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Friday, October 07, 2005

Husky Hope-ful

Despite having their butts handed to them in a take-out box by Cal and having their hearts torn from their chests by both Air Force and UCLA, there are reasons to be happy in Husky-Land. Good things are happening, and I'm not just talking about "moral victories." Consier the following:

1. Washington football is taking on a new image. A program marked by scandal and deception is showing signs of integrity. Shelton Sampson's departure earlier this week would undoubtedly have raised some eyebrows during the Neuheisel regime. But the new image, inspired by coach Tyrone Willingham, is a welcome change. Willingham's comment on Sampson's exit? "The good news is hopefully he will stay [in school] and get his degree."

2. The kids are buying in. Willingham has been urging the team to practice with excellence. Not only are players articulating this in interviews and press conferences, it's showing up on the field. A Washington team that had no business being on the same field as UCLA gave them a legitimate scare and proved that strides are being made on both sides of the football, especially in the running game.

3. Isaiah Stanback is becoming a solid quarterback. Husky coaches believe in Stanback and are developing him as both a player and a leader. He's always had a great arm, good feet, and an intelligent mind. For the first time in his career, he's starting to put it all together. More importantly, he's not making the types of mistakes that cost teams games.

4. The '06 recruiting class is shaping up nicely. Jake Locker, the 57th rated player on Rivals.com's top list, is the leading quarterback prospect on the West Coast and has already made a verbal commitment to Washington. Other four-star prospects committing to the Huskies are running back James Montgomery and defensive tackle Cameron Elisara.

5. The Huskies have the weekend off. With games looming against Oregon, USC, and Arizona State, there's no break in the forseeable future. The bye week can only help as Washington prepares for this nasty three week stretch.

Don't get me wrong. The Huskies are still a couple seasons away from getting back to the top of the heap in the Pac-10. But things are moving in the right direction.
Zoom on...