Chris Petersen era begins at Washington with expectations of getting Huskies to top of Pac-12

FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2014, file photo, Washington NCAA college football coach Chris Petersen gestures during practice at Husky Stadium in Seattle. The former head coach at Boise State, Petersen was finally persuaded by his gut. For years, Petersen was perfectly content. Yet something about Washington - the facilities, the setting, the conference, the history - all combined to finally give Petersen the feeling he needed to be challenged as a coach. So gone was the comfort of being at Boise State. And accepted was the task of escalating Washington’s rise.(AP Photo/The News Tribune, Peter Haley, File) SEATTLE BROADCAST OUT (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2013, file photo, Washington's Marcus Peters celebrates with teammates after they beat Washington State in an NCAA college football game in Seattle. Peters has the look of Washington’s next cornerback to potentially be a first-round draft pick. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) (The Associated Press)

SEATTLE – Chris Petersen was finally persuaded by his gut.

For years, Petersen was perfectly content. Yet something about Washington — the facilities, the setting, the conference, the history — all combined to finally give Petersen the feeling he needed to make a move.

So gone was the comfort of being at Boise State. And accepted was the task of accelerating Washington's rise.

Steve Sarkisian rebuilt the foundation of the Huskies program, inheriting a winless team and returning it to respectability. Washington won nine games last season for the first time since 2000, but remained stuck behind Oregon and Stanford in the Pac-12 North.

Petersen's job is figuring out a way to leap over the Cardinal and Ducks.