrimmage Report

Oregon had its first scrimmage of the year and Mike Belotti wasn't very impressed. He says his team doesn't look like a top twenty football team yet. That is coach speak for you guys need to pick it up because we have Washington coming to town on August 30th.

Nate Costa led the first-string offense on a drive to the 4-yard line Saturday before Bellotti called a halt to the possession and summoned the second-string onto the field. Costa and his mates only had been expecting to take four or five snaps, but after the eight-play series they were begging for one more.

Sports Blog Network and Reader Feedback

We are getting closer to our move over to the Sports Blog Network. We should be ready to make the move in a week or two, they are working on a logo, layout, and securing a new address. The new name of the blog is going to be the UW Dawg Pound.

I want to get some feedback from you regular readers on how I have been doing this preseason. The goal has been to give you something new to read each day that isn't a rehash of something you have already read elsewhere.

Your idea's, criticism, and comments are appreciated.

AD Hunt Coming to a Conclusion?

Scott Woodward let it slip out that the UW expects to hire a new AD before the start of football season.

The smart money is on Woodward being named the permanent AD since he has done a good job so far and he is going to be leading the stadium initiative anyway. Woodward wouldn't deny that he still wasn't in the running. He did make it clear that it was time that he started doing one job or the other.

The other name that keeps coming up is Chuck Nelson. Chuck is the color man on the broadcasts when he isn't selling stocks or running local golf tournaments. Nothing against Chuck, he knows Husky tradition, and what the fans want, but I think Emmert would be more comfortable with Woodward since they have a long track record together that stretches back to LSU.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice roundup.
thanks.
On Rick, remember that though he is a good game day motivator and tactician he is also sloppy. Remember the loss to Michigan?

Anonymous said...

John, the recent content has been awesome. Difference makers, opponent previews, UW news, all good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to do this blog, it has gotten really good over the past year. I especially enjoyed your takedown of the Golden Homers. And I think you've been tough but mostly fair toward Ty lately, which I also appreciate.

Anonymous said...

I like Chuck Nelson, but how on earth is he qualified to run a Pac-Ten school athletic department?

John Berkowitz said...

Anon- I was in Ann Arbor that day and you can hang that mistake on Bobby Hauck. I remember our group discussing it after the game and lamenting that it possibly cost us a national championship. To me that day was the start of the decline we are still trying to climb out of.

DC- I made a deal with myself not to criticize Ty for two years. The gloves came off after the Arizona game.

Anon- I don't have a single clue what Chuck's qualifications would be, but from day one he would be a better choice than Barbara Hedges, or Todd Turner because he understands the culture we are trying to reclaim.

I think you go with Woodward, he gets it, and he is a strong admin guy.

UWDawgfan said...

I really like what you have been doing with this blog. The difference makers section as well as the opponent previews are refreshing outlooks on the upcoming season. Your work has inspired me to create my own blog where I can express my feelings a little more than in just a comments section.

Anonymous said...

John, I have to disagree with your comment that the 2002 game in Ann Arbor started the decline. That game in the Big House was just another indicator of the misery to come.

I believe foundation was clearly cracked in 2001 when DeShaun Foster ran crazy over us for 300+ yards rushing. That was the day that our Neuheisel-coached teams were exposed for what they were: long on four-and-five star prima donna recruits, short on blue-collar, smack-you-in-the-mouth hogs. The 2001 UCLA game revealed our glass jaw, which would get busted again and again, starting games at USC and OSU (remember Steven Jackson's "coming out party"?), and Cal coming into Husky Stadium and simply manhandling us with their physical ultra-physical defense.

By 2002 we were already slipping down the steep slope, and it took Neuheisel's ridiculous "Northwest Championship" challenge to get things somewhat on track that season...only to see under-talented Purdue slap down a cocky UW group in the Sun Bowl.

~ Adam

Anonymous said...

John, the posts are great. The main reason it is valuable is because it isn't a regurgitation of other news out there. I count on you for deeper analysis of all players during the preseason and postgame. thanks.

Unknown said...

Your blog has come along way John. Great stuff, fresh and imaginative. Congrats on doing the SBN thing.