Washington coach Chris Petersen is making repeated attempts to reduce the high expectations for his club.
That is a losing battle after the Huskies went 12-2 and reached the College Football Playoff last season.
The No. 8 Huskies begin their fourth season under Peterson on Friday when they visit Rutgers, and there is no getting away from the hype, even when Petersen asserts the Huskies are a brand-new team.
Petersen insists the talented squad isn't reloading but is instead rebuilding.
"Because you start from scratch," Petersen said Monday. "This is not even kind of the same team it was last year.