Fansided

Chris Petersen building Washington into a Pac-12 powerhouse

By Charles Rahrig V

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Chris Petersen of the Washington Huskies looks on from the sidelines during the second half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Nittany Lions defeated the Huskies 35-28. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Chris Petersen of the Washington Huskies looks on from the sidelines during the second half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Nittany Lions defeated the Huskies 35-28. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen is building a powerhouse that could put the Pac-12 back on the map in college football.

The resurgence of the Washington Huskies has given the Pac-12 yet another power that can help them in the national spotlight. That turnaround came with Chris Petersen coming over from Boise State.

After the work that Petersen did making the Broncos a national power, he was only going to leave for the right situation. He determined in 2014 that Seattle was the move and the optimism was high within the Huskies program.

It was the right time for Petersen to make the move from Boise to Seattle. Multiple Mountain West titles and taking a Group of Five program about as far as they can go really left Petersen with nothing to prove. He was one of the most sought after coaches and he was going to jump at the right opportunity when it presented itself.

After an underwhelming tenure under Steve Sarkisian, Petersen had some tough sledding his first couple of seasons with the Huskies. He finished with a winning record both of his first two seasons, but a losing record within the conference at 4-5 in 2014 and 2015.

As he steadied the ship, top players began to lay the foundation for what has become one of the best programs in college football. With a dynamic defense featuring Vita Vea, Sidney Jones, Kenny King and Budda Baker, the Huskies annihilated the competition in the Pac-12 in 2016.

The Huskies would win the Pac-12 Championship in a blowout over surprise Colorado and punched their ticket to the College Football. Of course, they faced their toughest task yet against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Peach Bowl.

While Jake Browning and the offense couldn’t get the job done, the defense put on an impressive display in the game that highlighted what Petersen had built thus far. 2017 was a bit of a transition for the defense, as they lost that top-flight secondary to the NFL Draft.

Still, the Huskies won a share of the Pac-12 North and 10 games, including a trip to the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. Heading into 2018, the Huskies are projected as the heavy favorite to win the conference with Browning back under a center and an impact defense in place.

Browning is as experienced as any quarterback in the nation and that’s a big reason why Washington is projected to be a playoff contender. He’s seen every situation and has been under the national spotlight in his college tenure. Those moments he’s faced are invaluable and he’s been one of the pillars in the powerhouse Petersen has built.

With the conference struggling as a whole coming off of a 1-8 bowl season and other conferences outperforming them across the board, the Huskies almost carry the weight of the Pac-12 on their shoulders. They represent the best hope that the Pac-12 has at making the College Football Playoff this season.

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Having already made the College Football Playoff once, the program knows what it takes to get there. At least a near-perfect season or perfect with signature victories that come along the way.

The Huskies have a big chance in the opening week of the season when they face the Auburn Tigers. Facing an SEC power will provide a litmus test for Washington. The Pac-12 has been the weakest of the Power-5 conferences and that has hurt them in the playoff polls as a result.

The margin for error is even thinner for any team in the conference. If Washington gets off on the right foot with a win over Auburn, they’ll be in a position to make the run that they are expected to this season.

Petersen has done some amazing things already and they are a powerhouse within the conference. Now, Petersen embarks on his next journey and that’s making them a yearly national powerhouse.