Somewhere, somehow, the Huskies have a lot of forgetting to do before Thursday’s 5:30 p.m. nationally televised match-up with Stanford at the Clink.
In a Palo Alto, CA., pummeling a year ago every bit as gruesome as the 65-21 final tally indicated, the Cardinal, led by quarterback Andrew Luck, scored on 10 of its 11 possessions mostly by averaging an incredible 10.1 yards in its 44 carries. The points were tied for the second-most scored on Washington (2001, Miami, 65-7) and the 446 yards on the ground was the fourth most by a UW opponent.
Seems like the only way to forget it is to have a more recent memory, like getting beat two weeks ago at LSU 41-3, and how bad that felt. Then again, they could go back to the Stanford game two years ago at Husky Stadium: 41-0.
The Huskies would appear to have improved a little on defense, and regressed a little on offense. But at least they’ve had 11 days to prepare and do get a loud home crowd dressed in a blackout — for whatever that’s worth.
“We addressed some things internally that we think will help us,” Sarkisian said, without elaboration. The best recommendation would seem to have been to get bigger, faster, taller, smarter and quicker.
More Huskies news:
TANIGAWA OUT FOR YEAR — Sarkisian was willing to offer one obvious injury confirmation: Starting sophomore OG Colin Tanigawa is out for the year. In the new Huskies era of hiding football injuries with the fervor of nuclear secrets, we offer only the wide speculation that Tanigawa tore his ACL, which will require surgery. That’s the second starter down in the OL from spring, when OG Colin Porter retired after repeated shoulder injuries. Since the season began, starting T Ben Riva (arm) and starting G Erik Kohler (knee) have been hurt, meaning only senior center Drew Schaefer will start Thursday from the projected front five, leaving nothing but freshmen and sophomores on either side of him. Stanford’s starting line is all seniors and juniors. The only sophomore among the starting 11 on offense is wide receiver Ty Montgomery.
RECEIVER JOINS HUSKIES — The Huskies added freshman WR Dwayne Washington after his high school grade transcript was approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Washington, from Gahr High School in Lakewood, CA., has practiced for three days and was to have begun classes Monday, the first day of the fall quarter at Washington. As a senior, he had 100 yards receiving in nine of his 10 games and was also a sprinter and long jumper on the track team. Sarkisian said he hasn’t seen him play enough to know where or when he might fit in over the final nine games.
OREGON GAME AT 7:30 p.m. — Washington’s Oct. 6 game in Eugene against the No. 2-ranked Ducks will start at 7:30 p.m. and air live on ESPN. The rest of the day’s schedule was also announced Monday: Arizona at Stanford (noon on FOX), Washington State at Oregon State (3 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks) and UCLA at California (7 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks). Next Monday, the TV gods will inform the unwashed about the start time for Washington’s Oct. 13 home game against USC.