Defense May Be At A Premium When Huskies Take On Byu
Somebody will make their point in Husky Stadium today.
But will that somebody be Brigham Young University, with its consummate quarterback?
Or Washington, with its controversy at quarterback?
It might just be both in a football game that could turn into a shootout of epic proportions.
Kickoff is 12:35 p.m.
Both teams have experienced high-scoring games on both sides of the ball already this season, with BYU prevailing (41-37) in a 78-point contest with Texas A&M, and Washington coming up short (45-42) in an 87-point night at Arizona State.
Mostly, it seems, it’s up to the Washington defense to slow down the Steve Sarkisian-powered BYU offense, and up to the Washington offense to keep the ball enough and to score enough points to keep the 14th-ranked Cougars at bay.
The Huskies, remember, have been pushed around one way or another for an average of 38 points in their last three games, including two last season.
Junior Shane Fortney will start at quarterback for the Huskies, although impressive redshirt freshman Brock Huard also will see playing time, coach Jim Lambright said. Last week, Huard’s playing time came in weird times and places until he played the last 12 minutes and led the Huskies on a valiant comeback.
Huard led Washington to three fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie the score at 42, only to have the Sun Devils kick a game-winning field goal with 2 seconds remaining.
BYU has played two games, but the second was a 58-9 rout of overmatched Arkansas State. In the game against A&M, the Cougars trailed by two touchdowns early before Sarkisian led them to the comeback victory, with Sark’s winning touchdown pass to K.O. Kealaluhi coming with just 1:03 remaining.
It’s partly the ability of both teams to come back that could make this game a shootout. Neither coach figures to be content sitting on a lead of 7, 10, 14 or even 21 points.
Because young cornerbacks Mel Miller and Jermaine Smith played well in the opener against ASU, the Huskies can be expected to give them increasing individual responsibilities.
“I feel really good about opening up our defensive package,” Lambright said.
That might include sending either of those players, strong safety Kyle Roberts or any of the three linebackers at Sarkisian when the Huskies are anticipating a pass.
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