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Articles
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Ten goals for Provo
1. Keep the BYU quarterback from having a field day. Specific goal: Hold the BYU quarterback -- my guess it will be Riley Nelson -- to under 240 yards passing. Rationale: Although Washington (5-7) improved on total defense over the winless 2008 team (0-12), it gave up more yards per game on pass defense than it did in 2008: 240.7 to 211.2 yards. Last season, Washington gave up an average of 364.2 passing yards in five significant games, this occurring in games against Idaho, Notre Dame, Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA. Collectively, these teams completed 69.3% of their passes and had a passing efficiency of 155.53. UW's pass defense kept its other seven opponents below its season's average. Washington's leaky pass defense in those five games was like plugging a hole in Hoover Dam with chewing gum after a year of record rainfall. Their quarterbacks flooded UW with passes, mainly because the Huskies failed to mount a decent pass rush. In a relativistic sense, these gents had too much time to throw as the Huskies' clock neared light speed, its defense toiling and moiling to no avail. (See Table 1). Table 1. Members of the 240-plus club. Teams and their quarterbacks that passed for more than 240 yards in games against Washington in 2009. The goal is to deny BYU and its QB an entry in a similar table for 2010. Note the Dawgs' shoddy performance against UCLA after Prince was injured; it's as if he wasn't missed.
In transmuting the Dawgs' defensive mettle, Holt and Sark need to find metallurgists who will pound the middle and hammer the edges. (That is, defensive coordinator Nick Holt and head coach Steve Sarkisian.) 2. Second, possibly a third RB to emerge, each tallying more than 50 yards rushing Specific goal: Have a running back or two, someone other than Chris Polk, post some significant yardage, say more than 50 yards rushing in the game. Rationale: Although their renowned triplet excelled in 2009 -- QB Jake Locker leading the Pac-10 in total offense, RB Polk rushing for over 1,000 yards, and WR Jermaine Kearse leading the conference in yards per catch -- the Huskies finished seventh in the league in total offense. This was partly due to Washington's rushing offense, which finished seventh in the league. On the season, Polk rushed for 1113 yards, Locker had 388, and Demetrius Bronson 89. Bronson's best game -- 39 yards rushing -- was against Oregon. It was the best rushing total of anyone other than Polk and Locker. The offensive line needs to get more push off the ball. See last year's game against Notre Dame and the indomitable Gilmour Dobie and his off-tackle play. Table 2. Washington's leading rushers in 2009 The ultimate goal is to sandwich at least one running back in between Polk and Locker for the corresponding table in 2010. The candidates are Bronson, Fogerson and Jesse Callier.
3. Locker completes more than 60% of his passes. Specific goal: Locker needs to complete more than 60% of his passes, continuing his hot streak from the last game of last season where he completed 82.6% of his passes against Cal. Rationale: Up until last season, Locker was deemed a questionable passer by the experts, competing just 48.7% of his passes over the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Jake completed 58.4% of his passes in 2009. 4. At least two touchbacks on kickoffs. Specific goal: Kicker Erik Folk needs to post at least two touchbacks on kickoffs against BYU. Rationale: Last season, Washington finished eighth in the conference in kickoff coverage, averaging 38.4 yards per game. Folk had five touchbacks last season and averaged 59.0 yards per kickoff. His leg has been noticeably stronger in practices this year. 5. Get off to a fast start against the Cougars. Specific goal: The Huskies' offense needs to score the first time it has the ball. Rationale: The Huskies' offense started out sluggishly in the spring game and in its last scrimmage, scrimmages in which the defense dominated the offense. 6. Post more points than their season's average in 2009. Specific goal: Score more than 26 points. Rationale: The Huskies finished seventh in the Pac-10 in scoring last season. 7. Limit penalty yards. Specific goal: Limit the yellow flags, especially like the foolish one thrown the last time the two teams met. Rationale: After scoring, in what appeared to be a tying touchdown in the last seconds of the game against BYU in 2008, Locker tossed the ball over his shoulder to free his hands to greet his teammates, which resulted in a 15-yard excessive celebration penalty. That took the option away from former head coach Tyrone Willingham of going for a two-point conversion and an almost certain win. Instead, BYU's Jan Jorgenson blocked Ryan Perkins’ extra point attempt from 35 yards out to secure a 28-27 victory. Last season, UW finished seventh in the Pac-10 in penalty yards. 8. Find a kickoff return specialist. Specific goal: Find a kickoff return specialist. Rationale: Last season in kickoff returns, UW finished ninth in the conference and 112th in FBS football. There is hope. In the Huskies' final scrimmage, Kevin Smith scored the only other TD of the day on a 90-yard kickoff return. 9. Avoid serious, costly injuries. Specific goal: Pay homage to Lady Luck. This goes for both teams. Rationale: In the first scrimmage of fall practice, Washington lost promising RB Deontae Cooper to a season-ending torn ACL. 10. Win the game. Specific goal: Learn to win on the road. Recipe: Open the bottle labeled "Jim Owens' fourth-quartering elixir, Vintage, 1960." Hint: It's hidden inside his statue. Rationale: The last time the Dawgs won a road game was against Stanford, 27-9, on 3 November 2007. If someone had to pick them now, the Huskies would be underdogs in each of their 2010 road games, excepting WSU. Now is the time -- against BYU -- to start winning. 11. Add your own goals here. Specific goal: add your own. Rationale: I've left the building.
Richard Linde can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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Based
on some wonky statistics from last season -- some of which have been
enduring over the past few years -- I have some specific goals
in mind for Washington in its game against BYU, which takes place on
September 4. Of course, there are other equally, more important goals
as well -- in this case, they are left to the reader.