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Huskies 2018 season

WizardHawk

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Looks like a few way too early lists are putting UW somewhere between 5 and 16. I honestly doubt any of the folks making these lists have really looked deeply into our program and are simply picking where to put them based off what they think of our HC and maybe looking at who is graduating.

I can say I sure do have concerns, but then I can't remember a year where I didn't. Kind of the nature of college football.

The schedule is a mixed bag. They don't play Arizona or USC, but they do have a very challenging opening game on the road in the heart of SEC country and a pair of road games at UCLA and Oregon in early October that provide the opportunity for a let down. Petersen has done well with opening game challenges, but this is for sure a huge one with maybe more on the line than any he has ever had.

On defense I mostly worry about replacing the insane productivity of Vea, but I also wonder if they have the LB's against teams like Auburn. Outside of that I like them against the rest of the Pac teams they have on the schedule.

Offense and special teams really still are the main areas of any real worry. They have to get competent in their kicking game and be able to make mid range FG's if they have any chance against Auburn in particular. You can't leave points off the board of any kind against those types of defenses.

With Pettis leaving they are left with major questions about who will step up and keep defenses honest enough to allow for any type of deep running threat.

Browning still doesn't look anywhere near where he needs to be in games with a solid pass rush and there's little doubt Auburn will be in his kitchen all day. He's got to be effective in those games in order to have any type of running threat. He has to get in sync with a new slate of receivers right away.

Hamdan has a lot of upside, but also a lot of unknowns. He's not an experienced play caller and what a game to break into that with. And we have no idea if he is going to make supbstantial headway with Browning's development.

I'm not saying I'm all gloom and doom. There are plenty of positives as well, but we all know the difference between 5th and 10th in the nation can be just a few of those smaller areas of weakness.

I doubt we really come out of spring with much more information than we have now.
 

mcnabb7542

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I know the talk about Browning and his lack of the deep throw has been the banter of 2017, I wouldn't be shock if he comes back a little sharper this season with the deep ball.
 

WizardHawk

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I know the talk about Browning and his lack of the deep throw has been the banter of 2017, I wouldn't be shock if he comes back a little sharper this season with the deep ball.
I don't really worry about the deep ball nearly as much as just how he responds to pressure. That's the single area of his game that will determine if this team can make the playoffs IMO. If he doesn't get a lot better with guys in his face they don't finish higher than 10-2.
 

seahawksfan234

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Looks like a few way too early lists are putting UW somewhere between 5 and 16. I honestly doubt any of the folks making these lists have really looked deeply into our program and are simply picking where to put them based off what they think of our HC and maybe looking at who is graduating.

I can say I sure do have concerns, but then I can't remember a year where I didn't. Kind of the nature of college football.

The schedule is a mixed bag. They don't play Arizona or USC, but they do have a very challenging opening game on the road in the heart of SEC country and a pair of road games at UCLA and Oregon in early October that provide the opportunity for a let down. Petersen has done well with opening game challenges, but this is for sure a huge one with maybe more on the line than any he has ever had.

On defense I mostly worry about replacing the insane productivity of Vea, but I also wonder if they have the LB's against teams like Auburn. Outside of that I like them against the rest of the Pac teams they have on the schedule.

Offense and special teams really still are the main areas of any real worry. They have to get competent in their kicking game and be able to make mid range FG's if they have any chance against Auburn in particular. You can't leave points off the board of any kind against those types of defenses.

With Pettis leaving they are left with major questions about who will step up and keep defenses honest enough to allow for any type of deep running threat.

Browning still doesn't look anywhere near where he needs to be in games with a solid pass rush and there's little doubt Auburn will be in his kitchen all day. He's got to be effective in those games in order to have any type of running threat. He has to get in sync with a new slate of receivers right away.

Hamdan has a lot of upside, but also a lot of unknowns. He's not an experienced play caller and what a game to break into that with. And we have no idea if he is going to make supbstantial headway with Browning's development.

I'm not saying I'm all gloom and doom. There are plenty of positives as well, but we all know the difference between 5th and 10th in the nation can be just a few of those smaller areas of weakness.

I doubt we really come out of spring with much more information than we have now.

Good evaluation. I can't disagree with much of what you posted.

I'm personally not all that concerned about the defense. We return 9 of 11 starters and we will have a full year of Byron Murphy who was absolutely spectacular in his limited playing time this year. We have to replace Vita Vea and Keishawn Bierria, but given the bunch of defensive talent we have coming in (Kaho, Taimani, Letuligasenoa) combined with the further development of some of our younger defensive starters, I think the defense will be just as good, if not better in 2018 than it was in 2017.

On offense, the Huskies get Chico, Trey Adams and Hunter Bryant back from injuries plus the addition of two premium WRs in Spiker and Osborne.

I think that overall, the team will be better in 2018. Not by leaps and bounds, but by a slight amount.
 

seahawksfan234

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I don't really worry about the deep ball nearly as much as just how he responds to pressure. That's the single area of his game that will determine if this team can make the playoffs IMO. If he doesn't get a lot better with guys in his face they don't finish higher than 10-2.

I agree regarding his response to pressure. For a QB with a high football IQ, he has made some incredibly dumb mistakes when he's under pressure.
 

seahawksfan234

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We are in the slow part of the year and I saw a Facebook post that asked an interesting question. Who do you think will breakout in 2018 on offense and defense? If you want to make it more challenging, try to exclude freshmen.

Here are my thoughts:

Offense:
- Salvon Ahmed: He will be fully taking over the #2 duties and he's a guy that has insane speed. As he learns the offense more, he's going to be a bigger threat. I see him rushing for 700+ yards in 2018. Not to take away from Gaskin or Coleman, but I think that Ahmed has better physical ability than either of them.

- Hunter Bryant: Not sure this counts as a "breakout" player, but I think he's going to have a huge year in 2018. Based off his HS film and his production while he was on the field, I think he could make a serious impact on the offense. I'll go out on a limb and say that I think he will be a contender for the John Mackey award.

Defense:
- Levi Onwuzurike: Dude is oozing with natural talent. Really excited about what he can do for us.

- Brandon Kaho: I know I'm cheating here as I said to exclude freshmen, but I could see him winning a position at inside linebacker. He has the size, speed and instincts to make an impact right away. Luckily, the defense doesn't have too many open spots to fill, so the second defensive "breakout player" is harder to determine.

What does everyone else think?
 

WizardHawk

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Ahmed is assured to break through as long as he doesn't get any type of substantial injury. All he needed last year was more carries. No way Hamdan doesn't find a lot more touches for him.

Now with Coleman gone I would expect to see them make up for the lack of a power back with Gaskin doing his thing up the middle and Ahmed spreading out the D with his speed around the ends and hopefully in the passing game as well.

If they had a full sized power back I'd be less sure about Ahmed's touches, but they don't. What are double reverses with McClatcher and Ahmed going to look like? :noidea: lol. Speed on speed.
 

mcnabb7542

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Ahmed is assured to break through as long as he doesn't get any type of substantial injury. All he needed last year was more carries. No way Hamdan doesn't find a lot more touches for him.

Now with Coleman gone I would expect to see them make up for the lack of a power back with Gaskin doing his thing up the middle and Ahmed spreading out the D with his speed around the ends and hopefully in the passing game as well.

If they had a full sized power back I'd be less sure about Ahmed's touches, but they don't. What are double reverses with McClatcher and Ahmed going to look like? :noidea: lol. Speed on speed.

That is the one thing I believe they are truly missing out on this offense, that big back that can lower his shoulder and get that extra yard when they need it on 3rd and short and even 4th and short...
 

mcnabb7542

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We are in the slow part of the year and I saw a Facebook post that asked an interesting question. Who do you think will breakout in 2018 on offense and defense? If you want to make it more challenging, try to exclude freshmen.

Here are my thoughts:

Offense:
- Salvon Ahmed: He will be fully taking over the #2 duties and he's a guy that has insane speed. As he learns the offense more, he's going to be a bigger threat. I see him rushing for 700+ yards in 2018. Not to take away from Gaskin or Coleman, but I think that Ahmed has better physical ability than either of them.

- Hunter Bryant: Not sure this counts as a "breakout" player, but I think he's going to have a huge year in 2018. Based off his HS film and his production while he was on the field, I think he could make a serious impact on the offense. I'll go out on a limb and say that I think he will be a contender for the John Mackey award.

Defense:
- Levi Onwuzurike: Dude is oozing with natural talent. Really excited about what he can do for us.

- Brandon Kaho: I know I'm cheating here as I said to exclude freshmen, but I could see him winning a position at inside linebacker. He has the size, speed and instincts to make an impact right away. Luckily, the defense doesn't have too many open spots to fill, so the second defensive "breakout player" is harder to determine.

What does everyone else think?


I would be shocked if Kaho wasn't getting PT next season. This kid could be a beast and end up being a great MLB in the NFl some day.

Bryant would be on on my break out list as well, this program had a huge run of NFL talent in the 80's and 90's at the TE spot. And that has been missing for a long time and needs to change for it to get this program into that national spot light 24/7
 

Lineman16

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Nice read..

Trey Lowe is my wild card. Chico 2.0 if coached right.... Saw him live and WOW the burst....

Draco could be solid also. At Wilsonvillle he did great when moved inside and was allowed to rush.. but he was not allowed to rush at DE. You can see that in The Army game. They (Wilsonville) ran more of a contain outside (DE) with a ton of LB gap blitz. Really excited about UW. Gets me feeling like the 90's again :hope:
 

seahawksfan234

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Nice read..

Trey Lowe is my wild card. Chico 2.0 if coached right.... Saw him live and WOW the burst....

Draco could be solid also. At Wilsonvillle he did great when moved inside and was allowed to rush.. but he was not allowed to rush at DE. You can see that in The Army game. They (Wilsonville) ran more of a contain outside (DE) with a ton of LB gap blitz. Really excited about UW. Gets me feeling like the 90's again :hope:

Good post.

Regarding Trey Lowe, you might be right. Sean McGrew hasn't done much and Trey Lowe projects as a Chico-type player. I'd assume that Lowe reshirts, mostly because we have a bunch of guys that could fill the role that Trey Lowe would play for the Huskies.

I like Trey Lowe a lot, but I think we have a number of guys on the roster that can play that role.

Either way, great problem for the Huskies to have. Chris Petersen has shown he can recruit at this level.
 

seahawksfan234

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I saw the headline this morning but didn't read it, didn't want to read it,

I just mumbled "fuckin Willingham" and kept scrolling

Long story short, he was offered $100,000 by a booster to play football. Didn't take the money, focused on basketball.
 

seahawksfan234

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I saw the headline this morning but didn't read it, didn't want to read it,

I just mumbled "fuckin Willingham" and kept scrolling

Long story short, he was offered $100,000 by a booster to play football. Didn't take the money, focused on basketball.
 

WizardHawk

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Not much of a story really. 15 years ago and no one actually took any money (at least that we know of) and don't know if that booster is still around or offered others.

TBH I wish Nate had just taken the money and played ball. Maybe we wouldn't have that awful memory of 0-12. I'd rather have vacated games than that memory.

I liked Neuheisel's story about the kid at UCLA that he drove up next to at a light and saw driving a benz. Told him to see him in his office the next day. Kid said the car came from his grandmother. They looked into it and couldn't find how that car came to be in her possession. Everyone, including rick, knows there was a payday deal of some sort there. What can anyone do about it?

The whole basketball investigation has a chance to blow up the NCAA model. Then, and only then, would there be a fundamental rebuilding that might lead to a more above board system. The money is always always ALWAYS going to be there either way. Bring it into the light or deal with these issues every time some dipshit gets caught.
 

seahawksfan234

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Since this seems to essentially be the new "Huskies general thread" so to speak, figured I'd post some combine updates for you guys. Most of this is taken off DawgPound + a few of my own observations:

-Lavon Coleman: Ran a 4.66 both times. Apparently at 215lbs after playing at 224 in 2017. Watched his drills, he needs to work on his hip work. The consensus (which I agree with) is that Coleman looked better in 2016 than he did in 2017. Despite his size, Coleman didn't seem to really lower the pads and bull forward for extra contract as much from a guy with his size. He also had 23 reps at the bench press, 33 vert, 120 broad. I think he projects as a 6th rounder at best. I'd give him a 7th to FA grade. Dwayne Washington went in the 7th round and had a similar build, and skill set than Coleman but with a bunch better combine performance.

-Dante Pettis: Unfortunately his ankle injury will prevent him from participating in any combine drills. This could hurt his draft stock IMO. He's a guy I think would perform extremely well at the combine. As an undersized guy, he could really use all the help he can get. I've seen evaluations that put him in the 3rd to 5th round.

-Coleman Shelton: Shelton is a guy that could use a lot of help from the combine. Luckily, Mike Mayock said he was one of the winners at the combine. Compared him to Jason Kelce. From what I've seen, Shelton is a projected 3rd day pick or free agent. Assuming that teams agree with Mike Mayock's evaluation, that could solidify his status as a draft pick.

-Vita Vea: He's a consensus top-15 pick, and I think he could catapult himself up those evaluations. Vea's film speaks for itself, and he's a guy I think will really explode through his measurable. His versatility is incredible and he does everything well. I could see him either playing at NT or 3-4 DE, he has that type of athleticism. Danny Shelton went #12 by comparison, and I think Vea is a much superior prospect. Any team that takes a DT before Vea is silly. He could really explode at the combine.
 
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