The Apple Cup is staying in Seattle, but not without an uptick in the heart rate of Washington fans throughout a majority of the game. Here are three instant takeaways just moments removed from the Huskies' 24-10 victory over Washington State.
1. Better late than never for the offense
It's not unusual for offenses to look a little sluggish in openers. What is unusual, however, is a veteran quarterback and his highly-rated offense scoring just 10 points in the first three quarters. Jedd Fisch's offense struggled to convert in crucial situations, failing two fourth-down conversions, including one at the WSU 1-yard line to end the first half. The Huskies were also 4 of 12 on third downs.
After getting stuffed on 4th-and-goal on the last play of the half, Fisch expressed his frustration,
throwing his headset and telling NBC's Zora Stephenson, "This is embarrassing."
Washington struggled to establish any sort of identity on the ground, rushing for 134 yards. Demond Williams Jr. was the team's leading rusher with seven carries for 61 yards. After starting running back Quaid Carr left the game in the first half due to injury, Jayden Limar took over as the lead back, where he rushed for 47 yards and sealed the game on an 11-yard touchdown run.
After Washington State cut the lead to three in the fourth quarter, Williams and company rose to the occasion, putting together back-to-back touchdown drives in just nine total plays, highlighted by a 35-yard grab from sophomore wide receiver Chris Lawson.
2. The front seven sent a message
As stagnant as the offense was for the majority of the game, Ryan Walters' front seven came to play from the jump. Led by the game's leading tackler Jacob Manu, who finished with 11, the defense limited Washington State to 100 yards rushing, forced 3 turnovers, and tallied 3 sacks.
The trio of freshman starters also made their presence felt throughout the course of the game. Defensive tackle Derek-Colman Brusa recorded 3 tackles, one for loss, and a pass deflection. The local product of Kennedy Catholic High School also had a hurry on Washington State's Caden Pinnick, which led to an interception by fellow first-year player Jeron Jones. Last but not least, edge rusher Ramzak Fruean had a productive day in his own right, racking up 3 tackles and a pass deflection in his collegiate debut.
As strong a day as it was for the defense, it had its fair share of miscues. Midway through the third quarter, Fruean was called for a late hit on Pinnick on a play that would've resulted in a Washington State punt. On the ensuing third down, Manu was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that moved the Cougars deep into Washington territory. Safety Rylon Dillard-Allen was also ejected from the contest due to a targeting call on a play that otherwise would have resulted in a fumble recovery for the Huskies.
That's something Walters and staff will put an emphasis on moving forward.
3. Hunter Green is a Weapon on Special Teams
If it wasn't for transfer punter Hunter Green, Sunday's game could have looked a whole lot different. In four punts, the San Diego State transfer averaged 50 yards per attempt, pinning two of them inside the 20 and causing a pair of muffed punts along with it.
"The way Hunter punted the ball today... that made a huge difference in our game," Fisch said.
With field position and special teams being a weak point for the Huskies last season, having a punter who can flip field position with the swing of a leg could be a pivotal weapon for the Huskies moving forward. But during fall camp, Fisch made it clear he'd like to see less of his starting punter.
Green was named to the Ray Guy Award watchlist in August, which is given to the nation's most outstanding punter.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Three Takeaways Following Washington Football's Apple Cup Win
