Fyrone

Husky Nation can exhale. Their four-year long nightmare is over. Almost.

Current (soon-to-be former) coach, Tyrone Willingham has five games left to close out his UW coaching career in style (take that however you want).

Monday's forced resignation culminates a seemingly never ending downward spiral for the once proud football program. Willingham's 32 losses clearly played a big part in his ouster. By comparison, Husky legend Don James lost 57 games as Husky coach. But that took 18 years.

It wasn't just the mounting losses. It was how the losses came - last year it was about second half collapses, this season - sheer annihilation. It was Willingham's abrasive attitude. It was his unwillingness to change his game plan. It was his lackluster recruiting. Every move Willingham made, was ultimately the wrong move.

His supporters will say that he restored order to the UW program. But that's like lauding the Bush Administration because there hasn't been a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11. Praise need not be given for doing your job. And Willingham couldn't even do that. He completely forgot about the winning part.

To his credit, Willingham is a proud man. Failing at Notre Dame and now at UW must be beyond disheartening.

Willingham had four years to turn around the program. He misunderstood what that meant. Because instead of a 180 turnaround, Willingham pulled a 360. Is Husky Football any better than when Keith Gilbertson completely quit on the 2004 season?

So it's back to square one for newly appointed UW AD, Scott Woodward. Willingham was the "safe" pick in 2004. A new direction is desperately needed. A winner who won't be afraid to crack a few skulls is imperative to energize not only the program, but also a disenchanted fan base (it's a problem when Husky Stadium has less people in it than a Clay Aiken concert).

But look at it this way, things can only get better.