2008 Washington Huskies Football Preview

2008 Washington Huskies season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Washington Huskies football preview as well as the 2008 Washington Huskies Football Schedule. Haven't had much luck beating your bookie? This season up your chances and order Maddux's winning college football picks.

Coach: Tyrone Willingham (4th year at Washington)
Team Name: Huskies
2007 Overall Record: 4-9
Returning Starters: 13

Last season, the Huskies of Washington (4-9 overall, 2-9 Pac-10) finished last in the Pac-10. This season, the team could post the same or a little better record than they did in 2007. Will they go to a bowl game? The chances are that they will not.

In 2007, the Washington Huskies had the 18th best rushing game in the nation, accumulating 203.1 YPG. Quarterback Jake Locker (328 ATT, 155 COMP, 2,002 YDS, 14 TDs, 15 INT) is a versatile signal caller. He returns as the leading passer and also as the top running back with 172 carries, 986 yards and 13 touchdowns. The top-notch field general has a first-rate line protecting him. But Locker can make things happen only up to a point. The receiving squad is questionable and untested. The running backs are talented but they are also inexperienced. There’s an unpredictable nature to this offense.

Washington’s defense was ranked 103rd in passing yards allowed (446.4 YPG), 104th in total yards (261.4 YPG) and 89th in rushing yards (185.0 YPG) in 2007. They gave up 31.6 PPG, which was 92nd nationally. Ed Donatell has been hired as defensive coordinator. In the past, he has been a coach for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons. That’s a good move but not an instant solution. The linebacking unit looks to be the best with two starters returning, including junior E.J. Savannah (111 tackles, 73 solo). Upfront, junior DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim is solid. Last season, he earned eight sacks. The secondary is inexperienced and raw. Opponents should be able to exploit this major weakness.

Swing contests include Notre Dame on October 25. This is a game that this team can win. The away game with Washington State on November 22nd is also tough to predict. Four wins are possible. Anything more will be about as unexpected as anyone might imagine.

Coach Tyrone Willingham (11-25 in three years) must post a winning season in 2008. He’ll look to his quarterback, sophomore Jake Locker, to create points. As is often the case, the fourth season of a coaches’ tenure is the make or break year. There are a lot of pluses for this team. But Willingham needs some magic to get seven wins.

Washington Huskies Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 30	Oregon	Away
Sep 6	BYU	Home
Sep 13	Oklahoma	Home
Sep 27	Stanford	Home
Oct 4	Arizona	Away
Oct 18	Oregon St	Home
Oct 25	Notre Dame	Home
Nov 1	USC	Away
Nov 8	Arizona State	Home
Nov 15	UCLA	Home
Nov 22	Washington St	Away
Dec 6	California	Away

 

For more info on the 2008 Washington Huskies football program, view the Huskies football site or you can read about other Pac-10 teams below.