Does this team have a culture? What does that even mean? It was OKG which we enabled to be rebranded as racist. It certainly wasn’t but it did signal that we were trying to be the “gritty guy” try-hards instead of trying to be alphas. Look at UCLA. Their culture has always been “gutty little Bruins” and they’re seemingly happy with being 8-4 as long as they beat USC every once in a while. Look who were the media day reps last year – former walk ons. Those guys were good players for UW, but what does it say about your team? We’re the underdog try-hards. And that’s how UW played in big games almost without fail – SC 2016, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Auburn, etc. It was almost like that team played like they had to play a perfectly executed game to just compete. So tight. No energy. Bama game was actually the exception but I’ll guarantee if you ask fans around the country the worst playoff selection and they’ll say UW. Never mind that in that same year the one team of the four that played like they didn’t belong was tOSU. They made Browning the face of the team. Why? Because he was the QB? Dude has no personality and wasn’t ever more than a serviceable guy at his best. Gaskin should have been that guy.
Petersen never grasped that his most successful team (2016) was filled with dudes. Dudes that weren’t going to take any junk. Dudes that weren’t going to be intimidated in any situation. Why? Because if any of our guys wimped out they were going to catch it from King, Daniels, Victor, etc. wouldn’t let it happen. Who on last year’s team took that role? I don’t see one.
It all seems screwed up to me. Guys declaring for the draft early and not getting drafted does not seem good. The dollar bills dropping on UDFAs on Twitter is moronic (that’s for the marketing dept thread). “Greatest setting” seems like the focal point. No one disagrees with that, but it shouldn’t be your lead selling point.
Probably a separate topic, but in hindsight which season of the Petersen era actually wasn’t a disappointment? Honestly, ever single one of those seasons should have had at least one more win. Even 2016.
Jimmy’s got a ton to prove and he’s off to a horrible start in my view. Proclaiming you have the best culture doesn’t make it so. Prove it. Don’t start talking mess because you beat Wazzu. That should be a given every single year. Losing to Wazzu should be a shock. Don’t lose recruits to a school that furloughed their entire athletic department. Compete for dudes, stop settling for layups so your hit rate looks good.
You have the most talented team in the conference right now. I know that QB won’t have taken a snap but look around the conference – it sucks. Anything less than 6-1 is failure.