Steve Sarkisian and Chris Petersen Never Discussed UW Personnel

Speaking on the second and final morning of Pac-12 Media Day, Washington football head coach Chris Petersen took the stand and was asked about the transition of player personnel from current USC head coach Steve Sarkisian.

In a composed response, Petersen said that "not one time" did either discuss player-personnel issues regarding the Washington Huskies squad which heads into Fall Camp coming off a 9-4 campaign in the crowded Pac-12 North.

After taking a brief moment to pause, carefully reflecting his thoughts, Petersen went on to say that not having discussions with Sarkisian would "maybe even better that way for the kids involved" adding that the coaching staff would also benefit from not gaining biases towards certain players based on what Sarkisian would have to offer.

Coach Sarkisian left Washington after five years as head coach, cementing his legacy with an all-time record of 34-29. Sarkisian's early departure opened the door for the eventual hiring of Chris Petersen, who many have argued becomes an immediate addition by subtraction for the Washington Huskies football program.

Petersen intentions were clear that he would not like, nor seek out, input from USC's newest head coach to grant his coaching staff the best opportunity to evaluate their own players right from day one on the job. While no bad blood certainly spews from these comments, one can only wonder what insight Sarkisian holds on the current roster.

When asked Wednesday about his time with Washington, Sarkisian said, "I can honestly say, I'm going to be rooting for those guys this fall. We all see them playing and in a different division. I want those kids to have a great experience. We put a lot of time and effort into that program over the last five years. I want success for those kids."

Due to the imbalanced nine-game conference slate, the Trojans and Huskies will not meet until the 2015 season. Those next two contests could vastly decide how both programs have progressed since each coach took their respective jobs.

While fans salivate over the 2016 Cowboy Classic against Alabama, another fascinating road trip could occur if the schedule granted Steve Sarkisian his return back to Husky Stadium during conference play. Petersen inherits a roster with major depth issues at both QB and CB, predicted to finish third in the Pac-12 North by the preseason media poll.