#25 Huskies look to win four in a row vs struggling Cougars

By Kshell

This week the #25 Washington Huskies(7-4,5-3) travel to take on their cross state rivals the Washington State Cougars(2-9,0-8) in their annual Apple Cup meeting. The Huskies lead the all-time series with the Cougars 67-31-6 and have won the last three contests all coached by Steve Sarkisian. While the Cougars coach Mike Leach who is having a rough first season in Pullman will be coaching his first Apple Cup. These two programs are going in different directions as the Huskies have won four games in a row looking to win five in a row for the first time in one season since 2000. While the Cougars are suffering a disaster season under Leach. The Cougars have lost eight games in a row and their star receiver Marquess Wilson quit the team two weeks ago. In this game though if the Cougars beat the Huskies that will make their season while the Huskies are trying to win eight games for the first time since 2001.

The Huskies offense has been playing well the last two weeks due to the improved play of Keith Price. This will be Price second apple cup game. Last year in the 38-21 win over the Cougars Price was 21-29(72.4%) passing for 291 yards(10.0 YPA) with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Price is also coming off of a career high five touchdown passes last week vs Colorado Buffaloes.

For the year Price is 223-359(62.1%) passing for 2,290 yards(6.4 YPA) with 16 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He has also ran in a touchdown. The Cougars passing defense has allowed 248-374 passing(66.3%) for 2,952 yards (7.9 YPA) with 24 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Look for Price to continue his hot streak as he has been playing great the last two weeks.

For the Cougars they'll be going with Jeff Tuel who played against the Huskies in the 35-28 loss back in 2010. In that game Tuel was 25-35(71.4%) passing for 298 yards(8.5 YPA) with three touchdown passes to one interception. He also ran for 25 yards with a touchdown.

This year Tuel has split time with Connor Halliday. Tuel on the year is 178-279(63.8%) passing for 1,737 yards(6.2 YPA) with eight touchdowns to six interceptions. Halliday who won't play on the year was 152-291(52.2%) passing for 1,878 yards(6.5 YPA) with 15 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. The Cougars rely on their passing attack as their rushing attack has been non existent this year.

With sacks counting against teams rushing totals the Cougars this year have ran for only 330 yards on 228 carries(1.5 YPC) with three touchdowns. The Cougars two main rushers are Teondray  Caldwell who has ran for 262 yards on 53 carries(4.9 YPC). He has also caught 12 passes for 49 yards(4.1 YPC) on the year.

The other back is Carl Winston who last year in the Apple Cup loss ran for only 20 yards on six carries(3.3 YPC). This year he has ran for only 253 yards on 73 carries(3.5 YPC) with two touchdowns. He has also caught 12 passes for 63 yards(5.3 YPC). The Cougars rushing game has been non existent while their counter parts have a strong rushing attack.

What has to hurt the Cougars lack of a running game is that the Huskies have a strong running game led by Bishop Sankey. Sankey who was a Cougar commit decided at the last minute to go to the Huskies instead. Last year he didn't play in the Apple Cup and will be playing in his first career Apple Cup against the school he snubbed.

Sankey on the year has ran for 1,150 yards on 233 carries(4.9 YPC) with 13 touchdowns. He has also caught 27 passes for 175 yards(6.5 YPC). His backup Kendyl Taylor is a nice change of pace back as he has ran for 206 yards on 33 carries(6.2 YPC). He has also caught 13 passes for 99 yards(7.6 YPC) with a touchdown. The Cougars rush defense isn't very strong as they have allowed 1,884 yards rushing on 457 attempts(4.1 YPC) with 19 touchdowns. The Huskies have had four straight years with a 100 yard rusher against the Cougars.

The Huskies receiving group is led by Kasen Williams and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Last year against the Cougars Williams had a breakout game. The true freshman caught five passes for 74 yards(14.8 YPC) with two touchdowns. He also had a memorable leap over a Cougar defender. That big game led way to a big season for Williams this year as he has caught 63 passes for 700 yards(11.1 YPC) with six touchdowns.

While Seferian-Jenkins last year in his first Apple Cup caught four passes for 62 yards(15.5 YPC). This year Seferian-Jenkins has caught 58 passes for 751 yards(12.9 YPC) with five touchdowns. The Huskies last couple of years have had other receivers step up as well. Jaydon Mickens the true freshman on the year has 18 receptions for 178 yards(9.9 YPC) with his first career touchdown last week. He has also ran for 26 yards on three carries. DiAndre Campbell has caught 12 passes for 125 yards(10.4 YPC) with two touchdowns. Senior Cody Bruns has caught 11 passes for 84 yards(7.6 YPC) with a touchdown. The Cougars will look to make someone else beat them this year. Last year going into the game they tried to stop Jermaine Kearse from killing them as he destroyed them the previous two years which allowed the freshman Williams to have a break through game. Look for Mickens or Bruns to step up with a career game this Friday.

The Cougars receivers took a hit when Marquess Wilson quit the team. Last year against the Huskies Wilson caught seven passes for 108 yards(15.4 YPC) with two touchdowns. For this season Wilson had caught 52 passes for 813 yards(15.6 YPC) with five touchdowns in only nine games.

The other Cougar receivers are true freshman Gabe Marks who has caught 47 passes for 547 yards(11.6 YPC) with two touchdowns. Brett Bartolone has caught 49 passes for 407 yards(8.3 YPC) with four touchdowns. Dominique Williams who has stepped up in Wilson's absence in only seven games has caught 26 passes for 403 yards(15.5 YPC) with three touchdowns. Bobby Ratliff has caught 27 passes for 377 yards(14.0 YPC) in only seven games. Isiah Myers in eight games has caught 38 passes for 391 yards(10.3 YPC) with four touchdowns. The Cougars will throw the ball all over the place and will try and test the talented Huskies secondary.

The Huskies rank 9th in the nation against the pass this year which is led by senior Desmond Trufant who is the brother of Marcus Trufant. Unlike his brother Marcus who was 0-4 in apple cup games Desmond is 3-0 in the apple cup. Last year with the Huskies leading 31-21, the Cougars tried a flea flicker to Wilson when Trufant tipped the pass straight to Sean Parker for a momentum changing interception.

Opposing quarterbacks are 157-302(51.9%) passing for 1,917 yards(6.3 YPA) with 14 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The Huskies have recorded 22 sacks on the season while the Cougars have allowed 52 sacks(4.7 a game) on the season. The Huskies secondary will be tested all game as they hardly run the ball. You have a battle between a top 10 passing offense against a top 10 passing defense. For Trufant this will be his final Apple Cup and like Sankey his presence on the Huskies sideline has to kill Cougar fans. Trufant unlike his brother decided to come to the Huskies in Sarkisian's first every recruiting class at Washington. Trufant who will be playing on Sunday's next year has two more games left in his Husky career. For him to go out a perfect 4-0 in Apple Cups would be a nice end to his great Husky career so far.

In the last three years Steve Sarkisian is 3-0 against the Cougars. In fact he has never trailed the Cougars in his three years as Huskies head coach. In his first year the Huskies shut out the Cougars for the first time since 1964 30-0 in 2009. In his second year the Huskies blew a 28-14 lead only to see Locker hit Kearse for the game winning touchdown to 35-28 in 2010 to clinch their first bowl game since 2002. Then last year the Huskies won 38-21 behind Price and Chris Polk. Sarkisian has a chance to join Don James and Rick Neuheisel as Husky coaches who began their career going 4-0 against the Cougars. The Huskies are heavy favorites heading into this game and know what is at stake. A win would give the program their 8th win which they haven't done since 2001.

The Huskies are playing their best ball right now while the Cougars have been blown out in the first half in their last three games. The Cougars will be at home and for them a win over the Huskies would salvage a terrible season. With a win here Leach's first year would win over some fans and make this year a success for the Cougars. If the Huskies win and if the win is a blowout this could put some real heat on Leach. Leach has had a disaster first year going 2-9 so far and with a loss would go 2-10 clinching the Cougars 50th loss in the last five years. The Cougars are 11-49 and 4-40 in conference since 2008. This is a game the Huskies should win easily as the talent gap is too great. I expect a somewhat close first half where the Huskies lead then in the second half the Huskies pull away. The programs are just going in different directions once again as the Huskies program appears to be getting better while the Cougars program appears to be getting worse.

Cougars fire Wulff!

By Kshell

After days of debating and meetings the Washington State Cougars finally decided it was time to end the Paul Wulff era in Pullman. This is a tough day for Cougar fans as Wulff is a former player for them. In fact he was on the 1988 team that defeated the Huskies and won a bowl game.  Wulff took over a tough situation as his previous coach Bill Doba left him with practically nothing and it showed his first two years. At the end of the year Wulff was fired in year four which saw his starting quarterback Jeff Tuel go down. Wulff promised a bowl game this year and fell two games shy as he went 4-8 on the season. For his career at Washington State Wulff went 9-40, 6-40 vs D-1 schools and 4-32 in conference play. The pressure was on to fire Wulff despite the players support and love for their coach. Now the Cougars will be looking at their head coach since Mike Price left them weeks prior to their Rose Bowl game.

When Wulff took over the Cougars program he inherited a mess which reflected in his record. His first two years on the job he went just 3-22(1-17 in conference). The Cougars lost by 30 plus points seven times in 2008, 40 plus points five times and 50 plus points four times and lost by 63 points to California and 69 points to USC. That year was a success to the Cougars despite finishing 2-11(1-8) because they defeated the Huskies. In 2009 the results stayed the same as Wulff struggled through a 1-11 season(0-9) while getting shutout in the conference. During 2009 the Cougars lost by 30 plus points seven times, 40 plus points two times. During his third year the Cougars improved but still only went 2-10(1-8) which put the pressure on Wulff this year. After starting off 3-1 the Cougars finished the year losing seven of their last eight games finishing 4-8(2-6). The Cougars have had some close losses the past two years losing by less than seven points four times in the past two years. Ultimately as a coach your job is to win and Wulff has recruited decently meaning the next coach will inherit a team that should go to a bowl game.

Fair or not Wulff will be linked with such duds as Tyrone Willingham. Willingham in four years at Washington went 11-37(6-29) which was previously seen as the worst era in conference history. Wulff ended up beating that mark going 9-40(4-32). Both took over programs in bad shape and left the program stocked with more talent than they arrived. Both were surly with the media and often didn't share much. The difference is the players cared for Wulff while the players at Washington absolutely hated Willingham. Willingham was also at a better school which has more advantages so his failures have no excuses unlike Wulff. Steve Sarkisian took over Willingham's mess and in three short years has the Huskies going to their second straight bowl game. The Cougars are hoping for the same as they'll gain back a healthy Jeff Tuel plus other nice players. Are the Cougars ready to take the Pac-12 by storm? no they aren't. Are they at least ready to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2003? yes they are. They still aren't an overly talented bunch but there is a enough pieces in the passing game for a pass happy coach(Mike Leach) to succeed in year one. Wulff did the dirty work but ultimately wasn't ever going to be the guy to take them over the top.

In conclusion, as a Husky fan I'm sad that Paul Wulff has been fired. No in reality this is a tough day as he was an alum who played for the Cougars. Cougar fans so wanted him to succeed unlike any other coach because the Cougars was his #1 job he was never going to leave them ever. The problem is the fans and maybe administration let that cloud their judgement that a football coaches job is to win games. Wulff didn't win enough games and he'll most likely never be a head coach on any level again. Wulff coached his alma mater but in the end these four years went as terribly as they possibly could have for Wulff and Cougar nation. The Cougars will now look to embrace their new head coach as their rivals prepare for their next bowl opponent. Maybe next year the Cougars will be preparing for their next bowl opponent although Wulff won't be there to see it unfold.

Unavoidable issue facing the Cougs

By InsiderSteve


In a perfect world, head coach Paul Wulff wouldn't be dealing with these problems. Jeff Tuel would be healthy, and taking every snap. As we we know though, life and in football, its anything but perfect. The game is filled with imperfections, injuries, disappointments, and lost expectations. Sometimes the ball just doesn't go your way. That's life in general, but in everything that happens, eventually thing start looking up. The same goes with the Cougars. This season doesn't have that same feel of the past three. Where if it rained, it poured. No, there is confidence, a swagger in these players. It's noticeable on every down. There are no excuse with this program. They have used them all up. So even in the wake of a potential season disaster, which it looked like it could've been, the Cougars refused to let Jeff Tuel's injury to hinder their goal of making a bowl game. Instead, they chose to rally around their redshirt senior QB Marshall Lobbestael, and it's payed off . The Cougars are 3-1, and looking like a team that no one can take lightly anymore. But with new expectations come unavoidable questions that Coach Wulff will have to be dealt with.

Who is the QB once Jeff Tuel is ready to play?

Better yet, how about a hypothetical. Let's say Jeff Tuel isn't 100% ready to play until the Cougs play Oregon State. Then, let's say that not only does Lobbestael beat UCLA, but does the unthinkable. Pulls off the upset of #7 Stanford at home. Then what do you do. Now all of a sudden, the team is 5-1 needing just one victory for that elusive bowl birth. If your Paul Wulff, what do you do?

All right. Let's take a step back and examine this. Paul Wulff has two options. The hot hand or the better player.

The hot hand: Marshall Lobbestael

Marshall Lobbestael has been everything Paul Wulff has needed in a QB under these circumstances. Most coaches would only ask the backup QB to stick within the system, and keep the mistakes to a minimum. Lobbestael has not only exceeded those expectations, but has risen to a level that now has him ranked as high as #16 in the nation as a passer, and #3 in the conference behind only Andrew Luck and Keith Price. His numbers have been stellar as well, 90-142, 1335 yrds, 13 td's, 3 int's, 63.4% com%, and a 9.4 ypa clip. His play has made his value rise to better then three quarters of the QB's in the conference, and what makes this problem even better, Lobbestael is getting better every game. His passing yards has risen the past three weeks from 361 to 368 to 376. During that span he has thrown 11 td's to five different receivers. Those kind of QB attributes are the ones found in some of the better QB's in the nation, playing at some of the nations better programs. And Lobbestael is our backup.

The better player: Jeff Tuel

Make no mistake about it, Jeff Tuel is the best player on the Washington State roster. He does everything you need in QB. Where Marshall Lobbestael comes off looking one dimensional, Jeff Tuel gives the offense better options. He has the pocket presence need to step up and deliver a strike under duress. He has the accuracy and arm strength to make most throws that Lobbestael sometimes has a problem completing. He is mobile. When the pocket collapses he has the uncanny ability to recognize where he is on the field and where the first down marker is at. It is easy to understand why Jeff Tuel is a very gifted QB with a bright future. Paul Wulff simply put, cannot make the mistake of bringing him back too early or the future could potentially be in jeopardy. The type of shoulder injury he does have, it would only take one hit or one bad landing to put him out for the rest of the season. It would be irresponsible for Paul Wullf to neglect the long term health of his best player, but also the long term health of his program.

Either way, this is the best problem a coach could possibly have. Having two QB's that can win games. Obviously from a gamesmanship standpoint, Coach Wulff isn't exactly the greatest at it. I will say though, he has handled this the way you should. No distractions of any kind. Once Tuel was cleared for practice with full pads, he quickly defused any speculation and named Lobbestael his starter for UCLA. Ultimately Tuel is his starting QB. As nice as a story as it has been with Marshall Lobbestael, Jeff Tuel will the one to carry WSU as far as they want to go. It is true that football is a QB sport now, but you simply cannot win long term with your backup. That is what this is about. For Paul Wulff and the uncertainty of his coaching future at Washington State, he cannot afford not to play Tuel.  If AD Bill Moos does fire him at seasons end, at least he can say he went out with his best player instead with his backup.

Cougars dealing with adversity..Again.

By Outsider Steve

Why does this always seem to happen to the Washington State Cougar football team? For the last two seasons Paul Wulff  has had to deal with season ending injuries to major pieces of his offense. In 2009 RB James Montgomery was lost for the season to a freak injury, diagnosed as an anterior lateral compartment syndrome, it required doctors to remove muscle from Montgomery's leg, nearly costing Montgomery his leg. In the 2010 opener against Oklahoma State, RB Ricky Galvin broke his forearm on his first play from scrimmage. Both injuries severely crippled the Cougars offense, and ultimately setting the program back another year. As bad as those injuries were, those hits cannot compare to the hit that was taken to QB Jeff Tuel last Saturady against Idaho St. And to the potential catastrophe that looms for head coach Paul Wulff and his coaching future in Pullman.

After sitting out for the first couple of series with stomach issue, QB Jeff Tuel entered the game with the Cougars upon Idaho St 14-0. Five plays later as Tuel rolled to his right on a scramble and headed toward the sideline, he was hit by Idaho State linebacker J. T. Albers. Tuel crumpled to the turf, and the end result was a broken left collar bone. The WSU medical staff has determined that Tuel's injury is not a season ending type, but it will require 4-6 weeks recovery. The key phase here is "recovery time". Meaning the time needed for the bone to actually heal. Then, if your accounting for the time to get Tuel's arm back into game shape, this injury could stretch into the 7-9 week time frame. Which would put Tuel back on the field for the November 19th game at home vs Utah or November 26th game vs Washington in the Apple Cup. No matter how the Cougars spin this, They will not be able to have their best player available for the bulk of the Pac-12 schedule. Potentially ending any hopes the Cougars may had before the season started.

Where does this leave the Cougars at the QB position going forward? For Head Coach Paul Wulff and Offensive Coordinator Todd Sturdy, the decision seemed to be a relatively easy one, tabbing redshirt senior Marshall Lobbestael as his starter this week vs UNLV. But the questions surrounding the senior from Oak Harbor still remain. Can Marshall Lobbestael win at the Pac-12 level? Up to this point in his college career, most would look at Lobbestael's body of work, 120/247, 1226 yards, 7 TD's/12 INT's, and answer with a resounding no. But in all fairness, Lobbestael didn't look like the timid sophomore we had previously seen against Idaho St. Anything but. Lobbestael finished with 14/19, 250 yards, 2 TD's, 73.7 com%. At one, completing nine straight passes. He had look and feel of a seasoned QB ready to step in and take control of the offense. Which is exaclty what Paul Wulff must have of his QB's moving forward if the Cougars have any chance at achieving any aspirations moving forward.

It's not like Cougars don't have any other options at the QB position. This happens to be the deepest position on the Cougar depth chart. Sitting very closely behind Lobbestael on the depth chart is Conner Halliday. The redshirt freshman from Ferris H.S. in Spokane, had very nice audition on Saturday vs Idaho St. In limited action, Halliday finished with a 6/13, 67 yards, and 2 TD's. He didn't light the world on fire with his arm, but he did managed the offense in such an efficient manner, that his performance has created a little bit of a QB controversy. And rightfully so. Conner Halliday is projected as the future of the position for the Cougars. And with the injury to Jeff Tuel, most consider this as the perfect time for Halliday to step in and get his feet wet. But this is not the right time for a QB controversy. This is the last thing Paul Wulff wanted because it's not that simple of a question for Wulff to answer. It's a decision that could easily determine his future on campus. So why have a controversy at all?

This is what the 2011 season come down to Paul Wulff. Do you take the experience in Lobbestael or go with the the kid with the bright future in Conner Halliday? If Wulff wants to keep his job beyond this season, then the only option at this point is going with experience and sticking with Lobbestael for the long haul. Through the good times and bad the Cougars will have with Lobbestael at QB, you cannot do anything to disrupt the positive momentum that has been created. That's exactly what could happen if Wulff chooses to hedge his bets on the freshman Halliday. The safe play for Wulff right now is to ignore all the calls for Halliday, and stick to his guns. In any event, this has to the worst possible scenario that coach Wulff had ever envisioned. There is no one right answer to this question. Only time will tell if either QB is the right guy. And for Paul Wulff and his coaching future, that is the one thing he doesn't have anymore..

Can the 2011 WSU Cougars be something special?

By Outsider Steve

For most Cougar fans, this time of year it has been anything but fun. Moreover, why would it be? For the last three years, the Cougs have been everything but competitive; a blip on the college football radar. But 2010 will be known as the season the Cougars turned the corner as a program. Not only did the Cougars show that they have a pulse, but they showed that they are ready to compete in the Pac-12 as well. The pinnacle of the 2010 Cougars was not only securing their first conference road victory in Corvallis, but also showing that they were able to stay competitive with conference foes during losses. For Paul Wulff, 2010 had to be a success. For the fist time the Cougars were able to show progress under his watch during a losing season. This was something coach Wulff could not say about his previous two seasons in Pullman. As a matter of fact, it had gotten so bad at times under Wulff most fans were left wondering if he would be able to survive as head coach. Not only did Wulff survive, the Cougs may have emerged as a dark horse to potentially snag a bowl bid.

What makes this year’s version different from years past? For starters, it marks the first time in the coach Wulff's tenure that upper classman rule the depth chart. Thirteen starters (8 on offense, 5 on defense) are either juniors or seniors. Most of these upper classman are expected to provide a leadership role, but moreover, they all play key positions (QB, RB, WR, TE, LT, C, RG, DE, DT, MLB, and OLB) that require a veteran presence. How important is leadership to this Cougar team? When the season starts rolling into the conference portion of the schedule, you are going to have to rely heavily on your upper classmen to hold their respective units together. Leadership will play a huge role in whether this team can snag a bowl bid. Especially on the defensive side of the ball where the Cougars are cutting in as many as three freshmen into their defensive unit. It makes players like Travis Long, Alex Hoffman-Ellis, and Deane Bucannon even more important because it allows the kids to be able play freely without having the pressure of being the main playmakers before their ready to take on that role.

The Cougars can score points in a hurry. Not a big surprise. Nevertheless, with QB Jeff Tuel entering his junior year, the expectations/success of the entire offense will land squarely on his shoulders. I do not think there is a question of whether or not he can handle the responsibility because I think he has proven that. The bigger question is can Tuel consistently put together scoring drives? We have seen to many times where drives have fizzled out due to poor execution, lack of protection, etc. One area of glowing improvement has been the Cougar offensive line. The Cougars are returning an offensive line with four seniors and one sophmore in David Gonzales, Andrew Roxas, B.J. Guerra, Wade Jacobsen, and John Fullington. That is the type cohesion is what coaches dream about having up-front. Not only does it open up running lanes for guys like senior Logwane Mitz (I can‘t believe he‘s still around), but it finally allows Wulff the freedom to open up the passing game. No longer do you have to stay conservative because of a lack of protection. You can now feature Tuel as a true weapon instead of a game manager.

These aren’t the same old Cougars that have been a college football embarrassment. They no longer feel the need to hang their heads for going 5-32 over the last three seasons. If anything its made the Cougars a stronger team. For the first in coach Wulff’s tenure, these Cougars will enter a season with winning expectations. They believe a bowl birth is more then just attainable, it’s something they expect to happen. That type of confidence and swagger is only attained by going through the fire as a team. They have done exactly that, and now its time to see how these Cougars get after it this season. Go Cougs!

Huskies clinch bowl game! Beat Cougars 35-28!

By Kshell

The Washington Huskies began the year with one goal in mind and that was to reach a bowl game. The Huskies(6-6,5-4) defeated the Washington State Cougars(2-10,1-8) in the Apple Cup 35-28 to clinch a bowl berth and third place in the Pac-10. The Huskies were led by Chris Polk rushing for a career high 284 yards on the game while Senior Jake Locker hit Jermaine Kearse for a 27 yard touchdown pass that proved to be the game winner. The Cougars put up a great fight rallying from being down 28-14 to tie the score up. Ultimately it was the Huskies who took advantage of their last drive and clinch a bowl berth. It was a sweet victory for the Huskies who hit rock bottom in this very stadium two years ago.

When the game started it looked like this game would make my top five Huskies blowouts game not my top five Huskies Apple Cup wins. The Huskies on their first offensive possession had the ball on their own two yard line. The first play would set the tone as Chris Polk would rush up the middle for a 13 yard gain. Later in the drive on their own 23 yard line facing a third and two the Huskies called a run for Locker out of the shotgun and he busted it 77 yards for a touchdown.



Unfortunately for the Huskies there was a holding penalty. So after running 77 yards and celebrating Locker had to come all the way back and face a third and 12. Locker would hit Devin Aguilar for a gain of 14 to pick up the first down. The Huskies would then run the ball seven of the next eight plays including five in a row to set up a crucial fourth and one from the Cougars 17. Locker would fake the toss and keep it and was met in the backfield for what should have been a loss of three and looking like Locker as a freshman he avoided the loss and ran for a gain of six yards for a first down. The Huskies would then feature Chris Polk some more and cap the drive when Polk would score from two yards out to put the Huskies up 7-0. The Huskies would run 17 plays for 98 yards which included 11 rushing plays for 60 yards. Chris Polk on the drive carried the ball eight times for 54 yards with one catch of nine yards. Jake Locker on the drive was five for five for 48 yards passing on the drive.



The Huskies offense then struggled after the quick start and had to settle for some punts. The defense was dominating the Cougars though early on. After the Cougars drove 34 yards on nine plays on their opening possession they would go three and out four consecutive series. The Huskies in the second quarter looking like they would waste another great field possession facing a fourth and seven from the Cougars 37 yard line would call for a fake punt, the punter who wasn't even on the team in August Kiel Rasp would hit Jermaine Kearse for the first down and Kearse would run for a 30 yard gain. The Huskies next play didn't waste any time as Locker started to run right, then stop turn and run left as he out ran the Cougars defense for the seven yard rushing touchdown to give the Huskies a 14-0 lead.

The Huskies had a chance to put the game away on their next possession they drove once again in the Cougar red zone. The Huskies would get down to the 10 yard line when Locker would hit Kearse for a 40 yard pass. The Huskies would committ another bad penalty backing them up to the 15. Facing a second and goal from the Cougars 10 yard line Locker would throw an interception in the end zone. Instead of at worst having a 17-0 lead with ball first the Cougars got their first taste of momentum. The Cougars would capitalize on that momentum when Jeff Tuel would complete four of four passes for 44 yards while rushing for 19 yards on the drive. Tuel would cap the drive and halftime by hitting Jared Karstetter for a five yard touchdown. All of a sudden the Cougars pulled within 14-7 at halftime despite being dominated for the first 28 minutes of the half.



The second half would start off with some fireworks. The Huskies facing a third and five from the Cougars 34 yard line when Locker would hit Kearse on a slant which Kearse out ran everyone for a 66 yard touchdown reception. With that touchdown pass Jake Locker tied Cody Pickett for first place all-time in Husky history for passing touchdowns. The Huskies would take a 21-7 lead and once again appeared to be in good shape. Tuel and the Cougars offense had other plans.

The Cougars would march down the field behind Tuel's passing to Daniel Blackledge. Tuel would hit Blackledge for 34 yards on the drive including a 13 yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14. The Huskies would then have to respond to the Cougars score after trading punts the Huskies would go back to the gameplan once again which was to feature Chris Polk.

The Huskies Chris Polk from their own 25 yard line would rush for a career long 72 yard run down to the Cougars three yard line. Then Jesse Callier would rush for his first career touchdown only to be called back due to an illegal formation. The Huskies would then get a false start so instead of first and goal from the three yard line it was from the 13 yard line. Locker would hit D'Andre Goodwin for a 12 yard gain to set up a third and goal from the one. Polk would get stuffed on the run as the quarter ended. To start the fourth quarter Steve Sarkisian who likes to be agressive decided to go for it instead of kicking the field goal. The Huskies would call a fly sweep which Locker and Callier fumbled the exchange the Cougars recovered the fumble and ran it back 33 yards to midfield as Locker was chalked up to a minus 15 yard rushing play.



The Cougars really had momentum going for them with the ball at midfield. Facing a third and two Tuel would complete a pass to Karstetter for what many thought was a gain of one. Originally the ball was spotted for a first down. After further review he was short so the Cougars then faced a fourh and one from the Huskies 42, Paul Wulff and his offense decided to try and throw the ball. Tuel saw nobody was open then tried to run the ball but was stopped for a loss of one. The Huskies wasted no time to take back momemtum when Chris Polk would break a 57 yard run for a touchdown to give the Huskies a 28-14 lead.

The Cougars would respond to that score like they have all game with a score of their own. The Cougars would drive 70 yards on 10 plays. Tuel on the drive was three for four for 43 yards and would score a one yard rushing touchdown on third and goal from the one yard line. After stopping the Huskies the Cougars would score again to tie up the game at 28-28. The Cougars continued to slice up the Huskies defense driving 73 yards on six plays. Tuel once again was hitting his passes completing three for three passes for 74 yards including a 16 yard touchdown to Marquess Wilson to tie up the score.



After a penalty on the kickoff Jake Locker and the offense took over on their own 12 yard line with four minutes to go in the game. This was the moment that Locker came back for his Senior season for. What many had forgot though was the Huskies also have a talented running back who will be playing in the NFL shortly in Chris Polk. After Locker had a 10 yard run to their own 24 yard line, Chris Polk had another long run of 36 yards to the Cougars 40 yard line. The Huskies were in a tough position on third and six from the Cougars 36 yard line. Locker would scramble for a gain of five and a half yards falling just short of the first down. At first Sarkisian was going to kick the 48 yard field goal but after calling timeout he decided to go for it on fourth and one. The Huskies didn't mess around handing the ball off to Chris Polk who ran for 15 yards to the Cougars 16. Then Polk would for four more yards giving him 284 yards on the day. On that run though despite being in field goal range Ryan Tolar committed a stupid personal foul penalty backing the Husies up to the Cougars 27 yard line making it second and 21. That set up the Apple Cup moment for Jake Locker and Jermaine Kearse.



After another costly penalty that made the field goal a tougher kick Locker didn't let it come to that. Locker pump faked the corner then hit Jermaine Kearse for a beautiful touchdown from 27 yards out with under a minute left in the game. The Husky crowd started going crazy as did Jake Locker who made a beautiful touchdown pass to Kearse. With that pass Locker tied Brock Huard for second place all-time in passing touchdowns at the University of Washington history. The Huskies defense led by Senior Mason Foster who had 14 tackles on the game recorded back to back sacks on the Cougars final drive. The game ended with Tuel throwing a hail marry interception to Nate Fellner to clinch the victory and a bowl berth for the Huskies.

From 0-12 just two years ago to a bowl game is quite the turnaround this fan base is happy to see. Sarkisian when he was hired promised quick results as he saw there was some talent on this team mainly with Jake Locker who missed eight and a half games during that 0-12 season including the Apple Cup loss. The Huskies led by Chris Polk who finished with 29 carries for 284 yards and two touchdowns was 12 yards shy of Hugh McElhenny who ran for 296 yards against the Cougars in the 1950 Apple Cup. The Huskies passing duo of Locker and Kearse had great games as well. Locker was 14 of 22 passing for 226 yards with two touchdowns including the game winner and an interception. He also added a rushing touchdown and what doesn't show up is the 77 yard rushing touchdown he had that was called back. Kearse would put his name next to Reggie Williams, Jerome Pathon and Mario Bailey as receivers who had big days against the Cougars. Kearse finished with six receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cougars can settle for another moral victory as they played the Huskies tough but the cold reality is they lost 10 games for the third straight season. Jeff Tuel finished 25 of 35 passing for 298 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He would also add a rushing touchdown. Had the Cougars won I would be talking about their passing duo which featured Cougars receiver Daniel Blackledge finishing with seven receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. Paul Wulff is now 5-32 as Cougars head coach and is just 3-32 against Division-1 opponents. Wulff is also just 2-25 in Pac-10 game on the year, the team did improve but by how much? Wulff has to figure out a way to turn those moral victories into wins.

This day belongs to the Huskies though. Last year they were so close but couldn't close the day going from 0-12 to 5-7. While this year featured more blowouts than last season this team did know how to finish. When the team was 3-6 and the fans were showing concerns the Huskies rallied and won three in a row including two on the road. This late season surge brings up memories of their last bowl appearance when in 2002 the team was 4-5 won three in a row including two on the road. The Huskies under Locker in years past were 2-11 in games decided by seven points or less while this year they are 4-1. The Huskies are finishing games and their reward will be a trip to San Diego for a bowl game. These Seniors will be known as the class that turned the program around from 0-12 to the Holiday Bowl!

Observations:

- Chris Polk is a beast and hopefully he gives the Huskies another year. Like last year fans waited to see if Locker came back or not we'll be doing the same with Polk. Unlike the Locker situation the Huskies have running backs who can take over. Polk is a power back who despite what people kept saying gets strong as the game goes on. I've been saying all year to feature Polk and today the Huskies did just that which resulted in a win. When Polk has over 20 carries in a game this year they are 4-0. Polk also became the first running back since Napoleon Kaufman(1992-94) did it three years in a row to rush for over 1,000 yards in back to back seasons. Sarkisians goal for Polk on the season was to maintain a YPC average of 5.5 and Polk averaged just that rushing for 5.5 yards a carry for 1,238 yards with eight touchdowns.

- Jermaine Kearse had some monster games this year. He had troubles being inconsistent but nobody doubts his big play potential. He followed up a great sophomore season with a terrific junior season. Kearse on the year had 62 receptions for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns. Kearse is another junior who might think about the NFL, hopefully he comes back. With him and Kasen Williams next year that would make Nick Montana or Keith Price's life a lot easier.

- This game shouldn't have even been close. I know this makes me sound like a fan but those are the facts. The Huskies scored 35 points and had almost 600 yards of total offense on the game. The Huskies had two touchdowns called back, 100 yards in penalties, dropped an interception that would have been a touchdown, turned the ball over twice in the red zone. Even with all that the Huskies still won on the road. This game reminded me of the USC game where the Cougars couldn't stop the Huskies at all.



- Nobody can call Jake Locker a loser anymore. Cougar and Duck fans love to bash on this poor kid and I simply don't understand it. Close your eyes and imagine a kid who said no to over 40 million dollars, said no to millions when he was 18(baseball draft), chose to stay home when he could have gone anywhere, is a good christian/role model and had the worst coaching staff in his first two years. If that was your quarterback you wouldn't be so quick to judge. Funny how Cougar fans love to bash on Locker's record but brag up Tuel in the same sentence. This isn't to bash on Tuel who is a wonderful quarterback and during his Senior year I won't mock every bad game he has.

Locker starting record wasn't very good we all know that it was well documented he is only 14-25 as a starting quarterback. Although the road was bumpy he did what we all thought he would do. He turned around the program when most people would have done the easier thing and leave. He could have pulled a Matt Tuiasosopo and be drafted into the baseball draft, he could have been like Taylor Mays or Jonathan Stewart and go to a good program, he could have bailed last year as well. Had he done any of those things nobody would have blamed him, in fact he took crap for each and every decision. Now Locker took the team to a bowl game finished this "disasterous" year throwing for 2,209 yards, 56.6% completion, 17 passing touchdowns to nine interceptions while adding five rushing touchdowns. Locker has done a lot for this program and is genuily a good guy. Hopefully those same fans who are bashing him are doing that because he is a Husky and can root for him in the NFL.

All and all this season didn't go how the Huskies or Locker would have liked to have gone. That happens in sports you bumps and roads but the Huskies responded after the BYU loss, after Nebraska killing them(more on that game in a few days), after the Arizona State loss and now after the three game losing streak that saw the team outscored 138-30. Sarkisian and this staff deserves credit for not allowing this team to quit which you would have saw under Tyrone Willingham. Locker didn't come back to win a Heisman trophy he came back to lead the Huskies program back to a bowl game. The Huskies will now have three full weeks of practices to pepare for the bowl game and for the younger guys this is 15 extra practices for them. For the kids redshirting this is basically more spring football for them so guys like a Nick Montana should benefit from this. The Huskies won the Apple Cup for the second straight year and most importantly going bowling for the first time in eight years. This is why Locker came back and all of Husky nation is glad. Just don't forget about Chris Polk and hopefully he comes back as well.

Who has the better quarterbacks historically? Huskies or Cougars?

By Kshell

When the Washington Huskies(5-6,4-4) travel to Pullman to take on cross state rival Washington State Cougars(2-9,1-7) this Saturday there will be a ton of focus on quarterbacks Jake Locker and Jeff Tuel. Now if you talk to Cougar fans they'll have you believe Tuel is better than Locker but that simply isn't the case at least not now. Tuel has a bright future ahead of him for the Cougars who have produced some good quarterbacks in their time period. While Jake Locker will most likely be the first Husky quarterback drafted in the first round of the NFL draft.

With all this talk about quarterbacks that started up a friendly debate on which school has the better quarterbacks? Now I'll admit when it comes to stats WSU wins as their quarterbacks have put up some great statistics. As I know from watching Locker or Cody Pickett statistics don't always tell the story for a quarterback. Like 15 of the last 17 starting quarterbacks for the Huskies have played professionally. The Cougars just can't compete with the Huskies depth and quantity of good quarterbacks. In this following blog post I'll debate with Tory Johnson who is an avid Coug fan who you might see post on Seattle PI's Jim Moores page quite often. Now don't be afraid he is a classy Cougar who loves his Cougars while remaining respectful to the Huskies. I'll let him make his points first then I'll give you reasons why the Huskies have better quarterbacks.

Tory Johnson:

Many people nowadays would say that, if you look at their recent history, Washington State is no longer Quarterback U. It cannot be argued, however, that Washington State earned that title by having a vast array of talent at that position through the years.

Even though I’m showing why Washington State has had the better quarterbacks historically I am, in no way , saying that Washington quarterbacks have been bad (because they’re not). I will just state why Washington State quarterbacks, historically, have been better.

Here is my list of the top 5 Washington State quarterbacks since 1975:

5. Mark Rypien
The first Canadian born quarterback to start in the NFL, Rypien was best known for his accuracy as a deep passer. Rypien may not have had the best pass you’ve ever seen, but he could throw a 50 yard pass more accurately than any quarterback.. He was a two time All-American (1984 & 1985) and was named the PAC-10 best quarterback in 1985. He finished his career at Washington State with 4,573 yards, 28 touchdowns, and a 53.2% completion percentage. His completion percentage ranks 10th all-time.

Rypien was the perfect example of hard work, determination, and strong will.




4. Jack Thompson
Named “The Throwin’ Samoan” by the Spokesman-Review, Thompson racked up 7,818 yards and set PAC-10 records (at the time) for attempts, completions, and touchdowns. When he left for the NFL in 1978 he was deemed the most prolific passer in NCAA history and arguably still is. His senior season he finished ninth in Heisman voting.

In my opinion Thompson is the face of Washington State football and is the bar every quarterback there strives towards.

3. Jason Gesser
His passion to come play at Washington State was so strong he signed his letter of intent without even visiting the campus or seeing the stadium.

Although he wasn’t drafted Gesser finished his college career breaking Jack Thompson’s illustrious records and had the most wins of any quarterback in Washington State history. In 2002 he finished seventh in Heisman voting and was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year.

Jason Gesser and Washington State is one of only two teams to beat Boise State in Boise in the last decade. He played through more injuries than any athlete I have seen in a long time.



2. Ryan Leaf
Leaf was the first quarterback in 67 years to lead the Cougars to a Rose Bowl and helped them win the first PAC-10 championship in school history. That same year he averaged 330 yards per game, was third in Heisman Trophy voting (behind Charles Woodson and Peyton Manning), was selected PAC-10 Player of the Year, named first-team All-American, and finished second in the nation in passer efficiency rating.

Leaf was the #2 pick in the draft (behind Manning) and, although he was a bust in the NFL, his legacy at Washington State will live on forever.




1. Drew Bledsoe
My favorite quarterback of all-time, Bledsoe was best known for his bullet pass. I would swear that a receiver gained five yards just from the ball knocking him back that far. Bledsoe racked up 7,373 yards and 46 touchdowns in only three years. In ‘92 he led the team to a #15 ranking in the AP poll and an invitation to the Copper bowl, where they beat Utah. He set WSU records in single-game passing yards (476), single-season pass completions (241), and single-season passing yards (3,246). He also was named PAC-10 Player of the Year in 1992.

He was drafted first in the 1993 NFL draft and, with the impressive career he had, leaves Seahawk fans to wonder what would have been if the Patriots let him fall to second.

My honorable mention would have to be Collin Henderson. While this is tongue-in-cheek, Collin had a passer rating and completion percentage that most quarterbacks would be envious of. He finished 11-12 with 6 touchdown passes.

Kshell:

I'm here to convince you that the Huskies have the better quarterbacks. When you look at my top Husky quarterbacks list since 1975 you'll notice one thing about them. They were all winners and four of my five guys won Rose Bowl MVP's. You see at Washington going to the Rose Bowl isn't good enough but winning the Rose Bowl is what truly matters. I'll also show off the depth in my honorable mention list at the names who didn't crack the top five.

Here is my top five Husky quarterbacks since 1975 that I'm sure will get some fans to disagree with me.

5. Chris Chandler
Don James once called Chris Chandler the greatest athlete he had ever coached. James also said there is no one player he regrets most by not putting enough talent around him than Chris Chandler. Chandler is the only guy on my list who never won a Rose Bowl MVP. Chandler played at Washington from 1984-87 and as a sophomore beat out Senior starter Hugh Millen in the middle of the season.

In Chandlers first career start he led the Huskies down the field on a 98 yard drive to defeat the USC Trojans 20-17. Chandler in his career at Washington finished third all-time in total yardage at 4,442 yards. He also threw for 32 touchdowns in his career at Washington where he won the 1988 Senior Bowl MVP in his last game as a student athlete. Chandler finished his career with 4,360 yards passing with 32 touchdowns and also ran for seven touchdowns. Don't think Chandler was a loser either because he didn't go to a Rose Bowl Chandler finished his career with a record of 17-8-2 with a 2-1 record in bowl games. Chandler is also the only Husky quarterback to ever start a Super Bowl when he led the lowly Atlanta Falcons to their first ever Super Bowl in the 1998 season when they upset 15-1 Minnesota Vikings.

4. Mark Brunell
If it wasn't for a tragic injury in a spring game Brunell could possibly be #1 on this list as is he'll have to settle for #4. Brunell took over as starting quarterback as a Sophomore on a loaded 1990 team. All Brunell did was guide the team to a 10-2 record and a 5th national ranking. Brunell was also Rose Bowl MVP as a Sophomore defeating Iowa 46-34. During his Sophomore year Brunell threw for 16 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions.

Heading into the 1991 season Brunell and everyone else was coming back so it was expected the Huskies would contend for a National Championship. Then in the spring game Brunell went down with a knee injury and many felt his season was over. Not many schools could overcome losing a Rose Bowl MVP at quarterback but James was a great recruiter had highly touted backup Billy Joe Hobert waiting in the wings. Hobert who I'll talk about later took over the starting job and won the National Championship in 1991. As for Brunell in a miracle he would return for the third game. It was so emotional players were crying in the huddle. Brunell would have the signature moment in the 1992 Rose Bowl 34-14 win over Michigan hitting Mario Bailey for a touchdown pass.

In 1992 many people would forget before the Billy Joe Hobert scandal had broken out Brunell had beat out Hobert for the starting job after the fifth game. Brunell would finish his career in his third straight Rose Bowl this time a loss to Michigan 38-31. If the Huskies had won Brunell would have won another Rose Bowl MVP as he threw for 308 yards on the day. Brunell would become the all-time leading passer in Rose Bowl history. Brunell would finish with a 14-5(.736%) record in games he started while at the University of Washington. He threw for 3,734 with 25 touchdowns to 16 interceptions. He also ran for 710 yards with 19 rushing touchdowns in his career.

Brunell would later enjoy a lengthy NFL career that is still going on as he is the backup quarterback for the Jets. For his NFL career he has thrown for 31,935 yards, 182 touchdowns to 107 interceptions. He has made three pro bowls including the 1997 MVP and led the expansion Jaguars to the AFC Championship game in their second year of existence and fifth year of existence. Brunell will always go down as a great Husky and before that knee injury he was like Michael Vick on the field with his running. If not for that knee injury he possibly could have been a three time Rose Bowl MVP and a first round pick.




3. Billy Joe Hobert
My most controversial pick so far. Remember just like with Tory picking Ryan Leaf this list is about what you did on the field for that school. When you think of Billy Joe Hobert you think of winner and it's that simple. Billy Joe Hobert went 17-0 as starting quarterback for the Huskies. It does seem a bit weird how I don't have Hobert #1 with a 17-0 record as starting quarterback.

When the Huskies landed Hobert he was a highly touted recruit from Puyallup, Washington. It also appeared with Brunell being one year older than him that Hobert would never see the field. In fact Hobert thought about transferring after the 1990 season when Brunell cemented himself as the starting quarterback. After a tragic injury happened in the 1991 spring game Hobert took over as starting quarterback. He led the Huskies to a 12-0 season and a National Championship where he won the Rose Bowl MVP along with Steve Emtman.

I put Hobert third because he was on the greatest collection of talent the Huskies have ever had. He was allowed to have bad games like against USC where the Huskies only won 14-3. No other quarterback had as much support as Hobert did. Now Hobert is in the top three because he had the fire and passion while at Washington. His signature game was in 1991 in his second career start at Nebraska in Lincoln. With the Huskies trailing 21-9 a young sophomore quarterback screamed at his teammates "WE WILL NOT LOSE THIS F***ING GAME!" that is when Hobert made his legend. He put on a passing clinic and hit a crucial fourth and nine pass to Orlando McKay. Hobert would throw a touchdown pass, run for two touchdown passes that game.

I can't talk about Hobert without talking about 1992. Hobert was benched after five games to Mark Brunell. Hobert was playing poorly possibly because he got a big head in the offseason, maybe he knew a storm was coming but either way he wasn't playing well. After the Huskies had defeated Stanford 41-7 in which Hobert busted a 42 yard touchdown run he was kicked off the team. Hobert was an underrated athlete by the way as he could run, had a rocket arm and was the teams punter early in the 1991 season. Once Hobert was dismissed from the team the Huskies finished the year 1-3 after winning 22 games in a row. The Huskies would be placed on probation, two year bowl ban, loss of 10 scholarships for two seasons, and worst of all Don James retired out of protest.

It it wasn't for those unfortunate sanctions Hobert would be a legend. He is often the fall guy for why Washington football fell apart and that simply isn't the case. Blame the adults in this situation not a 21 year old kid. Hobert would be drafted in the third round after being forced to leave a Junior. Hobert could never find success in the NFL but I rank him third. In his Huskies career he finished with 3,028 yards passing with 27 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions. He also ran for 290 yards with eight touchdowns. He won the only National Championship that most fans recognize. He was the MVP of the bowl game that won the Huskies a national title that has to count for something.

2. Warren Moon
The most successful quarterback for either school is Warren Moon. He is the only quarterback in pro football's hall of fame and if not for racism would be the all-time passing leader in NFL history. Since this is a list about what they did at Washington though he is ranked 2nd as the NFL stats are nice but don't go a whole ways on this list.

Warren Moon thanked Don James at his Hall of Fame speech because James believed in him when nobody else did. You see Moon wasn't a polished quarterback in the 1970's and back then the belief was black people weren't smart enough to be quarterback. James was the only coach who gave Moon a shot at quarterback. Moon wasn't successful his first two years going 11-11 and started off his Senior year 1-3. The fans were booing Moon and wanted him and James out of town ASAP. You think Sarkisian and Locker take heat now? That was nothing compared to the stories I've heard back then.

Then everything changed for the Huskies as they finished the year Pac-10 champions. Moon had led the Huskies to their first Rose Bowl in 13 seasons. He was trying to win their first Rose Bowl in 16 seasons. In that Rose Bowl against heavy favorite Michigan who was ranked fourth in the nation Moon threw for a touchdown and ran for two more in the stunning 27-20 upset of the Wolverines. Warren Moon just like the previous two guys on my list was named Rose Bowl MVP. That win cemented Don James was the right man for the job and under James the Huskies would win six Pac-10 championship, four Rose Bowls, one Orange Bowl and one National Championship. Moon was the man who started it all and he was reward was being not drafted by the NFL.

Moon would have to wait for the NFL but would go to the CFL where he would win five Grey Cups including two Grey Cup MVPs, one CFL MVP and throw for 21,228 yards with 144 touchdowns to just 77 interceptions. To prove that wasn't a fluke when he finally got a chance to play in the NFL where he mostly starred for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings he threw for 49,325 yards and 350 touchdowns. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls winning the Pro Bowl MVP with the Seattle Seahawks at 41 years old in 1998 becoming oldest player to win the games MVP. Moon was also a three time all-pro quarterback in 1988-90.

Yes Moon was a great pro and is the symbol of Don James football. Without Moon breaking out in 1977 good chance James is fired and the Huskies never go on their 25 year run of excellence which saw them win five Rose Bowls and eight Pac-10 titles. Warren Moon never forgets where he came from either always thanking Don James and the Huskies for believing in him when nobody else did.




1. Marques Tuiasosopo
He didn't put up the greatest stats in his college career only passing for 14 touchdowns to 11 interceptions his Senior year. So you must be asking with average stats like that why is he is number one out of all these great quarterbacks?

He is number one because he willed an average team to an 11-1 record finished ranked third in the nation. Tuiasosopo nicknamed the "warrior" by Keith Jackson was the ultimate team leader. Tuiasosopo during his Senior year at Washington led seven fourth quarter wins. He wouldn't let his team quit ever. During the Stanford game when Curtis Williams was in the hospitital and nobody had any clue if he was going to survive Tuiasosopo was there to bark orders. He led the team on an 80 yard drive in just three plays in under 40 seconds for the win.

Tuiasosopo made his name as a true freshman when he threw 270 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss to eventual National Champions Nebraska Cornhuskers. The following year Tuiasosopo filled in for the injured Brock Huard and was 2-0 as a starter which was huge as the Huskies went just 6-6 on the year. As a Junior Tuiasosopo led the team to a Holiday Bowl appearance taking second place in the Pac-10. Against Pac-10 champion Stanford, he threw for over 300 yards and ran for over 200 yards becoming the first and so far to date only player to ever do that in a single game. Then his Senior year he beat future Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees in the Rose Bowl and won Rose Bowl MVP in a 34-24 win over Purdue.

When I think of Tuiasosopo I think of winner as he went 20-7(.740%) in his career as a starter. He was also a good player as well finishing eighth in the heisman his Senior year and was named Pac-10 offensive player of the year in 2000. Tuiasosopo when he graduated was the all-time yardage leader in Husky history, second in passing yards behind Brock Huard and led all quarterbacks in rushing yards which was later broken by Jake Locker. Tuiasosopo would later be a second round pick in the NFL draft but wouldn't enjoy much success. He finished his career with 5,501 yards passing, 31 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,379 yards with 20 touchdowns.  He is my number one Husky quarterback because he took an average team who would have zero future pro bowlers on the roster to the third national ranking. He defeated Miami Hurricans and Oregon State that year giving them their only losses. When I think of Tuiasosopo I think of winner and that is what Husky football is all about.

Honorable Mentions:
HB: Cody Picket- All-time passing leader in Husky history with 10,220 yards and 55 touchdown passes. Went 3-0 in the apple cup

HB: Brock Huard- When he left Washington was the All-time passing leader in yards. Is currently second in passing touchdowns all-time with 53. Went 19-11 as a starting quarterback. Was a third round draft pick.

HB: Damon Haurd- When he graduated he was the All-time passing leader in yards. Went 21-12-1 as a starting quarterback. Went 2-1 in Apple Cups.

HB: Jake Locker- Statistically one of the great Husky quarterbacks. Due to lack of wins he makes honorable mention. As a PASSER he needs four touchdown passes to become the all-time leader in Husky history. As a rusher he already has the most combined touchdowns in Washington history


At the end of the day the Huskies have the depth. I'm also leaving out such guys like Steve Pelluer, Tom Flick, Cary Conklin, and Hugh Millen. All guys who played in a Rose Bowl or Orange Bowl and enjoyed some time in the NFL. The Huskies quarterbacks have another thing over Cougar quarterbacks which is Rose Bowl wins and Apple Cup wins. On Tory's list the Cougars quarterbacks combined won three applecups as starting quarterbacks while the Huskies quarterbacks won nine apple cups to just two losses. Both schools have had great tradition in producing quarterbacks though and this Saturday features another pair that both schools can be proud of. This is why rivalry week is so special so we can debate on which school is better at what. I won't attempt to debate who parties the best though we all know WSU is ranked first at that. Hey gotta be number one at something right?