Just a half-wedge more: Tiger's
By: Richard Linde, 6 January 2002

I’m not going redesign the Dawgs’ offense and send some X's and O's to Gilby. I’ve never coached football in a real sense--just virtual (Madden 2003)--so I don’t know a darn thing about being an offensive coordinator, let alone being paid $170K for being one.

And I’m not going to sit around spinning the wheel of my mouse and nitpick at the play of various Husky players this next season. Since I never played football in code-blue mode, with half my senses gone, I haven’t earned the right.
But I do know that the coaches want a better running game. That one is obvious to the coaches, to the fans and to the players.

So, how do they get it?

It won’t be easy. Everybody’s trying to stop the run nowadays, crowding the line of scrimmage like a horde of ex-coaches at Office Depot trying to buy Madden 2003.

How about stealing the script for a running game that played at the Coliseum this last season? Nope, it won't play at Montlake.

In 2001, ‘SC finished dead last in conference rushing. Not surprising, for rushing has not been a Trojan trademark in a jillion years.

In 2002, ‘SC added some rushing yards to each game (half a pitching-wedge-full), just enough to keep Palmer sane and happy and wearing the unforced smile I want to see on Cody's face next season.

First and foremost, Troy brought in a 5-star wide body, a stud that will last only two more years at ‘SC, and, secondly, they had some serendipity with their running backs.

As I said, that script won't work at Montake, not realistically.

As for the Dawgs in 2003, they have a “relatively weak” schedule after the blockbuster in Columbus, and, secondly, all those nasty senior QB’s in the conference (Palmer, Boller, Gesser, Cory Paus) will be gone.

That spells Hope, with a capital H.

And running wise for each game, I’ll settle for the extra yardage of half-a-wedge's: Tiger's.

With all the talent returning for the good guys and all the talent exiting for the bad, I’m much more optimistic about next season’s fortunes—running game or not—than I was before the start of last season.

We do need to replace John Anderson (photo above) and McLaughlin, though. So important.

Let’s all have some faith, show some Husky spirit, and wear that CDUB smile this upcoming year--win or lose. Who will ever forget that smile? God bless him.

Go Dawgs.