SEATTLE — As Husky fans let out a giant sigh of relief that the brutal part of the schedule is in the rearview mirror, Washington players and Tyrone Willingham made it clear Monday that they can’t look at things that way.
The part of the schedule that included Ohio State, UCLA, USC, Arizona State, and Oregon — five teams that have lost just four games between them this season — came to an end Saturday with the Huskies searching for answers after a five-game losing streak. Now, 2-6 Arizona comes to Seattle on Saturday, seemingly giving the Huskies a much-needed break. For the first time since Washington’s season opener, the Huskies will be favored when they host the Wildcats in their homecoming game.
Just don’t expect the Huskies to look at the Wildcats any differently than they have their previous opponents.
“I think it’s real easy,” said quarterback Jake Locker, referring to the Huskies inability to take Arizona lightly. “Just looking at how good all the teams are in the Pac-10 this year. Once you get to this level, you can’t overlook anybody. Once you do that, that’s when somebody is going to surprise you or come in and beat you pretty good. Everybody understands that this isn’t a week to relax by any means. If anything we need to step it up a little bit and work harder and focus a little bit more this week, because what we’ve doing the last couple of weeks hasn’t worked.”
For all of its struggles, Arizona also has something Washington does not: a conference win. Still, the Huskies have been tested by some of the country’s best teams, and they’re playing a team that has only beaten Washington State and Northern Arizona. Surely Washington must see this week as a bit of a break, right?
Apparently not.
“You can’t get caught up on who is ranked and things like that,” said senior defensive end Greyson Gunheim. “Because if you think of an opponent as ‘They’re not as good or they’re not ranked,’ then you probably won’t play up to your potential. You’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game to every game otherwise, in the Pac-10, you’re probably going to lose.”
Arizona also has going for it a sense of desperation that might even surpass Washington’s. After a strong finish last season — three wins in four games to finish 6-6 — the Wildcats were expected to be even better this season. Now, they would have to win their final four contests just to match last year’s record.
So as tempting as it might be this week for the Huskies to look at Arizona and see an opponent they can beat, Willingham said his team can’t let that happen.
“It’s going to be very difficult to keep that kind of thought process out of our locker room, because that’s what’s going to be all around our football team,” he said. “It’s never been more true than it is right now in college football, that you’d better bring your ‘A’ game. Anything less than that, it doesn’t matter who you play, you’re going to get beat. I would hope that our football team is wise enough and has seen enough, and that our coaches and our leadership will give our team the right understanding that it has to have to be successful against Arizona.”
Contact Herald Writer John Boyle at jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on University of Washington sports, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com/huskiesblog
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