We got some pretty disasterous news this week that last Friday will be the last time Coach Pete whups up on the Cougs in the Apple Cup, as he’s planning on leaving the University of Washington following our bowl game later this month. Okay, technically he’s staying on in an “advisory role” but that’s effectively meaningless. He won’t be coaching, he won’t be recruiting, so to quote the Bobs from Office Space, “what would you say … you do here?”
I mean, this just sucks so damn hard. Now, I’ve not only got to worry about guys from our great recruiting classes leaving, I’ve got to worry about current players transferring, AND I’ve got to worry about the future of the program? Even if we keep the majority (which, I have no reason to believe we wouldn’t be able to keep most of ’em, since there will be a lot of continuity among the coaching staff, I’m sure) you’re talking about a HUGE step down in reputation from one of the all-time greats to a guy just getting his first-ever head coaching gig.
The concept of winning a national championship is pretty far out there. If you’re not Clemson, Ohio State, Bama, or one of the other SEC schools, I mean let’s face it, a lot has to go right. Even when you look at Washington as one of those lower-tiered schools, you’re still talking about having to compete with the likes of USC, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, and usually Oklahoma or whatever school wins the Big-12 just to get that fourth and final playoff spot (one goes to Clemson, one goes to the Big 10 winner, and 1-2 goes to the SEC depending on the year). The point is: it’s really fucking hard, if not impossible; but with Chris Petersen I always felt like we had a CHANCE. And, that means everything as a college football fan. Even in an era where the very best teams keep getting better and better (and the distance between the top 3 or 4 programs and everyone else grows farther and farther), you always had to like Washington as a destination, and the biggest reason for that was Coach Pete.
Not to shit all over Jimmy Lake – indeed if there are no sinister reasons behind this and Petersen is just burned out by the whole recruiting process – you getting Lake to stay is a pretty significant “get” to keep some continuity in the program, but he’s an unknown from a head coaching standpoint. He certainly could’ve gotten his own job by now with the way he’s recruited and the way he’s coached up our defense, but Coach Pete was always the ultimate draw. Sure, Jimmy Lake worked his ass off, but those players were coming here because of Petersen’s integrity and his reputation as a winner.
It sucks all the more because Chris Petersen is only 55 years old. He could’ve EASILY coached another 20 years and really set this program up to be something special for decades to come! I’m not saying Jimmy Lake CAN’T do that, but there’s that uncertainty. We had only 6 years with Coach Pete. He somehow got here AFTER Pete Carroll came to the Seahawks, and is leaving BEFORE the very oldest coach in the NFL today. It just feels like we were robbed of some true stability.
I mean, maybe Jimmy Lake can be that guy. Maybe HE can be here for 20+ years and really build a legacy. I hope so. The last thing I want for Washington is to do this New Coach Dance every 5-6 years, where we hire someone, he does okay, then he moves on to a bigger and better program and we have to start all over again. I thought I’d be getting a nice long break from that; now I’m right back down in the mental shit.
Hell, I’m two years into Mike Hopkins’ tenure with the basketball program and I’m already obsessed with where he’ll be next! I don’t need this right now!