Will This One Tweak Finally Fix the Special Teams Disaster That's Been Haunting UW Football?

Oct. 24 The sounds of whistles blowing and quarterbacks yelling could be heard throughout Washington's practice on Sunday, but it was the sound of one man's voice that seemed to carry the most weight. Coach Jedd Fisch's instructions were crystal clear, and he wasn't going to tolerate anything less than perfection from his team, especially his kicker. As the team took a short break near the end of their practice, Fisch called upon junior kicker Grady Gross to put his skills to the test. The stakes were about to get a whole lot higher, as Fisch decided to create a high-pressure situation that simulated game-like intensity. So why did Fisch feel the need to push his team, particularly Gross, to their limits? The answer is simple: he's seen enough of the disappointing performances in the specials team to know that drastic action needs to be taken. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's been following the team's journey this season. Their special teams have been an inconsistent headache for weeks, and if they don't manage to sort things out soon, their entire season could be in jeopardy. The frustrating part for Fisch and his team is that the problems with their special team unit seem to be an endless loop, with every solution they attempt leading to new and exciting ways to falter. The question remains, what is the reason behind the mess that has lately become the specials team at UW football? According to sources within the team, lack of execution and poor teamwork were identified as major factors. One would have to wonder why these issues weren't ironed out when the season first started. Everyone knows that no battle plan can survive the chaos of combat unscathed, but not having a definite and stable strategy to rely upon in times of uncertainty makes the situation all the more difficult for Fisch and the players. They'll need to change that, and soon, especially for this weekend's game, otherwise all the optimism surrounding their latest attempt to fix things would be greatly misplaced. No one knows the secret behind the long-term success better than Fisch. To achieve his objective and begin his winning path, he created that one pivotal practice which leaves several options to his players with one objective - Get It Right. It was only practice, but both the players and Fisch must be confident the problems have been addressed before they head into their next showdown. Ultimately, what the future holds is unknown, and how their newest tweak will function versus this seasons opponents is anyone's guess. What can be concluded, however, is that the team has high aspirations and a will that rivals few other teams this season. Only time will tell for Fisch and the beleaguered special unit whether last Sunday will go down in history as the first spark to propel the entire team forward.