Previewing BYU's 2010 Opponents: Washington

by Michael Rueckert on May 28, 2010 9:01 AM PDT in Mountain West Football

The rematch of BYU's controversial victory over Washington in 2008 is back after taking a year off. This time in Provo.

Everyone remembers the Jake Locker celebration incident when BYU blocked an extra long extra point attempt to win a road game in Washington. That was about as close to a win Washington came that season as they went 0-11. This season Washington will certainly be much, much better.

To predict how good Washington will be you have to start with the nightmare 2008 season. After going winless the Huskies hire USC coordinator and former BYU player, Steve Sarkisian. In Sarkisian's first season Washington went 5-7 with victories over USC and Cal. Not great, but a huge improvement from the previous season.

Washington looks to continue to build off their new momentum and returns just about everybody. The Huskies return 11 offensive starters and 8 on defense. They also have possibly the best quarterback in the country in Jake Locker. After shocking many people by deciding to stay in college, Locker looks to make a strong run at the Heisman in 2010.

Five players from Washington were named to Phil Steele's Preseason All Pac-10 First Team. 11 Washington players were named to his All Pac-10 total. Some have even placed Washington in the Preseason Top 25 including Sporting News where they rank the Huskies at No. 25. Quite a leap from a 5-7 season.

It's hard to say who has the edge coming into the game. BYU will be playing at home where they are 22-2 since 2006 but will be replacing many of their starters from 2009. BYU's quarterback will be in his first game as the starter and possibly first college football game ever if Jake Heaps wins the job.

Washington certainly should continue to improve with Sarkisian and should be better than last year. The question will be how much better?

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I think UW takes this one...

We only lose our LT (who isn’t that great of a loss) and should be able to hang 35 on nearly anybody in the country. Locker is the best QB in the nation, and he has the best corps of WR’s in the Pac-10 and we return a 1110 yard rusher.

Our defense is a question mark, but with another year in the system and some physical changes I think we should improve more than most are giving us credit for. Our LB corps is among the Pac-10s best, and our secondary is solid coming out of spring (plus we bring in a top 5 S in Sean Parker this fall). DE is a big if, but our top to DE’s were out this spring and will return for fall ball.

If I had to make a call, I would say UW 35 BYU 24

Should be a good one though.

by B Money on May 28, 2010 9:53 AM PDT reply actions

I think it will be close

UW won only 5 games last year, and BYU is awesome at home. If they had Unga Id definitely give BYU the edge, but without its a toss up.

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by Jeremy Mauss on May 28, 2010 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

BYU has almost their entire OL returning

But other than Jacobson, they’ll be starting all new skill players at WR, RB, TE and (especially important at BYU) QB.

Defense is a concern for BYU this year too, as they’re returning only 3 full-time starters (CB Bradley, CB Logan and SS Rich) and maybe two more that count (DT Fuga and LB Pendelton).

This is the least-experienced BYU team in a long time (they return the fewest starts in the MWC outside of New Mexico). I may have forgotten some returning missionaries, but they’re very low on experience.

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by displacedute on May 28, 2010 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions

O'Neill Chambers

is back at WR so that helps.

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by Jeremy Mauss on May 28, 2010 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Right, forgot Chambers

between Jacobson and Chambers they’ve got 58 receptions and about 1000 career receiving yards returning, so that’s not bad.

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by displacedute on May 28, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Unga and Hall are gone

that Offense is gonna struggle. UW only won 5 last year, but did it with alot of personel from the 0-12 season. Most of the shabby O-Line is gone or much improved and that group of Fr WR’s is now Jr’s and much better.

The biggest difference — and this is widely known amongst UW fans — is the strength program that was overhauled when Sark arrived. He hired “Ivan the Terrible” as we affectionately call him, who’s whipped our O and D lines into shape. A zone blocking scheme which plays to our smallish O lines strenghts and some key Fr additions for depth signal a Husky win to me.

BYU narrowly escaped with victory over one of the worst teams in FBS history. I won’t be hugely suprised if BYU pulls one out at home, but I would not place a bet on a true Fr QB and unproven RB’s.

by B Money on May 28, 2010 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions

i agree in the battle of the jakes i think locker is just a tiny bit better.

maybe a byu fan can tell me how they win this game. i’m all ears?

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by wolfmanshowlforever on May 29, 2010 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions

the spread should be interesting. i hope the huskies actually get 3 points b/c the home team usually gives

3 points if the handicappers think the game might be evenly matched. i’ll take the revenge factor and the points. sorry byu. nothing personal. it;s just that you don’t have a qb with ncaa experience and don’t give me that mop up duty and usu experience that was years ago for nelson if he does win the battle for the starting job.

by wolfmanshowlforever on May 29, 2010 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll take UW to cover if they're favored by less than 4

otherwise I’m taking them straight up.

I’m afraid that UW is going to get a bit over hyped with all the Locker heisman noise. I’d love to see them come in as 3 point dogs, I’ll be placing a mighty hefty wager on them if that’s the case.

by B Money on May 29, 2010 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions

I sure can't

and the two Jakes are entirely different animals.

Coming out they were about equal, Heaps at the top of a weak class and Locker #4 in a super strong class.

As Freshman

Advantage Locker: Athletisism, arm strength, size, speed
Advantage Heaps: Accuracy, Football IQ, Intangibles, proven winner

Heaps is built for BYU’s short field passing offense. He’s like a polished version of Kellen Moore as a Fr.

by B Money on May 29, 2010 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Proven winner?

Heaps hasn’t played a down of college football yet. I wouldn’t call him a proven winner (despite what he did in HS) yet.

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by Michael Rueckert on May 29, 2010 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions

He won state titles in WA

and lost only one game to the 2nd best team in the state in 3 years as a starter…

he’s as proven a winner coming out of HS as you can be.

by B Money on May 29, 2010 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions

ok

but still a little different from HS to FBS level.

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by Jeremy Mauss on May 30, 2010 7:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Football IQ?

I doubt that as well. Heaps best competition came in HS while Locker has played 3 years of big time football.

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by Jeremy Mauss on May 29, 2010 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions

I was comparing them as Freshman...

that’s why is says “as Freshman”

by B Money on May 29, 2010 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Also, "coming out they were about equal"

by B Money on May 29, 2010 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Didn't see the "as Freshman"

You’re right then, Heaps is a more proven winner.

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by Michael Rueckert on May 29, 2010 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions

its fuuny your actually giving heaps so many props.

just like the man here. you have to prove it on the fbs level.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Jun 1, 2010 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions

I watched him throughout HS

and he’s really good. He made the right choice going to BYU, he can start right away, grow with an offense tailor made for him and he’s got some good talent coming in with him. In 3 years BYU could be a real contender…but I never said that.

He sure does have to prove it, but he’s proven his mental toughness in my mind the last 3 years in High School.

by B Money on Jun 1, 2010 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions

the response to the jake comments was for the byu fans who visit here.

they keep saying nelson has experience. years ago. jake locker is going to light up byu.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Jun 1, 2010 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

BYU Victory For Certain!!

There is no doubt in my mind that BYU will win this matchup.

1. They are at home and have proven to be dominant.
2. Eat Pac-10 teams for breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the years.
3. Even tho they graduated players, still great deal of talent reamain and incomming.
4. Coaches that remember the taken-for-granted effort last matchup and will not let that kind of effort take place again.

Look for a new winning tradition to be started with this years QB at the helm for BYU as they win 45-28 as the big play and special teams for BYU are a big factor in this game.

Watch and learn UW how you too can build a winning tradition with your coach and program. It wasnt long ago that BYU wasnt as dominant after Lavelle Edwards retired and the program took a downturn before taking a huge upturn again under our current staff.

Go Cougars!!

by kwrose14 on May 31, 2010 1:37 PM PDT reply actions

Certainly possible

I just think the amount of talent loss might be too much for BYU to handle. Washington has not been good over the past few years, and I would give the edge to BYU but I think it will be close. Remember in 2008 when BYU snuck by that team that went 0-12.

BYU for the win in the early projection, but a close one.

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by Jeremy Mauss on May 31, 2010 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions

KW, you might want to check on point #3

BYU has the fewest number of returning starts of any MWC team (with the exception of UNM). They will be the least-experienced MWC team next year (again, except UNM). Now, they might be very talented, but very little of that talent (except the OL) has shown anything on the field so far.

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by displacedute on May 31, 2010 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I think the BYU’s “controversial victory” over Washington in 2008 doesn’t have a real sustainable thing behind it. In fact, this seems to be just another legend of this sport. rca ieftin

by rcaieftin on Jun 23, 2011 4:40 AM PDT reply actions