Both Willingham, Doba getting torched by critics

Published 12:14 am Saturday, November 24, 2007

SEATTLE — You know the first absolutes in life.

But after death and taxes, the third is this: As hallowed as the Apple Cup is, it can induce a coach’s resignation, but it cannot save his job.

Ask Jim Sweeney how his decision to pass with the game in hand affected his career. Talked into throwing deep in Husky territory late in the game, the former Washington State coach saw Al Burleson pick off the pass and run for a touchdown, the first signs of an avalanche that would end Sweeney’s Cougar career.

By the same token, it appears nothing that happens today will save Bill Doba’s job at WSU. Tired of mediocrity since 2003, angry alums and boosters are demanding Doba’s head and athletic director Jim Sterk has reacted with the usual evasives: He’ll evaluate when the season’s over.

It’s much the same at Montlake. Although Washington’s Tyrone Willingham’s job security appears only marginally healthier than Doba’s, it’s getting increasingly hot under his seat.

Now nearing the end of his third season at UW, Willingham has not, in the eyes of his growing critics, improved the program as quickly as they would have liked. Despite the depths to which the athletic program fell (for instance, a compliance guru sending e-mails that it was OK for the staff to participate in sports betting), impatient followers demanded at least a middling bowl game in 2007, ignoring the fact that Washington had to get through a murderous schedule.

Why, the detractors rant, has Willingham not nailed down that Signature Win, the incredible upset that some how sparks a turnaround in the program’s fortunes? Shouldn’t he have done it long before now?

In Willingham’s world, though, a Signature Win doesn’t exist.

“I don’t think you do it with just one win,” he said. “I think the thing you’re talking about is just being a consistent football team. Consistent, championship football teams have those wins week-in and week-out. That’s where we’ve got to go.

“Can you say you’re going in the right direction? Yes, but only if you follow it up with another win.”

So Cal wasn’t it. The Apple Cup won’t be, either, but as it did last season, coming off an embarrassing home loss to Stanford, it may help take some of the sting off a disappointing season.

And what if the Huskies win today and beat Hawaii next week to end the season on a three-game win streak and a 6-7 record? Will that help Willingham’s credibility?

In some circles, yes; in others, obviously not. Good or bad, many have formed unalterable opinions of Willingham, the coaching staff (especially defensive coordinator Kent Baer) and what they can accomplish here.

If the Huskies finish 6-7, thereby representing measurable improvement in each of Willingham’s seasons here, that still won’t be enough for many who unreasonably require instant national-title contention.

It’s the desire for consistency that Willingham and his detractors share. No one victory, not even in the Apple Cup, can represent a turnaround.

“It would be a success for me because it’ll be my last game at Husky Stadium,” senior defensive tackle Jordan Reffett said of winning the Apple Cup. “You want to go out a winner on your home turf. I’d like to win the rest of our games. That’s the goal. If we do that, it should be a successful season for us.”

Linebacker Dan Howell agrees, to a point. To him, the team’s improvement has been palpable. But what took it so long?

“Winning Apple Cup is one of the most important things,” Howell said. “On the other hand, you ask yourself why we couldn’t have done this before?”

In that thought, Howell is hardly alone.

Sports columnist John Sleeper: sleeper@heraldnet.com. For Sleeper[`]s blog, turn to sleeper@heraldnet.com[/]danglingparticiples.