Huskies work to adjust mistakes before USC arrives

SEATTLE – The bad new for Washington’s defense? It gave up 537 yards to UCLA last weekend, including 333 rushing yards.

The worse news? Top-ranked USC is coming to town Saturday, bringing an offense that ranks second in the Pac-10 in scoring, rushing and total offense.

The good news? The Huskies think they can fix the problem. After watching film of Washington’s loss to UCLA, defensive coordinator Kent Baer is convinced his team can make the necessary adjustments to avoid the big plays that were so costly against the Bruins.

Despite the lopsided numbers, Baer said his team wasn’t physically manhandled by the Bruins. He said the big plays are a result of mental mistakes more than physical mismatches.

One of the culprits might be inexperience. Aside from a veteran defensive line, the Washington defense is full of young and inexperience players.

“I think the more veteran you are, those mistakes become way less prevalent,” Baer said.