Steve Sarkisian’s New Assistants Could Propel Washington to Pac 12 Elite

All, College Football Ty Duffy January 18th. 2012, 4:30pm

Normally assistant turnover is bad, though with Steve Sarkisian splashing Pac 12 TV cash at Washington on some big name assistants, Husky fans have reason to be optimistic. Very optimistic.

Sark upgraded from the ineffectual Nick Holt to Tennessee’s Justin Wilcox, one of the country’s hottest defensive coordinator. Wilcox built Boise State into a top 12 FEI defense in 2008 and 2009. His Tennessee team was trending properly, improving from 57th in 2010 to 32nd in 2011. He should bring a swarming 3-4 with tenacious pressure from the front, hopefully rekindling what was known as “Washington football” in more abundant decades.

Wilcox may not be an ace recruiter, himself, but he has brought in a couple closers. His college teammate Peter Sirmon comes over as linebackers coach from the same role at Tennessee. His one year was enough to earn his reputation as an insatiable recruiter. Wilcox also scored a coup by bringing in Tosh Lupoi as defensive line coach. Lupoi may be the preeminent recruiter on the West Coast (or at least in the discussion with Orgeron). He locked down 11 four-star or better recruits for Cal in 2010 and 2011. He was the principle reason Cal had a Top 10 recruiting class for 2012. Place the emphasis on “had” with his departure. Washington has struggled finding and developing athletes on the D-line. That is where Lupoi excels.

The bigger question mark is on offense, after coordinator Doug Nussemier left for the same job at Alabama. Cal’s passing game coordinator Eric Kiseau is the man replacing him. Kiseau has done an excellent job developing skill players during two stints at Cal. His results as offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2010 under Dan Hawkins were underwhelming, though his personnel was vastly underwhelming. Kiseau comes from a similar offense. The presence of Sarkisian and bonafide star quarterback Keith Price should soften any adjustments.

Washington looks set to have a real good time the next few years, if Sarkisian can keep this new staff together. Anyone not excited for the 2012 Apple Cup?

[Photo via Getty]

aroundtheweb

30 Responses to “Steve Sarkisian’s New Assistants Could Propel Washington to Pac 12 Elite”

1
sousedbergin Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:33 PM
Keith Price looked awesome the last time I saw him.
/It was against Baylor though..
2
spencer096 Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:38 PM
not a bad case here…pretty weak conference and who knows what to make of stanford without luck. don’t see any reason why they can’t get themselves right below oregon and USC in the next couple years, provided sark stays.
3
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:42 PM
Good piece, Duffy. Washington should be better than they are, but Sark hired an idiot for a DC and it killed any chance he had at winning the Pac 12 before he fired them all.
4
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:44 PM
The Pac 12 will be interesting at least. Pirate, Sark, Kiffin, Kelly and Mora Jr. Good stuff.
5
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:47 PM
The USC-Oregon game should be great next year. Watching that fast white dude run all over shitty defenses will be fun, and Barkley is a badass. I think I’d put Washington in that second tier with Stanford and Cal. I can’t imagine either AZ school is very good, and Wazzu and UCLA should also struggle.
6
cassino Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:58 PM
provided sark stays.
He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He’s already turned down opportunities to interview at other College jobs, as well as in the NFL.
One thing that Duffy didn’t mention that UW will have going for it that will be huge: the 250 million dollar facilities renovation that will be completed before the start of the 2013 season. If they can take the leap to 8-10 wins, recruits will flock.
7
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:01 PM
One thing that Duffy didn’t mention that UW will have going for it that will be huge: the 250 million dollar facilities renovation that will be completed before the start of the 2013 season. If they can take the leap to 8-10 wins, recruits will flock.
If they can’t, something is terribly wrong as the Pac 12 blows next year.
8
José Ovechkin Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:03 PM
The Pac 12 will be the best or 2nd best conference next year
9
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:03 PM
Washington has 7 gimme wins next year (SDST, Portland St, Zona, Oregon State, Utah, Colorado, Wazzu). They then have Oregon, USC, Stanford, Cal and LSU (loss). That puts them at 7-1 next year for sure. If they go 1-3 against USC, Oregon, Stanford and Cal they finish 8-4. I would think that should be the worst they do.
10
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:05 PM
The Pac 12 will be the best or 2nd best conference next year
Are you retarded? USC and Oregon are legit, but after that it’s a big question. Washington’s offense will be great, but that D is still iffy. Stanford loses their QB and 3 badass OL as well as their stud TE. Cal is still Cal and AZ, AZST, WAZZU and UCLA all have new coaches. Colorado will be awful and Utah is a bit of a wild card.
11
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:06 PM
SEC, Big 12 and the Big 10 should be better all around than the Pac 12. Washington could very well be the 3rd best team in the conference next year, depending on what Stanford and Cal do.
12
rittyrich Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:06 PM
Washington has 7 gimme wins next year
They’re gonna lose one of those. Just as easy as you said they will win all 7, they’re gonna lose one of those.
13
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:07 PM
They’re gonna lose one of those. Just as easy as you said they will win all 7, they’re gonna lose one of those.
I guess they could, but that offense should be pretty damn good next year. Agree that they could certainly slip up though. Still think 8-4 is where they finish.
14
cassino Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:07 PM
If they can’t, something is terribly wrong as the Pac 12 blows next year.
UW’s schedule is rough. Their conference misses are UCLA and ASU, and have a stretch where they play @LSU, Portland State, Stanford, @Oregon, USC (might be the wrong order on those last 3, but the point remains). If they win every game they’re favored in (should be in all the rest), that’s only 8, more than that would be gravy.
15
HuskerDawg Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:08 PM
UW’s schedule is rough
They did draw the best of the bunch in the league plus LSU. That’s a bit of a bitch. The 4 tough games are really tough.
16
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:08 PM
lot of horrible teams in the Pac10. Washington will probably be top 3 or top 4 in the conference for a long time.
17
José Ovechkin Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Big 10 should be better
Are you retarded?
18
JDiddy3000 Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Hopefully we can steal some of the recruits these new guys had at their old schools. Very exciting times. I bash Holt as much as the next guy, but he was a “hot” coordinator when he came here, too. Have to get better at getting bigger (size) at positions where small and fast is detrimental.
19
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:12 PM
no conference will Colorado can be considered the best.
20
cassino Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:12 PM
lot of horrible teams in the Pac10
Only team I’d call horrible is Colorado.
21
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:12 PM
with, not will.
22
countolaf Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Washington will be good in two years, not next year. No talent on Defense. Nick Holt sucked, but Wilcox is overrated. Sark will got to BYU in 3 Years. Book it.
Haha. “The Big 10 should be better”. My face when…
23
cassino Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Have to get better at getting bigger (size) at positions where small and fast is detrimental.
Big reason they’ve been smallish has been because they’ve had to play kids too early. First couple years under Sark they played like 14 true freshman each year, and this year it went down to like 5 I think, and Sample is getting his year back. Finally starting to build some depth.
24
Dr. Tom Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:27 PM
Sark will got to BYU in 3 Years. Book it.
BYU isn’t going to hire a non-Mormon as head football coach. Will never happen.
25
Caribou Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:28 PM
Go UDub
26
rodmansrage Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:34 PM
do people forget that SC is still coached by kiffin?
27
JDiddy3000 Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:51 PM
Big reason they’ve been smallish has been because they’ve had to play kids too early. First couple years under Sark they played like 14 true freshman each year, and this year it went down to like 5 I think, and Sample is getting his year back. Finally starting to build some depth.
I agree, but they still seem to excel at getting skill players and the line recruits are not as strong. I am a long time fan and remember when every fatass line prospect from South Kitsap and every monster lineman came here.
28
WWoS Stayed At a Holiday Inn Express Last Night Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 6:18 PM
When assistant coaches are referred to as ‘ace recruiters’ it just screams NCAA violations to me. What else are you possibly doing to convince these kids that ___ is where they want to be. It’s just creepy/stalker shit that makes me cringe.
29
cassino Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 7:34 PM
Wwos, Tosh Lupoi is 29, so (they say) he just connects to the recruits and builds a relationship with them moreso than older coaches because the age difference isnt that big. He can come across like a peer at times. One of the things he’s known for is playing XBox with the guys he recruits.
30
Alec Hugh Schtittties Says:
January 18th, 2012 at 8:15 PM
Tosh Lupoi can recruit, but what happens once he gets the players. Can he coach? Cal has sucked in recent years and Tennessee has sucked even more. BFD.