2008 Washington Huskies Football
August 1, 2008
Tyrone Willingham is another Pac-10 head coach with his job on the line at Washington. The Huskies have gone just 11-25 in three years under Willingham, and if they don’t go to a bowl game this season it will likely by his last chance. 14 starters return including stud quarterback Jake Locker. Willingham will be relying heavily on Locker to save his job, but does he have the skills to pay the bills? The team at Info Plays fills you in with our 2008 Washington Huskies football predictions.
Offense:
Sophomore QB Jake Locker will again be the focal point of the Huskies’ offense. Locker is one of the most anticipated players in Washington football history and so far he hasn’t disappointed. He set a Pac-10 record with 986 rushing yards by a quarterback last year. He also threw for 2,062 yards and 14 touchdowns. There is hope for even bigger things this season because he has plenty of room to improve in the passing game, completing just 47% of his passes last year. The biggest questions are at running back and receiver. The Huskies must replace five senior receiver and tailback Louis Rankin. He was the first Husky player since 1997 to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
There’s talent at receiver and tailback, but most is untested. Sophomore Brandon Johnson rushed for 121 yards against California last year, but otherwise played sparingly. D’Andre Goodwin heads a group of talented young receivers including Chris Polk, who turned down USC. The offensive line is still a strength, although injuries were killer in the spring. Second-team All-Pac-10 selections last season, Juan Garcia, suffered a foot injury late in spring practice that will likely keep him out all season. But three other starters still return.
See where Pitchfork Nation ranks the 2008 Washington Huskies football team among the Pac-10 here.
Defense:
Only one of Washington’s top six linemen are back this year. End Daniel Te’o-Nesheim is the only linemen with more than two tackles last season. That means sophomore tackle Cameron Elisara must have a breakthrough season. The back seven could be improved with two starters back at linebacker and three starters returning in the secondary. Junior E.J. Savannah is the leader of the linebacker corps after leading the team with 111 tackles a year ago.
New coordinator Ed Donatell did a ton of experimenting with his defensive backs in the spring. Several players could end up with key roles by the end of the season in the secondary. Seniors Jason Wells and Darin Harris return at safety, but will surely have to fend off promising sophomores Nate Williams and Victor Aiyewa. Cornerback is a much thinner spot with senior Brian Davenport left as the only returning starter, although senior safety Mesphin Forrester moved there in the spring to help out.
Washington Football Predictions at Info Plays: 8th in the Pac-10
Year four will be make-or-break for Ty Willingham. The problem is the fact that Washington still looks a year away from a breakthrough season. Locker might be the most talented QB in the conference, and his offense will be better than a year ago. There is reason to think the defense will be improved, considering this unit ranked 103rd in the country in total defense a year ago. But the schedule is tough, and Willingham likely has to get at least six wins. Otherwise some other coach might benefit from his groundwork a year from now.
Pac-10 Wins Expected in ‘08: STANFORD, OREGON STATE, at Washington State
Potential Scares/Losses: at Oregon, at Arizona, at USC, ARIZONA STATE, UCLA, at California