Despite record, Huskies still optimistic
SEATTLE – The Washington Huskies promise they won’t have a 1-10 record – and 0-8 in the Pac-10 – for the second season in a row.
“I plan on finishing 4 and 0,” quarterback Isaiah Stanback said on Monday. “I plan on winning every game. It’s been tough, but it’s easy to stay positive because I know how good we really are.”
New starting tailback James Sims agreed, saying, “If we play hard and we play like we have played this season, I think we can come out on top in the last four games.”
But keeping those promises won’t be easy.
With four games left on their schedule, the Huskies are 1-6, including 0-4 in the Pac-10. They officially were eliminated from going to a bowl game for the third consecutive season Saturday when they lost to top-ranked USC 51-24 at Husky Stadium.
On Monday, they were listed as 16 1/2 -point underdogs for their Pac-10 game at Arizona State on Saturday. The Sun Devils have lost three straight games, all in the conference, and are coming off a 45-35 defeat at Stanford.
Washington will be playing Arizona State for the first time in three seasons. Coach Rick Neuheisel’s final Huskies team lost 27-16 on the road in a game in which Terrell Suggs of the Sun Devils sacked quarterback Cody Pickett five times.
“We’re going to be seeing a team that’s a lot better than their record indicates,” Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter said in a telephone conference call. “They’re played a tremendous schedule. California. UCLA. Notre Dame. USC. I think they’re playing hard.”
The effort appears to have been there for the Huskies all season, but the results have been lacking, especially on defense. They lost to Cal 56-17 in Seattle in their second game and their defense has surrendered 96 points the past two weeks – in a 45-21 loss at Oregon and the Southern Cal game.
First-year Washington coach Tyrone Willingham has to do a major talent overhaul on his roster, but he’d like to have some momentum going into the 2006 season, too. To get that momentum, the 2005 Huskies have to win more than one game.
“They recognize there are still four great opportunities out there,” Willingham told his weekly news conference. “But I can’t sit here and say that will be easy. They all will be very difficult. Fortunately, they believe in themselves to a certain degree. We’ve got a chance.”
After the Arizona State game, the Huskies will play Oregon State Nov. 5 at Husky Stadium, at Arizona Nov. 12 and Washington State in the Apple Cup Nov. 19 in Seattle.
Washington has dropped 16 of its last 18 games and the Huskies have a 12-game Pac-10 losing streak. Its only victories the last two years came against Idaho this season and San Jose State last season.
“Everybody says, ‘Well, look at your record,’ ” Stanback said. “I say, ‘OK, you can look at our record all you want to.’ But I’m in the locker room and I know who can play and I know how good we are.”