Wednesday Wanderings: The Dawn of a New Era in Seattle Sports

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.

There is no way to start this edition of Wednesday Wanderings in a clever way. There are too many options for me to choose from. Don’t you Cano what I mean? What a couple of weeks it’s been in Seattle sports and I’m sure my phone is not the only one that has run out of power before 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon because I couldn’t stay off Twitter. I love rumor season and it’s definitely that time of the year again. Who needs the Holidays when you have rumors? From coaching changes to a superstar signing with the Mariners for the first time in a billion years, the battery of my phone has hated Seattle sports for the past two weeks. Oh and rumor season isn’t even close to ending. There are still Choo many free agents left on the open market in baseball and recruiting mayhem is just around the corner, if it hasn’t started already. By the time this article is published, approximately 10 rumors have probably already come out, making me look like the least modernized guy on earth. I feel for the Seattle times. This past Friday, the day that will live down in history in Seattle sports, the front page of the Seattle Times sports section consisted of articles stating that the Mariners were meeting with Robinson Cano and that the Huskies were meeting with Chris Petersen. By the time most people read those articles that morning, Petersen and Cano had both agreed to contracts with their respective teams. Oh the dying newspaper industry… Very sad in all honesty.

There is too much information to talk about for just one Wednesday Wanderings column so my thoughts will probably continue to pour out about this past week’s events into next week’s edition of Wednesday Wanderings. Or they’ll just all pour out in this edition and you’ll have to sit through reading thousands of words on the computer. We’ll see how my brain feels. Clearly, I’ll be discussing the Mariners’ big moves, the Seahawks’ demoralizing loss, and a little bit about the new man in charge of the Huskies. Let’s dive in to the week that was in Seattle sports.

Every Mariners blog and website always publishes an article on moves the team should make in the offseason. Usually these articles are very well thought out and some writers put in lots of hard work on these pieces. I always enjoy reading these because it makes me dream big. Jason Churchill’s version of this piece always excites me and I think he is the man to talk to when it comes to Seattle Mariners baseball. The dude just gets it. But one prediction I didn’t see in anyone’s pre-offseason article was that the Mariners were going to sign Robinson Cano, the best second baseman in the game of baseball. Now, I don’t blame any of these writers because I probably wouldn’t have predicted this happening either. I just assumed that he and Jay-Z would sign back in New York. Well looks like I was completely wrong, once again. I can’t seem to predict anything right these days. But for once, I’m very happy I was wrong. Even though the Mariners overpaid for Cano, it was desperately needed. Cano brings a culture change to the Mariners’ team. It lets the rest of Major League Baseball know that the Mariners mean business for the first time in a long time. Jackson, a staff writer here, tried to argue that Dustin Pedroia is clearly the best second baseman in the Major Leagues. Well I have news for you buddy: he’s not. Cano’s WAR (wins above replacement) the past two years (2012 and 2013): 8.5 and 7.6. Pedroia’s? 4.9 and 6.5. We all know that WAR does not mean everything and that it’s getting to be a stat that is a bit overhyped, but this clearly shows something. Cano has been invaluable to the Yankees and has been the best on the team for the better part of the last five years or so. He doesn’t have as much support around him as Pedroia has had. Cano’s mainstay in the lineup has been hitting second, but he has also occasionally hit third. Pedroia’s mainstay in the lineup has been hitting third, while occasionally batting second. It is harder to put up stats and produce in the second position in the lineup than the third, and despite this, Cano still has the better WAR rating. Pedroia is a better fielder than Cano, but look who still has the better WAR rating: Robinson Cano. Both players are within a year of each other in age so that really isn’t an argument in this situation. While judging whether this Cano deal was good or not for the Mariners in the future, clearly it won’t be decided on how Cano performed versus how Pedroia performed. But a point needed to be made. The Mariners signed the best second baseman in the league and I don’t even think there is really an argument for Pedroia. And for all you haters out there who disapprove of this deal, talk to me when Cano is mashing pitching and bringing some much needed fame to the most dismal team in Seattle. He’s already brought enough fame for free agents to give Seattle a longer and harder look when deciding which team to sign with. Just ask Corey Hart.

Robinson Cano brings hope to a hopeless franchise.

Not surprisingly, the Mariners followed up the Cano signing by making two more moves this afternoon. They agreed to terms with ex-Brewers outfielder Corey Hart on a one year contract and then traded for Marlins first baseman Logan Morrison. At first glance, it might seem like the former might be a better move than the latter. And trust me, your first glance holds true. Hart is a proven outfielder, and even though he didn’t play last year because of knee issues, he’s put up All-Star like numbers in the past. What if Hart decided to turn back the clock on us this year? Say to 2010 or so, a year he hit .283 with 31 home runs and 102 RBI. We all know that this kind of production won’t occur this year, but say the Mariners get at least 3/4ths of that production. And what if Logan Morrison decided to turn back the clock as well? Say to the year 2011, a year he hit .247 with 23 home runs and 72 RBI. Morrison is much younger than Hart so it might be realistic to say that he could produce more this year than he did in 2011. Even if he gave 3/4ths of his 2011 production this upcoming year, like Hart might, both players would combine to hit around .265 for 42 home runs and 129 RBI. At the end of the season, Jack Zduriencik would probably look back and think to himself, “Wow, I made some good moves on that Wednesday afternoon in December.” All in all, I think the Mariners got better as a team this afternoon and that’s saying a lot considering they made moves for two guys with knees that probably look like strings by now. And the Mariners aren’t done just yet. They are rumored to be in on Nelson Cruz still and even though most people absolutely hate this guy for the Mariners, I think he would be a solid pick-up. Under one condition: the price has to be right. He’s been a Mariners killer in the past so as the saying goes (with a little adjustment to it), if you can’t beat them, buy them. If the Mariners signed Cruz and then added a number three starter to their rotation via free agency (Ubaldo Jimenez maybe?), I think they would be considered contenders this upcoming year. It’ll all workout in the end, as long as former Mariners employees don’t bash the team publicly anymore (shout out to Geoff Baker though for an amazing article).

Can Corey Hart return to his 2010 ways with the Mariners? The city of Seattle, along with the woman on his right arm, hope so.

Pro Sports Extra

Now moving on to the most beloved team in Seattle, the Seahawks. Actually, to illustrate how big the Cano signing was, I think the Mariners might have been the most beloved team in Seattle last Friday. Actually, on second thought, the Mariners probably still sucked in fans’ eyes. Fans will find ways to bash the Mariners at any point in time, even if they were to win consecutive World Series. It’s just how the pessimistic city of Seattle works. But moving on. I think the Seahawks lost a tough one at the hands of the 49ers this past Sunday. For the first time this whole season, it felt like the team really needed Percy Harvin. He would have helped the team to victory in my opinion, but of course, he was inactive, like he probably will be for the remaining three games of the season. Hey, at least the team will have him for the playoffs, that is if he doesn’t trip over a blade of grass again and hurt that glass hip of his. As we all know, Percy adds another dynamic to this team that just wasn’t there on Sunday afternoon: speed. Russell Wilson has speed, but he didn’t show it Sunday. It seemed like Russell was holding himself back for something. Maybe to save his body for the playoffs? Well he still got hammered early and often as Navarro Bowman absolutely destroyed him on the opening drive of the game. Wilson was pretty efficient through the air, but for the first time this season, I was worried that the opposing team’s defense was talented enough to stop the Seahawks offense. I guess you could call it a game of firsts for me because it was also the first time this season where I didn’t have overwhelming confidence in the defense. They looked slow out there and it didn’t help that the San Francisco 49ers completely took Earl Thomas out of the game by sending wide receivers downfield to block him on nearly every rushing play. That’s just good coaching. To stay on this subject, and to stay on the theme of firsts, it was also the first time on Sunday that I felt like the Seahawks truly got out coached. Darrell Bevell has had some questionable play calling in the past and you could count this as bad coaching, but the overall coaching of the entire staff did not impress me Sunday, Pete Carroll included. Richard Sherman called the game an “overhyped practice” during pre-game festivities. The coaches can’t let that mentality creep into the minds of these players. You get to play once every seven days of the week and it’s called “gameday” for a reason. It’s not a practice of any sort, overhyped or not. Sherman did not impress me on Sunday and hasn’t been very impressive the past couple of weeks. But maybe that’s just because I’ve come to expect so much from him. Opposing teams have to complete a pass on him sooner or later. It’s just bound to happen. I also really hope he does not read this. He could embarrass me in a heartbeat on my beloved twitter. Anyways, that being said, I think Sherman will be able to rebound this week as he faces an uninspired Giants squad, though they have nothing to lose. Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks should provide some challenges for the Seahawks secondary, but not challenges that the Legion hasn’t seen in the past. I think the Seahawks win easy, despite the early start time. And I don’t think it’ll stop there. In fact, the Seahawks won’t lose a game for the rest of the season. Yep, that’s right, I’m predicting the Seahawks will win the Super Bowl. I know that’s a very bold prediction. Had to go out on a limb for that one! Let’s move on to the other football team in town.

I think the Huskies finally found the right guy to lead their program to the next level. Chris Petersen just isn’t like other coaches. 92-12? Unheard of. Turning a mid-level program into a consistent winner at Boise State? One of the hardest things to do. Coaching on a blue field without throwing up? Probably the biggest and best thing he has accomplished thus far in his coaching career. I see Chris Petersen retiring as a Husky with at least one National Championship ring on his hand. At least a Rose Bowl ring. I’m bummed I have to move away for college because I really want to see Petersen’s first year on the field in person. But hey, maybe it’s just a sign I need to attend the UW. It’ll be an exciting year, way more exciting for Husky fans than Steve Sarkisian’s first year as the head coach of the Huskies. I think Sark did great things at UW, but he always seemed like he had two sides to him. At times, he seemed like the nicest, most pleasant guy on the planet, but I could always tell that there was another part to him. Something shady. Shady may not be the right word, but sneaky to an extent. I’m not trying to insult Sark’s character in any way, but I’m just pointing out what I saw when the media interviewed him after multiple practice’s. But he’s not the coach anymore. Chris Petersen is. Petersen developed two and three star recruits so well at Boise State. Now just imagine what he will do at Washington with four and five star recruits. We’re talking about a lot of NFL talent coming out of Washington over the next decade or longer. Sarkisian was like the charger that revives your phone from a dead battery and I think Petersen is a special phone case that keeps the phone with power and battery life at all times. The Huskies have finally graduated from mediocre coaches in the past decade and have already stepped up a level under the control of Petersen without even playing a game yet. Can they take those next steps on the way to becoming elite? As usual, only time will tell. But the Petersen era has arrived. And it’s here for the long haul.

Husky fans hope Petersen's coaching is as perfect as his teeth are.

The Tacoma News Tribune

Well there you have it. Now you know what happens when my thoughts on Seattle sports are pent up for multiple weeks in a row. It’s like a dam coming down, my thoughts being the water that soaks up the dry riverbeds (also known as your minds). I know you’ve all loved my analogies today especially that last one right there. I’ll try to throw a few more of those in over the course of the coming weeks. It’s probably what will keep you up at night, thinking about my stellar analogies. On a serious note, I think the current state of Seattle sports is the best it has been in the past decade. The Mariners are on the rise, the Seahawks are at the pinnacle of the NFL and the Huskies are close to returning to national prominence once again. Throw in the Sounders and you have a city that’s been deprived of success in sports, now drowning in the championship possibilities of each of their beloved teams. Promising times are ahead and even though a few of these new eras (Mariners and Huskies) may get off to rough starts, the Seattle sports gods will straighten them out in no time.

It’s a hard transition to go from talking about the potential of a city’s sports teams to talking about Madden, but I’m about to do just that. It’s just how my mind works. Jumping from one train of thought to another in no time. Anyways, I’m destroying Jackson in the Madden series now. I don’t even know what the record of the series is, but I’m up on him by at least two games. I put up 67 on the scoreboard today with the Eagles. I was bowing down to Chip Kelley for once. You can all be sure that will never happen again.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read/suffer through this. It means a lot to me. Please comment below with any thoughts that are currently sticking out in your mind after reading this column. I will be sure to get back to you within 12 hours. I promise you. If I don’t, contact me and I’ll give you a pack of Skittles signed by Marshawn Lynch. Seriously. He signed a pack of Skittles for me. Probably the best day of my life. Have a good week Seattle sports nation!

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Wednesday Wanderings: Seven Win Steve No More, Percy Has No Mercy, and Sounders Finally Do Something Smart

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.

The debut of Percy Harvin was almost as spectacular as the debut of this Wednesday Wanderings column just seven weeks ago. Now this column may not have the notoriety of a guy like Percy Harvin, but just you wait, it will in no time (no time meaning lots of time). However, there is a way that this column and Percy Harvin are exactly alike. People laugh at both of them. Percy for being so freaking good, and also this column, for being so freaking good. But actually, I think this column is freaking good when it comes to making you laugh. Anyways, enough with this nonsense.

We’re in the heart of the football season right now and that’s clear if you travel around Seattle. Fans are out in full Huskies and Seahawks gear and will always stop and say, “Go Dawgs” or “Go Hawks” if they see you wearing similar apparel. But it’s always like this around Seattle. In the summer, fans are wearing the same gear. You don’t see any Mariners blue. The passion of the football fans in Seattle never ceases to amaze me and that’s why fall is the best season in Seattle. Despite the Huskies getting stomped by the Bruins of UCLA, Husky fans still showed their pride on Saturday and Sunday. And you already know what happened with the Seahawks. They continued their winning ways, with a little more Harvin number 11 jerseys in the crowd than games in the past. Here are my thoughts on the week that was in Seattle sports.

So, what happened to last Friday being Steve Sarkisian’s signature victory on the road? Was he just not ready or were the players not ready? I think it was a little bit of both. Austin Seferian-Jenkins has to catch that ball early in the game to keep that drive going. More importantly, it’s probably a good idea that you don’t give UCLA the ball in scoring position in the first couple minutes of the game. So much for that. Despite the fumble, I think the team rebounded well in the first half and if it wasn’t for the horrid Pac-12 referees, Demore’ea Stringfellow would have had his first touchdown catch of his career right before halftime. I didn’t know that putting your hands on an opponent’s shoulder was considered hands to the face. Care to explain refs? Yeah, I didn’t think you could. I’m right with Sark on this one as he basically said what good is an apology now if it cost us six points in the game. This is probably one of the only things I will agree with Sark on though, because I definitely did not agree with his play calling at points in the game. Wildcat formation on third and two on a crucial drive in the game? Really Sark? Do you think the Bruins are expecting Bishop Sankey to turn into Tom Brady on one play? I mean really, if I was the Bruins’ defensive coordinator, I would have pretty much sent everyone I had on that play. Pretty obvious the Huskies were going to run it there. At least put the quarterback in there to make the defense think.

Overall, I think the Huskies would have won the game if Keith Price played the second half, but as was obvious he didn’t. If the Huskies want any chance at winning this weekend, Keith will have to be under center and will need to continue on his impressive season so far. I think Cyler Miles is a great quarterback, but it’s just not his time quite yet. It might not even be his time ever though, as I think redshirt freshman Troy Williams could beat him out this upcoming offseason. That doesn’t matter right now though. All that matters to this team right now is to go into Corvallis and upset the Beavers. Steve Sarkisian will be the happiest person in the nation if the Huskies secure a win on Saturday because they won’t be able to call him seven win Steve anymore. Why? Because there is no way the Huskies are going to lose the Apple Cup at home this year. No. Way. And that would be the Huskies’ eighth win. The Huskies have motivation from last year and are the far more talented team that will be playing on that crisp day after Thanksgiving. But they have to deal with the Beavers first and even though you might call me a homer, I think the Dawgs will be able to win this one. With Keith Price at the helm I think the Huskies win it 38-34. With Cyler Miles at the helm, I think it might be a little different story. But not that much different. 37-34 with Cyler at the helm. Huge contrast in predictions, right?

A sight soon to be seen again: a Husky holding the Apple Cup.

The Seattle Times

Now moving on to the Seahawks. My score prediction for the game this past Sunday was off by one score for both teams and that’s pretty good by my standards. I usually whiff completely on predictions, as you all know. There was really no doubt the Seahawks were going to win on Sunday and if you had to miss one game to watch this year it probably would have been this one. But that would only be true if there wasn’t a man named Percy Harvin in this world. This ended up being the one game you didn’t want to miss because of this man. I know I looked for him every play to see if he was in the game and I’m sure a lot of you did as well. Seeing those navy blue tights and bright green shoes in the game was almost too good to be true at times. I was watching the game with my partner in crime Riley Brown and I remember telling him right before THE kickoff return that Percy Harvin would take it all the way to the house. I was a little off, but not too far off. What a return to introduce himself. It’s never a good idea to leave a gap up the middle that big for a guy like Percy Harvin. I was actually surprised he didn't take it back all the way, but the kicker made a great tackle. It’ll be fun to watch this guy when he’s implemented throughout the whole playbook.

Staying on the topic of Harvin, he was only in on 16 plays, but it felt like more than that. He changed the game in so many ways that didn’t show up on the stat sheet like drawing a pass interference penalty (even though it was called back because of a Russell Okung hold) and drawing the safety to cover him up the middle leaving a wide open right side of the field for Russell Wilson to throw a dime to Doug Baldwin. And you’re telling me that was only 16 plays? Please sign me up for a full workload of Percy Harvin, but dear God, please do not let him get injured again. He’s already put in too much work to get to the point where he is today.

The Seahawks are off this week, but are readily preparing for a Monday night showdown with the Saints in a little over one and a half weeks. That will definitely be one to watch. Jon Gruden’s love for the Seahawks was approaching Brent Musberger’s love with Katherine Webb territory before Percy Harvin was on the field for the Seahawks, and now that Percy is back, Gruden might just jump out of the booth. It’ll be a fun one to watch and I’ll give my prediction on that game in the next edition of Wednesday Wanderings.

 

Watch out Percy. He's got his eyes on you (along with Drake). 

Seahawks.com and BlackSportsOnline

The Sounders made a little noise this past week as they agreed to multi-year contract extensions with both Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans. I think these are two exceptional moves by the Sounders’ front office and if management is indeed shopping Eddie Johnson like reports say they are, I think these moves will look even better in the long run. There is such a thing in sports as being too good. That’s the problem the Sounders have right now in the attacking part of their lineup. Eddie Johnson, Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey and Lamar Neagle all want their goals, but only so many can be scored. If Eddie Johnson is let go, I think it almost makes the Sounders better. Dempsey will be able to work his magic, Obafemi will get all the passes he wants and needs, and goals will definitely be scored with Evans and Alonso threading passes to them up front. Plus, it gets rid of a guy who has been whining for money for quite some time now. Those are just my two cents though.

Writing the Wednesday Wanderings column never gets boring and it’s even easier to write when you destroy people in Madden earlier in the day. I put up a 50 spot on Jackson today and am now leading the series 6-4. I’m pretty sure that’s the overall record, but if it’s not, I know I’m leading it by at least two games. He just can’t get by my defense. Go back to the drawing board buddy! Anyways, thanks for reading another edition of Wednesday Wanderings. If you have any comments, criticism, hate or love, please just comment below. Everything is appreciated. And I truly mean that. Have a good week Seattle sports nation.

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

A Closer Look at UW Huskies Football Recruiting

The Huskies have done a very solid job recruiting thus far. As we enter the last three months prior to signing day, where every day is hectic in recruiting, we take a look at the verbal commitments the Dawgs have received so far and some of the recruits who are seriously considering UW. Here are the Huskies current 18 verbal commitments:

Verbal Commits

Troy Williams (Narbonne HS/Calif.) – QB

Lavon Coleman (Lompoc HS/Calif.) – RB
Demore’ea Stringfellow (Rancho Verde HS/Calif.) – WR
Darrell Daniels (Freedom HS/Calif.) – WR
Sammie Long (Lakes HS/Wash.) – WR
Sean Harlow (San Clemente HS/Calif.) – OG
Andrew Kirkland (Jesuit HS/Oreg.) – OG
Dane Crane (Santa Margarita Catholic HS/Calif.) – C
Elijah Qualls (Casa Grande HS/Calif.) – DT
Andrew Basham (Lynnwood HS/Wash.) – DT
Jaimie Bryant (Tumwater HS/Wash.) – DT
Daeshon Hall (Lancaster HS/Texas) – DE
Marcus Farria (Centennial HS/Ariz.) – DE
Connor O’Brien (Santa Margarita Catholic HS/Calif.) – OLB
Caleb Tucker (Ouachita Parish HS/Louis.) – OLB
Sean Constantine (Bellevue HS/Wash.) – MLB
Kevin King (Bishop O’Dowd HS/Calif.) – CB
Cameron Van Winkle (Mt. Si HS/Wash.) – K

The class so far, made up of mostly three and four-star players, is a class that can come in and make an impact on the program right away. Whether it is on the field in games or improving the starters in practice, this class has displayed lots of determination and heart. This class isn’t even near done either as Sarkisian and his staff of ace recruiters look to add some more top-tier talent. Here is a look at some of the remaining targets on the board and the kind of shot the Huskies have at landing each recruit.

Washington's ace reruiter, Tosh Lupoi.

Kim Grinolds/Dawgman.com



 

Players UW is Currently Recruiting

Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga HS/Calif.) – S

This long and hard-hitting safety has been considering the Huskies for a while now. He has family in the South and has been considering LSU, but recently has been focusing on four schools, those being UCLA, Oregon, USC and Washington. The Dawgs have a shot at landing this big-time recruit, but I think he ends up heading to L.A. to play for the Bruins.

Max Redfield (Mission Viejo HS/Calif.) – S
This kid is a player. One of the best safeties in California, if not the west coast, is a current USC- commit, but all those USC commits will be taking their visits as they never know when their scholarship offers could be lifted with the limited scholarships. Redfield was recently wowed by his trip to Notre Dame and has always consistently mentioned the Ducks, Irish, Huskies and Trojans in his top schools. The only way the Dawgs have a shot with him is if they impress him on his official visit up to Seattle for the Utah game. I still think he will end up at USC.

Myles Jack (Bellevue HS/Wash.) – LB

This pure athlete has always been on the Huskies radar. Ever since he moved up to Bellevue from the South, his recruitment and popularity has blown up. Even though he is currently committed to UCLA, the Huskies have always been in contact with him. He has been to every Huskies home game this season and seems to be wavering in his commitment a little bit. Even with this waver, I still think he ends up as a Bruin.





If the Huskies can get Myles Jack to flip his committment, he could contribute right away for the Huskies linebacking core.

northwestprepreport.com

Danny Mattingly (Mead HS/Wash.) – TE/LB
A two way athlete, Danny Mattingly impressed many scouts during the course of this past summer. Colleges have given him the option to play either linebacker or tight end at the next level, but I see him as more of an effective linebacker for the Dawgs. Unfortunately, Mattingly is committed to Notre Dame, but the good news is that rumors have come out that he has silently decommitted from the Irish after he took an official visit to Washington for the USC game. However, Mattingly has always been enamored by what Oregon has to offer and if the Ducks accept his commitment, look for him to end up there.

Johnny Johnson (Central High East Campus/Calif.) – CB
When Johnson returned from his official visit to Seattle for the Stanford game, he exclaimed that he had a great time. This visit really put the Dawgs up there with his leaders, Stanford and UCLA, and the Dawgs have a good shot at landing this big-time corner prospect. If he gets into Stanford, he’s going there, but if he doesn’t, it will be a tight battle between the Bruins and the Dawgs. I think he’ll end up as a Huskie if this happens.

Joe Mathis (Upland HS/Calif.) – DE/OLB
This quick and strong elite pass-rusher is a former UW commit (that was a while ago though). He has all the makings and strength to contribute immediately at the college level and is looking to take an official visit up to Seattle after his high school season is over. The Huskies stiffest competition is UCLA, USC and Utah. I think Mathis will eventually end up as a Dawg again. His love is just too strong. 

Other names to watch: Thomas Duarte, John Ross, Khalfani Muhammad, Riley Sorenson, Eddie Vanderdoes, Cameron Walker, Patrick Enewally, Austin Hooper, Aaron Cochran, Victor Egu, DeOnte Reynolds, Nic Purcell, Randy Gregory, Jermaine Kelly and Chris Hawkins.

Elijah Qualls looks to convince some other recruits to join him in the Huskies 2013 recruiting class.

Tom Hauck/ESPNHS

In the end, I think the Huskies will come out of these last three months with prospects that have the potential to impact the program in a positive way. These prospects may not be all that highly rated, but in the end, the only thing that counts is their performance on the field. Many top-tier prospects have turned out to be busts and many under the radar recruits have turned out to be stars. You just never know. I think this Huskies staff has the eye and knack for impactful talent and I trust their experience to tell them who to recruit and who not to recruit. I mean their getting paid more money than all of us for a reason, right? I trust our smart and educated coaches.

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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.

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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

Death Valley- Previewing the Huskies First Six Games

The Huskies 2012 football team is up against a tall task, taller than any task Sark and his boys have faced in his four year tenure. Four of their first six opponents are ranked inside the top 21 teams in college football. A tall task for any team if you ask me. The Huskies have always setup their first games playing A, B, and C caliber teams so they can ease into the season and be ready for Pac-12 play. This year they are doing the same thing, playing their B game first against San Diego St., then the A game against the third ranked LSU Tigers in Death Valley and finally the C game against Portland State. After the trio of games and a needed bye week, the Huskies head into Pac-12 play. Usually the beginning of league play isn't to hard for the Dawgs, but this year they open up Pac-12 play against the three best teams in the league, the 21st ranked Stanford Cardinal, 5th ranked Oregon Ducks and finally against the number 1 team in the nation, the USC Trojans.

AP Photo/The Daily Herald, Jennifer Buchanan

The first game of the season shouldn't be to hard for a BCS conference team as these teams look to keep a clean record early on in the season. The Huskies should have an easy time with the Aztecs of San Diego State and should be 1-0 heading into one of their toughest matchups in Sark's era. Even though Tyrann Matthieu was kicked off the team this week for drug use, LSU still poses a huge threat to the Huskies. However, I think this game could be closer than most people think. With an already clear improvement within the defense in practices this early fall, the Huskies will have the tenacity to compete with a solid LSU offense. I think if the defense can contain the LSU offense throughout the entire game, limiting them to less than 30 points, the UW offense will be able to muster up 30 or more points. However, my biggest concern is the LSU defensive line. They are just too big and strong for our unstable O Line and KP17 could be finding his knee problems re-occurring during the game, due to all the times he will be sacked. In the end the LSU defense will prove to be to much to overcome for the Huskies offense and the LSU Tigers will secure a 30-17 victory over the Huskies.

After a tough loss in Death Valley, the Huskies will easily rebound against the Portland State Vikings and flex their muscles. They will head into their first bye week with a 2-1 record. During the bye week, the Huskies will rest up and mentally prepare for a grueling three week schedule, arguably a harder three week stretch than any other team in the nation. First up is the Stanford Cardinal, at home. The loss of Andrew Luck will prove to be to crucial for the Cardinal this season. The Cardinal defense has also been sub par in the past and their cornerbacks wont be fast and strong enough to cover and keep up with Kasen, James Johnson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Keith Price will absolutely shred their defense and on the other hand our improved defense will hold the Cardinal below 20 points. This will be a nice upset victory for the Dawgs, beating the Cardinal 31-20.

Heading into their fifth game of the season the Dawgs will be sittin' pretty at 3-1. However, they will run into a road block. A huge one at that. The stinkin' Oregon Ducks. The team any UW fan hates the most. Their fans are cocky and obnoxious and the only reason they are good is because of a rich Uncle they have named Phil. That being said, they are one of the best teams in the nation and the loss of Darron Thomas will help them to say the least. I never thought he was that good. I don't know why there was so much hoop-la surrounding such a mediocre quarterback when you have an even more talented one waiting in the wings. That would be Bryan Bennett. The kid placed in Oregon's offense will keep the UW defense on their heels and the Huskies won't know what hit them. Oregon will put a plethora of points up on the board and will do it FAST as well. KP17 should lead the offense to some nice scoring drives against a tough Oregon defense and put up plenty of points, but in a shootout, Oregon usually comes out victorious. In a battle of the offenses, Oregon wins it 45-31.

Following two tough, bone-wrenching games, all the Huskies have to do is come home and play the best team in the country: USC. Sounds easy right? The Trojans are my pick to win the national championship this year, but their toughest game of the year will come on August 13 at Century Link Field. Even though the Huskies will be beat up, they will pick themselves up when the Trojans come to town, just like they have in the past. Matt Barkley will win the Heisman this year, but I think the task at hand on this day will be insurmountable. The coaching staff will get the Huskies FIRED UP for this game against the Trojans and the defense will have their best performance all year, forcing turnovers left and right. The offense will be its usual self and will put up a solid amount of points on the board against a great defense. I'm predicting Sean Parker and Kasen Williams will have their biggest games all year against the Trojans. The fans will rush the field after this one and Sark will keep his streak of victories over USC at home alive. The Huskies will wreak havoc in front of many fans and recruits and will upset the Trojans with the final score being 24-14.

In my opinion, after those first six games and because of the experience they will gain of playing such good teams so early, the Huskies will remain unbeaten for the final six games on the schedule, bringing their season win loss total to 10-2. I know this is going out on a limb here, but the Huskies new defense should prepare the team for a big year and will help them out more than any other year in the Sark era. The offense will have a banner year, even better than last year with KP17, Kasen and ASJ leading the way. I feel like Sark's fourth year will prove to be a special one, showing his new coaching hires were the best moves he's made yet.

From a high school student's perspective, you hope the Huskies can upset all the big name teams, but you know that's not going to happen. You hope to see under a head coach's fourth year, vast improvement within the team and that's what I think you get in 2012. I'm already looking forward to next years recruiting class as well as it should be a top-20 class. The Huskies will surprise many people this year. I feel a Rose Bowl berth in the making sometime in the near future. Maybe not this year, but in 2013, the whole country better watch out for the Washington Huskies.

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Marshall