Look for Steve Sarkisian to turn around Washington’s woeful football program
Just as thinking heads argue about whether leaders are born or made, college football fans argue about whether the coach or the players make the team.
Let’s settle this last argument once and for all: the coaches make the team, not the players. If not, then the players would recruit the players, while it is the coaches who recruit the players who, with great preparation from the players, make the team successful as the program progresses.
Yes, it’s true that even great coaches can’t do much with fake players; that’s why they immediately recruit better players and train them to be up to date.
My territory is Western Washington, the state, not the Beltway to DC. Let me share with you not what I think, but what I know about the coaches and players of any team.
When the Seattle Mariners were going nowhere at 1,000 miles per hour, I immediately predicted success with the hiring of head coach Lou Piniella. Piniella came in and announced that the Mariners were going to start winning, but sadly, three-quarters of the players on the roster wouldn’t be there to enjoy the success. Within two years, 5 players remained from their original roster, and the Mariners’ winning streak that began in 1995 is a happy story for Seattle fans.
When the Seattle Seahawks were splashing around doing nothing but taking up space, acting like a football team but not playing like one, I immediately predicted success with the hiring of head coach Mike Holmgren. Holmgren was much bigger than many of his players and was not interested in excuses; You were responsible and you acted or you were gone. The Seahawks started winning immediately and dominated their division.
When the University of Washington Huskies were winless in 12 games last year and had some of the worst performance statistics of any NCAA team, I immediately predicted success with the hiring of new head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Nicknamed “Sark”, Sarkisian is half Armenian, half Irish and all winner. Sarkisian and his handpicked staff, including defensive coordinator Nick Holt, will get the Huskies back to winning ways, and he won’t make a career of it. He will pass. He will witness a big step forward in his first year.
Sarkisian takes over a team that achieved these dismal national rankings last year: rushing attack (106 out of 119 teams), passing attack (101), total attack (116), scoring offense (118), rushing defense (117), air defense (62nd), total defense (110th) and scoring defense (116th). Washington scored 13 points per game and allowed an average of 38 points per game.
There is no way you can win games with these silly numbers. Was Washington’s coaching staff last year the worst in the nation? You better believe it; that’s why they have evicted the premises.
This is not a pretty image for Sarkisian to inherit. However, you have to remember that Sark is a winner from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. He spent 7 of his last 8 years in Southern California, first as the quarterbacks coach, then as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
During his tenure under head coach Pete Carroll, USC was in a BCS game EVERY year for the last 7 years, unmatched by any team in college football. USC also has the best winning percentage among BCS teams: 85% (6-1). Sarkisian’s record as offensive coordinator over 2 years was 22-3, and he called the offensive plays on the sideline.
Sark also coached two Heisman Trophy winners: Carson Palmer in 2002 and Matt Leinart in 2004. He also mentored fellow NFL draft picks John David Booty and Mark Sanchez.
Washington’s newest head coach was also a standout quarterback at Brigham Young University. As a senior, he led the nation in passing efficiency as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champion Cougars went 14-1 and won the 1997 Cotton Bowl.
Sark has been a standout winner as a player and coach. He knows how to win. He’s not going to surround himself with a bunch of losers at the University of Washington.
Virtually all players want to win, but far fewer have the will to prepare to win. Sark will quickly find out who will pay the price to get better and have fun in the process. Those who can’t cut the mustard will be watching a lot of football games instead of playing in them.
At 35, Steve Sarkisian is one of the youngest head coaches at a major college football program. It doesn’t matter. Just because a head coach has 15 years of experience doesn’t make him good. Competence, direction, judgment, focus, and enthusiasm count more.
The Pac 10 Conference media types recently released their preseason poll, picking Washington to finish in ninth place, just ahead of 10th-place Washington State.
The more I hear about head coach Steve Sarkisian and assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Nick Holt, the more I like Washington’s chances to exceed expectations with a finish better than ninth.
The final word from the practice field is that Husky’s offensive players are going to legally block, a very important element in zone blocking schemes. Holt is going to find out who can take down players and who can’t. Those who can’t will be spending less time in the field.
The cut block is legal when the blocker goes below the knees of a defender with the helmet facing the defender. It is illegal when the blocker attacks the defender from the side or from behind, or when the defender is blocking another offensive player.
Doug Nussmeier will be the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Washington opens its season at home on Saturday, September 5 against Louisiana State (LSU), 1 of the top 6 25 preseason teams the Huskies will face this season (the others are USC, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oregon State and California). Oh!
Washington fans and supporters are excited to get better; they’re sick and tired of being slapped around by the teams the Huskies used to dominate, especially when Don James was in charge. Dawgfather’s career mark in Washington was 153-57-2 (73%) from 1975 to 1992, and the team participated in 14 bowl games, winning 10. They also went to bowl games 9 consecutive years.
Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley