Washington Huskies: Chris Petersen Never Doubted His Team
By Paul Taylor
Head Coach Never Had Any Concerns About the Mental Toughness of the Washington Huskies
The Washington Huskies secured a convincing win over Oregon State on Saturday night. The 52-7 victory improved their record to 5-6, and in the process kept their bowl hopes alive.
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A bowl appearance is important for so many reasons, including giving the Huskies 15 additional practices – critical for players looking to fulfill their potential. This would in turn provide a major boost for a team which, heading into this season, a lot of experts predicted would only win four games.
The interesting thing is, regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, the campaign could have actually turned out even better. Three of the six defeats were by less than a touchdown, and let’s not forget the recent loss to Arizona State, in which the Huskies let a 17-0 lead slip away.
While it’s undoubtedly been an up and down year, Chris Petersen never lost faith. As the head coach told the media on Saturday night: “We’ve had some tough Sundays coming in some-hard fought games.
“And they’ve never backed down and they’ve never flinched. They just keep working and getting better.”
Petersen’s belief in his team is important. He is in the process of building something special, but it’s going to take time.
In the meantime, anything the 51-year old can do to speed up the progress is a bonus. Along those lines, the blowout win over Oregon provided him with the opportunity to give the younger players some valuable game time reps.
Nov 29, 2014; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen holds up the the Apple Cup trophy after a game against the Washington State Cougars at Martin Stadium. Huskies won 31-13. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Petersen said: “The backups work just as hard as the starters do, so it’s really good that we can get those guys some work.”
Now, the Huskies at least have their destiny in their own hands, in terms of securing a bowl berth. And all that stands in their way are the red hot Cougars.
The Huskies have a considerable advantage in the all-time series, with a head-to-head record of 69-32-6. However, that will count for little on Friday, when the two teams meet for their annual Apple Cup clash.
When asked about Washington State, Petersen said: “They’re a heck of a team, they’re doing a great job. We (only) have a short week to prepare for these guys, but we’re excited to play.
“We’ve got our hands full, (with) a lot riding on this. I guess this is how this game is supposed to be.”
The Cougars will deservedly enter the game as favorites. Just know that Petersen has total confidence his players will secure an upset victory.