Notebook | Syracuse will be bit of a mystery in season opener

With training camp complete, Washington now dives into the task of preparing for its season-opening opponent, Syracuse. The Huskies take on the Orange at 5 p.m. Friday at the Carrier Dome.

The only problem is figuring out exactly what to prepare for.

The Huskies and Syracuse have no recent history — the two teams have played just twice, and the last meeting came in 1977, a 22-20 Syracuse win. That was part of a 1-3 start for that Huskies team, which then got on a roll and won the Pac-8 title and the Rose Bowl to kick-start the Don James era.

Making matters even more difficult is that this is a season opener — so there's no film from this year to look at — and Syracuse has had some significant changes in personnel from last season, returning just 10 starters from a team that finished 4-8 overall. Among the newcomers is sophomore quarterback Andrew Robinson, who will be making his first start.

"You look at what they did last year, and then look at weaknesses that we displayed and things they might seem to try to exploit based on our weaknesses and on the strength of their system," said Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham.

Willingham and several of UW's assistants do have some recent experience with Syracuse, though none of it good. Notre Dame lost at Syracuse 38-12 to conclude the 2003 season, which at least gives those coaches some idea of the atmosphere that may greet UW at the Carrier Dome.

"Anytime you play in an inside environment, that's a definite change," Willingham said. "The lighting is different, the air movement is different, the noise level is usually intensified. So all of those things are different and will take a little getting used to."

Washington could practice in the Dempsey Indoor facility, but Willingham said he is unlikely to have the Huskies use it this week because "you lose a little bit with the kicking game." He said the noise can be replicated well enough practicing outdoors.

Kicking spots up in the air

Willingham said the kicking and punting positions remain uncertain, though a flare-up of Erik Folk's back injury apparently has narrowed the field.

Folk, a true freshman from Woodland Hills, Calif., was signed with the idea that he could immediately take over kicking duties. But he has practiced little with the Huskies while battling back spasms that began during the summer. He had done some work recently that gave hope he would be ready, but Willingham said Saturday that Folk sat out Friday's practice and that it could be difficult for him to play against Syracuse.

That would leave the kicking spots to JC transfer Jared Ballman and sophomore Ryan Perkins.

Note

• RB J.R. Hasty missed Friday's practice, apparently nursing an ankle injury. Willingham said that could impact his chances of being the No. 2 running back. "Everything, as you get closer, affects it," he said.

Also out Friday were LB Donald Butler (knee), WR Cody Ellis (hamstring), CB Byron Davenport (hamstring) and RB Brandon Yakaboski (concussion).

In the portion of Saturday's practice to the media, Hasty appeared to still be out, while Davenport and Butler appeared to be more active.