It's about the consistency of play, physical and mental stamina, and - when it all boils down to those critical moments - stepping up and making a play. And it's the job of the coaches to get the players in positions, both mentally and physically, where they can make those plays.
That's what Washington Head Coach Chris Petersen talked about Wednesday ahead of UW's road game versus Oregon State Friday night. There was little talk of the matchup between mentor and protege (former UW OC Jonathan Smith, now OSU's Head Coach), as Petersen knows both staffs are game-planners and there's too much on tape to be 'chasing ghosts', as he calls it. Instead, it's about staying disciplined to your keys and going out and cutting it loose and just playing the game.
It's a message Petersen has had to hammer in to the team each week, as the results have not matched expectations. Not within the team, and certainly not on the outside. Petersen was asked about fan frustration Thursday, and he understands it's part of the deal. He's got no problem with fans ripping on coaches and the like, because the only time he's aware of it is when the media makes him aware of it. According to him, he's too busy trying to fix problems to allow the outside distractions to creep in.
And there's plenty to fix. He talked about finding that consistency, how they can figure that out in practice, and what it's going to take to find a win Friday. He also gave his take on the state of the Pac-12 now that Oregon and Utah have made the top-8 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
He talked about the defense and who is stepping up, players like Trent McDuffie, Levi Onwuzurike, and Tuli Letuligasenoa. He was asked about how Jacob Eason has bounced back from a mixed game versus Utah and whether or not Petersen has talked to Eason about his future.
"His future is two days from now," Petersen said, matter of factly.
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