CFB: Watch Out For Washington; A Worst to First Team on The Rise

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fla.) Being a sportswriter I'm often asked who will be the next big "surprise" team this coming year. So far, my answer has been, "Watch out for Washington."

Why Washington? Weren't they a zero-win team in 2008?

Yes, but they went from zeros to heroes last season when they upset USC to throw the Pac-10 wide open and while they still didn't make a bowl, they sure made waves.

This year they return a league leading 20 out of 24 starters, (including the special team specialists) and have confidence that this could be the year they finally shed their losing ways once and for all.

The biggest reason? Coach Steve Sarkisian is doing what Lane Kiffin didn't do. He's taking the lessons learned of being a coordinator at Southern Cal and taking that knowledge to task. Sarkisian's actually turning a down team around with focus on the team and not their individual selfs.

Kiffin made the Oakland Raiders a laughing stock both with on-field execution and field to office fighting and name calling. Then he moved to Tennessee to become a media whore and the butt of every joke the Southern sportswriters could throw at him.

While Kiffin proved to be more mouth than mentor, Sarkisian on the other hand, simply went to work on players, not the press and built confidence and skills. This seems to have produced better results than anything Kiffin has done so far.

Also in Washington's favor is the unexpected return of quarterback Jake Locker, who many thought would jump pro at season's end. He certainly had the numbers to do it.

"We have a chance for a special year this year," Locker said earlier this spring, "And I want to be here to complete the turnaround."

Besides Locker, they have two formidable backups fighting for playing time, Keith Price and the son of Joe Montana, Nick Montana. Both showed flashes of greatness in the spring game.

Combine the play of a great quarterback to a returning 1,000-yard plus rusher in Chris Polk, three receivers that are as good as any in the entire Pac-Ten and you have an offense that could put up some very good numbers indeed.

Receivers Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar, both juniors and sophomore James Johnson are about as good as it gets for a dangerous threesome. And with injured players from last year expected to be 100 percent by fall and depth shouldn't be an issue.

The offensive line is returning and younger players are showing they can add depth, so look for the Huskies to start leading many offensive categories in the Pac-Ten.

Last year, the defense gave up 30 or more points three times, and at the start of the year, there was worry about depth, but all the injured players from last year appear to be on track to be ready for fall.

Sarkisian is playing with moving senior defensive tackle Cameron Elisara at end to help with depth at that position while injured ends Everrette Thompson and Kalani Aldrich finish their recovery.

This spring, Talia Crichton, playing the other end, looked to be the pass rusher they'll need in the future and a group of young linemen proved they could step up to provide the depth coaches worried about.

The linebacking corps will be solid once they've all recovered, but one young freshman, Victor Burnett, had eight tackles in the spring game and showed that he is not only ready now, but will be a fixture at linebacker for years to come.

There is much talent at defensive back. It is not clear yet who all the starters will be other than strong safety senior Nate Williams. Also Desmond Trufant, who sat out most of spring after hernia surgery, could again be a starter in the fall if he's not overtaken by some of the younger talent.

Lastly, the coaches feel good about punting and special teams as kicker Erik Folk returns. Last year he was 18 of 21 on field goals.

Sarkisian has a positive buzz going on about Washington and he is bringing in a great group of recruits to solidify the gains he's making are not short lived.

These Huskies aren't lap dogs anymore, they can bite.