Sarkisian, Huskies on eve of monumental spring

Mar 5, 2013, 12:00 AM

For a long time, Husky fans have been hearing, "Wait until next year." Now, finally, the promise of next year turns into the reality of this year. After a two-month offseason, the Washington football team will begin its spring practice regimen Tuesday night. And with the beginning of spring comes the promise that has been associated with this team during the past few years. The Huskies return 18 starters from last season. Keith Price is a senior. Offensive weapons Kasen Williams, Bishop Sankey, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins are all upperclassmen. The defense brings back its entire front seven. There are still sixth months until the real season begins, yes. But head coach Steve Sarkisian has a veteran team, a group filled with experience and a group many believe is poised to take the next step. Over the next month and a half, Sarkisian and his assistants will begin to get some answers to the question that UW fans have been asking for some time now: Will 2013 be “the year” for Husky football? The positions are all in place. On offense, Sarkisian brings back his quarterback, running back, tight end, and top three receivers. Last season’s injuries up front allowed the offensive line to gel and a number of youngsters to see game action. This is a deep, talented unit, one that is loaded at the skill positions and could score in bunches next season. The UW defense looks ready to improve even more than it did last season. Three starters on the defensive line return. So do three young linebackers who made significant contributions last season, as does hard-hitting safety Sean Parker, who will be expected to lead the defense. The talent is there. The Huskies look poised to jump into the upper echelon of the Pac-12. Sarkisian believes his team can and will fight with the top dogs of the conference. “I don’t see why we wouldn’t be in a position to compete for a division championship,” Sarkisian said Monday. “The goal is to win our division. It’s pretty clear that the North is pretty tough, when you look at what Oregon and Stanford have done. This is a unique challenge.” Playing in one of college football’s toughest divisions will certainly make things difficult for the 2013 Huskies. Oregon and Stanford are both expected to compete for a national title, and Oregon State showed last season it’s no pushover. But with the talent they return, there is no reason the Huskies can’t be a force in the North. That is why the next few months will be so important. Sarkisian and his staff know their team is primed to make a run at a conference championship. Whether they will or not is going to depend on what spring practice brings. If they use the spring training successfully, the Huskies will head into fall camp ready to go. They need to find depth at a handful of positions, notably in the secondary and at wide receiver. Sarkisian and new quarterbacks coach Marques Tuiasosopo will work hard throughout camp to get Price back to the level he was two seasons ago. If Price can get there, and if the UW can find that depth, the UW will begin the season with dreams of roses. Aug. 31 is still almost six months away. That gives the Huskies six months to find the answers to the questions that remain; six months to prepare for the drive to a conference championship; six months to realize their potential. Six months to provide an answer to the question every Husky fan is asking: Is 2013 finally the year? Reach reporter Daniel Rubens at sports@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @Drubens12

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