| Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will | | | | 94th in total defense and 89th in scoring defense but |
| be here before you know it so that means getting | | | | the end of the season provided some hope for the |
| an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. | | | | Washington faithful. It allowed just 19.3 ppg in its final |
| Knowing the teams now will save you time in August | | | | three games and with eight starters coming back, |
| and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of | | | | there could be some major development in 2006. |
| what to expect this upcoming year. We go from | | | | The passing defense could not stop anyone as it |
| worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview. | | | | allowed a whopping 275.7 ypg, 106th in the country. |
| #76 - Washington Huskies 2-9 SU; 4-7 ATS | | | | Four secondary starters are back which could be |
| Fargo's Take The Huskies once proud football | | | | good or bad depending on their progress. If the |
| program remains in shambles. Washington, after | | | | spring game was any indication, it looks like the latter |
| finishing 10-1 in 2000, decreased its win totals in the | | | | is the case as the unit was repeatedly burned for big |
| subsequent four years before halting that last | | | | plays. The rushing defense put up its best numbers in |
| season, topping the 2004 win total of one with two | | | | three seasons and the front four once again looks to |
| victories. Head coach Ty Willingham will be in his | | | | be the strength of the defense. Washington lost its |
| second season with the Huskies but skeptics are | | | | two best linebackers and replacing them will be |
| wondering if he really is the right man for the job. He | | | | difficult but all indications are that the return of |
| has the talent on offense to be successful but it | | | | Trenton Tuiasosopo will have the biggest impact. |
| comes down to working together as a team, | | | | Schedule The Pac Ten, with the exception of USC |
| something that didn't happen last season on the | | | | and Cal, looks to be very weak this season but |
| inconsistent offense. On the other side, there was no | | | | Washington is not the beneficiary of an easy |
| improvement on the defense that allowed 30.6 ppg, | | | | conference schedule. The Huskies hit the road to |
| a slight increase from 2004. If there was any good | | | | take on four of the top five teams including both the |
| coming out of last season, it was the fact that the | | | | Trojans and Golden Bears and five of their nine Pac |
| Huskies were much more competitive than the year | | | | Ten games are away from home. This includes the |
| before as four of their losses were by eight points | | | | season finale in the Apple Cup against Washington St. |
| or less. Those close games need to be won or | | | | With nine conference games, Washington has only |
| Washington could be in for another long and | | | | three non-conference contests. After hosting San |
| frustrating season. | | | | Jose St. in the opener, the Huskies travel to |
| Returning Starters on Offense - 6 The offense | | | | Oklahoma before coming back home to take on a |
| increased its scoring production by over a touchdown | | | | tough Fresno St. team. The first game against the |
| last season but still finished 90th in the country in | | | | Spartans is the only sure win on the entire schedule |
| scoring offense. Washington scored more than 24 | | | | that is filled with plenty of swing games. Washington |
| points only twice all season and those just so | | | | could not win those swing games last year but with |
| happened to be the only two wins of the year. | | | | another year of experience, that can turn around. |
| Quarterback Isaiah Stanback is arguably one of the | | | | You can bet on... After going 22-4 at home from |
| biggest underachievers in the entire country. He is | | | | 2000-2003, the Huskies have gone 2-11 the last two |
| highly skilled and very athletic yet has not been able | | | | seasons and they need to get that home edge back. |
| to move the offense and his big play ability is just | | | | The lone home win last season came against Idaho |
| that, ability. He looked very good moving the offense | | | | as they were outscored by 19.5 ppg in their four |
| in the spring but the jury is still out whether or not | | | | home conference games. Over the last two years, |
| he can get the job done when it counts. Tailback | | | | Washington has been outscored by 15.5 ppg in Pac |
| Kenny James is back after being hurt for most of | | | | Ten action overall. That has added to their futility in |
| last season and the receivers look strong once again. | | | | covering Pac Ten games as they are now 15-31-2 |
| The problem is the offensive line where all but one | | | | ATS over the last six seasons. They host UCLA in |
| starter needs to be replaced. If the line can come | | | | their conference opener and while the Bruins are not |
| together in a hurry, the Huskies should be able to | | | | going to be as strong as last season, Washington is |
| improve on offense once again but it really falls into | | | | not in position to win just yet. The Huskies are just |
| the hands of Stanback who needs to prove that he | | | | 2-9 ATS in their last 11 conference openers and that |
| is the right choice. | | | | included an outright home loss to UCLA in 2004. A |
| Returning Starters on Defense - 8 This is where the | | | | win over the Bruins could be an enormous boost to a |
| real problems occurred last season. The Huskies were | | | | program in dire need of good things to happen. |