Washington game. Break it down.

[bleedNUred]

I am having a really hard time believing this will be a difficult game for us. I am trying to come up with reasons we will have a difficult time and just cant. Wash was a 5-7 team last year who got a scrappy win agianst the worst USC team this decade. Other than an unimpressive win over USC there really isnt anything to indicate they are a "resurgent" program. They have Jake Locker but not really anyone else surrounding him, I dont see him tearing apart arguabley the best defensive secondary in the nation and another stout D-line.

 

This is also a team that on avg gave up more points that it forced. Being that it is the third week of the year our offense should be healthy and wont be as bad or worse than last year.

 

This is just my high level over view and maybe I am looking through rose colored glasses, but I just cant find anyway that we lose this game. Barring an ISUish type performance.

That's how I feel it should be as well. Let's hope we don't find a way to screw ourselves (ISU repeat).

[deedsker15]

i don't think we will kick their butt by any means but i believe we can get the game in hand by the 3rd quarter so it is never really in doubt

[Nexus]

THIS JUST IN....

 

Former starter and 5* Tight End dismissed from team today.

 

 

 

 

Tight end Kavario Middleton has been dismissed from the University of Washington football team for what the school has termed "a violation of team rules.''

 

A school spokesman said that neither the school, nor head coach Steve Sarkisian, will have any further comment.

 

It is unclear what may have led to the dismissal. Middleton, a graduate of Lakes High and one of the team's top recruits for the Class of 2008, had been attending the team's regular summer workout sessions as recently as last week.

 

Middleton, who would have been a junior in 2010, started 11 of 12 games for the Huskies in 2009 and was the leading receivers among tight ends with 26 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns --- the most catches for a tight end since Kevin Ware's 42 in 2002.

 

He had fallen to second team at the end of spring practice, however, behind junior Chris Izbicki, and the battle for that spot figured to be one of the most heated of fall camp.

 

Middleton was one of the most highly-touted recruits of the Class of 2008, named a Parade All-American and the No. 4 tight end in the country by SuperPrep.

 

With Middleton gone, Izbicki will enter camp as the starter and UW will suddenly be thin at a spot that looked like it could be a position of strength. Also listed as tight ends are redshirt freshman Marlion Barnett, walk-on Marek Domanski and true freshman Michael Hartvigson. Also a possibility is Dorson Boyce, who came to UW as a JC transfer tight end in 2009 but was moved to fullback in the spring.

 

UPDATE, 3:15 p.m. --- One thing I can add is that this does not appear to be related to anything legally. Middleton's legal record does not show anything significant.

 

UPDATE 3:30 p.m. --- A couple more things to add. Also doesn't sound as if it was academic. People have asked about drug tests, but UW is not allowed to randomly test for drugs per state rules.

 

What it sounds like is that this may have been a gradual building up of issues.

 

Middleton had frustrated coaches with his effort at times. He also upset them with the comments he made before the Apple Cup last season (which were caught on TV so he couldn't claim to be misquoted).

 

It's also known that Middleton asked to walk-on to the basketball team last year and was told he couldn't by the UW football coaches, who wanted him to concentrate on football and didn't feel as if he'd earned the right to play try to juggle two sports. Middleton was known to be a little miffed by that.

 

Sarkisian also caught reporters a bit off-guard last spring when he said that Izbicki was the starter at tight end, saying he hoped it might challenge Middleton to improve his game.

 

LINK

 

 

[Husker from Kansas]

the biggest problem with this game is the hype surrounding it, usually a lesser team doesnt have alot of hype surrounding them, but washington does because of their qb, and this kinda hype can cause a team to play beyond what everyone thinks their capable of because they become confident. and if you let a bad team hang around late in the game and they are confident then they will beat you. just like isu did last year, they hung around us and became more confident as the game went on and did just enough to beat us. imo this is not a team to be taken lightly

[billdozer15]

the biggest problem with this game is the hype surrounding it, usually a lesser team doesnt have alot of hype surrounding them, but washington does because of their qb, and this kinda hype can cause a team to play beyond what everyone thinks their capable of because they become confident. and if you let a bad team hang around late in the game and they are confident then they will beat you. just like isu did last year, they hung around us and became more confident as the game went on and did just enough to beat us. imo this is not a team to be taken lightly

 

It works both ways. Remember USC game in 07? How did that hype machine turn out?

[RockyMountainOySker]

I want to hear a breakdown from a Washington fan...I thought I remember a few on here....where are you!?!?!?

[Husker from Kansas]

the biggest problem with this game is the hype surrounding it, usually a lesser team doesnt have alot of hype surrounding them, but washington does because of their qb, and this kinda hype can cause a team to play beyond what everyone thinks their capable of because they become confident. and if you let a bad team hang around late in the game and they are confident then they will beat you. just like isu did last year, they hung around us and became more confident as the game went on and did just enough to beat us. imo this is not a team to be taken lightly

 

It works both ways. Remember USC game in 07? How did that hype machine turn out?

 

i totally agree, and thats a great point! im just hoping we dont go into this game thinking we will roll them and have to come home to lincoln with our tails between our legs! but i dont think bo will let that sorta thing happen after last years isu mishap

[GMoose]

I think the Washington faithful are excited because this team showed flashes of improvement. Although I agree that 0-12 to 5-7 isn't as good as going from 5-7 to 10-2, its a heck of a turnaround. They should have beat LSU in week one, they beat USC (even though the stars lined up for UW in that one), and they beat a decent Cal squad. And if my memory serves me right they beat Arizona as well. Of course they lost their fair share, but I think it's the writing on the wall that give them hope. If they can get some consistency they should be a bowl team this year. Does that mean they'll beat us? I wouldn't bet on it. But they definitely showed flashes in Sark's first year.

[Blackshirt316]

I think the Washington faithful are excited because this team showed flashes of improvement. Although I agree that 0-12 to 5-7 isn't as good as going from 5-7 to 10-2, its a heck of a turnaround. They should have beat LSU in week one, they beat USC (even though the stars lined up for UW in that one), and they beat a decent Cal squad. And if my memory serves me right they beat Arizona as well. Of course they lost their fair share, but I think it's the writing on the wall that give them hope. If they can get some consistency they should be a bowl team this year. Does that mean they'll beat us? I wouldn't bet on it. But they definitely showed flashes in Sark's first year.

 

 

That schedule isn't nearly as good as you make it seem. Their wins are against Idaho 42-23 (way too close. I'd be worried if we gave up 23 points to Idaho and only scored 42 on what may be a bottom 5 defense) A very close and lucky game against a down USC squad a 3 point win over that mediocre Arizona team we blasted in the bowl game, a win against the worst team in the BCS - Washington State and a blowout win against Cal in a game that was pretty much meaningless for Cal.

 

They lost at home to LSU, got beat down at home by Stanford, got beat in overtime by a very weak Notre Dame team, Got beat by an Arizona State team that followed up that game by going on a 5 game losing streak and could very well be worse than Washington State this season, they got blasted at home by Oregon, couldn't hold on to win a game against a very mediocre UCLA team (who almost lost to Temple in their bowl game) and got blasted on the road by Oregon State.

 

Home field is supposed to be the reason they have a chance to win this game but last year other than a miracle against USC their home wins were against Idaho, Washington State and a 3 point win over Arizona.

 

Color me completely unimpressed.

[JOEY]

My prediction

 

Nebraska 35 washington 10

Washington at the end of the game has 50 yards rushing and 150 yards passing

washingtons 1 td is an interception that lee threw at our own 20 yard lone and there fieldgoal is a 50 yarder with the wind at the kickers back