| Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley | | | | fellow Huskies on offense go to work. Butler had a |
| A month of Saturdays hit the calendar when the | | | | game-high 12 tackles (2 for losses), forced a fumble |
| Southern California Trojans traveled north to Seattle | | | | and intercepted a pass. Foster forced another fumble |
| recently to face last year's 0-12 Washington Huskies. | | | | on a 4th-and-1 run play, and deflected 3 passes, 2 of |
| Yes, Southern Cal was currently ranked No. 3 in the | | | | which were on 3rd down plays. |
| nation in the AP Top 25 Poll. Even the Coaches' Top | | | | USC, nearly a 3-touchdown favorite, had 3 drives |
| 25 Poll had them ranked No. 3. And yes, the Trojans | | | | inside the Husky 30-yard line end in turnovers, |
| had beaten No. 8-ranked Ohio State 18-15 a week | | | | committed 8 penalties, and had an 0-for-10 |
| earlier on a last minute drive by their new, | | | | conversion rate on 3rd-down plays. |
| wunderkind freshman quarterback Matt Barkley. | | | | Neither team scored in the 3rd quarter, Erik Folk then |
| Southern Cal was headed for another typical USC | | | | added a 46-yard field goal to put Washington up |
| season—at least 11 wins and BCS bowl game | | | | 13-10. USC responded with a 25-yard FG of its own |
| appearances for 7 consecutive years, the most | | | | to tie the game a second time at 13 with 4:07 left to |
| successful football program in the country during the | | | | play. |
| current streak. A huge part of the USC success | | | | Jake Locker, who is quickly becoming an NFL pocket |
| story was Steve Sarkisian, their offensive | | | | passer for the first time in his playing career, then |
| coordinator, and Nick Holt, their defensive coordinator. | | | | engineered a 10-play, 63-yard drive that consumed 4 |
| But that was the last 7 years. This year both | | | | minutes and 4 seconds, leaving just 3 seconds left in |
| Sarkisian and Holt are not only missing at USC, but | | | | the end game when Erik Folk converted a 22-yard |
| were the opponents as the Trojans flew north. | | | | FG to win the game, 16-13. |
| When last year's success was said and done, | | | | It is called clock management by Steve Sarkisian, and |
| Sarkisian accepted the head coaching job at | | | | the Huskies have not had such a good game-day |
| Washington and brought along Holt. And the coaching | | | | coach on the field since the lengendary "Dawgfather" |
| changes alone have made all of the difference in the | | | | Don James. |
| world for the Huskies. | | | | During the final, critical drive, Locker was at his best, |
| Washington was a team that had forgotten what it | | | | completing a 21-yard pass to Jermaine Kearse on a |
| was like to win—only the week prior had the | | | | 3rd-and-15, rushing for 4 yards on a critical 3rd-and-2 |
| Huskies beaten Idaho, 42-23, to break a 15-game | | | | play, completing a 9-yard pass to James Johnson, |
| losing steak that was tied for the longest in Pac 10 | | | | and completing a 19-yard pass to Kearse. Locker |
| Conference history. And now they were being asked | | | | went 21-for-35 (60%) for 237 yards on the day. |
| to believe the impossible—that they could not | | | | After their stunning upset victory, the Washington |
| only decipher, but beat the mighty USC juggernaut. | | | | Husky football program was once again on the |
| Never underestimate the difference coaching can | | | | national radar, as evidenced by their moving into the |
| make. Some sports pundits would have you believe | | | | AP Top 25 Poll. |
| that the players are more important than the | | | | So just what is going on with these Huskies? Many |
| coaches. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is | | | | of them played on the same team last year that |
| the coaches who recruit the train the players; not | | | | went 0-12. The difference is clearly the leadership and |
| the other way around. Never, ever, forget that. | | | | enthusiasm of the coaching staff led by Steve |
| Sarkisian and Holt could decipher the USC juggernaut; | | | | Sarkisian and Nick Holt. |
| they, as much as anyone, had built it along with head | | | | The players now believe in the coaches, believe in |
| coach Pete Carroll. Part of Carroll's genius is in hiring | | | | the new system, believe in themselves, and |
| good people like Sarkisian and Holt. Now University of | | | | understand their improvement is really about work, |
| Washington President Mark Emmert and Director of | | | | work and more work, and constant, unrelenting, hard |
| Athletics Scott Woodward had done the same. | | | | effort. |
| The results have been nothing short of staggering. In | | | | An excellent example that the players get it came |
| three games under the new coaching staff that | | | | after Washington's first victory of the year against |
| inherited an 0-12 team, Washington has snapped a | | | | Idaho, when sophomore wide receiver Jermaine |
| 15-game losing streak, upset No. 3-ranked USC 16-13, | | | | Kearse had this to say: |
| and vaulted into the AP Top 25 Poll at No. 24. The | | | | "The whole philosophy is, if you make plays, and play |
| ranking was the Huskies first return to the Top 25 | | | | hard, you get more playing time. I tried to do |
| since September 2003. | | | | everything right this week, and I was rewarded." |
| The game itself did not look good for Washington at | | | | Amen, Jermaine, Amen. Work hard and play hard. |
| the outset. USC promptly ran up a 10-0 advantage in | | | | Pay attention. Then work harder and play harder. |
| its first two drives and made it look as easy as | | | | And did I mention to have fun? Fun? Yes, all of this |
| playing a high school team. The Trojans opened holes | | | | hard work is just that. |
| that a Mack Truck could drive through, and USC | | | | It appears that Sarkisian has two rules for success. |
| backs sped to runs of 38, 25 and 27 yards to set up | | | | The first is: Work Hard, Play Hard, Have Fun and Win. |
| a touchdown and field goal. | | | | And the second rule? That would be never forget |
| It looked like Washington might get beat 50-0. | | | | the first rule. |
| Then junior quarterback Jake Locker, Washington's | | | | Steve Sarkisian, who has an Armenian-Irish heritage, |
| most versatile player, completed passes of 12, 16, 14 | | | | is already one of the most popular people in Seattle. |
| and 18 yards to 4 different receivers before taking it | | | | He has opened up the Husky practice field to one |
| in from 4 yards out to make it a game at 10-7. Two | | | | and all, reached out to boosters and fans, and |
| drives later, sophomore Erik Folk would add a 28-yard | | | | welcomed back Husky heroes from yesteryear. |
| field goal to tie it up at 10. | | | | People are already comfortable referring to him as |
| Once it was clear the Husky offense could score, | | | | "Sark". I hereby give Sark another |
| their defense—led by linebackers Donald Butler | | | | moniker—the "Armenian Hammer". He is the |
| and Mason Foster—used their new-found belief | | | | coach with the velvet touch in one hand, and the |
| to dig in, stop the Trojan advance, and let their | | | | hammer in the other. |