SEATTLE — Before Jake Locker can begin his quest to live up to the Heisman hype, Steve Sarkisian can try to knock USC and Oregon off the Pac-10 hill or the University of Washington football team can start talking about the rebirth of a program, the Huskies have some baby steps that await them in the coming days and weeks.
When UW’s training camp opens up Monday at Husky Stadium, Locker and Co. will still have plenty of work to do just to get back to where the 2009 Huskies finished. The all-out enthusiasm that has hit the program for the first time in about seven years will take a backseat to some pressing issues that await the 2010 squad.
When Sarkisian begins his second fall camp as UW’s head coach, he’ll be welcomed with a few questions that need to be answered.
Here are 10 questions that The Herald sees as the most pressing ones the Huskies will face heading into this week’s camp:
1. Who’ll lead the defense?
The inconsistent unit has plenty of players who have seen extensive action, but the UW defense is also trying to figure out how to replace senior leaders Donald Butler and Daniel Te’o-Nesheim. Some obvious candidates are vocal seniors Nate Williams, Cameron Elisara and Mason Foster, but the bigger question involves who will emerge as the playmakers now that Butler and Te’o-Nesheim have taken their talents to the NFL.
2. What’s my line?
UW’s offensive line has seen some serious shuffling since last season, and that could be a good thing. The group wasn’t physical enough last season and needed a shakeup. Left tackle Senio Kelemete (from guard), left guard Ryan Tolar (from center) and center Drew Schaefer (from tackle) are among the projected starters who have changed positions.
3. How healthy are they?
Sophomore running back Chris Polk (shoulder) is among the key contributors coming back from injury. Polk didn’t participate in spring practices, but Sarkisian pronounced him “100 percent healthy” and ready to go. If he can make it through the camp with a clean bill of health, it would be a huge plus for the UW offense.
4. Who’s got the job?
As many as six starting jobs on defense are up for grabs as camp opens, including both defensive end positions. Untested players like safety Will Shamburger, defensive lineman Chris Robinson and safety-turned-outside-linebacker Victor Aiyewa could find themselves in battles for starting jobs from the outset.
5. Who’ll rush the passer?
Te’o-Nesheim has been the Huskies’ only consistent pass rusher in recent memory, so his loss could be immense. Injuries at defensive end, along with the indefinite suspension to projected starter Andru Pulu, further hampered UW’s defensive front. The coaches are hoping that sophomore Talia Crichton will hold up better this year and that converted d-tackle De’Shon Matthews can provide some pressure from the end. True freshman Josh Shirley, who was recruited as a linebacker but will mostly play defensive end, is among several young players who’ll need to show some kind of pass-rush skills for this defense to have hope.
6. Will Middleton be missed?
By all indications, junior Chris Izbicki was outperforming starting tight end Kavario Middleton at spring practices. But when Middleton got kicked off the team for an undisclosed violation of team policy last month, it pretty much cemented Izbicki’s spot as a starter. The Kirkland native caught just three passes last season, so it remains to be seen whether he can have the same impact on UW’s passing game that Middleton had at times last season. Sarkisian’s seems pretty confident, saying: “I love Chris Izbicki right now.”
7. Will they rest on their laurels?
Players like Polk, Foster and wide receivers Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar had breakout seasons last year. The Huskies are hoping for even more from them this time around. If they’ve put in the offseason work and continue to improve, UW should have plenty of candidates besides Locker for the all-Pac-10 team.
8. Do they need a checkup from the head up?
The psyches of several former starters could be fragile. Crichton, Aiyewa and cornerback Quinton Richardson are among the projected starters who got benched at some point last season. If they’ve learned from their mistakes and gotten over the humbling experience, they could be big contributors for the 2010 Huskies.
9. What’s the backup plan?
Several true freshmen could factor into spots as primary backups. The most notable is quarterback Nick Montana, who’s battling redshirt freshman Keith Price for the right to be the-guy-who-finishes-a-lost-season-if-Locker-goes-down. Shirley, linebacker Victor Burnett, tight end Michael Hartvigson, cornerback Gregory Ducre, defensive lineman Sione Potoa’e and running backs Deontae Cooper and Jesse Callier are among the other new Huskies who might not have the benefit of a redshirt year.
10. Will they have the … um, guts, to become a contender?
Sarkisian’s main goal this time last year was to rebuild the team’s confidence. The ego-stroking is likely to be replaced by a more challenging method this time around. The glass-half-full style of Sarkisian could mix in a few gut-checking moments over the next few weeks. As he said last week: “We’re here to win championships. Last year, (the goal) was (to) be competitive, fight, scratch, claw. This year, (the goal is) let’s go play well and win a championship.”
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