“Regardless of the score, we want them to walk off the field and respect us.”Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said these words the week before his Huskies coaching debut against No. 11 LSU in both teams’ season opener Saturday, and his wish was granted despite the Tigers coming away with the 31-23 win.Washington still has not won a game since Nov. 17, 2007, a streak of 15 consecutive games that is just one shy of Oregon’s Pacific-10 conference record. But LSU coach Les Miles said the Huskies’ winless 2008 season is truly behind them.”I can tell you that that team will be the most improved team in this conference,” Miles said. “I’m very thankful that we came and performed like we did.”The Huskies took the lead just 4:25 into the game when they marched right down the field on a 10-play, 85-yard drive culminating in a 17-yard touchdown strike from junior quarterback Jake Locker to true freshman wide receiver James Johnson.Miles said before the game Locker’s return to the helm for Washington was what he feared the most, and his opinion did not change after the game.”That Jake Locker is mobile and active,” Miles said.Locker, in his first start since breaking his right thumb against Stanford last season, did not come out rusty as he passed for 321 yards, which equaled LSU’s entire offensive output. The junior threw two touchdown passes, but the difference in the game was his lone interception, which LSU senior linebacker Jacob Cutrera returned for a 29-yard touchdown to give LSU a 10-7 lead with 5:49 left in the first quarter.Although the Huskies amassed 478 yards of total offense, including 296 in the first half alone, Miles said he liked much of what he saw from his defense.”I think our new defensive coaches did a good job,” Miles said. “The team was in position to make tackles and do things. We missed some tackles early on. At times I saw that Tiger defense that I want it to be.”LSU did not score an offensive touchdown until 1:15 remained in the first half when sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson connected with junior wide receiver Terrance Toliver on a 45-yard touchdown. Toliver lit up the offense with four catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns.”We knew Terrance was going to get the ball a lot this game,” Jefferson said. “They were coming with corner blitzes, and I just fed him the ball.”Jefferson also had a career night passing, completing 11-of-20 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns, the last a 6-yarder to senior Brandon LaFell with 1:54 left to increase the lead to 31-16.Senior running back Charles Scott was held to just 52 yards rushing and lost a fumble in the second quarter. Scott lost one fumble in all of 2008.”We sputtered in the first half at times on offense,” said Miles, who is 5-0 in season openers at LSU. “There were opportunities to take advantage of our opponent, and we didn’t attack them the way we should have.”About 10,000 LSU fans were part of the 69,161 that packed into Husky Stadium for the opening night showdown. The stadium was more than 95 percent full Saturday.”It was electric; it felt like we rejuvenated everything,” sophomore defensive lineman Kalani Aldrich said. “Husky Stadium — when it’s filled up — there is no place like it.”Washington hosts Idaho next Saturday, and Sarkisian said while he feels the team accomplished the goal he set before facing LSU, he wants more than respect — he wants victory.”I think they respect the Washington Husky football team,” Sarkisian said. “But that’s not acceptable. We play the game to win, and unfortunately we were in the red zone five times and settled for four field goals and had a turnover. That’s how you can lose.”- – – -Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]