Huskies Win Ugly Again: Fisch's Offense Still MIA
The University of Washington football team escaped with a 16-14 win over Utah State on Saturday, but don't let the scoreboard fool you. This was another offensive disaster for the No. 19 Huskies, and head coach Jedd Fisch knows it.
For the second straight game, the UW offense looked lost. Two weeks into the season, the Huskies are 2-0, but they're playing like a team that can't find its way out of a paper bag. Against a Utah State squad that lost to a Big Sky team and was a four-touchdown underdog, Washington needed three field goals to survive.
“We need to do things better,” Fisch said. “We need to find points.”
Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was blunt: “We weren't very good.”
That's putting it mildly. The Huskies were outscored two touchdowns to one by the Aggies. They won the kicking battle 3-0, with Tyler Robles drilling field goals from 30, 26, and 43 yards. The last one, with 6:28 left, proved to be the game-winner.
Where's the Running Game?
Fisch needs a workhorse. His top two backs from Week 1, Quaid Carr and Jayden Limar, were in street clothes with slings on their arms. That forced freshman Brian Bonner Jr. into his college debut. He managed just 22 yards on nine carries and fumbled at the Aggies' 11-yard line.
Transfer Trey Cooley showed flashes but only gained 22 yards on seven carries. He also dropped a fourth-and-3 pass that would have been a walk-in touchdown.
It took another freshman, Ansu Sanoe, to find the end zone. The 6-foot, 240-pound back from Portland scored on a short run before halftime to put the Huskies up 10-7. It was his fourth career carry.
Utah State Gave Them Everything They Could Handle
The Aggies struck first when Virginia transfer Grady Brosterhous hit Javon Robinson on a 78-yard touchdown pass. Brosterhous led his team in rushing with 81 yards on 21 carries. Williams led the Huskies with 56 yards on the ground, including a 36-yard scramble.
Washington had chances to put this game away. Dezmen Roebuck dropped a ball at the Utah State 5-yard line. The Huskies settled for field goals instead of touchdowns. Again.
Utah State made it interesting with a late touchdown pass from Brosterhous to Eli Wood with 1:50 left. But Rahshawn Clark's interception on the final play sealed the win.
The Verdict: 2-0 But Far From Impressive
“We're not scoring,” Fisch said. “We're not making those plays.”
That's the truth. The Huskies have talent. They have a quarterback everyone wanted in the offseason. But right now, they're playing like a team that can't get out of its own way. The defense is holding up, but the offense is a liability.
Fisch has two weeks to figure it out before conference play heats up. If he doesn't, this 2-0 start will feel like a distant memory.
Photo: Sports Illustrated