Locker still has room to improve

After Jake Locker helped Washington defeat Boise State in September — and end the nation’s longest winning streak — it seemed the hype surrounding the redshirt freshman quarterback was warranted.

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However, being a golden boy wasn’t so easy. Locker received confirmation during the teeth of the Huskies’ brutal early-season schedule. Ohio State, UCLA and Southern California were up next, and while UW was competitive in all three contests, all were losses.

In the aftermath of the USC loss, Locker was physically beat up, not sure of his throwing mechanics and dead last in the Pac-10 in passing efficiency. An idle week on the schedule could not have come at a better time.

“(The time off) has helped me a lot, because losing is something I haven’t experienced a lot,” said Locker, whose team visits Arizona State on Saturday. “Things have been tough, but it helps your perspective. Nothing at this level is going to be handed to you.”

For much of his football career, seizing the moment has come naturally for Locker, a physically gifted 6-foot-3, 210-pounder. The Ferndale (Wash.) High School star arrived on UW’s campus with much fanfare and, after being selected starting quarterback in the spring, led the Huskies to wins in their first two games.

Locker can beat you with his legs and his arm. He has rushed for 411 yards this season, seventh in the conference.

“He gives you so much trouble because of how versatile he is,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “He’s big. He’s fast. He can run. He does all the things that are really necessary to be successful at quarterback. …

“They’ll put him back in the shotgun and run some of that spread stuff. He can be a big problem for you.”

Ohio State and UCLA addressed the problem by having a linebacker shadow Locker, limiting his scrambling effectiveness. USC simply threw the house at him, using a variety of blitzes to force him into quick decisions.

As Locker’s growing pains intensified, the Huskies’ offensive production suffered. UW is last in the Pac-10 with 332.4 yards per game, and it was held to 190 against the Trojans.

After the USC game, Locker said that frequent high passes — he overthrew three receivers near the end zone during the 27-24 loss — were the result of poor mechanics. This week, however, Locker said that he made no adjustments.

“On the films, we weren’t able to find any mechanical flaws,” Locker said. “My motion was the same, but for some reason, the ball sailed on me. We’re just focused on making the throws that got away. At this point in the season, change might do more harm than good.”

Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham said that, more than anything else, Locker needed to replenish.

“It was a week for him to rest more than do some actual work on anything,” Willingham said. “There were some opportunities to do some work, but the focus was on getting him healthy and ready to go.”

Locker, who has completed 73 of 141 passes for 794 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, appears to be in a position similar to a rookie baseball phenom who is making his second trip around the league.

Teams now have a book on him. Now, it is up to Locker to counter-adjust, a job that he believes he has gained the maturity to accomplish.

“I’ve gotten the experience to be comfortable back there,” Locker said. “The game-management stuff plays a huge part, once you have those games under your belt. You run the team with more confidence. I feel I can take something from each game, learn from it and use it to improve next week.”

When Locker goes into a game, not far behind are the high hopes of a UW fanbase that looks to him to help raise the Huskies from the rubble of four straight non-winning seasons. Those expectations were only raised after wins against Syracuse and Boise State.

However, Locker said that his descent back to Earth the last three games has nothing to do with the weight of being a golden boy.

“I don’t know about pressure,” Locker said. “I had high expectations on myself, and those are what I strive for. I appreciate the support I get from the fans, but I’m not trying to fulfill anyone else’s dreams or aspirations. I’m trying to fulfill my own, so that was something that never got to me. …

“All I can do is give 100 percent effort when I’m on the field, and I can honestly say that I have.”