It is telling that Chris Petersen, universally regarded as a Hall of Famer, believes that his decision to step down as the University of Washington’s football coach actually will elevate the program.
At the root of Petersen’s shocking resignation, announced Monday, were two interrelated epiphanies on his part. One was that he had lost an essential passion for the job, exemplified by the joylessness he felt during the Rose Bowl last season.
“You work your whole life to get there,” he mused during a news conference Tuesday. “And I didn’t really appreciate the week. I didn’t appreciate the game like I need to, as a kid growing up looking at that game. And I think that was one of the things that really hit me loud and clear.”
The other was his firm belief that Jimmy Lake was uniquely qualified to succeed him. In Lake, he sees someone who will uphold the same values, and the mentorship of young men, that Petersen felt was the essence of coaching. And someone who is well-versed in the X’s and O’s and can couple it with the passion and zeal that had waned from Petersen.
“If I thought that this was going to set us back and not move this forward, I would’ve never done this at this time,” Petersen said. “Like, I wouldn’t do that to this program. I know that I could stay here and fight and we would get this thing back to where everybody’s excited and comfortable with.
“But I have no doubt this is the better thing for these kids, this program and this fan base, for Jimmy to go and inject his vision and his energy into this.”
Controlling that balance and maximizing the quality of one’s life is the definition of success, he added – “and you cannot do that in this job. There is no balance, you know? It’s out of whack. It’s crazy.”
So Petersen says it isn't possible and Jimmy says it is. It isn't. Trust me. I realized that watching my wife walk out the door 7 years into our marriage. she came back
Should have cleaned the whole house out. Everyone must go
