Pac-12 Football 2016: Season preview and predictions

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Nov 21, 2015; Corvallis, OR, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen walks on the side line against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports /

Coach of the Year

Everyone knows the job that Chris Petersen did with Boise State. He turned the WAC program into a national power that competed in the biggest bowl games. He hasn’t had quite the success with the Washington Huskies just yet.

The good news is that even though Petersen’s team won less games in his second year than it did in his first year, they were in every game albeit one. This is a team that is continuing to come together for the right reasons and they have a lot of players returning. They’re going to give Stanford and Oregon a fight for the title in the North this year.

He doesn’t have to win the division to be coach of the year, but if Petersen walks away with nine wins or more, then he’s a lock to win Coach of the Year. That would be a big step forward for a program that has struggled within the conference for over a decade and is in need of success.

It’s tough to top the jobs that a guy like David Shaw is doing with Stanford, but Petersen has made a career of upsets. He’s got the Huskies on the right track and this is the year that they cash in and make a serious move in the conference.

Next: Biggest game of the year