2018 Washington Football has reason for confidence
By Bret Stuter
The 2018 Washington Football team has reason to feel confident after enduring an injury plagued season, and adding one of the most talented recruiting classes ever for the Huskies
How real is the belief that the 2018 Washington Football team has the potential to reclaim the Pac-12 Championship game this season. Toss the hype of player “potential” aside for a moment. This is not an article about the scouting rankings. You can find those virtually anywhere.
This is an article sizing up new recruits for their talent and how that will translate into their possible fit with the Washington Football team. It’s also a skeptical look at what did, and did not work in 2017. And so, just mix it all up with some analysis and projection? And then, what are the results? A bright future. In fact, right now it’s a very bright future.
Injuries, disappointments, unrealized goals
Let’s ignore the wins from 2017. Success teaches us little. In each victory, the Huskies outscored their opponents. But moreso, the gameplan worked. The coaching staff solved the puzzle for that week of what it took to come out on top. But the team did not succeed on three seperate occasions. Still, it was just three losses. Did the team simply fail to show up in 3 of 13 games? I don’t think it is nearly as simple as all of that.
By the time the 2017 NCAA football season began, the Washington Football team showed up with some pretty impressive play. And from that point, the fanbase warmed rapidly to the team. Early and impressive wins helped to elevate expectations, and assuage concerns of fans who witnessed so many talented players claimed in the 2017 NFL Draft. But the team began to lose key contributors to injury. The teams retooled pass defense suffered a setback with injuries to cornerback Byron Murphy and Jordan Miller. The offense suffered setbacks as well, losing wide receivers Chico McClatcher and Quinten Pounds, left tackle Trey Adams, and freshman tight end Hunter Bryant.