Washington football fall camp primer

As its eventful offseason comes to a close, the Washington football team is at something of a crossroads. A multitude of questions surround new head coach Chris Petersen and his staff as they prepare to open fall camp Monday morning. Quarterback Keith Price, running back Bishop Sankey, and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins have all moved on. There are holes to fill in the secondary. And nobody really knows just who will take the first snap of the season Aug. 30 in Hawaii. Thankfully for the Huskies, they still have time to find some answers to these questions. But will less than a month be enough time to prepare them for the season? We don’t know, but a month is enough time to prepare you, the UW fans and community. To begin those preparations, here’s a fall camp primer so you can know what to be looking out for over the next month. Lingering questions 1. Who starts at quarterback against Hawaii? We might as well start with the question at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Right now, the prevailing belief seems to be that incoming sophomore Cyler Miles will start the UW’s second game, at home against Eastern Washington, after his suspension in the season opener. But the truth is, nobody really knows who will start either of those games. Prior to his suspension, Miles was the odds-on favorite, but missing all of spring practice means that the coaching staff has yet to see him in action. Meanwhile, Petersen and quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith should be quite familiar with sophomore Jeff Lindquist and redshirt freshman Troy Williams, who were the only two quarterbacks participating in the spring. One of those two will get a chance to prove himself against Hawaii and try to assert himself above Miles in the pecking order. 2. How can the Huskies replace the offensive production of Sankey, Price, and Seferian-Jenkins? It’s definitely not going to be easy. Sankey was fourth in the nation in rushing yards in 2013, Price was 20th in passing efficiency, and ASJ had the second-most touchdowns of any tight end. And there are depth questions at all three spots, with the quarterback uncertainty. It’s not easy to find a Sankey or a Seferian-Jenkins, but the Huskies can come close to replicating their successes by mixing in different players. In their most dominant performance last year, the Huskies put up 69 points against Oregon State thanks in part to seven rushing touchdowns, three from Sankey, and two each from sophomore Dwayne Washington and senior Deontae Cooper, two of the men vying to replace him. Each player has different strengths that can be used in different situations. A similar strategy could work at tight end too, though the Huskies have less returning experience there than they do at running back 3. What will we see from the new coaching staff? Here’s the question that we all want to know but can’t. It’s extremely hard to predict just how different the Huskies will look under Petersen than they did under Steve Sarkisian, or where, specifically, they will look different. One guess would be that we won’t see the offense moving quite as fast as last season, as Petersen doesn’t appear to be quite as enamored with the no-huddle as Sarkisian. But the biggest changes likely won’t be all that evident to the media or the fans. Those will revolve around the coaching staff and how they communicate and work with the players. One thing is certain though: Petersen has a proven track record of success, and no matter what changes are made, Petersen will have ample time to use his coaching acumen and turn the UW back into a national power. Position battles 1. Running back We touched on this one above, but the man carrying the football will play a major role in the Huskies’ 2014 success, no matter who it is. The two front-runners with the most experience, Washington and senior Jesse Callier, both missed spring practice due to injuries, which allowed Cooper and redshirt freshman Lavon Coleman chances to impress the coaching staff. Washington likely enters camp as the favorite to win the job thanks to his 7.1 yards per carry last season, but he also had a fumbling problem. If that strikes again, don’t sleep on Cooper, who looked explosive this spring and has come back from three ACL tears to fight his way into the fold. 2. Tight end While the competitors at tight end have less experience than those at running back, the tight end battle figures to be one of the most hotly-contested ones of camp. That’s mostly because the position is so wide open. Junior Joshua Perkins was the only tight end other than ASJ to catch a pass last year, and for that reason alone, he might have the lead in this race. But his position is far from secure. Aside from Perkins, senior Michael Hartvigson and sophomore Darrell Daniels are names to watch as the spring progresses. Hartvigson is the best blocker of the three, Daniels is probably the best receiver, and Perkins is good at both and has the experience factor. This one will be fascinating, and the battle could last until the opener. 3. Cornerback Obviously, junior Marcus Peters has the starting cornerback about as locked down as it gets. Peters picked off five passes and had 14 passes defended as a sophomore last season opposite Greg Ducre. But while Peters comes back, Ducre, an underrated defender, and his backup, Tre Watson, are both gone. When Petersen arrived at the UW, the secondary looked thin and problematic. After bringing in seven freshmen defensive backs, the depth is no longer an issue, but finding a second starter still is. Jermaine Kelly saw most of the work there in the spring, but don’t sleep on the newcomers: Darren Gardenhire and Naijel Hale are both very talented, and Budda Baker could shift to corner if the coaching staff is eager to get the playmaker on the field early. Players to watch Offense: WR Kasen Williams We all know what Williams can do. He’s a tall, strong receiver, with great hands and the ability to adjust to the ball in the air. Or at least he was, until suffering a devastating leg injury last October against Cal. After missing the end of the season, Williams rehabbed through the offseason and now appears ready to go for the beginning of camp. His health will be a huge determining factor in the UW’s season. Williams is one of the most talented wideouts in the Pac-12, and he will be counted on heavily by whoever is throwing the football. Defense: S Kevin King We haven’t really touched on the UW’s front seven yet, and there’s a reason: The Huskies are stacked up front. They return four linebackers who had more than 50 tackles and a full complement of pass rushers on the line. So let’s look back a bit further, where all eyes will be on King as he tries to replace Sean Parker. Parker, or Peanut, as he was affectionately known, finished his UW career with 11 interceptions and 245 total tackles, and he served as a team captain in each of the last two seasons. The 6-foot-3 King was impressive in 10 games as a true freshman in 2013, and he could thrive if the front seven can consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. He could develop into a legitimate defensive star with proper coaching. How to watch: The UW’s fall practices begin Monday morning at 10 a.m. at Husky Stadium. Three practices will be open to the public: Saturday, Aug. 9 (10 a.m.); Wednesday, Aug. 13 (4:30 p.m.); and Saturday, Aug. 16 (3 p.m.). Reach Sports Editor Daniel Rubens at sports@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @drubens12

Washington football fall camp primer

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