NCAA Football FanHouse

Take The NCAA Official Exam, Prepare to Fail

Adam Jacobi — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, General CFB Insanity, NCAA FB Media Watch, Oregon State Football

With the advent of high-level television productions in college football, it's awfully easy to be an armchair ref these days. Heck, even the absence of such luxuries doesn't stop fans from pretending to be experts; just go to any football game where the referee has to do anything at all ever and watch the crowd for proof.

So CBS's Dennis Dodd, on a whim, got a hold of the NCAA's official, um, Official Exam. It's 100 questions, none of them obvious, and most of them downright ruthless. Dodd scored a 46.

You can download a PDF version of the test or take an online version.

But Dodd's just a journalist, which is somewhere lower than "blogger" and higher than "poodle" in terms of intellect. Certainly Blogfrica's preeminent authority on all things pigskin, Sunday Morning Quarterback, would do far better, yes? No, not really. 55.

Naturally, I couldn't resist the temptation. How hard can it be, right?

Um, right?

Examples, scores, and more after the jump.

Now, the particularly evil aspect of the test is that questions are multiple choice, usually with two or three answers (sometimes four). So while you're slogging through and scarcely answering half right, keep this in mind: officials aren't afforded that luxury, much less an unlimited amount of time, during gameplay. This is easy to them.

Anyway, onto the results. I, a football geek and veteran of literally thousands of NCAA Football games, also scored a 55. Again, out of 100. Keep in mind, though, that those numbers certainly don't indicate that I knew half the questions (WARNING: Dork math to follow. Poke around somewhere else on Fanhouse if you want more childish humor. Like here!). With the rate of success at 38.833% (I counted.), 45 wrong answers equates to roughly 74 guesses. So I knew about a quarter of the questions, not 55. Football genius over here, folks!

Go on, take the test. Unless you've intimately studied the NCAA rule book (indeed, incorrect answers aren't so much explained as just cited), you'll suffer. Want proof? Here are four random selections from the quiz:

30. Team B intercepts a legal forward pass and scores a touchdown. Prior to the change of team possession, Team A is flagged for a chop block. Time expires in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd quarter during the down.
A. Team B may elect to have the 15-yard penalty for the personal foul enforced on the try or the succeeding kickoff, including the 2nd half kickoff. The period is extended for the try but not the succeeding kickoff.
B. The penalty is declined by rule.
C. If Team A opts for the penalty on the succeeding kickoff, the quarter will be extended for one un-timed down.

79. A's ball 4th & 16 on A's 44. Team B defensive end blocks the kick and roughs the kicker. The kick does not cross the neutral zone. Team B defensive tackle bats the ball forward from A's 32 where the defensive end picks up the ball on A's 26 and advances to A's 20 where he pitches the ball forward to a teammate who advances across the Team A goal line.
A. A 1st & 10 @ B41
B. A 4th & 1 @ B41
C. B 1st & 10 @ A25

81. 2nd & 14 @ A's 28. Team A right guard commits a false start. Team B nose guard reacts and commits a personal foul when he slams the right guard to the ground. Team A is lined up in an illegal formation.
A. Offsetting dead ball fouls; 2nd & 14 @ A's 28.
B. A 1st & 10 @ A38

94. Free kick @ K's 30. While the untouched free kick is rolling on K's 38, a Team K player blocks his opponent above the waist at A's 42. At the same time and while the ball is on A's 38, a receiving team player blocks the kicker above the waist on K's 37. Team K recovers the untouched kick on K's 42.
A. K 1st and 10 @ K's 42.
B. R 1st and 10 @ K's 42.
C. R 1st and 10 @ K's 37; tack on foul.
D. K rekicks from K's 25.

Ye gods.

Dodd makes the point that the veritable impossibility of the quiz proves that refereeing is difficult (you think?) and that fans ought to take that into consideration next time they complain about a blown call. Which, fine, I guess, but you never see the crowd up in arms because the ref blew it on "4th Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation. Team A player #32, an exception to the mandatory numbering rule, lines up inside Team A end #82. Before the snap #82 shifts to a backfield position. Team A has seven linemen at the snap. Team A's punt goes out of bounds on B's 39."

No, it's this sort of thing that angers fans:

So certainly we can and should appreciate the mind-melting detail that goes into every quick decision a referee must make, and there should also be no easy dismissal of just how freaking hard it is to get right a play with any combination of confounding factors. To use such ridiculous nuance to exempt referees from horribly blown calls on the most obvious of plays, however, is faulty logic. A vast knowledge of the rule book and the ability to biff an easy call are not mutually exclusive qualities, after all, especially with the sometimes obscured angles the refs get on field level.

It certainly does highlight the need for a thorough replay system, though, doesn't it?

Take The NCAA Official Exam, Prepare to Fail originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UW, JR Hasty Finally Part Ways

Sean Hawkins — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

First, he quit. Then, a few days later, never mind. Then he was suspended this spring for blowing off team workouts. And now, finally, it's over, and this time it's Tyrone Willingham's decision. Running back JR Hasty is now officially out of the Husky football program.

Hasty still aspires to play football, somewhere, next year. Most likely he'll head to a lower-division school to maintain some eligibility. If he were to transfer to a D-1 school, not only would he have to sit out a full season due to transfer rules, but he would also lose a year of eligibility, meaning he'd have only one season left to play in '09.

While Hasty would have helped this fall, his departure shouldn't have a huge impact on the UW depth chart. Sophomore Brandon Johnson is currently number-one at running back, and there are several other young players at the position that will compete for carries this fall.

What happened with Hasty? Here was one of the highest-touted running backs to come out of Washington, a player who scored an amazing 50 touchdowns his senior year. He was the most talked-about recruit with Tyrone Willingham's first recruiting class in 2005. Blessed with decent size and excellent breakaway speed, many thought he could evolve into the next great tailback at UW. Yet his entire UW career is summed up with six carries for 18 yards? Maybe most of all, it was a trust issue between Tyrone Willingham and Hasty. There just wasn't any trust left in Willingham's tank after the various issues that occurred during Hasty's stay at UW.

Hasty has maintained decent grades, to the point where at least one option could be that he simply gives up football and becomes a full-time student at UW to finish his degree. Let's hope he's learned his lesson and is ready to get on with the next phase of his life.

UW, JR Hasty Finally Part Ways originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UW AD Search Continues to Drag On

Sean Hawkins — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:08:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, Washington

While football programs everywhere start their summer workouts, there is some major unfinished business at Washington. The help wanted sign is amazingly still sitting in the athletic director's window, now several months after the opening was created.

For a quick background, it started back in December when former athletic director Todd Turner announced he was stepping down as the AD. Turner put in over three-and-a-half years of work in the athletic department, with some notable hires including Tyrone Willingham and more recently, women's basketball head coach Tia Jackson. But things took a turn for the worse in recent times. Turner was a target for disgruntled Husky football fans, especially when Willingham was retained for the upcoming 2008 season despite an 11-25 record at UW. Meanwhile the athletic department has been trying to get a much-needed stadium renovation drive off the ground, but that effort struggled to get going under Turner's watch. And finally, Turner admitted at his parting press conference that he had more or less burned out and the expectations of the university compared to Turner's vision were simply no longer on the same wave length.

Scott Woodward has been the acting AD ever since. Woodward was initially a candidate for the AD job, and there was widespread speculation that he would eventually land the position. But back on May 1st, Woodward surprised many when he announced he would no longer pursue the job. The idea was that he was doing such a good job in his current position as VP of external affairs that it was in the best interests of University President Mark Emmert that Woodward stays right where he is.

But is Woodward really out of the running? Or is the end finally in sight? Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times and Molly Yanity of the P-I both mentioned rumors making the rounds yesterday that indicate Woodward may just take the job after all.

Whoever ends up landing this gig is going to have a full plate from day one. Willingham has the hottest seat in the PAC-10, if not the nation, heading into 2008. If you believe coacheshotseat.com, Willingham is currently number one in their rankings, and yeah, that's not the list you want to be on top of these days. And the football facility is showing some real signs of age after almost 90 years of regular use and tough northwest winter weather.

You would think that many NCAA administrators would dream of being an AD at a PAC-10 school like Washington, with a winning football tradition, a wealthy donor base, and a prime location in an educated, wired city like Seattle. But, how is it that that it is now over six months ago that Turner announced he was leaving, and the University of Washington is still searching for their next athletic director? We'll see what happens, but something doesn't add up.

UW AD Search Continues to Drag On originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pullman Is a Really Fun Town

Brian Cook — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:11:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Washington State Football, NCAA FB Police Blotter

Bill Doba... not so much.

The Seattle Times has decided to leave no instate Division I-A program unbashed, following up their epic series on Washington's wacky ways under Rick Neuheisel with an expose on the disaster train that is the Washington State Cougars program.

Most of the article is the usual blah blah blah about very large men getting into very minor legal trouble. Since WSU was terrible during the period in question and the coach is now an ex-coach, there's not much outrage to be generated. But... Washington State is located in Pullman, which is sort of a legendarily horrible little town just down the road from appropriately named Moscow, Idaho. And never has a town been blown up in two sentences like this:

"WSU is a hard school to go to, man," [ex-DB Courtney] Williams says. "You ain't got nothin' to do but get drunk and smoke weed, and not go to class because you're too tired from doing what you're doing."

As WSU Football Blog ruefully concludes, "ouch." They have much more on the situation, too... if you're interested, check them out.

Pullman Is a Really Fun Town originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where Will John Tenuta End Up?

Ian Cohen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Washington Football, ACC, Pac 10, BCS, NCAA FB Gossip, NCAA FB Coaching

Outside of what appears to be a firmly entrenched Bud Foster, there's been no defensive coordinator in the ACC that's been as sought after in the past few years as John Tenuta. Even as Georgia Tech's offense could be most generously described as "erratic" under Reggie Ball and "competent" under the stewardship of Taylor Bennett, the Yellow Jacket defense could be relied on for its aggressiveness, possibly due to the pent up rage that comes from spending time in one of the south's few public school with almost no hot chicks.

And yet, after a rather inauspicious cameo as GT's head coach in this year's Humanitarian Bowl, Tenuta was not retained under the new Paul Johnson regime. Even more shocking was that Chan Gailey managed to land a job first, Basically, if you're a BCS school with a DC opening, Tenuta may have already been rumored as going to you. Originally, he was a blue and maize lock until the whole Les Miles thing went to sea (yuk, yuk). Then it was South Carolina. Or was it Arkansas??? And just this morning, Washington denied any involvement, so the question must be asked- where you at, Virginia?

Tenuta's ultimate ambitions are unclear, and I have no idea what kind of interview he is, so it's difficult to say that he'll take a position that can lead him to that plum head coaching gig. I mean, Ty Willingham supposedly has one year left to get it together, but then again, Tenuta's Pac-10 roots are almost nil, and the furthest west he's been as a coach was SMU in the '90s.

Where Will John Tenuta End Up? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keeping 'The Man' Busy: Utah Keeps it Real

Adam Jacobi — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Police Blotter, Utah Football, The Word

Here's why athletic directors are frowning this morning...

We've been saying it for years: snowballs are just a gateway weapon to screwdrivers and knives: Two Utah football players and a recruit they were hosting at a university-sanctioned party are recovering after being attacked by knife- and screwdriver-wielding assailants on Friday. The escalating factor in the scuffle? A snowball.

Freshman defensive end Paul Kruger (same name as his father), junior defensive lineman Greg Newman and Kruger's younger brother David, a recruit who plans to sign with the Utes next month, told the men to "shut up" and "get out of here." Kruger's father said Newman threw a snowball at the car during the exchange and the occupants then got out of the vehicle.

As mentioned in the article, the Deseret News obtained all the information about the attack from the father of one of the victims. That's not so great if you're looking for unbiased information (Paul, he explained, then ran over to the men and said, "Look this is not worth getting into a scuffle over."), but awesome for things you'll never hear east of the Continental Divide (Kruger's father said Meredith (he couldn't recall her last name) saved his son's "bacon" by immediately calling 911 for an ambulance when his blood pressure began to drop).

"Splashes cause severe irritation, possible corneal burns and eye damage." Hiiiiigh-larious!: From the Institute of Phenomenally Poor Ideas comes this story from the University of Washington, where junior Xavier Hicks was arrested and suspended after soaking teammate Grady Maxwell's contacts in rubbing alcohol. That's particularly unwise behavior for someone who plays "safety" (sorry), since--as noted in the header--rubbing alcohol doesn't belong in one's eyes.

According to Pullman, Washington's newspaper, the Daily Evergreen (which sounds more like the most boring blog ever), the entire incident began because Maxwell owed Hicks money. The two are roommates, so naturally the only way to resolve the dispute was through ocular sabotage.

Fortunately, Maxwell was fine; the rubbing alcohol caused the contact lenses to expand, which tipped him off that treachery was afoot before he placed them in his eyes. Take note, sadistic prankers: the rubbing alcohol contact lens trick doesn't work. Amend plans accordingly.

The coaches ignored all the warning signs--bloodshot eyes, decreased attention span, 'Kid Charlemagne' as a ringtone: The Missouri football team lost 275 pounds two weeks ago--not as a result of diet and exercise, mind you, but after reserve defensive end John Stull's third arrest and subsequent dismissal from the team.

According to the Columbia Tribune, Stull was in possession of marijuana, synthetic pills, and cocaine. That's two felonies and a misdemeanor. He's also 20, so the booze in his apartment was a bad idea--there's another misdemeanor. So really, why not give the officer a false ID, right? Not so fast, McLovin--that's misdemeanor #4.

All told, this case may shatter the Fulmer Cup as we know it. Stull was originally awarded three points, but that seems low for two felonies and four misdemeanors, plus any style points that may come into play (because, well, holy crap). Watch for a possible adjustment in days to come.

Keeping 'The Man' Busy: Utah Keeps it Real originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ty Willingham Survives a Last-Place Finish

Sean Hawkins — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

Despite a Pac-10 cellar finish for the Washington Huskies, despite an underwhelming 11-25 record over the last three seasons, and despite a ton of fan angst openly wishing for former Atlanta coach Jim Mora, it appears Tyrone Willingham has survived. Washington has announced a 2 PM PST press conference today to confirm that Tyrone Willingham will in fact remain as the head coach of the Huskies.

While there is no immediate word, there is speculation that UW will "clean house" in regards to the defensive coaching staff. That would include the ouster of longtime Willingham defensive coordinator Kent Baer among others. The Husky defense was not only one of the worst in the conference and the nation in 2007, but it was the worst in school history in terms of yards allowed.

Why keep a coach who has gone 11-25 and finished at the bottom of the conference? Why not make a change when you've just seen Willingham become the first coach in school history to roll out three consecutive losing seasons? There are a few reasons. Mainly three million of them, as in the amount of money it would take to buy out Willingham's remaining two years on his original five-year contract. There's Jake Locker, the redshirt frosh who burst onto the scene to become the conference's Freshman of the Year, a rising star in the Tim Tebow mold. The idea to shake things up at this point might hurt Locker's development. And, on the plus side of the ledger, Willingham has really done well this year in recruiting, especially the last few weeks. Washington has been securing some of the top recruits in the state, and currently project to have the 18th ranked class in the nation this year. Even better, there are more verbal commitments rumored to be on the way over the next few days. So in the end, UW President Mark Emmert and athletic director Todd Turner decided to keep things as they are. Will it pay off as UW tries to return to national relevance? Much to the chagrin of many Husky fans, we'll have to wait at least through the 2008 season to know the answer.

Ty Willingham Survives a Last-Place Finish originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTubesDay: Refs Muff Huskies-Beavers

Scott Olin Schmidt — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:08:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Scandal, NCAA FB Video, Oregon State Football

If you thought the officiating was bad in last year's Oregon-Oklahoma game, the Pac Ten officials have taken incompetence to a new level in last week's Washington-Oregon State game, and Pac Ten Commissioner Tom Hansen is not amused:

"Our review of the game included study of the game tape by Coordinator of Football Officiating Dave Cutaia, Director of Instant Replay Verle Sorgen, football administrator Jim Muldoon and me, review of game reports from the officiating crew and instant replay officials, communications with the two institutions and follow-up communications with the referee of the game.
"We regret that there was flagrant misconduct on the part of some players which led to four ejections from the game, that there was an injury to Washington quarterback Jake Locker which increased the emotions of the players and that the instant replay crew failed to stop the game to review the play at the goal line with just under three minutes to play. On the play, it was ruled Oregon State's Yvenson Bernard fumbled. However, it appeared his knee had touched the ground before he lost the ball...

"We do believe the instant replay officials did not perform properly on the Bernard fumble play. There was human error in that while reviewing the available replays the crew failed to notify the game officials to stop play before the ball was snapped for the next play. It was not the fault of the equipment. The game should have been stopped and the play reviewed. The members of the IR crew have been reprimanded."

As for the hit on Locker, which has gotten alot of attention, Hansen is less critical of the officials, stating, "We believe the helmet-to-helmet contact on the hit on Locker was inadvertent. College football is played at a very high speed, and hard collisions such as this one result. Thankfully, Locker apparently did not suffer a serious injury."

In addition to last year's debacle between Oregon and Oklahoma, Pac Ten officials have come under scrutiny this year by USC Head Coach Pete Carroll, who won an apology from officials over a blown review against Notre Dame and still has trouble understanding why USC's opponents are the least-penalized in the conference while his teams are drawing the most yellow flags.

YouTubesDay: Refs Muff Huskies-Beavers originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Locker Okay, But Return Questionable

Charles Rich — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:07:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries, NCAA FB Video

On Saturday night, Washington QB Jake Locker took a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit on a run -- which somehow never drew a penalty. He was out on the turf for fifteen minutes while he was immobilized on a stretcher and taken to a Corvallis hospital. While the worst was feared initially, it turned out to be a neck stinger and a muscle strain.

Locker actually made it back to the stadium and the Husky sideline with a few minutes left in the game. He was in street clothes and wearing a neck brace, but at least he was walking on his own.

Washington, however, has stated that they will not be rushing Locker's return. He will be undergoing rehab and with a 3-7 record with three games remaining (Cal, Washington St. and Hawaii), it is unlikely he will play again this season. Frankly, there is nothing to be gained by rushing him back at this point. The Huskies have no chance of going to a bowl and Locker has a very bright future ahead of him.

Locker Okay, But Return Questionable originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pac-10 Officials Outdo Themselves

Brian Grummell — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:36:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, The Word, Oregon State Football

All year I've had a running conversation with my colleague Charles Rich about what conference has the worst officials. He's made good points about certain situations in the ACC and I can name plenty of Pac-10 situations beyond the obvious Oregon/Oklahoma fiasco.

Tonight's performance may top that.

I didn't immediately see it, but a friend did and what follows is a piecing together (along with what I'm reading on various message boards) of the play in dispute between Oregon State and Washington.

Leading Washington 29-23 late in their game, Oregon State tailback Yvenson Bernard ran for about 10 yards and was tackled near the opponent goal line. He was clearly down, side on the ground, arm down, everything. But after another moment he became separated from the ball. Everyone stood around realizing the play was dead, but then a Washington player scooped up the ball and returned it nearly for a touchdown.

Officials then inexplicably and horrendously gave possession to the Huskies. There was no review, no change, no stoppage of play to evaluate what had just happened. A chorus of boos erupted from the Beaver faithful as Washington unsuccessfully ran what would have been a game-winning offensive possession. Fortunately for the Beavers, the Huskies turned the ball over on downs and Oregon State was able to escape with its rightful victory.

Although the players celebrated their win on the field, the fans continued to boo and protest, clearly put off by what appears to have been a horrendous and nearly game-changing mistake by Pac-10 officials. I hate to use the word crisis, but the credibility of Pac-10 officials is very low and once people get word of this ... it's going to be hard for the league to manage its officials with "business as usual" policies.

Anyway, Charles: at least for this week, I'm right about which conference has the worst officials. Let's hope some ACC team doesn't suffer under an even worse call next weekend.

Pac-10 Officials Outdo Themselves originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Locker Carted Off

Charles Rich — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:06:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries, Oregon State Football

Jake Locker was carted off the field late in the 1st half of the Washington-Oregon State game. The Washington QB took a helmet-to-helmet hit while running with the ball and went down hard.

The reports are spotty, but his head was immobilized and there was concern about an injury to the neck and spine. He was being taken to a local hospital for x-rays and possibly a cat scan.

The later reports are saying that Locker is feeling pain in his neck. Something that is actually a good thing. Just an absolutely scary hit and injury. Hopefully it isn't anything long term.

Locker Carted Off originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTubesDay: Sidelines are Dangerous

Sean Hawkins — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Video, Arizona Football

As if you didn't know already, the sidelines of a football game can be hazardous. It seems like every game there's always a photographer or sideline reporter that gets taken out in the heat of the action. But you always think "nah, that would never happen to me." Here's a first-hand view of what happens when a videographer named Joel Shapiro gets wiped out last Saturday during the Arizona's comeback 48-41 win at Washington:

YouTubesDay: Sidelines are Dangerous originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UW's Hasty Changes Mind, Returns to Team

Sean Hawkins — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:37:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

So much for the departure of UW running back J.R. Hasty. Last week it was widely reported that Hasty quit the Huskies, and would likely head for a I-AA school like Montana. Never mind. Hasty's family sat down with Tyrone Willingham and offensive coordinator Tim Lappano on Monday night and basically cleared the air. J.R. now intends to be at practice, most likely today.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking to see if I could play somewhere else or to see if I could get more opportunity, and I sat down with the coaches," he said. "We cleared some air out, all spoke our piece and things are going to change.

"We kind of ironed the whole thing out. They broke it down to me, why I wasn't getting a lot of practice reps. They said a lot of guys are trying to get the same, and I'm not trying to be selfish. I have a strong relationship with my teammates, and I never quit at anything -- especially football -- and not on the team and the state I love."

That clearly doesn't sound like a kid who wants to bail, but there was a strong lack of communication here. There's still five games left in the season, so if Hasty does his job and competes the rest of the way it's very possible he'll get more playing time. But this is really an unexpected twist. You'd think they might have wanted to have the discussion before he quit the team and his dad bashed the coaching staff. I guess it took quitting the program to get their attention.

UW's Hasty Changes Mind, Returns to Team originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UW's Hasty Quits Husky Football

Sean Hawkins — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

Highly touted running back J.R. Hasty, a top recruit from 2005, has left the UW football program. Hasty was slated to be the primary backup to senior Louis Rankin this season, but it just didn't work out. Hasty was actually passed on the depth chart by true frosh Brandon Johnson for the Oregon game last week, and that was the final straw.

If you aren't familiar with Hasty, he was an all-state running back out of Bellevue High School, a football power in the state of Washington. His senior year alone he rushed for over 2500 yards and set a state record with 50 rushing TD's. He came to UW as a highly rated recruit in 2005 and redshirted, all the while claiming scout team player of the year honors. Hopes were very high that Hasty was the real deal. But Hasty disappointed many last fall when he surprisingly became academically ineligible before the year and had to miss the 2006 season. Hasty got his act together and rejoined the team this year, but for reasons that some still don't understand, he never saw significant action.

You may recognize the last name, Hasty. As in, the son of long-time NFL defensive back James Hasty. While J.R. didn't have a whole lot to say on Thursday, father James didn't hold back his feelings about Tyrone Willingham and the UW program:

J.R. Hasty did not practice Wednesday, Willingham said. James Hasty said his son was pondering his future, but that he was "appalled" that no one from the coaching staff called to determine if Hasty was safe.

"No one called to even ask about his whereabouts. No 'Are you safe?' 'Are you OK?' 'Why aren't you at practice?' That was the most appalling thing," he said.

"It was appalling to see them play with kids' heads like that," James Hasty said.

The Huskies do have the luxury of depth at this point, as Brandon Johnson and fellow frosh Curtis Shaw will now be the primary guys behind Rankin. But the loss of Hasty isn't a good sign for Willingham. Hasty was regarded as one of the top players in the state when he came out of high school, and one of the big criticisms of Willingham thus far is that he has had trouble getting the true elite talents in-state to play at Washington. The Seattle Times ran a story yesterday about the state of Washington and the recruiting going on at UW, and how important it is for UW to win the recruiting battles at home. Time will tell if this will hurt Willingham with the various high school programs around the state, but some may view this as a coach running a player off the team for various reasons. Most likely Hasty will head for division 1-AA, possibly Montana, but his final destination is not yet known. In the end, it's too bad Hasty didn't work out at the Pac-10 level.

UW's Hasty Quits Husky Football originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Locker Better, but Still Lacking Consistency

Sean Hawkins — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:21:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart put on a performance for the ages at Husky Stadium on Saturday, as the Ducks racked up a mind-boggling 661 yards of total offense on their way to a 55-34 win. The Husky defense surrendered an amazing 465 rushing yards, the second-most allowed in school history. That puts UW's rushing defense at 118th in the nation, giving up a disturbing 241.7 yards per game. That 241.7 yards per game average is on pace to be the second-worst rushing defense in school history. Obviously, the defense has issues.

But lost in the defensive embarrassment Saturday, the UW offense finally put up some respectable numbers. With 34 points and over 400 yards of total offense, they kept things interesting as they had the score tied through three quarters before Oregon salted this one away with their relentless running game.

This week the Seattle media has really been praising young Jake Locker, with many claims that this was the QB's best game of the year. If you look at the end-result of 34 points, over 400 yards of total offense and the fact that he threw four TD's, it's hard to argue that point. Or is it? While Locker did finish with 257 yards passing, and also ran for 78 yards, the one big thing that you worry about is a continuing issue with accuracy. Even with the praise, he still completed just 12 out of 31 attempts, good for a 39% completion percentage. Again, hard to argue with the TD passes, but the accuracy issue is haunting the UW offense. Locker is still last in the conference in passing efficiency and passing yards per game, and he's still under 50% in his accuracy (47.5% completion percentage). The sliver of hope is that you did finally see Locker unleash the deep ball, hitting on TD passes of 83, 43, 38, and 26 yards, impressive any way you slice it. The deep pass is now officially part of the UW offense. But no offense can fully live on the chance the long balls will work every week. So if Locker can just improve on the fundamentals and hitting the underneath stuff a little better to keep those drives alive, there's no telling how much better he can get the rest of the year.

Locker Better, but Still Lacking Consistency originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon Runs Over and Through Washington

Charles Rich — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:25:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon Football, Washington Football, Pac 10

Washington played with Oregon for 3 quarters. The teams traded scores and at the start of the 4th quarter it was 31 all. Then it was all Oregon. Completely blowing the Huskies off the field with a 24-3 explosion in what had already been a high scoring game. Oregon only had to punt 3 times in the entire game.

Oregon came into the game with a very thin receiving corp. Derrick Jones had been suspended during the week, Cameron Colvin broke his ankle last week and Brian Paysinger was previously injured. The Ducks didn't do much in the passing game with a pedestrian 196 yards. The running game, however, more than compensated.

Oregon ran for 465 yards. Jonathan Stewart accounted for 251 yards himself. The Duck O-line might very well be the best in the country. They were opening holes and providing plenty of running room the entire game. Just impressive to watch.

Washington hung with Oregon for 3/4th of the game. QB Jake Locker did what he could with 335 total yards and 4 touchdowns. The Huskies just could not keep up, and the defense could not make a stop.

Oregon Runs Over and Through Washington originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can UW Hang with Oregon?

Sean Hawkins — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:39:00 EST

Filed under: Oregon Football, Washington Football, Pac 10

At first glance, one might think that Oregon visiting Washington tomorrow could be a big-time offensive shootout with the athletic QB duo of Dennis Dixon and Jake Locker. Everyone knows about Dixon's fine season, and if Oregon keeps winning while Dixon racks up the numbers, he'll continue to rise on the Heisman lists. And Locker gets a lot of hype for being the dual-threat QB with rushing skills of quickness and power that are rarely seen at his position.

But never let the facts get in the way of a story is the best way to put it. Right now, UW is last in the Pac-10 in total offense. That's right, 10th out of 10 teams in total offense. What happened? Where is the offense that carved up Syracuse in the first game of the year in a 42-12 blowout, and had their way with Boise State for at least half of the second game of the year? The Huskies average only 325 yards per game on offense, which is 31 yards less per game than 9th-place Stanford.

The biggest problem with UW's offense right now is the lack of help for the young QB. Louis Rankin was fabulous back in week one, and it seemed like a lead-pipe cinch that he would be the first 1,000 yard running back for UW since Rashaan Shehee in 1995. But Rankin has totaled only 395 rushing yards through six games, not a terrible total but certainly not what you'd want out of your feature back. Then factor in that out of those 395 yards, 147 of them came against Syracuse in the first game, you start to see the full picture. The good news for UW is that Rankin did contribute more last week vs. ASU, getting 80 yards rushing in by far his best game since the opener. But it still wasn't nearly enough as UW was crushed in Tempe.

I guess part of the problem as well for UW's total offense numbers is when you consider the competition, it's not that surprising. Ohio State's defense has been one of the best in the country in 2007, and UW just couldn't get it done against a talented, physical group like that. The Huskies did score 24 points against USC in an ugly game, but looks can be deceiving. They were badly outgained in that game, and Jake Locker threw for only 80 yards in four quarters against the top defense in the Pac-10. Factor in the second-half collapses on both sides of the ball, and you have a struggling team hungry for a win, mired in a four-game losing streak.

Oregon comes in white-hot after dismantling WSU in such an overwhelming fashion that you have to wonder how much Oregon could have scored if they didn't let up in the second half. It was 40-0 at the half and 47-7 early in the third before Bellotti cleared the bench, mainly out of respect for Bill Doba. Besides, it's never a good idea to embarrass a league foe, no matter who it is. Oregon's got the top offense in the Pac-10, number one in scoring offense, rushing offense and total offense. They average an astounding 532 yards per game, which is over 200 yards more per game than UW.

But the disturbing thing for the Ducks this week is that their health is really starting to be a concern. Some skill-position guys were already beat up going into last week, and then RB Jeremiah Johnson went down with a knee injury, and senior WR Cameron Colvin also went out with a broken ankle. RB Jonathan Stewart is going to get more touches than normal without Johnson, and while on the surface that doesn't seem like a bad idea, keep in mind that injuries have hampered Stewart over the first couple of years. Finding another back to help keep Stewart fresh is going to be vital as the season wears on.

So, on paper this looks like a complete mismatch. But you have to wonder if the oddsmakers might know something that we don't, as Oregon is only an 11.5-point favorite. While that's a solid number, especially on the road, it's clear that some are predicting a relatively close game in what figures to be a wet and windy late afternoon in Seattle. But one thing is clear - UW needs a win in the biggest way right now. A loss here would be their fifth in a row, and would force them to win five of their last six games to become bowl-eligible. It's circle-the-wagons time in Seattle.

Can UW Hang with Oregon? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Second-half Collapses Ruining UW's Season

Sean Hawkins — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:37:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10

The warning signs have been there since the second half vs. Boise State, way back in the second game of the year. UW wouldn't score in the third or fourth quarter that day, but due to some Boise State inexperience at QB, the Huskies held on for the victory. But they haven't won a game since, and now at 2-4, a promising 2-0 start is starting to evaporate. Saturday night's 44-20 blowout at unbeaten ASU was bit surprising in the final tally, but the way this one unfolded is really a microcosm of UW's 2007 season.

Once again, the Huskies played well for the first 30 minutes, leading 17-13. But once again, they folded in the second half and were basically run off the field. QB Jake Locker has been, well, he's been a redshirt frosh still trying to get his feet wet, and there are usually week's full of on-the-job lessons that have to be learned. He had a lousy night throwing the football vs. ASU, just 10-for-28, and his 48 rushing yards were actually a season-low. Louis Rankin was better, with 80 yards rushing, but that was the first time since the opening week that he was above 50 rushing yards in a game. The offense clearly has issues, but the troubling thing for UW is the defense of late, especially in the second half. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times pointed out just how bad they've been. Consider:

In just the last four games, all losses, UW has been outscored 105-41 in the second half. Three of those games saw them give up at least 30 second-half points!
In that same four-game stretch, UW's total defense has been abysmal, giving up an average of just north of 500 yards per game. Even worse is the fact that they are giving up 279 rushing yards on average in those four games, and wearing down big-time in the second half, giving up 158.75 rushing yards after halftime.

Brutal. So why the struggles? Is it a lack of quality depth that just flat-out gets tired against superior opponents? Is it the opponents making adjustments to a QB they've never seen before, and once they settle in they figure him out? Sort of like a young hard-throwing MLB pitcher that rolls through a lineup the first time, then they tee off on him and send him to the showers before the fifth inning? Or is there something bigger going on here? Is this what some Notre Dame fans used to point to about Ty Willingham and his lack of in-game adjustments? Or how he was always known as a good recruiter, but never a guy that's great at being a "game day" coach, whatever that means?

There are tons of questions as to why this is happening, but there is no denying it now - UW has a real problem on their hands with second-half collapses, and they need to figure it out, fast. Oregon comes to Seattle on Saturday with a lights-out offense that is rolling right now, and one shudders to think what Dennis Dixon could do against the Husky defense if they keep rolling over in the second half!

Second-half Collapses Ruining UW's Season originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UW Reinstates Troubled Cornerback

Sean Hawkins — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:09:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Police Blotter

While UW limps into the bye week on a three-game losing streak, there was some good personnel news this week. Jordan Murchison, a defensive back who's anger issues landed him in jail for a short time when he had a pair of violence related charges against him this year, has returned to the Husky football program. Murchison is now practicing with the team, and should be eligible to play in UW's next game at ASU on 10/13.

According to Molly at the P-I:

Murchison agreed to a stipulated order of continuance, or a "deferred prosecution," to wrap up a domestic violence charge from June. If Murchison adheres for two years to guidelines set forth in the order, the charge will be dismissed. Those guidelines typically involve counseling and the mandate to avoid additional trouble with the law. Failure to comply usually leads to a harsher sentence than what would have originally been levied.

Murchison is a welcome sight for the UW defense, and once he can shake off the rust, should be right back into the mix at cornerback. Newcomer Byron Davenport has battled some nagging hamstring issues, and while he has finally been able to play the last few weeks, they really need help back there. UW has been considered thin at corner since spring ball, and Husky fans are certainly hopeful that Murchison can provide that much-needed depth. Let's hope for Murchison's sake that he keeps his anger under control. Tyrone Willingham's reputation is great in regards to having solid citizens on his team, so he must be satisfied with Murchison's situation to the point that he's willing to let him back on the team.

Previously on FanHouse: Arrest Thins Out UW Secondary

UW Reinstates Troubled Cornerback originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTubesDay: Pac Ten Referee Incompetence

Scott Olin Schmidt — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: USC Football, Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Video, The Word

Look closely and you'll notice that when USC defensive back Shareece Wright knocks the socks off of Washington's Jake Locker, the Husky quarterback has yet to set foot out of bounds. Sure his body is leaning as if it is on its way out of bounds but his last step was in-bounds...but the Pac Ten officialls pulled out the yellow hanky nonetheless.

Now go to 4:14 into this and watch John David Booty throw the interception. On the return, do you see the late hit--or does it look like someone is making a tackle which leads to a player going out of bounds? Guess what the Pac Ten officials thought?

Even Washington head coach Ty Willingham thought the penalties against USC were excessive and we hear USC coach Pete Carroll says that conference officials have some explaining to do.

YouTubesDay: Pac Ten Referee Incompetence originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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