UW's Sarkisian even wins when it's close

By Gail Wood | The Ollympian • Published October 21, 2009

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Being close still wins for Steve Sarkisian and the Washington Huskies.

Losing 24-17 in the final seconds against Arizona State on Saturday when the Huskies defense blew an assignment wasn’t as good as a win. But it wasn’t a blowout loss either, something the team endured in a winless season last year. And that game against ASU and this overall season, with a win over USC and an overtime loss at Notre Dame, is all a step in the right direction.

After last season’s 0-12 record, Sarkisian needed to show progress to get the attention and interest of blue chip recruits. This team has done that.

Now, against Oregon on Saturday, the Huskies face a wide-open offense that’s capable of putting a lot of points on the scoreboard.

The Ducks are the only remaining team without a conference loss. They’ve outscored their first three conference opponents 118-19, holding each Pac-10 opponent to 10 points or less.

UW quarterback Jake Locker continues to prove he’s more than a running quarterback. He has more pass attempts (135) than any quarterback in the league. But he also has only six interceptions in seven games.

Locker leads the Pac-10 in total offense at 275.0 yards per game.