UW Football | Willingham back where legacy grew

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Tyrone Willingham returns today to the one place where nobody doubts him.

"He's revered around here," first-year Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said of Willingham.

Stanford is where Willingham made his name in coaching, first as an assistant and then for seven years as the head coach from 1995 to 2001. He led the Cardinal to the Rose Bowl in 1999, the school's only appearance in that game in the past 35 years.

But as Willingham comes back today for just the second time since leaving The Farm — he led Notre Dame to a 57-7 victory here in 2003 — he is facing one of his toughest times in coaching, searching for a way to get UW some victories and coming off what he says was the lowest point of his three years in Seattle.

Washington faces Stanford in a 3:30 p.m. game after a devastating 48-41 home defeat against Arizona last weekend in which the Huskies gave up a school-record 510 passing yards. The loss was UW's sixth in a row since a 2-0 start, leaving Willingham with a six-game losing streak in every year he has been at Washington. The coach later said the defeat "stung" more than any other he has had with the Huskies.

A loss today, though, could be worse. It would officially eliminate UW from any chance of a winning season or a bowl game — Washington's two stated goals for the season.

Huskies players said this week it was as tough an aftermath as they have had. Some said they were angry. Others said that it's time for players to stop talking and start doing.

"I'm tired of all that stuff," cornerback Byron Davenport said of a few recent team meetings. "We've got to go out there and do it. Got to go out there and smack these guys in the mouth."

Coaches said the Huskies responded with some of their best practices of the season. And it's worth noting that each of Willingham's previous six-game losing streaks at UW was followed by a resounding victory on the road — a 38-14 victory at Arizona in 2005 and a 35-32 win at Washington State in 2006.

The Huskies enter as three-point favorites, though the Cardinal has two Pac-10 victories — on the road at USC and Arizona. Both teams won at UW, which is winless in conference.

But there have been signs of hope for Washington the past two weeks despite the defeats.

The offense was the most productive it has been since the days of Cody Pickett and Reggie Williams, scoring 75 points and gaining 993 yards. Quarterback Jake Locker has been particularly effective, passing for six touchdowns and running for two more the past two games (though also losing four turnovers in the defeat against Arizona).

"Right now they've got some swagger, got some confidence," said UW offensive coordinator Tim Lappano.

Lappano says hitting some long runs and passes today will be critical against a Stanford defense that likes to bring pressure — 54 percent of the time, according to UW coaches.

The Washington defense, meanwhile, is going in the opposite direction, giving up an average of 543.2 yards in Pac-10 games, almost 80 yards per game more than any other conference team.

The fourth-quarter collapse last week, when the Huskies allowed Arizona to score 22 points in the final 11:32, only put more heat on UW defensive coordinator Kent Baer. Huskies coaches hinted at changes this week, but Baer also defended his schemes.

"I think we are doing a lot of the right things, I really do," he said.

Baer's biggest concern today is Stanford's big and veteran receiving corps, which includes 6-foot-3 Richard Sherman, who caught six passes for 177 yards in the Cardinal's inexplicable 20-3 victory at Husky Stadium a year ago.

Stanford was 0-9 heading into that game.

"That's their strength, their receivers," Baer said.

Washington's current struggles have so dominated discussions that Willingham wasn't asked a question about his return to Stanford until Wednesday, something he noted with a wry smile.

"There are a lot of fond memories in going back," he said. "I had some wonderful days."

He could use another one today.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com.