Steve Sarkisian Will Find Out What It Is Like To Follow Ty Willingham

This article is part of Bleacher Report's David Hedlind's Writer's Challenge. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/204481-my-college-football-writers-challenge?just_published=1

A few years ago, Tyrone Willingham was fired at Notre Dame and was quickly hired by the Washington Huskies. Many felt the firing was unfair and that he was a great pick up for Washington. Then when Charlie Weis succeeded, all the haters claimed that it was due to Willingham's players.

Now, all these years later, Willingham was asked to resign after being throttled by Notre Dame. His résumé at Washington was many things, but impressive is not one of them. He accomplished going the opposite of undefeated. So, no bowl games and an 0-12 season, way to go, Ty.

Longtime USC assistant Steve Sarkisian will take over for Willingham.

This will be a huge reality check for him. He will find out fast that he has very little to work with right away. The only good recruit Willingham brought in was Jake Locker. When he got hurt last year, the team fell apart.

If a team is that dependent on one player, then the team is not very good.

Unlike Weis, who only had a handful of good recruits, Sarkisian won't have that luxury. The recruits that Willingham got in South Bend were due to the school's legacy. I am not saying that Washington doesn't have a storied history, but they can't recruit on name recognition.

It will be rough for Sarkisian the first couple of years. He will realize right away where he is and where he isn't. At USC, he was loaded with All-Americans and had more All-Americans waiting to replace them on the bench. He even had a backup quarterback who is doing fine in the NFL.

He won't have any of those luxuries at Washington. So, good luck, Mr. Sarkisian. You will need it.