By BRADY HENDERSON
MyNorthwest.com

If you follow Husky football, you've undoubtedly heard the hype.

You've heard that Jake Locker has a legitimate chance to win the Heisman Trophy, that the the UW might go to a bowl game for the first time in eight years and that Steve Sarkisian could turn the Huskies into a winning program again just two years after inheriting an 0-12 team.

Optimism abounds for the Huskies. But is it felt here at 710 ESPN Seattle? I asked the show hosts for their predictions for this season.

Mike Salk: 8-4. My prediction for the Huskies, of course, presupposes that Jake Locker is healthy. Take him away from this team and that win total diminishes greatly. But I expect the Huskies to be among the top teams in the Pac-10. Locker is the best quarterback in the conference (maybe in the NCAA) and he has the weapons around him to succeed. I have to imagine James Johnson and Jermaine Kearse will have big years in this system.

The real worry is whether the defense can stand up to the challenges that they'll face on a nearly weekly basis from Pac-10 opponents. They are young in spots and unproven in others.

Regardless of the final record, the one thing I feel confident about is that this Husky team should be fun to watch. A high-octane offense plus a superstar quarterback plus a quality conference equals a recipe for excitement. I'm psyched!

Brock Huard: 8-4. 9-3 is not a stretch, but I think the defense is just too thin in some spots to go on the road and win more than eight games. Depth is another issue. The front seven, much like their counterparts on the Seahawks, will play an enormous role in just how far this team can go.

A bowl game will be nice, especially since 2002 was the last time the UW went bowling. Those extra bowl practices and the extended season will help a recruiting class that is already at 18 commits and growing.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff have the program pointed in the right direction. Let's hope Locker can stay healthy and make this season compelling into late November.

The Groz: 6-6. The Huskies have perhaps the best quarterback in the country but are just too young in several areas and too thin in others to do a whole lot better than last year, especially in the Pac-10, which I think is one of the tougher conferences in the country this year.

You can make a case for six, possibly seven Pac-10 teams that may go bowling this year. After eight seasons I expect Washington to be one of them...barely.

Chris Cashman: 7-5. With the 0-12 season still warming my WSU heart, I must admit that the Huskies' woes have been a bit of a fluke mixed with bad luck.

Last season could/should have been more fruitful for the 5-7 Huskies but for some odd scenarios, like a painful overtime loss at Notre Dame, a game the Huskies might have won if it weren't for some questionable calls.

It's the most overused sports cliche of all time, but "no question about it," this season relies solely on the back of Jake Locker. He needs to cram his teammates into a giant baby bjorn and carry them to a bowl. Six of the last 18 starting quarterbacks at Washington (dating back to 1970) have gone onto the NFL. Even Brock Huard, just look it up.

Locker will clearly be among the most prominent and this is all just a giant audition for him. He stunned us all when he passed up millions and stayed for his senior year. But don't fool yourself, he realizes that every snap is going toward a mortgage, a bigger old truck and his kids trucks. No pressure.

Kevin Calabro: 7-5. I wonder who will stand out on the defense, so I'm not sure they can stop some of the really dazzling individuals in the Pac-10.

Offensively, you'd have to be a fool not to believe Jake Locker will improve his touch on the intermediate and long balls. If his O-line can hold up, he'll hook up with a talented bunch of receivers.

Chris Polk should be a handful to stop. And if all else fails, count on Locker's feet and Sark's in-game adjustments to eke out an additional win or maybe two.

Jim Moore: 6-6. The Huskies will be hell on wheels offensively with Jake Locker and Chris Polk and several quality receivers, but an average defense will lead to many shootouts and a so-so season. A rugged start featuring BYU, Nebraska and USC in the first three games could lead to a 1-3 record and keep the U Dub from having a sensational year.

Locker won't win the Heisman, but he'll certainly be better than either of the Huard brothers, particularly Brock.

I'm still thinking the Huskies will be good enough to rally from their 1-3 start. And, yes, a win over Washington State in the Apple Cup will put them into the coveted Poinsettia Bowl, where a final loss awaits.