Washington goes from top to bottom in a short time
SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Huskies have fallen with an embarrassing thud, dropping a once-elite program that shared the national championship in 1991 to the cellar of the Pac-10.
Less than 18 months after former coach Rick Neuheisel was fired for gambling on college basketball and lying to administrators, the Huskies are 1-6 overall and winless in conference games under successor Keith Gilbertson.
It's their worst season since 1969, when they lost the first nine games and finished 1-9.
”Obviously, we haven't enjoyed what's happened to us,” said Gilbertson, the offensive coordinator for coach Don James on Washington's unbeaten national title team.
Naturally, morale is sagging.
”We're down right now,” linebacker Scott White said. ”I'll be honest with you, man. Nothing is going to salvage the season because we've had a disappointing year. This is not what we came to Washington for.”
Added defensive tackle Manase Hopoi: ”We've got a young team, and it's been pretty tough.”
Neuheisel has sued Washington and the NCAA over his firing. Last week, the NCAA imposed no sanctions against him, saying a former school compliance officer had written erroneous memos that said such gambling was allowed.
Neuheisel spent four seasons at Washington, going 33-16, including an 11-1 record in 2000, when the Huskies beat Purdue in their first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1992 season.
They've fallen a long way in a short time. Last weekend, the Huskies weren't competitive in a 38-0 loss at top-ranked USC. Washington generated only 113 total yards and was shut out for the first time in 23 years.
”We just cannot seem to find any offense,” Gilbertson said. ”People know my background in offense and pass offense. I'm frustrated. I'm very frustrated.”
Gilbertson was Neuheisel's offensive coordinator and stepped in after Neuheisel's midsummer firing, just weeks before the 2003 opener. Former athletic director Barbara Hedges didn't have many options for finding a coach.
The Huskies went 6-6 in Gilbertson's first season, barely avoiding their first losing campaign since 1976.
They won't hold it off any longer. The loss to USC makes it impossible for Washington to finish better than 5-6. The Huskies haven't gone winless in league play since an 0-7 mark in 1973 in the old Pac-8.
This year, Gilbertson's team has been hit hard by injuries.
When the Huskies play at Oregon on Saturday — as 20-point underdogs — they'll have only four senior starters.
Injuries to receiver Charles Frederick, fullback Zach Tuiasosopo, offensive tackle Khalif Barnes, defensive tackles Dan Milsten and Donny Mateaki and receivers Quintin Daniels and Corey Williams have devastated a team already short on experience.
The departures of receiver Reggie Williams and quarterback Cody Pickett to the NFL have left the Huskies looking dizzy on offense. Washington has used a trio of quarterbacks with dismal results.
Junior Casey Paus has started four games, redshirt freshman Carl Bonnell two and sophomore Isaiah Stanback one. The Huskies are averaging 14 points and 169.4 yards passing per game.
Paus, Bonnell and Stanback have been intercepted 12 times, completing only 39.6 percent of their passes. Washington has committed 23 turnovers, helping their opponents to seven touchdowns and five field goals.
”We are soul-searching, searching for answers. We're looking in the mirror,” Gilbertson said. ”Everybody is just grinding. We're looking for anything to give us a spark.”
New Washington president Mark Emmert and new athletic director Todd Turner will decide after the season if Gilbertson returns in 2005.
Emmert, a Washington graduate, arrived in Seattle in July after being the chancellor at LSU, where he helped hire Nick Saban, who led the Tigers to a share of the national title with USC.
Gilbertson knows his job is on the line, but he's determined to enjoy the rest of this season.
”I still get to go and drive across the bridge and see Husky Stadium every morning and go to work at the University of Washington,” he said. ”I'm going to enjoy that as long as I get a chance to enjoy that.”
AP-DS-10-27-04 1834EDT