A New Era For Washington Football

What a difference a week can make.

Last Monday, we get word that Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian was heading south to become the head coach of USC. After taking over a Huskies program that was in disarray following the school’s first complete season without a single victory (0-12 overall), Sarkisian quickly brought stability to the program. In his first season as head coach, the Huskies finished 5-7 overall, narrowly missing a bowl game. The next three seasons all yielded the same result as the team finished 7-5 overall. This year, hopes were high that Washington could make some noise in the PAC-12 North behind the arm of senior quarterback Keith Price and the legs of junior running back Bishop Sankey. Despite the team stumbling through a difficult midseason stretch—in which they played a murderer’s row of Stanford, Oregon, and Arizona State—the Huskies finished 8-4 overall.

While the Huskies were not exactly contending for a conference title, and a slew of seven and eight win seasons might cause the fans to grumble, the team qualified for four straight bowl games after Sarkisian arrived. His decision to return to USC (and the Pac-12 South division), where he once was a coordinator for the great teams of the Pete Carroll era, was cause for the other teams in the PAC-12 North division to breathe a sigh of relief. The departure left a vacancy at Washington, and there appeared to be no surefire candidates available.

That is, until Chris Petersen decided to leave Boise State.

The head coaching vacancy that existed Monday had been filled only four days later, and the uncertainty about where the program might be heading was replaced by an excitement that few coaches in the country warrant. Chris Petersen, after spending the past eight seasons at Boise State, is one of those few.

Petersen compiled a record of 92-12 over the course of his eight seasons in the head coaching position, one of the highest winning percentages in college football history. In five of his eight seasons, the Broncos finished #11 or better in the final Associated Press rankings. Boise State finished undefeated in both 2006 and 2009, but was unable to compete in the national championship because of their status as a mid-major program. Petersen’s teams have practically been folklore for fans of underdogs everywhere, as he engineered an upset of Adrian Peterson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Most notably in that game, Petersen’s Broncos successfully pulled off a Hook and Lateral play (on fourth down!) to send the game into overtime. Then, after scoring a touchdown in overtime, the first-year head coach had the gusto to call the Statue of Liberty play on a two-point conversion that won the game.

Huskies everywhere should be panting and salivating over the prospect of a head coach that has the fortitude to call risky plays and then stand behind that decision.

Petersen was even able to edge out Sarkisian on a head-to-head basis, as Boise State defeated Washington in last year’s Maaco Las Vegas Bowl. In fact, despite Sarkisian being successful at taking the Huskies to bowl games, he only won one of the three that he coached the team in (the fourth consecutive bowl game will take place this season, but Sarkisian will be unable to coach the team due to leaving for USC). Petersen, on the other hand, won five of the seven bowl games that he led Boise State to, including two BCS bowl victories.

The hiring of Petersen away from Boise State should have the attention of every PAC-12 team and their fans, but most notably fans of the North division. Stanford remains a power, but at times they have looked vulnerable. Oregon showed signs of weakness late in the year, which might cause concern for Ducks fans. Oregon State cannot find any semblance of consistency, and the duo of Washington State and California look to have rebuilding years ahead. Washington could be primed for resurgence, and they now have the coach that possesses the ability to build a national power.

With the success that Petersen has had at a smaller school like Boise State, one can only imagine what he will be able to do at Washington. He is already familiar with recruiting the Northwest region, and now having the extra draw of a large program and a major conference to sell to recruits.

Wake up, PAC-12. A return to prominence for USC is not what should have the conference worried. Look northward, and prepare for the Chris Petersen era at Washington.