Sankey sets UW’s carries record
Over the first three games of the season, the Washington Huskies ran a pretty balanced offense: 976 passing yards, 911 rushing yards.
However, they played their fourth game Saturday in a driving rain and turned heavily to their ground game: 61 rushes compared with 25 passes. And picking up most of the load was junior tailback Bishop Sankey, the Gonzaga Prep product who carried a school-record 40 times for 161 yards.
“In 61 rushing attempts, someone’s got to carry the ball,” coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I don’t know if that would have been the ratio if we had better weather, but you play the hand you’re dealt. Those were the conditions that we had and Bishop was awesome.”
Sankey’s work load was two carries beyond the previous UW record of 38, set by Corey Dillon against Washington State in 1996.
“I didn’t know how many, but you just go with it and continue,” Sankey said. “We’re trying to finish the game at that point, that’s the main goal. … However many times they need me to carry it. When I’m out there, adrenaline’s pumping, and I’m not really thinking about how many carries I’m at or what the limit is. I’m just trying to pick up yards and move the chains.”
Sankey now has 663 yards on the season. He has topped 100 rushing yards in seven of his last nine games and 10 times in his career.
Looking ahead
The Huskies improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2001. The last time Washington started 5-0 was 1992, when they won their first eight games.
If these Huskies are going to extend their run, they’re going to have to overcome No. 5 Stanford on the road next weekend, and then No. 2 Oregon at Husky Stadium on Oct. 12.
The one-game-at-a-time Dawgs can’t look ahead to the Ducks yet, but their attention turned to the Cardinal even before they left the stadium Saturday night.
“We know that’s a very good football team,” Sarkisian said. “But we can’t worry about Stanford as much as the information that Stanford gives us. And then we prepare off the information that they give us. So, the process for us this week starts a little bit earlier because those guys are in the locker room right now watching (the Stanford-Washington State) game on TVs in there. So they’re excited about the opportunity.”
A win on Saturday also would push the Huskies to 2-0 in the Pac-12 race, while dealing a defeat to one of the prime conference contenders.
“We knew that we were going to try to make a championship run this year,” quarterback Keith Price said. “We have the talent to do it, and we’re quick in all three phases. It was just a matter of us being consistent. We know that we have a tough one next week. So we’re just taking them one game at a time.”
Notes
Washington hasn’t yet trailed at any point in any game this season. … Sean Parker recorded his third interception of the season Saturday on Arizona’s opening drive. … Kevin Smith’s first-quarter touchdown was the first touchdown reception of his college career. … UW has scored six touchdowns off of seven turnovers by opponents this season. … The Huskies recorded their first safety since the 2010 Holiday Bowl against Nebraska. … Washington has outscored its opponents 38-0 in the first quarter this season. … Austin Seferian-Jenkins increased his UW tight end touchdown-reception record to 15.