Huskies Hampered By Weather
The timing couldn’t have been better. Or worse.
University of Washington officials announced Thursday plans for a major fund-raising campaign that would help build an indoor football practice facility.
Wednesday afternoon, the Huskies endured a workout that showed why such a facility would be beneficial.
Steady rain and high winds made footing nearly impossible on the Husky Stadium turf and couldn’t have helped preparation for Saturday’s key game against Nebraska. Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s practices are typically the most intense of any week.
Especially frustrating to UW coach Jim Lambright is that the weather is expected to take a turn for the better this weekend, with sunny skies and 75 degree temperatures predicted for Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. contest.
“It would be OK if you were playing in this sort of weather,” Lambright said. “But it looks like it will be 75 degrees, so you’d like to be able to create the same conditions you are going to be playing in.”
Lambright said he’s happy about Saturday’s forecast, saying he didn’t think either team would have an advantage in inclement weather.
“They’re used to playing in snow and ice back there,” Lambright said. “For the crowd and the game, I’d like to have sunshine to let both teams bask in really good weather. I don’t think it would affect either team very much.”
Bring on the hype
The more hype the better for Lambright, who has more than happily embraced all the madness surrounding Saturday’s game.
“Oh no,” he said when asked if all the hype detracts from the game itself. “It only adds to it. This is why you coach and play.”
Lambright said he’ll be similarly honest with his team about what the game means in terms of the national title. The Huskies enter the game ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, and Nebraska is No. 7.
“I won’t downplay it any more than I’ll try to use it as a motivator for our team,” Lambright said. “The game is a chance to see how good we are. But still (even if the Huskies lose) we are aiming at hopefully having a chance to play in the Rose Bowl and getting back there for the first time (since 1992).”
UW players are also trying to avoid any sort of all-or-nothing approach to this game, realizing it doesn’t mean a thing in the Run for the Roses.
“You can’t look at it as a national championship game,” said linebacker Jason Chorak. “It’s one more step toward winning the national championship, that’s how you have to look at it. But we still have nine more games to win after this and we’d have to win them all to win a national title.”
Cornerback healthy
UW cornerback Jermaine Smith, who sat out the second half of the San Diego State game with a back bruise, has returned to practice.
Running back Rashaan Shehee, who had a touch of the flu earlier in the week, and linebacker Jerry Jensen, who is recovering from a muscle pull of his leg, are expected to be in the lineup Saturday.