David Lombardi, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Position that needs improvement: Washington

Washington will be losing a significant load of defensive star power in 2015, so it'll be even more imperative for the Huskies' offense to develop a more ferocious punch. Here's a look at a key position to address moving forward.

Position to improve: The marquee spot: quarterback.

Why it was a problem: Cyler Miles didn't turn the ball over much (well, except for when he fumbled), but Washington truly struggled to threaten with consistent explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball. Only Utah featured a less productive aerial attack than the Huskies, who managed only 200.1 passing yards per game. Washington rarely mustered over seven yards per pass attempt against decent defenses -- heck, the Huskies even finished at a measly 3.3 yards per attempt against the best defense on their schedule (Stanford) -- and this obviously became a major source of frustration in Seattle.

How it can be fixed: On the stat sheet, Miles generated some improvement over the numbers he posted in limited action as Keith Price's backup in 2013. His completion percentage rose from 60.7 to 66.6, and he averaged 7.3 yards per attempt in 2014 compared to 6.9 in 2013. But the big picture still suggested that the Huskies' offense lacked the vitality necessary to be a serious contender in the Pac-12 North. That's why there are rumblings that freshman K.J. Carta-Samuels, who redshirted this past season, has a shot to start in 2015.

Early 2015 outlook: We'll diligently monitor the quarterback competition in Seattle this offseason. The Huskies return top rushing threat Dwayne Washington, so next year's starter should be able to operate with the benefit of a credible rushing attack. Outside of that, it's wait-and-see time for Chris Petersen's program as he enters his second year at the helm, and the quarterback position looks to be the most essential piece of the puzzle moving forward.

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