The Washington Huskies ran 125 plays in their first of two scrimmages of fall camp, and as has been the story for the majority of the first two weeks of practice, the defense stole the show.
On sustained drives, Washington's offense was able to muster just two touchdowns, as defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' overwhelming pass rush wreaked havoc against all the quarterbacks, and coach Jedd Fisch appeared very pleased with what he saw from the unit, which also held the offense to a combined 3-for-9 during a goal line drill.
"I thought our defense played really well, flew to the ball," Fisch said on Saturday night. "I love how fast our linebackers play; I love how fast our safeties play. I think that (Rylon Dillard-Allen) and Alex (McLaughlin)
are two of the best that I've been around, and the last three safeties we had at the last spot are all drafted and playing in the NFL right now."
McLaughlin showed up all over the place on Saturday, as Walters deployed him everywhere from his traditional safety spots to inside and outside linebacker. He wreaked havoc in the backfield throughout the evening, and would've been credited with several sacks in live game action, as he pulled up to not hit various quarterbacks, but it was Dillard-Allen who made the biggest play of the day from the pairing.
In a late drill on the goal line, the sophomore safety met freshman running back Ansu Sanoe in the hole and knocked him backwards, sparking a celebration from Dillard-Allen that saw him run halfway across the field to get in the face of offensive lineman John Mills.
That sort of physicality, speed, strength, and attitude should quickly become the signature of Washington's second this fall, and could be defined by several players across the unit, including freshman cornerback Jeron Jones, who took most of the first team reps on Saturday with sophomore Dylan Robinson suited up but not participating, which has allowed the former four-star recruit to take more reps on the outside.
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“Confidence is elite, and when you have elite confidence, you’re able to play man-to-man coverage as a corner and not flinch, and that’s what he has,” Fisch said. “He can get beat on a play and not get beat the rest of practice. It doesn’t stick with him at all. He’s getting stronger. He’s gained, I think, 15 pounds since he’s been here, so being in the weight room has made a difference for him."
Throughout the workout, Washington's depth showed up across the board as Fisch looks to take another step forward in his third year at the helm.
From a loaded day inside Husky Stadium, here are some other notes.
Fall camp notebook
- Robinson wasn't the only player who was dressed but didn't participate, as linebackers Jacob Manu and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale joined him on the sidelines, along with defensive tackle Elinneus Davis and wide receiver Jordan Clay.
- "Probably a few days left, maybe one more week. Our goal is to get him ready for the mock game, and if not in the mock game, certainly starting our preparation for our opponents,” Fisch said of Rainey-Sale's recovery timeline.
- After a minor injury to right guard Champ Taulealea, which, according to Fisch, will only keep him out for "a day or two," Soane Faasolo stepped in at the position as Geirean and Landen Hatchett continue to rehab from their injuries, and Kolt Dieterich continues to get reps at center.
- Freshman linebacker Ezaya Tokio had a strong practice, wreaking havoc in the backfield while moving between inside and outside linebacker, and his classmate JD Hill had an impressive showing in his first scrimmage in purple and gold, with a tackle for loss and several quarterback pressures. Senior outside linebacker Russell Davis II also contributed to the defense's big day with a sack, displaying explosiveness that could make him a key piece of the pass rush rotation this fall.
- In what was a good day for sophomore tight end Baron Naone, he hauled in a 20-yard touchdown from Demond Williams Jr. on a wheel route early in the day.
- Sophomore wide receiver Chris Lawson ripped off three separate catches of 15-plus yards, including a contested catch on a Treston Kini McMillan pass while working against freshman corner Elijah Durr about 40 yards downfield.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington's defense flexes its muscle at Huskies' 1st fall scrimmage
