WizardHawk
Release the Kraken - Fuck the Canucks
Looks like a few way too early lists are putting UW somewhere between 5 and 16. I honestly doubt any of the folks making these lists have really looked deeply into our program and are simply picking where to put them based off what they think of our HC and maybe looking at who is graduating.
I can say I sure do have concerns, but then I can't remember a year where I didn't. Kind of the nature of college football.
The schedule is a mixed bag. They don't play Arizona or USC, but they do have a very challenging opening game on the road in the heart of SEC country and a pair of road games at UCLA and Oregon in early October that provide the opportunity for a let down. Petersen has done well with opening game challenges, but this is for sure a huge one with maybe more on the line than any he has ever had.
On defense I mostly worry about replacing the insane productivity of Vea, but I also wonder if they have the LB's against teams like Auburn. Outside of that I like them against the rest of the Pac teams they have on the schedule.
Offense and special teams really still are the main areas of any real worry. They have to get competent in their kicking game and be able to make mid range FG's if they have any chance against Auburn in particular. You can't leave points off the board of any kind against those types of defenses.
With Pettis leaving they are left with major questions about who will step up and keep defenses honest enough to allow for any type of deep running threat.
Browning still doesn't look anywhere near where he needs to be in games with a solid pass rush and there's little doubt Auburn will be in his kitchen all day. He's got to be effective in those games in order to have any type of running threat. He has to get in sync with a new slate of receivers right away.
Hamdan has a lot of upside, but also a lot of unknowns. He's not an experienced play caller and what a game to break into that with. And we have no idea if he is going to make supbstantial headway with Browning's development.
I'm not saying I'm all gloom and doom. There are plenty of positives as well, but we all know the difference between 5th and 10th in the nation can be just a few of those smaller areas of weakness.
I doubt we really come out of spring with much more information than we have now.
I can say I sure do have concerns, but then I can't remember a year where I didn't. Kind of the nature of college football.
The schedule is a mixed bag. They don't play Arizona or USC, but they do have a very challenging opening game on the road in the heart of SEC country and a pair of road games at UCLA and Oregon in early October that provide the opportunity for a let down. Petersen has done well with opening game challenges, but this is for sure a huge one with maybe more on the line than any he has ever had.
On defense I mostly worry about replacing the insane productivity of Vea, but I also wonder if they have the LB's against teams like Auburn. Outside of that I like them against the rest of the Pac teams they have on the schedule.
Offense and special teams really still are the main areas of any real worry. They have to get competent in their kicking game and be able to make mid range FG's if they have any chance against Auburn in particular. You can't leave points off the board of any kind against those types of defenses.
With Pettis leaving they are left with major questions about who will step up and keep defenses honest enough to allow for any type of deep running threat.
Browning still doesn't look anywhere near where he needs to be in games with a solid pass rush and there's little doubt Auburn will be in his kitchen all day. He's got to be effective in those games in order to have any type of running threat. He has to get in sync with a new slate of receivers right away.
Hamdan has a lot of upside, but also a lot of unknowns. He's not an experienced play caller and what a game to break into that with. And we have no idea if he is going to make supbstantial headway with Browning's development.
I'm not saying I'm all gloom and doom. There are plenty of positives as well, but we all know the difference between 5th and 10th in the nation can be just a few of those smaller areas of weakness.
I doubt we really come out of spring with much more information than we have now.