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One thing for us to keep in mind
By and large we're so used to players not developing much during the off season around here. That's why I hold that under Petersen we might be pleasantly surprised in several areas this fall. Not enough to win 11 games, but enough to have a decent season, like the 1999 UW Holiday Bowl team.
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I can definitely see a season where we start slow, really start to question things, and gradually get better the second half of the season.
It wouldn't shock me if this is a team that goes 3-3 in the first 6 games but 4-2 down the stretch winning a game at either Stanford or ASU.
Damn you.
Kikaha, Shelton, and Thompson were all good players in 2013, but their output greatly increased last year.
Several of the true frosh played like veteran players:
Buttah, Sidey Jones IX, Pettis
If UW can get a RB to step up and perform at a high level, it will make a world of difference.
Give me consistent OL and competent QB play and the RB will take care of itself.
A world class RB on the other hand, will not mask the play of a mediocre line and/or QB.
Specifically, players like Jojo McIntosh, Darren Gardenhire, Jaylen Johnson (String), Greg Gaines, Virta Vea (if he is healthy), Lenius, Dotson, etc.; those types of players. If we see a bunch of those types of players playing well it will really give me hope heading into 2016, and overall for the program because I'll feel a lot better about recruiting evaluations.
And then if there is the "Andrew Hudson" effect on some older Sark recruits that would be another terrific sign of player development.
I know there was talk the other day about needing to be #3 in the conference behind USC, UCLA in recruiting to have a chance. I agree with that to an extent, but not fully. I think if we can never fall below #5 in the conference we can compete and win. If Petersen can bring in the players he has been bringing in, and also supplement that with the evaluations that he was famous for at Boise we will be just fine at that level. That is why I will be watching his players so closely this fall.
If his players start developing like crazy this year I will be doogin' pretty hard for 2016.
The stars on defense and Andrew Hudseon got better, but on the whole it was a mixed bag. The OL wasn't any better and was possibly worse. Timu, Feeney, and Littleton didn't really look any better. The rest of the offense hadn't played much, but we didn't see any big improvements out of any of those guys either.
Petersen's Boise State teams were more indicative of a coach that is a strong developer of talent than last year at UW.
The only thing that has me worried about Pete year 1 were some of the in-game decisions that cost the team and his general fidgety (nerves?) demeanor on the sideline.
Player development and recruiting have been where they need to be. Even Roids don't work over night.
The culture is changing, i know the cliche, but Sark's lazy stench is leaving the program.
FYFMFE