College Football
Huskies still a work in progress

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter

JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES In his first year as head coach, Keith Gilbertson directed the Huskies to a 6-6 record, UW's 27th straight season without a losing mark.

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If ever the Huskies seemed destined to finish a season with a failing grade, this is it.

Few big-name superstars, no proven quarterback, an overall program still trying to get past the upheaval of the year before.

Almost everyone has looked at this mix and already made the decision — simply finishing with a winning record and keeping UW's streak of 27 straight non-losing seasons alive, and getting to a bowl game of any kind in the process, would be worthy of a passing grade.

Privately, many close to the program seem to agree, but still hold out hope that if everything breaks right, maybe the team can earn a little more extra credit than expected.

Grading the Huskies Quarterbacks It looks like Casey Paus will be the starter, though all three candidates figure to see action. Inexperience is a big hurdle no matter who gets the call. Grade: C-plus. Running backs Three solid tailbacks (Kenny James, Shelton Sampson, Louis Rankin) and two top-flight fullbacks (Zach Tuiasosopo, James Sims) make this one of the best units on the team. Grade: B-plus. Receivers Charles Frederick is back but needs to stay healthy, as does TE Joe Toledo. Everyone else is unproven; early reviews on their readiness are mixed. Grade: C. Offensive line It's not deep or experienced — a couple of injuries would be a disaster. If everyone holds up, this should be a tough line that gets the most out of its ability. Grade: B-minus. Defensive line Graduation losses inside make this a hard unit to predict. But if Manase Hopoi and Donny Mateaki come through, it might be fine inside. DE position could be better than a year ago. Grade: C-plus. Linebackers Return of Joe Lobendahn and move of Evan Benjamin could make this a better overall unit than a year ago, primarily in its speed and versatility. Grade: B. Secondary Addition of Dashon Goldson and move of Jimmy Newell should solidify safety spot. Derrick Johnson and Sam Cunningham are two experienced corners. Grade: B-plus. Special teams Placekicking still a big question mark, and punter unproven. Return and cover units figure to be solid. Grade: B-minus. Bob Condotta

So what questions do the Huskies have to answer to turn this team into one that can go from simply trying to pass the test to maybe even making the honor roll?

1. Is there a quarterback in the house?

It looks like Casey Paus will be the starter in the season opener against Fresno State, but this isn't a question that will really be answered until a few games have been played. Paus will probably see the biggest chunk of the early action thanks to the steadiness he brings to the position, but ways will be found to get Isaiah Stanback on the field as well. If both players can accept sharing the position, and quickly adapt to playing, the Huskies may be on to something. If Paus struggles early, the team may look to the future and give more time to Stanback and/or freshman Carl Bonnell. The best-case scenario is probably that Paus can do the job — given his experience in the program and knowledge of the offense — and the other guys can find spot roles.

2. Who will run the ball?

A better question might be, who won't? UW appears to have three solid tailbacks (Kenny James, Shelton Sampson and Louis Rankin) and two top-flight fullbacks (Zach Tuiasosopo and James Sims Jr.). Expect all five to get some carries along the way, though James will be the focal point of the running game. If the line can block, UW has the makings of a decent rushing attack.

3. So, will the line be able to block?

Maybe. The Huskies appear to have a fairly set seven-man rotation up front. If those seven can quickly jell — and stay healthy — the line could be a pleasant surprise. The key is senior left tackle Khalif Barnes, who has yet to play up to his considerable talent.

4. Who will catch the ball?

Charles Frederick, if he can avoid the nagging injuries that always seem to crop up. After that, who knows? The receiving corps remains a mystery due largely to inexperience. The talent appears to be there, however, if the brief glimpses of Corey Williams, Quintin Daniels and Sonny Shackelford last year are any indication. And the Huskies are praying Joe Toledo and his oft-troublesome back can make it through the season. If so, he could have a big year.

5. Will the offense be able to adapt to a new mix of talent now that the passing connection of Cody Pickett-to-Reggie Williams is gone?

If not, it won't be for lack of effort. UW coaches have tried to keep much of their new offensive game plan under wraps during fall camp, admitting only that they will probably run more option. But suffice to say, you're likely to see some plays this season you haven't seen often from a Huskies team in recent years.

6. Can anyone replace Terry Johnson and Jerome Stevens on the defensive line?

While much of the attention on who's gone focuses on Pickett and Williams, the loss of tackles Johnson and Stevens may loom just as large. UW coaches have already hinted that they aren't completely confident in the likely replacements just yet, saying they plan to play more situational defense, using more linebackers and defensive backs at times. The keys here could be senior Manase Hopoi and sophomore Donny Mateaki. Each appears to have star talent, but Hopoi has been regarded as something of an underachiever so far, and Mateaki hasn't been healthy much of camp. But if those two, along with Dan Milsten and Wilson Afoa, can plug the middle, the Huskies defense could surprise.

	ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES Casey Paus will start the season at quarterback, but he could end up sharing the position with Isaiah Stanback.

7. Who will replace linebackers Marquis Cooper and Greg Carothers?

Cooper, in particular, is a big loss. But UW coaches seem to think the linebackers could be faster and quicker than a year ago with Joe Lobendahn back and Evan Benjamin having moved from safety. At the least, the Huskies should be able to avoid the kind of speed mismatches that USC — to name one notable example — exploited so easily a year ago.

8. Can the secondary, shaky at best for seemingly years, get any better?

It should, thanks to the addition of free safety Dashon Goldson. Goldson looks like the kind of playmaking safety UW hasn't had since the 2000 season. Goldson's arrival allows Jimmy Newell to move to strong safety, which may be a more natural position. The starting cornerbacks — Derrick Johnson and Sam Cunningham — are solid, though depth there is a concern.

9. Can this team finally come together in a way that last year's never could?

They say they can, though players on almost every team head into every season saying they feel closer and tighter than the previous year.

Still, what might give some validity to the togetherness talk that has permeated this year's camp is that it seems so specifically targeted at several members of last year's team, namely Pickett, Williams and Johnson, none of whom was particularly well-known for his leadership skills.

"We're so much closer as a team than last year," Lobendahn said, a comment that has been echoed by virtually every member of the team. "We get along with each other now. Last year, there was a lot of individual stuff. This year, we're not going to see that. We're going to work as one. It's obvious when we go on the field and everybody is talking and communicating."

	DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES Tailback Kenny James caught 17 passes for 122 yards last season. He also ran for 530.

10. Will the Huskies be able to use the "underdog" tag to their advantage?

They are planning on it. This is a program that has fallen fast. Just four years ago, UW was 11-1, ranked No. 3 in the country and nicknamed the "Evil Empire" by tight end Jerramy Stevens.

Now, a preseason pick of making the Las Vegas Bowl looks overly optimistic in the eyes of many.

Still, Washington is Washington. And while the Huskies went just 6-6 last year, they had the physical talent on hand to smash Oregon and Oregon State and beat Washington State.

Maybe being the underdog is exactly what a team that seems to have some ability — albeit young and unproven — needs right now.

"Look at the Detroit Pistons," Tuiasosopo said the other day. "No one thought they could beat the Lakers. That's the analogy that's been used a lot around here, but that's what we want. We can't just focus on a couple of people to carry us. We need everyone to play a certain role for us to win this year. And I think we are getting there."

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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