New job makes Petersen even more mysterious

The picture took some getting used to and it wasn’t the quality of the video streamed from Chris Petersen’s Seattle press conference.

No amount of fiddling could make up for — get this — Petersen in a purple sweater.

After 13 years wrapped in the blue and orange of Boise State, where he seemed to be part of the trademark smurf turf in Bronco Stadium, Petersen couldn’t have seemed much more alien had he appeared in polka dots.

At least it was a preview of what we’ll see in Petersen when he brings his new team, Washington, to open the University of Hawaii’s 2014 season at Aloha Stadium on Aug. 30.

But while we now have a glimpse of the longtime UH tormentor in his new environment, the team he will bring is another story. A developing one, it turns out.

Petersen gave few clues of what to expect from the Huskies, who open spring practice today and supplied no answers to their two biggest question marks: quarterback and running back.

There was, for example, no word if the heir apparent at quarterback, suspended Cyler Miles, will be back in the fall to attempt to replace senior Keith Price. Only that Miles and receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow wouldn’t be around when spring practice begins while assault allegations are addressed.

The Huskies are left with only two quarterbacks, Jeff Lindquist and Troy Williams, available for spring ball. Neither of them have thrown a pass in a college game, and Petersen joked, "They’re going to get more reps (in the spring) than they ever thought about."

The process to replace departed All-American running back Bishop Sankey got even more interesting, with Petersen dropping hints that All-Pac-12 linebacker Shaq Thompson, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 231 pounder, could see time at running back a la UCLA’s Myles Jack.

"I know Shaq Thompson was a heck of a running back in high school, so we’ll see," Petersen teased. "But he’s a pretty good linebacker, too."

All of which poses the mounting question of what form the Huskies’ offense might take under Petersen, who had a mad scientist bent to him in going 92-12 at Boise State. There he was known for a Honolulu phone book-sized playbook that could number 800 or more plays with dozens of corresponding player groups employing perhaps eight different receivers and, maybe, five running backs. They were so specialized some players had just two packages.

But the Broncos made a major departure in 2013, paring it back with a nod to simplicity — and speed. They joined the hurry-up movement in a big way, averaging 79.2 offensive plays per game, 12.1 more than in 2012 and ranking in the top 10 among for plays per game.

What the Huskies might look like in 179 days has even the veteran Petersen watchers in Boise curious now that he has more talent and depth to work with.

And true to someone whose background includes a master’s degree in psychology, Petersen isn’t saying much, for openers.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.