The Huskies’ first loss of the season, last week to USC, may have exposed some vulnerability, but this team is still considered the class of the Pac-12 and is Arizona State’s next opponent. What can the Sun Devils expect Saturday in Seattle? Here’s Joe Healey examination of the University of Washington.
Washington Offense
A starter since day one as a true freshman in 2015, quarterback Jake Browning has quickly emerged into to one of the better passers on a national scale and has exhibited tremendous development from his rookie year to this season.
A 2016 Maxwell Award Semifinalist, Browning ranks second nationally and first in the conference touchdown passes (35) with a superhuman 7:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and is third in the Pac-12 in passing (253.2 ypg.). Also the conference leader in pass efficiency (189.1), the Washington sophomore has quickly asserted himself as one of the country’s more impressive field generals of the 2016 season.
Along with Browning, running back Myles Gaskin gave Washington a high potential true freshman combo in 2015 and similar to his quarterback, Gaskin has continued to grow over the course of his sophomore season.
After rushing for 1,302 yards with 14 touchdowns in 2015, the Washington native has 1,003 yards on 166 carries (6.0 avg.) with nine total touchdowns and appears to be a lock to be named a First-Team All-Pac-12 honors recipient. One of the most talented backs in college football, Gaskin figures to present a mighty test for the Arizona State defense.
Though Gaskin rightfully garners most of the acclaim, backup Lavon Coleman is no slouch, as he averages a sensational 8.9 yards per carry by having totaled 606 yards on 68 carries with three touchdowns.
Undoubtedly the most explosive receiver in the Pac-12 and one of the most athletically gifted pass-catchers in the nation, John Ross is second nationally with his 15 touchdown catches and eighth in the country in scoring and has 896 yards on 52 catches on the year. After missing the 2015 season due to injury, Ross has returned with a vengeance and is one of 10 semifinalists for the 2016 Biletnikoff Award.
More than just a solid complementary option beside Ross, Dante Pettis has 39 receptions for 596 yards with 11 touchdowns, making Washington one of only four teams in the nation with two players with 10 or more touchdown catches, joining Louisiana Tech, Toledo, and Western Kentucky.
Adding to the big play arsenal, Chico McClatcher leads the Pac-12 in yards per catch (20.1), totaling 401 yards on 20 receptions with four touchdowns. The dynamic options aren’t limited to the wide receiver position as tight end Darrell Daniels is trending toward postseason conference honors as he has 15 receptions for 242 yards with two touchdowns.
The Husky offensive line from left to right figures to include tackle Trey Adams, guard Jake Eldrenkamp, center Coleman Shelton, guard Shane Brostek and tackle Kaleb McGary.
Adams, Shelton, and McGary have started all 10 games thus far, while Eldrenkamp has started eight and Brostek seven.
Washington Offense Summary
Boasting what is unquestionably the best quarterback-running back-wide receiver trio in the Pac-12 Conference, as well a host of other skill players that have been greatly impressive, the Sun Devil defense that has been seen in 2016 will have a very hard time keeping up with Washington on Saturday. It is completely common knowledge that Arizona State has struggled against the pass and has given up numerous big plays – areas of expertise when it comes to the Washington Huskies.
Washington Defense
In the Husky 4-3 defense, the line includes ends Vita Vea and Connor O’Brien with tackles Elijah Qualls and Greg Gaines also in the starting lineup.
Vea is the team leader in tackles among defensive linemen (32), adding 5.0 for loss with 3.5 sacks. O’Brien has tallied 27 tackles including 6.5 for loss with 3.0 sacks while Qualls has 27 tackles including 4.0 with two sacks. Gaines has posted 24 tackles and shares the team-high of 7.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Joe Mathis was trending toward a double-digit sack season after posting 5.0 sacks in six games but was lost for the season in early November due to a foot injury, placing O’Brien into a full-time starting role at defensive end.
At linebacker, Keishawn Bierria and Psalm Wooching have started every game this year, while D.J. Beavers is in line to make his first career start in place of team-leading tackler Azeem Victor, who last week suffered what could be a season-ending injury.
With Victor out of the lineup, Bierria is the team’s leading active tackler with 55 stops on the year and is incredibly opportunistic as he leads the nation with five fumble recoveries. Wooching ranks second on the team with 4.5 sacks as part of his 27 tackles, while Beavers has 21 tackles in eight games of reserve duty so far this year.
Backup linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven has impressed off the bench as he has notched 25 tackles and an interception in 10 games.
In the secondary, Sidney Jones and Kevin King form one of the nation’s most talented cornerback starting duos, while Budda Baker and JoJo McIntosh are high-level talents – especially Baker, a 2016 Bednarik Award Semifinalist – and help give Washington one of the most prominent defensive backfields in the FBS.
The Husky secondary is talented to an elite degree but also stable in that the four previously mentioned defenders have started all 10 games together thus far in 2016.
McIntosh ranks third overall on the team in tackles (48) with Baker not far behind (47). Jones has a team-high three interceptions to go with his 27 tackles, while King also has 27 tackle – not a typo, five different Huskies have exactly 27 tackles at this point – and a team-best nine pass breakups.
In a reserve role, Taylor Rapp is fifth on the team in tackles (34) and second in interceptions (two).
Washington Defense Summary
Despite the injuries to Victor and Mathis, there aren’t many weak links on this Husky defense – especially for a Sun Devil offensive line that last week gave one of the more putrid performances any of us will see.
Similar to how ASU faces a “pick your poison” component with Washington’s striking offensive skill players, the Sun Devils will encounter significant challenges both in trying to resist Husky pressure and attempting to move the ball downfield in the passing game.
ASU’s main hope is to achieve success in the run game, as Washington ranks 41st nationally allowing 144.4 yards per game. However, for that to happen the Sun Devil offensive line will need spectacular improvement from what was displayed last week against Utah.
Washington Special Teams
Dangerous any time he touches the ball, John Ross excels on kick returns as he averages 28.6 yards on his 10 returns with a 92-yard touchdown. Not to be outdone by his fellow receiver, Dante Pettis has become a game breaker on punt returns, averaging 12.5 yards on 18 returns with two touchdowns – giving him a tie for second in the nation in punt return touchdowns behind the three scored by Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk.
Cameron Van Winkle has connected on 10-of-14 field goal attempts but is just 4-of-8 from 38 yards and beyond. Tristan Vizcaino averages 39.2 yards on 33 punts with a long of 56.
Overall Summary
On the heels of the longest losing in-season losing streak since 2012, the Sun Devils head to Washington to face a team that needs to make a national statement in each of its final games in order to find its way back in the College Football Playoff picture. Oh, by the way, those same Sun Devils have lost six consecutive road games in Pac-12 play and eight of nine such games dating back to November of 2014. Also, let’s not forget that Washington is well aware of the fact that the last time the Huskies beat the Sun Devils in any location (2001), most players on the current roster were about kindergarten age.
Ouch.
Sad as it is to say, there’s no component of this game that angles toward the Devils, hence the Huskies’ status as a near four-touchdown favorite. Prior to last week’s games, a hopeful Sun Devil sentiment was for Washington to steamroll USC and overlook the struggling Devils to the Apple Cup showdown with Washington State that will be a de facto Pac-12 North championship game. However, with Washington dropping its first game of the year to the Trojans, there should be zero expectation for the Huskies to focus on anything but the visiting team this weekend.
Since 2000, ASU has gone just 3-24 in games against teams ranked in the top-10 at the time the Sun Devils played them, but none of the three went on to win as many games (nine) as Washington has already achieved. Ultimately, this century ASU has struggled mightily against nationally elite teams and it would come as a substantial shock for that trend to screech to a halt Saturday.
Keys to a Sun Devil Victory
Limit Big Plays
“Pick your poison” is a phrase that seems to be the natural reaction in more than a couple departments when analyzing the Washington Huskies.
On offense, Browning has a host of dynamic options as his top four receivers – one of which is a tight end – collectively average 17.0 yards per catch with 35 receiving touchdowns, while Gaskin enters the game having already surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Lastly, the big play concern is not limited to the Husky offense as Ross and Pettis are dangerously dynamic returns threats.
For Washington to have five legitimately dangerous skill position talents puts a sinking feeling into the stomach of Sun Devil fans, knowing ASU’s propensity to allow passing yardage at a clip higher than any team in the country along with a known reputation to yield more high-yardage plays than most FBS teams.
To combat this, ASU has to try to limit the running lanes for Gaskin and disrupt Browning’s timing with his receivers – but not at the cost of leaving wide open holes in the secondary. Also, the Sun Devils will have to have a sound tackling game as the agility of Ross, Pettis can create massive outcomes out of otherwise minimal plays.
Strike Early
It is unlikely that ASU will be able to stage a major comeback from an early deficit in what is typically a rabid game environment in Seattle and the Sun Devils haven’t truly shown a distinct ability to punch and counterpunch in a back-and-forth game. By process of elimination, the logical blueprint seems to present a need for ASU to strike early and score quickly and take actions to frustrate Browning and company to the point of deflecting momentum away from the home team.
Repent and Pray for a Miracle
A little levity here in a game that objectively figures to bring gloom and doom for the Sun Devils! However, for the Sun Devils to stage the massive upset there would have to be some levels of “miraculous” play in the form of uncharacteristically impeccable play by the defense – specifically the secondary – and the offensive line.
Familiar Faces
· Washington QB Daniel Bridge-Gadd (Paradise Valley HS), DB Byron Murphy (Saguaro HS) and WR Taelon Parson (Perry HS) are Arizona natives
· Washington OLB Joe Mathis attended Upland (Calif.) High School, as did ASU’s James Johnson
· Washington TB Gavin McDaniel attended Coppell (Texas) High School, as did ASU’s Cameron Smith
· Washington TB Sean McGrew attended Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco High School, as did ASU’s Zach Robertson
· Washington DL Levi Onwuzurike attended Allen (Texas) High School, as did ASU’s Chad Adams and Christian Sam. Todd Graham was once the head coach at Allen High.
