Home sweet home? Not in this sour UW season

For the last time this season, the Washington football team brought its debacle in shoulder pads to Husky Stadium, performing inadequately once more, leaving behind a historic pockmark that put its rueful year in agonizing context.

The Huskies finished oh-for-home.

Seven games, seven losses.

They failed to win at Husky Stadium for the first time ever, so 2008 can't be totally dismissed as uneventful. Despite its many problems, UCLA gained twice as many yards as the UW and won 27-7. The only good news was that with the Huskies and Washington State losing by a combined 58-7 on Saturday, the absurd story line for next week's Rotten Apple Cup remained intact.

In its 88 years, Husky Stadium had never seen this before. Even in past train-wreck seasons, the UW managed to win at least one game here. Keith Gilbertson scrounged up a home victory during his 1-10 season in 2004. Jim Owens cobbled together an Apple Cup victory here to avoid the embarrassment in 1969.

The last time the Huskies went winless at home? It was 1894, when they hosted only one game and played just three total.

In case you were wondering, no one sang "Baby Come Back" to coach Tyrone Willingham as he walked off the field.

There's a Rick Neuheisel follow-up joke to be had there, but I'll spare you. The Huskies' futility sucked all the venom out of this bitter reunion.

Neuheisel's return was irrelevant. Only the coaching search matters. Instead of playing this game, the Huskies should've had athletic director Scott Woodward stand at midfield and talk about potential candidates.

For certain, it would've drawn a more passionate crowd. And it would've saved fans from watching a game plagued by seven turnovers, spotty quarterbacking and even worse offensive line play.

The starting quarterbacks threw a combined five interceptions, with the Huskies' Ronnie Fouch enduring an especially inaccurate outing. He finished 7 of 22 for just 39 yards and was intercepted twice.

The problems weren't limited to Fouch, though. Once again, the Huskies couldn't tackle, couldn't establish the running game and couldn't avoid the lapses of focus that has hindered them all season.

The Huskies seniors, unfortunate leaders of this lost team, wanted this one badly. You saw it in the play of linebacker Trenton Tuiasosopo, who intercepted a pass and tipped another that led to a pick. You saw it in cornerback Mesphin Forrester, who had a fabulous diving interception.

But for all the big plays the Huskies made on defense, they couldn't do anything on offense. They had 135 total yards, an eye-popping number in a season full of them.

During the preseason, the home-heavy schedule seemed like it could be an advantage. However, it turned into a disaster.

"It hurts a whole lot," Forrester said of losing every home game. "When you're playing at home, you're supposed to win. The fans are with you. You're not tired from travel. Everything is familiar. That burns, for us not to get even one win at home."

What's worse, the 0-10 Huskies actually played all of their home contests in a nine-game span. It could've been the sweetest of all deals, but from the home opener, Husky Stadium housed frustration.

It began with the infamous game against Brigham Young, when Jake Locker scored a late touchdown and tossed the ball into the air, resulting in a penalty that pushed back the potential tying extra point. Ryan Perkins' kick was blocked, and as it turned out, so went the UW's best chance at a home victory.

Later came a 33-7 loss to Notre Dame, which dropped the UW to 0-7, and on the Monday after that game, Willingham announced that he would resign at the end of the season.

Just two of the Huskies' home games were competitive this season. Besides the BYU game, Washington lost 35-28 to Stanford, but the Cardinal controlled the contest the entire way. And Locker suffered a season-killing thumb injury as well.

Huskies fans were subjected to a 55-14 drubbing by Oklahoma here, and a humiliating 34-13 loss to Oregon State. Sometimes, it's bad to be home.

The long, sad season continues.

While exiting Husky Stadium, two fans commiserated. Then they tried to change the subject.

"How'd the basketball team do?" one asked.

The other shook his head. Portland upset the Hoops Huskies 80-74.

"Next, why don't you ask me how the Dow Jones fared?" the fan said.

They left laughing, at least.

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For his Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports