Steve Sarkisian received two early Christmas presents last December. First, Washington named him as its new football coach Dec. 6. Then he learned of his team’s first opponent — LSU.The former was a dream come true for the once USC offensive coordinator, with the latter being akin one of those tacky Christmas sweaters his grandmother knitted but is too embarassing to be worn.Sarkisian, who also served a brief stint in the NFL as quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders, will begin his tenure in Husky Stadium on Saturday against a hungry LSU team coming off a sub-par 8-5 season.”I kind of got a chuckle [when I first heard about playing LSU],” joked Sarkisian, referring to the incident in 2003 when USC and LSU split the BCS National Championship. “I thought to myself, ‘Well I’m getting my chance now to play them.'” The first-year coach succeeded Tyrone Willingham, who’s contract was terminated midway through the 2008 campaign. Willingham was allowed to coach the remainder of the season, compiling an abysmal 11-37 record in four seasons. The Huskies’ storied program, which includes 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships and four national championships, has been overshadowed by a decade of losing. Washington fans have seen six consecutive losing seasons, topped off by an 0-12 record in 2008.The team’s winless record was the first time that feat has ever been accomplished in Pac-10 history and gave the Huskies the distinction of being the only winless team in college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision. But now fans are relying on the 35-year-old Sarkisian to be their savior. “One of the things that coach has told us is that the past is the past, and you can’t do anything about it,” said Washington junior quarterback Jake Locker. “I don’t know if it’s up to us really to prove that we’re not last year’s team, but to prove that we are a new team.” Sarkisian is a disciple of USC coach Pete Carroll, having started with the Trojans in 2000 as a quarterback coach. When he became offensive coordinator in 2007 at USC, Sarkisian coached Heisman trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart and established the Trojans as one of the more feared offenses in college football. While Sarkisian is grateful for the tutelage he received under Carroll, he is ready to start his own legacy. “What SC did was Pete’s personality,” said the Torrance, Calif., native. “What we do has to be my personality because the best football teams embody the personality of the head coach.”
Sarkisian brings an upbeat personality to the field, something the Huskies lacked under Willingham. Willingham often came under fire by fans for his stiff demeanor and lack of energy. “[Coach Sarkisian’s] a little more outspoken, a little more energetic, a little more of a motivator,” said Locker, who missed Washington’s final seven games after breaking his thumb against Stanford. “That enthusiasm and excitement for the game really rubs off on all the guys out there at practice.” Sarkisian wanted to bring in coaches who could appreciate his intensity and enthusiasm, so he scooped up defensive coordinator Nick Holt from USC to improve the defense and Doug Nussmeier from Fresno State to become the new offensive coordinator. “Sometimes as an assistant, you get caught up being an assistant. And when you get into the head coach role, you appreciate the time and the effort these guys put in,” he said. A new offense comes with Sarkisian and his new assistants.Sarkisian implemented a pro-style offense, similar to the one he ran at USC, in late March when spring practice opened.Locker scrambled for 986 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2007 as a freshman in Willingham’s spread offense, but will spend more time in the pocket in Sarkisian’s new scheme.”He’s understanding that this is a fun offense when you allow it to work for you, and it can be very quarterback friendly,” Sarkisian said. “There will still be opportunities [to run].”One thing he is looking forward to the most is his first pregame speech he will give to his players before they run out of the tunnel. “As a coach, you dream of the first time you’re in that locker room with your team, and you dream about that first pregame speech,” he said. “We’ll go in and do it the right way, and hopefully it will be one that hopefully is inspiring to the kids.” Sarkisian knows what he has in store for his team Saturday, but regardless of what the scoreboard reads, he is confident in the future. “Without a question, this is a new era for Washington football. We even got new uniforms,” he said with a smile. ————Contact Sean Isabella at [email protected]