Wednesday Wanderings: Re-Signing Golden Tate, Rumors Galore in Mariners Land, and Husky Basketball is on the Rise

By Marshall Cherrington

Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly column written by Editor-in-Chief and creator of the Sports Soup Network, Marshall Cherrington. He brings you all of his weekly thoughts pertaining to Seattle sports, and anything else for that matter.

You know when your favorite school signs a five-star recruit and everybody is just madly anticipating his first game? Yeah, that’s my feeling with Percy Harvin. He was the huge offseason acquisition that every fan of the Seahawks has wanted to see for months on end. Well this week, my friends, we finally get the privilege to watch this man play the beautiful game of football. I hope to see Percy lighting up the field and shooting through gaps no other player on the Seahawks can fit through, except for maybe Golden Tate. He’ll be on a limited snap count so that’s why I’ll be glued to my TV to catch every one of those plays.

It was a rumor filled week in Seattle sports as the Mariners have once again been linked to every outfield free agent bat out there. Some rumors I simply did not understand and others, I wish we would sign the guy already. The Sounders might be looking for a new head coach soon and I’ll give my thoughts on that. The Huskies’ men’s basketball season started off with a pop, but not in a good way as Jernard Jarreau tore his ACL just seconds into the opening game against Seattle U. However, the Huskies’ football team put a solid pounding on the Buffaloes as they head into a huge matchup with the UCLA Bruins this Friday night. My thoughts on the week that was in Seattle sports right here, right now.

When I woke up on Sunday morning and found that a staff writer of the Seattle Times had picked the Falcons to beat the Seahawks that day, it let a little doubt creep into my mind. Add in the fact that Softy was hammering all week how Seahawks fans should be worried about this game, and you have a Seahawks fan in a poor mental state. However, when the second quarter was over, there was no doubt in my mind who was winning that game. Golden Tate was looking too fast, Russell Wilson was looking too smart, and the Falcons were just looking too bad for the Seahawks not to win.

Now as I bring up Golden Tate, I think it will be really interesting to see what the Seahawks management does with him this offseason. He will be an unrestricted free agent and is free to go anywhere he pleases. Probably not back to Top Pot Donuts, but who knows. I think some teams out there will be willing to give Tate a big pay day and if the Seahawks do indeed win the Super Bowl this year, it will make it easier for Tate to taunt his way out of Seattle. He would have already won a ring in his career and would probably just be looking for some money now. That being said, I think the Seahawks will give Tate a deal to think about. If the Seahawks do not win the Super Bowl, I could definitely see Tate coming back and trying to capture that Super Bowl ring for the team that was confident enough to spend an NFL draft pick on him. I’m thinking maybe $7-million a year for Golden this offseason. Maybe a little more. He hasn’t been the most consistent wide receiver, but when he’s on and focused, boy is he good. Probably the biggest thing to watch this offseason for the Seahawks in my opinion.

Could Golden Tate be waving bye to Seattle at the end of the season?

Getty Images

The Seahawks welcome another lowly foe to town in the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday and even though the Buccaneers game was way closer than all of us would have liked, I don’t think the Vikings will be sneaking up on the Seahawks anytime soon. If the Seahawks contain Adrian Peterson in this one, it won’t even be a game. However, if the Seahawks let Peterson run loose, it still won’t even be a game. There is no way in the world the Vikings will beat the Seahawks on Sunday, even if the beast is released from inside Adrian Peterson’s chest. 38-13 Seahawks. 10-1. In control of the entire NFC. The road to the Super Bowl comes through Seattle, baby.

The other football team in Seattle didn't have too tough of a time with their foe either this past weekend as they strolled past the sleeping Buffalo that is Colorado. Keith Price was probably the most mobile I had ever seen him in Saturday and I think that could be something to watch as bowl season approaches quickly. If he can keep up the quickness and smarts with his legs, that adds a whole new element to this team. But let’s be real. Price is no Russell Wilson and the biggest damage he would most likely do is run for a few more first downs throughout the game, rather than a measly three or four yard rush that we are all used to seeing. Who knows, it could mean the difference between a win and a loss.

However, Price may be finding himself looking at the sky this upcoming Friday as the Huskies take on the UCLA Bruins in an exciting matchup. The Bruins are already back up to number 13 in the nation after it seemed like just last week that they were ranked in the twenties. This inconsistency in the rankings basically tells the story of what the team has looked like on the field this year. At times, the Bruins have looked like a top ten team in America, but at other times, it’s hard to see why they are even ranked. Brett Hundley is one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-12 and he can kill you through the air, on a good day, but can destroy you on the ground every day. He has great pocket presence and I've seen him get out of some holes that Mariota can’t even see out of. The key will be to force Hundley to throw the ball. Sure, he’ll probably end up throwing for over 250 yards if you force him to do this, but it’s better he beat you through the air than on the ground because he is way more inconsistent through the air. It’ll be a battle of the two solid defenses in this one. I’ll have to go with Washington, 31-27, just squeaking by UCLA in the end. This prediction will probably go wrong, since it’s me who’s calling it, but hey, I predicted the Champions Classic perfectly last night (Jabari Parker is a baller by the way).

The Huskies need to make UCLA QB Brett Hundley throw the football this Friday.

Getty Images

Continuing on the topic of college basketball, I think the Huskies are severely underrated this year. Even though Jernard Jarreau tore his ACL, I think the front court play will be fine with the emergence of Mike Anderson. Shawn Kemp Jr., Gilles Dierickx, and Perris Blackwell should be able to hold it down until Desmond Simmons recovers from his knee surgery. But speaking of Mike Anderson, I think he was the most impressive guy out there on Sunday night. He showed the ability to defend, handle the ball, rebound, and score exceptionally well. It’s too bad the Huskies only have the guard for two years because they could really use him for about another two go rounds. Darin Johnson was also a guy who impressed me and if he finds his stroke just a little more, I think he’ll become a deadly shooter as the season progresses. This is a team to watch out for in the Pac-12. I guarantee you they will not finish eighth in the Pac-12, like the media has projected them to.

If you like rumors, the Mariners are your favorite team. I like rumors, and the Mariners are my favorite baseball team. It’s awesome scrolling through my Twitter timeline and seeing all the national baseball reporters with the hashtag “Mariners” in their Tweets. And for a good reason too. The Mariners suck and need all the help they can get. But a few days ago when I was scrolling through my timeline, I stopped and was puzzled by a Tweet. The Mariners wanted to add Carlos Beltran to the fold. Really? Carlos Beltran? A 36-year old outfielder who probably wants to play for a contender this late in his career? That can’t be. But indeed, it was true. I’m really not surprised by anything anymore when it comes to the Mariners. I’m really interested to see what moves the team does make this offseason though. The team does have a lot of money to spend and I can’t help but get giddy when I see that specific hashtag linked with a big player. Who knows, the Mariners could be contenders next year. No, I know. They won’t be.

Carlos Beltran? Really Jack Zduriencik?

MLBlogs.com

To wrap it up, I’ll briefly touch on the Sounders. Sigi Schmid should be hosed by now. If you can’t win with that much talent on a roster, that’s ridiculous. Find a coach who has proven that he can win with talent, and hire him to be the next coach of the Sounders. Come on Hanauer. You convinced Dempsey to enter his own nightmare with the Sounders, didn’t you? Now find a coach to get Dempsey out of that nightmare.

That about does it for this week’s edition for Wednesday Wanderings. If you’re looking for a quick update on the Madden series between Jackson and me, it’s right here for you. I smacked Jackson around with the Colts and Bengals and now have a 4-3 series lead on him. I fully expect to extend the lead even further the next time we play. My running backs are averaging over 200 yards a game. Can’t stop that ground game! Thanks for reading and do check out some podcasts on the left hand side of our page. Some of them are good. Kind of.

--

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well. Keep checking back for more updates.

Five Wishes on My Seattle Sports Christmas List

Well like everybody says, it's that time of the year again. Christmas is just around the corner, and I mean JUST around the corner, and most people are in that cheery type of mood again. Teams in Seattle have had their ups and downs this month, most notably the down of the Huskies, and the ups of the Seahawks, but in the end aren't all Seattle sports kind of bipolar in these kinds of ways? Christmas has ups and downs just like Seattle sports, the downs of gaining weight from all the great food, but the ups from getting presents, getting a break from school, and celebrating the life of Jesus Christ. Every year I look forward to Christmas, as I think many other people do as well, and always wonder what gifts I could be receiving. I usually make a list (even though I'm almost in college) and put my favorite desires on this list. Well this time I'm making the list a little bit differently. I'm creating a list of what 5 things/events I want, or want to occur, in Seattle sports that are within the realistic spectrum (so probably not a World Series championship for the M's). Here are the five items on my list.

1. Seahawks winning the Super Bowl

First off, I think this wish has a very realistic shot of happening. The Seahawks have been one of, if not, the hottest teams in the NFL the past couple of weeks and Russell Wilson just proved it again with an enormous win over the 49ers. Wilson had the highest QBR in week 16 out of every quarterback in the NFL, posting a 97.6 rating, and I think this goes to show how high of a level the Seahawks (and Russell Wilson) have been playing at the past couple of weeks. I mean it's crazy to think that they have outscored their opponents 150-30 the past three weeks. It still kills me to think we had losses against the Rams, Cardinals, and Dolphins. If we played them all again right now, I would have to believe that we would outscore all of them by at least 150-0 or some score around there. That's how good the Seahawks are playing right now (and how bad the other three teams are). The Seahawks will face the winner of the Dallas and Washington game in the first round of the playoffs and I believe that the Seahawks can go on the road and beat either of those teams. Nobody wants to play the Seahawks right now and if I were in the NFC, I would have nightmares of Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson (as long as Sherman's appeal goes as he said it went). The Seahawks will face a tough opponent if they win their first round playoff game, but they have faced at least 2 of the teams in the NFC playoffs before this season. The Seahawks will be prepared and if I was an opponent, boy would I be scared. This would be an awesome late Christmas present in February.

Wouldn't it be nice to see this on the cover page of the Seattle Times once again, except this time having Russell Wilson on it?

http://cdn102.iofferphoto.com/img/item/125/193/793/LbTD.jpg

2. Seattle Arena is built and the city gets an NBA franchise within the next 5 years

I know, I know some of you may be asking how this is not number one on my list, but at the current moment, the Seahawks are tearing it up, if you haven't been watching. Also, there are years in the future where I can wish for Seattle to get an NBA franchise. I've learned that you always have to be patient. Anyways, I think that if the city of Seattle attained an NBA franchise within the next five years, it would energize every sports fan in the city. Well duh it would, but I mean that this event would probably boost ratings and attendance for every team in the city. People would get excited about the general scent of Seattle sports, maybe as strong of a scent that would catch the east coast's attention. Probably not though, knowing the east coast. Gotta love that east coast bias! But back to the point. With the construction of the Seattle arena, not only could an NBA franchise come to the city, but an NHL franchise could follow just as easily. Therefore, this would make Seattle one of the biggest sports cities in the nation, as long as the teams have success, and could even rival towns such as Boston (that only comes with HUGE success though). The acquisition of an NBA franchise has its positives up front, but has even more positives behind the smokescreen, such as the ones I just explained above. This would definitely make my Christmas a whole lot merrier.

3. The Mariners sign or trade for a superstar, or big power hitter

Everybody knows the Mariners need offense. The M's got some offense in their trade for Kendrys Morales this past week, but they still need a lot more. Like, a whole lot more offense. Some trade names that have been thrown out there in recent weeks are Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies and Andre Eithier of the Dodgers. Both of those players would be hard to pry out of their respective team's hands and it would take one or more of the Mariners' big pitching prospects. However, I would give up one of those prospects for either of these bats. There are some other power bats that could be attained through trades, but I'll leave it to Jack Zduriencik to find out exactly who he wants. However, Raul Ibanez won't cut it, at all. After or if we sign or trade for a power bat, I think the Mariners should sign Michael Bourn. He would set the table nicely for the big power hitters and would always bring his stellar defense to the situation. An outfield of Michael Bourn, Franklin Gutierrez and Michael Saunders would be a very athletic and effective group. Either way, the Mariners need to make some more moves to improve their offense and Jack Z knows this. I also think he might know that it would make my Christmas a little bit better. Actually, probably a whole lot better. Hopefully Jack Z makes a move for not just me, but for all of Seattle soon after Christmas.

Andre Eithier could bolster the Mariner's offense in a big way.

http://www.dodgersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/andre-ethier.jpg

4. Keith Price returns to his 2011 form in 2013

Fresh off a Vegas Bowl loss, this wish debuts at number four on my list. The Huskies were one of the most infuriating teams I've ever chosen to root for this year as their play-calling, decision making, performance and sometimes their effort were way below what I thought they were going to be at the beginning of the season. I think the reason for why this season was so frustrating to me was because I saw so much potential in this Huskies team. Sure, the first six games were tough, but the Huskies made it out of the gauntlet with a 3-3 record. I thought the season would have ended with a 9-3 record after the first six games, but probably more realistically an 8-4 record. Well sure enough, the regular season ended with a 7-5 record and in the end a 7-6 record was pulled out from the rubble. Leading the team this year was Keith Price and I thought he was poised for another outstanding year, but boy did he disappoint big time. After talking with Scott Enyeart yesterday, I think USC fans know what I'm talking about. Matt Barkley was poised for a Heisman caliber year and in the end it turned out to really be a dud of a season for Trojan fans. For once, Trojan and Huskies fans can relate in the ways that they feel. Oh what a jolly time Christmas is, friendships and all, but back to the point. It would make me so happy if Keith Price returns to his 2011 form in the 2013 season and depending on how well his year goes, this wish could end up being the best event I ever wished for! With a performance reminiscent of his 2011 season in the 2013 season, Keith Price could lead the Huskies to contend for a PAC-12 title.

5. Aaron Gordon announces that he will attend the University of Washington

This would be absolutely huge for Lorenzo Romar and the Dawgs. The Huskies desperately need a play-maker and star player, and they would be getting just that in Aaron Gordon. The Huskies are pretty darn boring to watch this year and the signing of Gordon would give a reason to all the Huskie's fans to come storming back to Alaska Airlines Arena. I know that I sure would. It looks like Arizona is the Huskie's biggest competition for Gordon as Kentucky already has a jam packed recruiting class, as they always do under Calipari. Gordon will likely make his choice after the college basketball season as he wants to see how each team on his lost performs throughout the year. I've also heard a rumor that Gordon is waiting to see what happens with Romar, as Romar could sprint off to UCLA if Howland is fired. I found these rumors hard to believe, but if it happens, you can say you read it here first (unless you read it somewhere else first...). A kid who is only 18 years old has the chance to make my Christmas. That's how good Aaron Gordon is.

Aaron Gordon would be a huge get for Lorenzo Romar and the Washington Huskies.



Honorable Mention: A surprise 5 or 4 star recruit for the Huskies football team, Sounders making it to the MLS Cup, Huskies make solid offensive coaching hires

As you can see, I dream big. All of these events have a realistic chance of happening and if they all do happen, the city of Seattle will go absolutely nuts. But on the other side of the spectrum, these wishes could all just as easily not happen and Seattle sports fans could be left to drown in their sorrows for once again another year. Obviously, I won't get instant gratification with any of these wishes as they will happen over time, being within the next year or five years, but I can live with that. I think Seattle sports fans, such as myself, have learned to be patient over the past 10 years or so. Don't worry, we can be patient again, we would just like to have our wishes come true once in a while.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall

Reaction to the Huskies Road Loss Against the Cougars

It doesn't matter what the size of the dog in the fight is, it matters what the size of the fight in the dog is. This quote pretty much sums up the entire game and the Cougars mindset. Contrary to the quote, there was absolutely no fight in the Dawgs this afternoon. Throughout the whole game, despite most of the third quarter, the Huskies looked slow and had a non-chalant attitude out in Pullman. Usually, people relate all of this back to the coach, and it is true that Sarkisian is part to blame for the lack of effort, but it ultimately goes back to the players. There is only so much this coaching staff can do to get a team ready. The team took the stance of the fans on to the field and thought they would just kill the Cougars. Unfortunately, that is not how it turned out for the Huskies at all.

This time around, the Cougars got the better of the Huskies, winning 31-28 in OT.

Ted S. Warren/AP

Everybody knows about the craziness of college football, from all the crazy upsets to the incredible breakout performances. In rivalry games, everything is thrown out the window. The win-loss record, the buzz around the team and the national ranking mean nothing in these huge games. It all comes down to how bad you really want it, as it does in almost any sport you play. The Cougars just wanted it more and with the Huskies already looking towards there nice bowl game during the holidays, the Cougars poored ice-cold water down the back of the Husky's necks. Expect some more crazy upsets this rivalry season as the Cougs just provided you all with the first one.

The big story of this game was the penalties committed. Sure, lots of blame can be put on the refs as they had some pretty atrocious calls, but the Huskies gave the refs a reason to throw all of those flags. This can be attributed to lots of things such as not being prepared for the game or mentally checking out. In this case I think there was a little of both and again, some blame can be put on the coaching staff for this. I still believe we shouldn't fire Sark (you can see our previous article about that), but there should be some strong consideration for a new offensive coordinator to help him out in his play-calling. I felt like there needed to be some more passing plays in the fourth quarter as the Cougs were stuffing up all of the Dawg's running plays, but Sark kept going back to the ground game. It all goes back to losing Nussmeier this offseason and it becoming more and more apparent of how big of a loss that was for the Huskies. But back to all the penalties. The Huskies committed 18 penalties in the game overall, tying them for the team record, and it was just downright inexcusable. If the Dawgs want to have any success next season, or even in their bowl game, they will have to limit their penalties. This is pretty obvious, but with how the players performed today, it wasn't obvious to them.

 

Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator for the Dawgs sounds like a Huskie's fan's dream right now.

The Birmingham News/Joe Songer

The outlook for the rest of the season looks a little bit like as follows. With the loss, the Huskies will most likely play in the Las Vegas Bowl and have the possibility of facing a solid Boise State team. They open up their 2013 season next year against the Bronco's so the result of this game could be a little preview of what the opener holds next year. The fans will be left with a sour taste in their mouth as the Huskies could have easily gone 9-3 this year with wins against the Cougars, as well as the Wildcats of Arizona. This loss to the Cougars could have some recruiting implications for recruits who are on the fence about the Dawgs, such as Danny Mattingly and Myles Jack, as they could be deterred by the horrific loss. However, I still think the Huskies will end up with a solid 2013 class and the 2014 class should and will be Sarkisian's best yet. However, this loss does nothing to help the Huskies recruiting pitch.

In the end, it was a heart wrenching loss for all the true Huskies fans and even though some feel the need to abandon ship, there is no need to. The Huskies outlook on the future is bright, as I have previously written about, and the 2013 season should be the best in the Sarkisian era yet. There should be an open battle for the QB position this offseason between Keith Price and Cyler Miles. This can only lead to successful outcome or better than a scenario with no position battle. It can kind of be compared to the Seahawks QB battle this offseason if Cyler Miles ends up winning. The Dawgs will learn from this mistake and loss, just like everybody else in the world does when they make mistakes. I still love the Huskies with a die hard passion and all of the true fans out there should as well. Go Dawgs!

Thank you for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates!

Marshall

Huskies Earn Second Victory Against a Top-Ten Opponent This Year

Coming into this game, Washington had lost three straight and had not looked good doing it. With the defense beaten up and the offense not coming close to its peak form of last year, UW fans were desperately hoping for a turnaround this week against undefeated Oregon State. In the first half, the fans got exactly what they had hoped for with dominant defense and solid offense.

Holding OSU to 110 yards in the first half, and two interceptions, the UW defense shut out the Beavers in the first. This stellar defense combined with Bishop Sankey’s powerful running, gave the Huskies a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. Sankey had over 60 yards and a touchdown in the first half and looked very strong running the ball, yet the offense couldn’t capitalize off of two turnovers. Part of the reason for this, was very questionable play calling by coach Sarkisian. Quarterback Keith Price barely threw the ball more than five yards downfield, and the passing game couldn’t get going.

Bishop Sankey pounded the ball in lieu to a 20-17 victory over the Beavers.

ESPN.com

One of the key sequences was when Washington had the ball and had what seemed to be a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown, but it was reversed and it was 4^th and goal on the one. They responded to the tough call, and ended up scoring a Bishop Sankey touchdown after choosing to go for it on 4^th down. While Washington dominated the first half, the third quarter changed the game and momentum completely.

Oregon State jumped out to a quick start in the third quarter and on their first drive, went 83 yards in two plays, capped off by a 53 yard touchdown reception by Brandin Cooks on a bubble screen. This touchdown play was the one play in the game where Sean Parker was not on the field. The Washington offense could not respond, and punted back to the Beavers. This resulted in OSU moving down the field once again and tying the game up with a field goal. The Beavers and Huskies held even 10-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Sean Mannion was mostly inefficient on the night, but did execute the bubble screen TD pass to Cooks.

AP Photos

The fourth quarter started off with some major excitement, when it seemed that Washington had an interception returned for a touchdown, but it was once again called back because of an unnecessary personal foul call that happened 25 yards away from the play. However, the Dawgs still retained the ball, but had to quickly punt it away, losing all momentum gained from the interception.

But once again, the Dawgs gained all the momentum back when the Huskies intercepted Oregon State quarterback, Sean Mannion, for the fourth time in the game. The Dawgs then drove down the field and aided by some key Keith Price passes, capped off the drive with a Bishop Sankey touchdown run. The poor play by Mannion, led to Oregon State switching quarterbacks to backup Cody Vaz, who had played well earlier in the season, when having to replace Mannion due to injury. He moved the offense down the field completing five of six passes including a 29 yard touchdown pass to tight end Connor Hamlett that tied the game at 17 with just five minutes to go.

The Huskies calmly got the ball back and methodically moved the offense down the field into Oregon State territory. This drive was highlighted by an incredible catch by Kasen Williams and a personal foul penalty that moved Washington into the red zone. A few plays later, with another interesting play call that lead to a fourth down, the Huskies kicked a field goal to give them a three point lead with 1:20 left in the game.

Keith Price was very efficient on the night. He wasn't stellar, but wasn't bad either.

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America

When OSU got the ball back, they started fast, completing back to back passes for first downs, but then their drive stalled. Cody Vaz threw back to back incompletions, to bring up third down, where he was then sacked for a loss of four yards. To compound the problem, the Beavers made a bone-head mistake, and got a delay of game penalty, to make it 4^th and 19. With an incomplete pass down the middle and one Husky kneel down later, the Huskies had captured a 20-17 victory against a top-ten team.
           
The story of the game was red zone production, as coming in Washington had been terrible in red zone offense, while Oregon State was very efficient. UW scored two red zone touchdowns, while OSU didn’t score any, and threw a first half interception while in the red zone. Red zone efficiency was a big key to the game tonight, and Washington won that battle, as well as the turnover battle, which made up for the fact that they were outgained 427-293 by OSU. If the Huskies want any chance at winning all of their remaining four games, they must win the turnover battle and keep up the good red zone efficiency. This was a great bounce-back win for the Dawgs, and should help them get back on track. The Dawgs face a motivated Cal team on the road at 6 pm on Friday on ESPN2. We’ll see if the Dawgs can convert their success at home on the road and pull off a solid victory at Memorial Stadium.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates!

Jackson Safon

What the Future Has in Store for the Young Huskies

I just turned the TV off at halftime and went to a friend’s house at halftime. That's how abysmal it was watching the Huskies compete, or should I say "try to", against the Arizona Wildcats. I came into this game thinking that it would be a turning point in the Dawgs' season after two tough losses, but boy was I wrong. After the losses against Oregon and USC, the Huskies needed a win to start the second half of their season out on the right note. We all know what happened and even though this loss was bad, some people overreacted to this loss way too much, like me. The thoughts that came into my mind were absurd and once I came back down to earth, I realized that the Dawgs do still have a bright future, despite this huge loss.

Steve Sarkisian has often been seen making this face in the 2012-2013 season so far.

AP Photos

Fans are fans and the reason why sports are so fun and entertaining to be around is because of all the true believers who think their team is number 1. Games and their results cause a great deal of commotion within the world of sports and there is a perfect example of this after the Huskies loss. Some Huskies fans started to call for Steve Sarkisians job following the loss, as well as the starting job of Keith Price, and I truly think that is absurd. Here are five reasons, just for that one guy on Twitter that Sark will not be and should not be fired:

 

1. There is too big of a financial commitment towards him at the current time. Sark is a multi-million dollar per year coach and with a firing, the athletic department would be left with some serious need for money, especially after the stadium renovation. A new high-caliber coach would cost just as much or maybe even more as Sark and if you add up the money for the new coach and the guaranteed money for Sark, it just doesn't work out financially.

2. Recruiting would take a serious hit. Sark has many ties within California as he has recruited that area for now over 7 or 8 years. He knows most of the powerhouse high schools coaches and to be honest, our team is basically made up of California kids right now. If we fire Sark, we lose most of these kids in recruiting and then end up with who knows what. Sark is too crucial for the Dawgs in recruiting.

3. Sark is actually, believe it or not, a great football coach. Sure he can improve, but everyone can improve in their daily jobs. Sark has developed many quarterbacks over his tenures of coaching and this experience only attracts high school quarterbacks to the University of Washington. Every player listens when he speaks and even though he might not be the best at getting his teams prepared on game day, he has made the hires around him that will help out this problem in the future (yes Tosh I'm talking about you). Sark’s experience around college football is too valuable for the Huskies to lose.

4. Another coaching change just provides more instability and excuses, and sends the team into chaos. The Huskies just had an overhaul of coaches. They can't have another coaching change, especially with the head coaching job, or the players won't know what to expect when they come into the office day in and day out. I just experienced a coaching change and it was pretty tough for me. This was on a high school level. Imagine what it would be like on a college level! It would truly be detrimental to all the current players. The program needs continuous stability for a substantial amount of time.  

5. Sark has shown VERY promising glimpses. Even though four years seems like a ton of time, in the whole scheme of things, it really isn't. Sure Sark has had time to develop the program and get the kinds of players he wants, but his first full recruiting class is just becoming seniors next year. He has earned big wins over Stanford, Nebraska and USC in his tenure and this shows some big promise to me. You can’t dwell on these wins, but nonetheless, they show the program is heading in the right direction. Sark has learned more and more each year he has been with the Dawgs and I think that the comparison to Jim Harbaugh is a fair one. In both situations, both coaches have learned from their mistakes in the previous years and have acted on these mistakes, such as Sark making the moves to create a better defense. In my opinion it will all come to fruition for Sark next year. You can say it as many times as you want, but the fact is, the Huskies are still young. That's not an excuse, it's the truth. With Keith Price's senior leadership next year, he should give everybody no doubt on who should be the coach in the future.

 

Keith Price can only hope that his senior season doesn't have the same start to it as his junior season did. He looks to pull it all together for the final five games of his junior season.

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

 

Sure, right after the Arizona loss I thought that it was all because of the terrible coaching and play calling of Sark, but as I took a step back from it all and truthfully looked at the situation, I saw that the loss was not 100% of Sark’s fault. He is still adjusting without his advisor and OC Doug Nussmeier and I think this is the main reason why UW's offense hasn't been as explosive as last year. Nussmeier really helped with the plan of attack in games and I just don’t see the same wise plan in this year’s offense. Add in the injuries to the offensive line and an injured Jesse Callier and you have an offense struggling for points. This has been the case all season, but don’t look for it to continue into next year.

The one big thing that Sark can currently do, and needs to do, is to win at least four more games this season. With the exception of Oregon State, every one of the teams remaining on the schedule is very beatable. Sark just needs to get his players ready on game day. If Sark doesn't win at least 4 of the next five games, I can see some of your guys' calls for a new coach justifiable, but until then Sark should feel no pressure of his job being taken away.

 

The Dawgs look to have a bright ending to their 2012-2013 season.

Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

I really think the Dawgs have a bright future and have thought for the past couple of years or so that 2013 could be a huge year in Seattle sports. The Seahawks should make a deep playoff run, the Sounders should make a deeper playoff run, the Mariners could be in contention with a few offseason signings and last but not least, the Dawgs could be looking at a Rose Bowl, at most, but definitely a solid bowl game in Keith Price's senior year. The Dawgs are young. Just wait until the Dawgs become more mature and wise next year because when they do, you'll be kicking yourself for ever questioning the ability of Steve Sarkisian and the rest of his coaching staff.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates!

Marshall

Big Game Preview: USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies

When I think of the USC Trojans, I think of the most talented team overall in the country. A team filled with future NFL players, the Trojans have some real superstars. With only one loss this season, many fans would consider this to be a great accomplishment for their team, but too much of the Trojan fan base, and many other fans around the country, the Trojans have had a disappointing season thus far. The Trojans were expected to knock the SEC of the pedestal this year and win a national championship (I certainly thought they would), but with an early loss to Stanford, those hopes look grim at best. However, if the Trojans win out and accomplish this in a big way, I could see them still contending for a national championship. BUT first, these Trojans have to get by the stingy and scrappy Washington Huskies. Here's my positional preview on the big game between the Trojans and Dawgs.

Offense
QB- Trojans- Matt Barkley is a surefire, top-ten, first round NFL draft pick this year. Probably even top five. He has all the tools you want in a QB and just gets the job done. Keith Price is a solid QB as well, but nobody matches up to the level of Matt Barkley in the conference, maybe even the nation (besides you, of course, Geno Smith). The Dawgs D will have a tough time, to say the least, with Barkley. Key Player: All-Around superstar Matt Barkley

Matt Barkley looks to lead the Trojans past the Huskies on Saturday.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images



RB- Huskies- This may come as a surprise to some people. You may ask how Silas Redd and Curtis McNeal aren't more skilled than little old Bishop Sankey, but in my opinion, Sankey is the back of the future for the Dawgs. He has had three straight 100-yard rushing games and even though one of those games was against Portland State, Sankey has proved his worth to the Husky offense with other great performances against Oregon and Stanford. With Keith Price struggling, Sankey is a precious commodity. Key Player: Little, but tough, Bishop Sankey

WR- Trojans- I mean what more can be said about Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. I've stated in previous posts that the Huskies won't face many teams with a better receiver than Kasen Williams, but the Trojans have two of those guys in Woods and Lee. Both, like Barkley, are surefire, first round NFL talent and when both are eligble (Woods after this year, Lee in two years) you can be sure they will have huge impacts on their NFL teams. There is only one Desmond Trufant on the Huskies, but two superstars on the Trojans. Trufant can only cover one. Good luck, Dez. Key Player: Trackstar Marqise Lee

Marqise Lee makes a leeping catch against ASU. You could see this happen again Saturday.

Norm Hall/Getty Images North America

TE- Huskies- ASJ got dinged up last week against the Ducks and that's the only reason why the Dawgs hold a slight advantage over the Trojans in this position battle, rather than a large advantage. The Trojans have two formidable tight ends in Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, but they don't match the size and skill of ASJ. If he is healthy, look for ASJ to be a key factor in this game. He could mean the difference between a win and a loss. Key Player: Bully on the playground, Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Austin Seferian-Jenkins' play will be key to a Huskies victory.

http://dailyuw.com/news/2011/sep/29/football-notebook/

OL- Trojans- With Khaled Holmes back and feeling 100%, the Trojans line will be led by an All-Conference caliber player in Holmes. Both lines, the Dawgs and the Trojans, have senior leaders at center, but more of the skill being on the Trojans side. The Huskies line has been getting better and better as more chemistry and experience have improved the entire line's skill. However, I still think that the consistency and skill of the Trojan line out matches the young UW line. Key Player: DJ Khaled Holmes

Overall Offense- Trojans- The Huskies offense has been disspointing this year, to say the least. Not to say that the Trojans offense has been all that people thought it would be, but they still have one of the best attacks in the country, even if they only mustered up 14 points against Stanford. They will look to shred the Dawgs defense with Barkley, Woods and Lee and find their way back on the path to the national championship. Key Player: Trackstar Marqise Lee

Defense
DL-Trojans- The Trojans have got some big boys up front. Lead by the sudden emergence of Morgan Breslin, the Trojans defensive line has been solid all year. I think they may get a little over hyped and it will show in the fact that the Dawgs offensive line will finally be able to protect Keith Price. The Dawgs have Josh Shirley and Danny Shelton, but that doesn't match the skill of the entire Trojan line. Key Player: Big man with the speed, Morgan Breslin

LB- Huskies- This year, Travis Feeney has been a huge surprise for the Dawgs, along with Thomas Tutogi. Both of these strong, quick young guys have been all over the field recently, after not even being considered as players who would have a big role in games this season. One of the reasons why the Dawgs were able to stuff up the run against Stanford was because of this linebacking crew. USC's backers aren't as skilled as our Dawgs' core. Key Player: The tarantula, Travis Feeney

DB- Huskies- With the surge of the stellar play of Desmond Trufant, not many secondaries will be as skilled as the Huskies. The trio of Trufant, Shaq Thompson, and Sean Parker have lots of skill between themselves and will attempt to contain Robert Woods and Marqise Lee Saturday. I think this will be a very tall task, but in the end, in my opinion, the secondary will be able to contain these superstar receivers. It could all depend on the play of Matt Barkley, but who knows, maybe Shaq will make a great INT just like last week and effect the game tremendously. Shaq will need to be on his game Saturday for the Dawgs to have a chance. Key Player: The five star, Shaq Thompson

Shaq Thompson will look to be a force on defense to slow down Marqise Lee and Robert Woods.

Photo by Saskia Capell

Overall Defense- Huskies- I truly think that the Dawgs have the advantage on the defensive side of the ball. While the Dawgs have a solid pass rush which may not be as skilled as the Trojans, the Dawgs have a better linebacking core and group of defensive backs than the Trojans and that is where the Dawgs will have the edge. However, if the Dawgs want any chance at a win, the secondary will have to be on their game. Key Player: The five star, Shaq Thompson

I really have gone back and forth with this pick. I've constantly said to myself a couple of things: The Trojans just had a bye week, but the Dawgs beat Stanford and the Trojans didn't! Hey maybe the Dawgs will pull it off! I mean the Dawgs do play amazing at home and are almost unbeatable, but the Trojans have one of the best offenses in the country... In the end, my prediction is that the Dawgs will come through with a victory. Keith Price will find his groove and with a balanced rushing attack of Bishop Sankey, look for this offense to be clicking on all cylinders come Saturday. The defense will be motivated by the huge crowd and will support the offense in drastic ways. Dawgs win it, 30-24.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall

Big Game Preview: Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks

The past eight years have been terrible for me. Whenever the O shows up on the schedule every year, I get fired up and am optimistic that this year could be the year the Huskies beat the Ducks. But time after time, the Ducks have just dominated the Dawgs, beating them by more than 17 each of the past eight victories. These are all well known facts about the Huskies and Ducks intense rivalry, but what may be unknown to some of you, are the position by position breakdowns of each team. Here is a look at which team has an edge at each position:

Offense 
QB- Huskies- Keith Price has all the potential in the world. He just needs some time to pass the ball. Overall he has more experience and has better overall skills than the freshman Mariota. Key Player: KP17

RB- Ducks- This is what these stupid Ducks are known for. Their ground game. At times it seems unstoppable and that's a fair assessment of the RB corps. DAT and Kenjon Barner are some speedy college kids. Key Player: Kenjon Barner

WR- Huskies- Again, as I have stated in the past, Kasen is most likely better than any of the opposing teams WR's. He is by far better than anybody that the Ducks have. The closest skill to Kasen on the Ducks at the WR position is possibly, maybe, could be, Josh Huff. He's always injured though. Key Player: Kasen Williams

Kasen Williams could have a huge impact on this game, but only if KP17 is on his game.

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

TE- Huskies- ASJ is a first round NFL talent, and everybody knows that. The last time I checked, there wasn't anything close to first round talent at the TE position for the Ducks. After all, how many players do they even have in the NFL? Key Player: Austin Seferian-Jenkins

OL- Ducks- The Huskies have been four lineman down for most of the season. That is a huge reason why our offense has been mediocre at best. The Ducks have a perfect offensive line to fit their scheme and that is why they win this position battle. Key Player: Nick Cody

Overall Offense- Ducks- Their just too quick and speedy. However, if the big three show up (KP17, ASJ and Kasen), look for the Huskies offense to be firing on all cylinders. Key Player: The X-factor, De'Anthony Thomas

DAT could run for over 150 yards, but first he has to get by Justin Wilcox's defense.

Nike

Defense
DL- Ducks- This defensive line is scary. Probably the best in the PAC-12, with the exception of Star Lotulei at Utah, and it will be on full display four four quarters. Look for them to put up Seahawk-esque numbers in the sack department. The Dawgs' line is solid, but can't match the firepower of these big boys. Key Player: Dion Jordan

LB- Ducks- The Huskies LB core has been playing fantastically the past couple of games. With the emergence of Thomas Tutogi, the Dawgs look like they have a solid core for years to come. However, this core can't beat the skill and experience of the Ducks. Seniors Kiko Alonso and Michael Clay (seems like he has been around forever) lead the talented crew in to battle. Key Player: Kiko Alonso

DB- Huskies- Even with the emergence of sophomore Ifor Ekpre-Olomu, the Ducks' secondary doesn't have the skill and experience that the Huskies have. The loss of John Boyett was a huge loss for the Ducks, let me repeat HUGE. He was a senior leader and likely would have made the defense one of the best in the nation. The Huskies have a future NFL-er in Desmond Trufant, as well as Shaq Thompson, and Justin Wilcox will use these two stars in as many ways as possible. Key Player: Desmond Trufant

Overall Defense- Push- Both of these now stellar defenses have proved themselves this year, the Huskies more-so. The Ducks definitely have the edge up front and in the linebacking crew, but the Huskies aren't far behind in skill in both of these positions. However, I think what makes this a push is the improved Huskies secondary under Keith Hayward and Justin Wilcox.

I'm always tempted to pick the Huskies over the Ducks and this can account to my passionate hate of Oregon. However, just like in sports, you can't let your head and attitude get the best of you. The Ducks are still the superior team in this match-up. You just can't deny the facts. Although I think the Huskies will win next year at home against the Ducks, the Dawgs will face a tough team in Autzen Stadium this year. My pick is the Ducks winning 41-24. I just don't see the upset, but hey, these kinds of upsets have hapenned before. Just not that often.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall

PhotoBlog- UW vs. Stanford

Here's a few pictures from the game last night at CenturyLink:

Big Game Preview: UW Huskies @ LSU Tigers

National exposure. Program changer. Recruiting impact. Top 25. Unbelievable. Amazing. Crazy. Almost impossible. Those are phrases and words that come to my mind when I think about one of the biggest games of the season and the Sark era. Every true Husky fan will be watching the game tomorrow, prime time on ESPN. Get your hot dogs, burgers, chips and salsa because it could be a long game, but thrilling as well.

The Vegas line on the game currently has UW losing by 24 points. That's truly absurd. The Huskies have proven themselves over the past two years and Coach Sark and KP17 won't let that happen. If the Dawgs lose, it'll be by less than 24. I'll bet you that. Players will step up with Callier, Riva and Chrichton out and will shock many viewers. In fact, it's time for the whole team to step it up. It's a statement game. It's time for a W. A big old fat one. Here's a preview of what will be on the field tomorrow night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Following, are positions on each side of the ball and which team I think has the edge in each position.

DT-- LSU-- Montgomery and his boys will just obliterate our depleted line.
DE-- LSU-- The line is just to big and even though Shirley has been impressive for the Dawgs, the Tigers are just to good.
LB-- LSU-- These linebackers have experience in the SEC. Ours? Not a lot of experience, even in the PAC-12.
DB's-- UW-- Desmond Trufant was absolutely ballin in the SDSU game and showed he is truly the best defensive player on the team. Add Shaq Thompson and James Sample, along with Glenn and Shamburger, with Trufant, and then you've got a solid secondary. The loss of Tyrann Matthieu will prove to be to crucial for LSU.
ST-- LSU-- Having a former rugby player on your team as a punter, always helps. All-American punter could keep the Huskies in their own end of the field.
OL-- LSU-- Even with their starting LT out for the game, LSU still has a ton of big boys up front who can protect Zach Mettenberger.
QB-- UW-- Keith Price will be why the Huskies win if they do. He will have to be on point tomorrow and is definitely more experienced and more skilled than Mettenberger.
RB-- LSU-- The Tigers have three solid running backs who lead their offensive attack. With Callier out, UW will be hurting.
TE-- UW-- ASJ will be key. He is KP17's safety net and will have to do a little of everything in this game to help the team win. Basically has to be the Huskies savior besides a guy named Keith.
WR-- UW-- With Kasen Williams on the team, you always have one better wide receiver than the other teams best wideout. The kid is a baller and will be the big play threat that the Tigers will have to keep their eye on.

All this being said, I will stick to my previous prediction, but also will add a couple of points in UW's favor, as well as LSU's. I say 31-20 LSU takes it. However if the Dawgs can contain LSU's monster line, they could pull off a victory and it will rise them to be a national powerhouse. They will be circled on everyone's schedule and will be feared by many. There could be an upset brewing. Everyone watch out for these hungry Dawgs... I have faith in my boys.

Marshall

Thanks for reading and follow us on twitter @seasportssoup. Keep checking back for updates.