Yardbarker: Washington Huskies

BN Pac-10 Power Poll: Week 13

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:18 -0500

View full size photo » That's a wrap on the Pac-10 regular season. Oregon are conference champions, three teams are bunched up in a tie for second and preseason favorites USC are in a tie for fifth. Washington won five more games than they did last year to give them a total of five, Arizona St.'s play has landed Dennis Erickson on the hot seat, UCLA reached their six win goal and Washington St. regressed from a 2-11 season. You...

Draft expert Todd McShay puts Clausen at No. 3 on list of pro-bound QBs

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:29:22 -0500

Jeff D'Alessio, Sporting News ESPN's Todd McShay ranks for Sporting News the top five draft-eligible quarterbacks in college football: Jimmy Clausen forgoing senior year to enter NFL Draft. 1. Jake Locker, Washington junior. Could benefit greatly from another season under coach Steve Sarkisian but it will be tough to say no to the NFL. Locker possesses exceptional physical tools -- arm strength, release quickness and mobility -- and he's shown enormous growth in one ...

SF Chronicle: Which Cal will show in San Diego?

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:12:00 -0500

Kyle Whittingham is going to find out officially today that Utah, the team he coaches, has drawn Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl, and he will begin to watch tape of the Bears' season. After about an hour, and somewhere between the eight impressive wins and the four gruesome losses, he will turn to his coordinators and say, "Well, fellas, I have no idea what we're dealing with here. Let me know when you've figured them out." The Golden Bears completed...

Thomas, Pondexter help Washington rebound

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:36:04 -0500

Isaiah Thomas scored 21 points, Quincy Pondexter added 20 and Washington beat Cal State Northridge 88-76 on Sunday night.

No. 12 Washington holds off Northridge in foulfest

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:30:00 -0500

Isaiah Thomas scored 21 points -- 13 from the foul line -- Quincy Pondexter added 20 and No. 12 Washington responded to its first loss of the season with a foul-filled 88-76 victory against Cal State Northridge on Sunday night.

UW vs. Cal Recap

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 -0500

Heading into Saturday’s game against the California Golden Bears, it may have seemed that the Huskies had nothing to play for. Their bowl hopes were long gone, and it would be easy for them to lose composure after shutting out the Cougars in the Apple Cup. This was not the case, however, for the Huskies on Saturday. They set out to prove that they were still the team that beat USC.

In their last games as Huskies, Daniel Te’o-Nesheim and Donald Butler played their best games of the season, and the rest of the team rallied around the play of their seniors and blew Cal out of the water.

In the first quarter, the Huskies made a statement with their first drive. It started with a trick play as back up wide-receiver Cody Bruns ran the reverse and then passed down field to Jermaine Kearse for 38 yards. The drive then quickly ended as Locker found Kearse this time for 40 yards and a touchdown.

The defense rallied around the momentum of the offense with a great performance for the rest of the game. On their first defensive series, they struggled in the secondary and were the benefactors of a missed field goal, but in the rest of the game they displayed the strengths they showed in the Apple Cup.

Jake Locker continued the ousting of Cal as he ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more, and along with a Chris Polk touchdown run, the Huskies thrashed Cal 42-10.

Jake Locker
To the chorus of “one more year” and “don’t go Jake,” Locker clearly had his best game of the season, and it was against one of the Huskies’ toughest opponents. He built off of his game in the Apple Cup and played even better. In no game before did he go through his progressions with such confidence. He hit open receivers with terrific accuracy while spreading the wealth, and when none were open, he ran with success.

Locker threw for 248 yards with three touchdowns through the air, and he ran for another 77 yards with two touchdowns on the ground. It was no doubt his most complete game of the season.

For Huskies fans, he may have been too good. In Saturday’s game, Locker definitely showed the climax of his growth under the direction of Steve Sarkisian. As a result, he showed NFL scouts what they want to see; he showed great strengths as a pocket passer and manager of the game, while also displaying his game changing abilities on the ground.

However, Locker should listen to the fans. Another year with Sarkisian would be irreplaceable in his development as a quarterback. Others may make the argument that if the money is there now, Locker should take it and not risk injury in his senior season. But barring a career ending injury, Locker is already on his way to big money no matter the fact of whether he stays or goes. And in the long term, he will be a better player if he stays at Washington and gets the experience he needs. This experience will give him a better opportunity to succeed in the NFL, and it will give him the money as well.

The Defense
Nick Holt’s defense played tremendously against the high-powered offense of Cal. Te’o-Nesheim and the defensive line got consistent pressure on Kevin Riley of Cal, forcing him out of the pocket and into bad decisions. The defense also held the running game of Cal in check. Shane Vereen did have 92 yards backing up the injured Jahvid Best, but the Huskies did not let him take over the game as he showed the ability to do in a win against Stanford.

Te’o-Nesheim and Butler chose the right time to play their best games of the season. Te’o-Nesheim dominated Cal’s offensive line in route to three sacks, and Butler was all over the field, stopping Cal from ever feeling comfortable on the field. Both players are slightly undersized for the NFL, but if they bulk up in the off-season, both could be on their way to successful draft days.

This was a great performance by the defense to build on for next year. Butler and Te’o-Nesheim are leaving, but every other starter will return on defense. Add in some Nick Holt recruits, and the Huskies will have a great defense as guys like freshman Desmond Trufant continue to develop.

Jermaine Kearse
Kearse finished off a great season with his best game of the year as he had 147 receiving yards with one touchdown. He completely took over the first quarter of this game and gave the Huskies the momentum they needed against Cal. Kearse is only a sophomore, and he has already proved himself as one of the best receivers in the Pac-10. By his senior year, he may be the best.

Chris Polk
Washington had a difficult time establishing the run in this game, but Polk still had a solid game as he rushed for 94 yards and a score. Polk continued to run through defenders in this game and his hard nose running style will be essential to the Husky offense for three more years. Polk and Kearse will be huge weapons for the Huskies next year as Sark and the Huskies look to improve.

Success
Without a doubt, this season was a success for the Huskies. After their nightmare season last year, the Huskies regained some pride with big wins against USC, Washington State, and Cal. Of course it would have been nice for Washington to go to a bowl, and one more win would have done it. The Huskies should have won at Notre Dame, giving the Huskies that one win, but the season remains a success. They will be an extremely exciting team to watch next year as they continue to improve, especially if Locker returns.

NFL Picks: Week 13 Odds Winners Are Complete

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 11:09:00 -0500

The BCS bowl projections are a hot topic as are the week 13 NFL injuries for fantasy football players. However it's time for the top handicapping picks. Here is the objective rundown of who is hot and who has the big plays against the NFL point spread The Vegas strip stops when LateInfo releases a play. Yesterday the Washington Huskies, an underdog winning in a large rout wins from Big Red, the founding father of offshore sportsbooks. Now we turn to the best "local" action pu...

ESPN: Washington Stomps California

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:40:00 -0500

Jake Locker accounted for five touchdowns in Washington's 42-10 bludgeoning of California, so now the question is was that a big goodbye or a big signpost for things to come in 2010? Locker completed 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards with three touchdowns and he ran 14 times for 77 yards and two scores in an impressive dual-threat performance that stunned the 19th-ranked Bears. If Locker comes back for the 2010 season, the Huskies should be highly competitive in the conference. I...

Washington wallops No. 19 California in finale

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:01:48 -0500

Jake Locker made what could be his Washington farewell a memorable one, throwing for three touchdowns and running for two more, and the Huskies closed out their redemptive first season under Steve Sarkisian with a 42-10 domination of No. 19 California.

Locker scores five TDs in upset

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:48:00 -0500

Locker's five TDs help Washington upset No. 19 Cal

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:48:00 -0500

Washington rolls to 42-10 romp over No. 19 Cal

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:45:03 -0500

SEATTLE -- Jake Locker made what could be his Washington farewell a memorable one, throwing for three touchdowns and running for two more, and the Huskies closed out their redemptive first season u

Locker Dominates In Huskies' 42-10 Win Over Bears

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:57:13 -0500

First Take: Party Crashers

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:46 -0500

by Joey Whelan Is the Big 12 better than we thought? If early returns are any indication than that appears to be the case.Last night’s overtime win for Texas Tech over #10 Washington is just the latest impressive win for a Big 12 team not named Kansas or Texas (not that either has had an impressive win yet). Quincy Pondexter was huge for the Huskies netting 31 points, but a poor shooting night from Isaiah Thomas and five Red Raiders in double figures was too much to overcome. All the ta...

The Hunt: No. 9, Washington

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:57:40 -0500

The Hunt for the Most Interesting Team in the World is the Dagger's 2009-10 countdown preview series. Check out the overriding principles here. Last year's record: 26-9, (14-4 Pac-10) 2009-2010's toughest games: at Texas Tech, vs. Georgetown, vs. Texas A&M Primary attraction: Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies returned to the NCAA tournament in 2009 for the first time in three seasons. Now they're the among the favorites in a down (very down) Pac-10. Three items of undeniable i...

Hello Enes Kanter!

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:00:00 -0500

As of this afternoon, the Huskies have landed a five star recruit whose name is not Terrence Jones. Enter Enes Kanter, a 6-10 five star forward recruit coming from the great country of Turkey. Kanter came over to the States and is currently enrolled at Stoneridge Prep in California.

Kanter won MVP of the U18 European championships this summer. He averaged 18.6 points and 16.4 rebounds in the tournament. This guy is a monster. He can rebound and he has range extending to the 3 point line, plus he can score from the post. Think Jon Brockman and a little bit of Spencer Hawes combined. Combine those two guys and you get Enes Kanter.

Once Kanter came to the States, 50 schools were pursuing him for his services including UConn, North Carolina, Kansas, and Ohio State--everyone wanted him. Some mock drafts have him coming out in the 2011 draft, meaning he would be a one-and-done for the Huskies.

Why the Huskies? Kanter is said to have a good relationship with Husky assistant coach, Ralph Chillious.

However, there is some bad news to come with this. There may be some future eligibility issues. His history over in Europe seems a little cloudy.

From ZAGSBLOG:

Kanter is now at his third high school this year. Findlay (Nev.) Prep and Beckley (West Va.) Mountain State – and a slew of colleges — have been scared off by Kanter’s professional background, which has sparked the interest of the NCAA.
Kanter grew up playing for Turkish club Fenerbahçe Ülker’s youth teams. Last fall he made his pro debut in the Turkish Basketball League and later played in the Euroleague
“Fenerbahçe, they stuck him in like eight or nine games just to screw with his eligibility because they’re ruthless,” an industry source said. “European clubs don’t want their kids coming him to America.”
Multiple sources said Kanter didn’t take any money for his appearances, but the NCAA prohibits players with professional backgrounds from competing on an amateur level in the U.S.
“At the end of the day, he didn’t do anything wrong,” Mountain State coach Rodney Crawford said. “He himself didn’t break any rules or break any laws. Now the NCAA, that’s up to them to decide.
“The issue was him playing professionally, which is true, but is not true.”
Kanter may end up having to sit several games in college, similar to what happened to John Wall of Kentucky and John Riek of Mississippi State.

Resources:
Draft Express Profile/Scouting Report
Scout Profile

The Evolution of Quincy Pondexter (Through 4 Games)

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

The Huskies looked solid last night. Although, former-Husky Adrian Oliver torched them for a good 30 points. Quincy Pondexter had some interesting things to say about Oliver leaving the Husky program. Check out his quote here.

Speaking of Pondexter, he has impressed me throughout these first four games. He has picked up right where he left off after his stellar play in the NCAA tournament in March. I don't know how he's reached this level of play, but there is no doubt that he is a different player from last season.

These last four games he's put up point totals of 12, 25, 29, and 30. Last night to go along with his 30 points, he had 15 rebounds as well. Looking at the stat line, I could have mistaken him for Jon Brockman circa 2009. I did not know Pondexter had the capability to grab 15 rebounds, but he has been able to do it. It looks like this team will be another classic dominating rebounding team, even with the loss of Brockman.

Obviously, the season is still young, and it is still too early to reach some conclusions about Pondexter and his play, but I do not foresee this guy declining. If there has been one way to characterize his play in his past three years at UW, it would easily be his inconsistency. Ever since he arrived a four star recruit, UW fans have patiently waited for a breakout season. Pondexter did have glimpses of above average scoring ability, but this season he has reached a new level.

Perhaps the most interesting development to come out of Pondexter's newfound scoring prowess has nothing to do with him. If Pondexter is putting up 20 point nights, what exactly happens to the production of Isaiah Thomas? Isaiah will still score at least 15 points and is just another threat for teams to zero in on. I do not think opposing teams or even Coach Romar know who this team's first option is. This makes the Huskies an extremely dangerous team that will be scoring points in the bunches.

I am looking forward to the Huskies' game on December 12th against Georgetown. We will see how Pondexter will be able to handle a well-capable defender, and by that time we'll have more games to judge this Husky offense on.