Pac-10 Position Breakdown Quarterback: Washington Huskies

What’s more exciting Huskies fans, the addition of future headliner Nick Montana or the return of hometown hero Jake Locker?

Either way, the University of Washington is doing a great job of turning the page on an embarrassing winless season last year. The Sarkisian era is underway in Seattle, and a brand new offensive attitude is coming to U-Dub.

Former head coach Tyrone Willingham may have struggled in the win-loss column, but he didn’t exactly leave the cupboards empty. After all, junior QB Jake Locker is back after missing most of 2008 with season ending surgery.

When healthy, the best way to describe Locker is Tim Tebow-West Coast. There truly aren’t enough superlatives to describe what he does for an offense.

In a conference full of unknowns at QB, Locker’s place atop the depth chart is as safe as any in the country. A native of Ferndale, Washington, he made recent news in another sport; the Los Angeles Angels selected the two-sport athlete in round 10 of the MLB draft.

At 6'3" and 222 pounds, Locker is solidly built and possesses a strong arm and tremendous mobility. He was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2007 and Rivals.com featured him on their Freshman All-American team.

Locker ended that season with 3,048 yards of total offense, which was good enough for second most in school history for a freshman. His 987 rushing yards that year set a Pac-10 record for most ever by a QB. He accounted for 27 total touchdowns in 2007.

Locker’s kryptonite during his freshman campaign was accuracy. He failed to connect on 50 percent of his passes and threw 15 interceptions on the year.

During the offseason before his sophomore year, Locker worked hard on improving as a pure passer and was primed for a breakout year last season. Unfortunately, 2008 changed dramatically for Washington after his injury.

Now, it’s time for the proven QB mentor Steve Sarkisian to earn his paycheck by aiding one of America’s most talented signal callers. Under Sark’s watchful eye, Locker will look to progress into an elite passer. If spring is any indication, improvement is already noticeable.

Locker completed over 60 percent of his passes in April. His transition to the pro-style offense has been smooth sailing so far, allowing Locker to stay in the pocket more often thereby preserving his health. If Locker completes 60 percent of his passes this fall, it’s safe to say the Huskies won’t be winless in 2009.

The starting QB for Washington during the majority of 2008 was a 6'1" and 203-pound sophomore, Ronnie Fouch. Fouch provides the Huskies with experience as he assumes the backup role this year. Last season, he played under difficult circumstances and struggled throughout the season.

After replacing Locker, Fouch finished 113 of 250, with four touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He was sacked 20 times and completed just over 45 percent of his passes. Nonetheless, under the tutelage of Sarkisisan and assistant Doug Nussmeier, Fouch could develop into a solid Pac-10 QB.

Red-shirt sophomore Taylor Bean will provide depth at QB in 2009.

My Take

Locker is one of my favorite players in the conference, but time is running out for him to develop into an accurate passer. I think Sarkisian wants Locker to be a pass-first, run second QB. I agree with that approach, and it may help keep Locker healthy for the full season, but the pressure is on for him to make the transition.

I'm not expecting Locker to become Matt Leinart-stationary, but if he can learn to accurately throw from the pocket, he can become the well-oiled machine that Seattle has been itching for.

I know everyone is excited about Nick Montana, but I think Locker will make a little noise in the conference before his time is up.

-Sam Saig, www.allpac10.com