Game Thread: Washington Huskies vs USC Trojans 6pm ESPN

[WizardHawk]

If this had even been one of those average offenses in the Price years UW wins that game by at least 28-12 and maybe mid 30's. There's lots to be upbeat about, but starting 3 straight drives inside your opponents 35 and coming away with only 3 points in a road game is normally not going to bode well for you.

I can bring up valid critical points, but I'm more upbeat about this team than not. Yeah, I worried about kids in road games, but even under Sark we saw game after game of not being able to finish those tough road games. It's going to take time to really give Petersen the benefit of the doubt. This is afterall their first big road win in his tenure.

 

[WizardHawk]

Key to the game right there. Holding the Huskies to 6 of 17 on 3rd down conversions was very good and continues to show the improvement of the defense (Stanford converted something like 7 of 10). But with the weapons we have on offense, 1 for 13 is unacceptable against anyone. The Huskies D did an amazing job.

Curious to hear your take on things as a few of your fans last night were ready to fire Sark this morning and are thinking you might not win again.

How much of this was UW's D really being THAT legit, how much of it was the pure raw emotion of the kids wanting revenge against their former HC with the way he left, and how much of it was just USC not performing to expectations?

 

[Ironbreaker]

I think it was Sark not having his kids mentally prepared. Which is nothing new for Sark.

 

[TheDayMan]

I think it was Sark not having his kids mentally prepared. Which is nothing new for Sark.

Yeah, that was definitely part of it.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Think I'm just referring to some of your naysaying last night. Nothing wrong with some cautious optimism. And I don't really think you're a downer.

So DM, you were the ONLY ONE to take the Huskies SUP in the pickem PAC12? You scurvy dawg you. Well done sir.

 

[WizardHawk]

I think it was Sark not having his kids mentally prepared. Which is nothing new for Sark.

The one thing I really took note of watching that game was how different we are now with penalties. We do have a lot of very young kids and there are still mistakes, but not those 15y stupid offensive personal fouls and whatnot that I used to complain about.

I would say Petersen out coached Sark late, but Petersen has had his derp games with us too.

I mean if I was a USC fan I'd be furious over that decision to go for that FG that late in the game down 5. You aren't going to come out with a W very often in that situation.

 

[TheDayMan]

So DM, you were the ONLY ONE to take the Huskies SUP in the pickem PAC12? You scurvy dawg you. Well done sir.

I really wanted them to win, and I figured they'd have to win that battle if they were going to.

 

[trojanfan12]

Curious to hear your take on things as a few of your fans last night were ready to fire Sark this morning and are thinking you might not win again.

How much of this was UW's D really being THAT legit, how much of it was the pure raw emotion of the kids wanting revenge against their former HC with the way he left, and how much of it was just USC not performing to expectations?

I think it was little bit of all of it. The Huskies have a team that is still made up largely of Sark recruits. There is no doubt that they wanted to come into Sarks new house, drink all of his beer, eat all of his food and kick his dog on the way out, just to show him that he made a mistake leaving.

I also think that is a very talented defense that played like it. They showed why they are the #1 defense in the PAC. There were also just some uncharacteristic mistakes made by the offense and Kessler. Some of those were because the Huskies D rattled him a bit and some was the offense having an off game.

 

[trojanfan12]

but not those 15y stupid offensive personal fouls and whatnot that I used to complain about.

Uh, you guys had 3 personal fouls for roughing the qb and another for a block below the waist.

 

[trojanfan12]

I mean if I was a USC fan I'd be furious over that decision to go for that FG that late in the game down 5. You aren't going to come out with a W very often in that situation.

I would have understood it if we had more than 1 timeout. But making that decision with only 1, left the defense with zero margin for error. Plus, I think we were 3 for 3 on 4th down conversions.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

I really wanted them to win, and I figured they'd have to win that battle if they were going to.

2-0 start and the unquestionable LEADER heading into Sats. GL2U.

 

[WizardHawk]

Uh, you guys had 3 personal fouls for roughing the qb and another for a block below the waist.

Those don't bother me as much. Defenses getting those at least shows they are playing hard, even if they are still mistakes. It's the mental break downs on offense that just infuriated me in the Sark era. You don't recall me bitching about the lack of discipline on O endlessly online?

 

[TheDayMan]

Uh, you guys had 3 personal fouls for roughing the qb and another for a block below the waist.

Roughing the passer penaltaies, at least the ones we saw last night, aren't as concerning for me. They were a result of an aggressive D (in my opinion).

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Plus, I think we were 3 for 3 on 4th down conversions.

2-2 Tf.

 

[TheDayMan]

2-0 start and the unquestionable LEADER heading into Sats. GL2U.

Thank you, sir.

 

[WizardHawk]

I would have understood it if we had more than 1 timeout. But making that decision with only 1, left the defense with zero margin for error. Plus, I think we were 3 for 3 on 4th down conversions.

USC had the momentum given they had scored that TD shortly after Victor was ejected and their running game was working quite well after he left the game. I really couldn't believe that decision. I really thought they were going to go get that TD and put the game in Browning's hands to at least get them in FG range. That really was a brain fart by Sark.

At least Petersen learned how many downs you have with how much time left and didn't repeat his blunder at Arizona last year.

 

[WizardHawk]

If I were to grade out the 3 units for UW, I'd have to give no more than a C+ to the offense, and A for the D, and a B for the special teams. I mean how huge was that late punt by UW that pinned USC back deep? That thing had to travel at least 70y in the air.

UW not only dominated with their D, but held USC's return game in check.

The C+ for the O takes into account that it was on the road and with a true frosh QB that really only made one big mistake, but you can't grade high a team that left so many short field possessions with no points in the first half. I'll give Smith credit for the adjustments in the second half and the balance they found with the running game. I wish they had done more after Victor's ejection so it didn't have to be entirely on the D to hold that game, but it was an improvement over the Cal game for sure. Why only a B for the special teams? First missed FG

UW's D was gashed repeatedly by USC's run game, but I still gave them an A for how strong they played right out of the gate and how well they finished late against a very potent offense on the road. You just can't give them enough bonus points for that.

 

[trojanfan12]

Those don't bother me as much. Defenses getting those at least shows they are playing hard, even if they are still mistakes. It's the mental break downs on offense that just infuriated me in the Sark era. You don't recall me bitching about the lack of discipline on O endlessly online?

Yeah, I remember. Our o-line just got outplayed, especially on pass plays. The run blocking was great, the pass blocking......not so much.

There were some initial mistakes and dumb penalties (especially after Tuerk went down and Lobendahn had to move over from guard), but those penalties stopped as the game went on. The rest was just your defense running some schemes that confused our o-line and them not communicating well.

 

[trojanfan12]

USC had the momentum given they had scored that TD shortly after Victor was ejected and their running game was working quite well after he left the game. I really couldn't believe that decision. I really thought they were going to go get that TD and put the game in Browning's hands to at least get them in FG range. That really was a brain fart by Sark.

At least Petersen learned how many downs you have with how much time left and didn't repeat his blunder at Arizona last year.

Yep, I agree. Not gonna get on Sark too bad for that, as long as, like Petersen, he learns from it. Even the best coaches in the game have the occasional brain fart. It's not repeating them that is the key.

 

[trojanfan12]

If I were to grade out the 3 units for UW, I'd have to give no more than a C+ to the offense, and A for the D, and a B for the special teams. I mean how huge was that late punt by UW that pinned USC back deep? That thing had to travel at least 70y in the air.

They also did an excellent job of keeping Adoree Jackson contained. It's the first game I can remember where he didn't have at least one long punt or kickoff return.