SEATTLE — With a crater the size of Montlake Jake in its offensive backfield, the University of Washington football team enters spring practice with one obvious question mark. But there are plenty of others.
The Huskies prepare to begin the post-Jake Locker era this week, when coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff will try to fill a few holes and take a look at some different combinations heading into the 2011 season this fall.
With as many as 30 expected returning players that have starting experience, the Huskies enter the spring with plenty of food in the proverbial refrigerator. But UW isn’t quite ready to serve a gourmet meal, so some much-needed preparations will be a big part of the next four weeks.
Here is a look at some of the more intriguing questions heading into spring football:
1. Is the Price right? Or is Montana the answer?
The most anticipated question heading into the 2011 season is at quarterback, where Locker has entered each of the past four seasons as the starter but is now on the verge of moving on to the NFL. Sophomore Keith Price and untested redshirt-freshman Nick Montana will enter spring as co-No. 1 quarterback, and it’s a battle that could stretch into the end of August.
2. Is tight end a position again?
The Huskies’ tight ends were so unproductive during the 2010 season that they finished out the year using a sixth offensive lineman rather than line anyone up at tight end. Former starter Chris Izbicki has left the program, so the big question now is whether star freshman Austin Seferian-Jenkins can become an immediate starter. Seferian-Jenkins has already enrolled in school and is expected to take part in spring practices.
3. Who’s the next Foster?
Locker wasn’t the only productive senior from last year’s team to move on. Outside linebacker Mason Foster, another probable draft pick, was a tackling machine that must be replaced. Junior college transfer Thomas Tutogi will battle younger players Princeton Fuimaono, Jordan Wallace and Tim Tucker for starting spots vacated by Foster and Victor Aiyewa at outside linebacker.
4. Plenty of hands, but will there be enough footballs?
The wide receiver position will be particularly intriguing, even though returning starters Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar are back. The spring will be a good time for senior Cody Bruns, junior James Johnson and sophomore Kevin Smith to make a bid for playing time before Parade national-player-of-the-year Kason Williams comes to camp in the fall.
5. Is Parker ready to step up?
The Huskies were so enamored with freshman safety Sean Parker last fall that they found unique ways to get him on the field. Now, he’s being asked to replace productive senior Nate Williams as the starter.
6. It’s fourth down … who’s coming out?
One of the more interesting battles that could take place out of the spotlight is at punter, where seniors Will Mahan and Kiel Rasp will battle. Rasp never seemed to be much of a factor in the position before Mahan suffered a season-ending knee injury early last season, after which time Rasp came on and became one of the biggest surprises of the 2010 season.
7. Will the shuffle ever end?
Since Sarkisian arrived a little over two years ago, the Huskies’ offensive line has been in constant movement. With five returning players who have starting experience, this could be the year the Huskies settle on one unit. Could be …
8. How did they heal?
Players like Mahan, backup running back Deontae Cooper and starting left tackle Senio Kelemete are coming back from injuries. The spring will prove just how far along some of them are.
9. Whose team is this?
While the defense has several natural leaders waiting to step in — middle linebacker Cort Dennison and cornerback Desmond Trufant are the most notable — the Huskies are looking for voices on the other side of the ball. Kearse and running back Chris Polk have always done a lot, but now they might need to start saying more.
10. Can they stay out of trouble?
A program that mostly steered clear of the police blotter has had a rough couple of months. Running back Johri Fogerson, who has since been suspended, was arrested after eluding the police in a car chase near Mill Creek. Former UW receiver Jordan Polk got in trouble for a domestic-violence case. Sarkisian would much rather worry about how he’s going to replace Locker than he would any of that stuff.
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