BRENT STECKER

John Ross, Jake Browning lead No. 14 Huskies past Rutgers 48-13

Sep 3, 2016, 2:21 PM | Updated: 2:53 pm

The No. 14 Washington Huskies blew right past the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to open the season on Saturday, which should come as no surprise. The 48-13 victory was still quite the sight to see for a team riding a mountain of hype into the 2016 season, though.

Lightning fast receiver and return man John Ross exploded back onto the scene in his first game back after missing all of last year for a knee injury and subsequent surgery, hauling in five receptions for 90 yards – including touchdowns of 38 and 50 yards – and also taking a kickoff 92 yards to the house. Quarterback Jake Browning threw with pinpoint precision from the outset, going 18-for-27 passing for 287 yards, three touchdowns and a pick before coming out late in the third quarter. And Washington’s D swarmed quarterback Chris Laviano and the rest of the Rutgers offense, especially when the starters were still in the game during a dominant first half.

The ground game was the only thing that didn’t completely wow spectators in the opener for UW, though it was unneeded considering how often the Huskies scored on big plays through the air and on special teams. No. 1 back Myles Gaskin had 57 yards on 15 attempts.

Turning point: Browning’s initial 43-yard touchdown pass to Chico McClatcher on Washington’s first offensive drive was a thing of beauty and sign of things to come. But it was his second TD throw, the 38-yarder to Ross, that signaled that the Huskies were in control and that Ross has no lingering effects from the knee injury that kept him on the sidelines in 2015.

Player of the game: It’s hard to pick over Browning, whose touch looked to be in midseason form right from the first drive. But when he was picked off in the third quarter, that was enough to seal it for Ross, who was electric in his return for Washington. Three touchdowns, including one in the return game? Yeah, that’ll do.

Biggest takeaway: The Huskies are a dangerous, dangerous passing team. Ross is unbelievably quick, and it’s almost a surprise if he’s not wide open 30 yards down the field on any given passing play. McClatcher (three receptions, 52 yards) looks like he’s going to give opposing defenses something to think about besides Ross, and tight end Darrell Daniels (four receptions, 64 yards) was a stellar safety blanket for Browning – even if he dropped a sure touchdown in the end zone.

Definitely ‘special’ teams: With Ross’ kick return and a 68-yard punt return by Dante Pettis, it marked the first time since 2001 against Idaho that Washington scored touchdowns on both a kick and punt return in the same game, and only the second time since the 1940s.

Passing grades: These were Browning’s numbers at halftime: 17 of 23, 277 yards, three TDs, 218.1 rating. Even if he were being graded on a pass/fail basis, I’d still lobby for him to get an A. K.J. Carta-Samuels took over late in the third quarter and promptly threw a four-yard touchdown to Andre Baccellia, while Tony Rodriguez got a shot in the fourth quarter but didn’t attempt a pass.

Injuries: DB Austin Joyner was shaken up on Rutgers’ lone touchdown play in the fourth quarter but walked to the sideline on his own.

All over the field: UW’s defensive player of the game has to be linebacker Keishawn Bierria, who led the team with 12 tackles (11 solo) and forced a fumble by Laviano in the first quarter.

Get used to hearing this name: Defensive lineman Vita Vea had three tackles and looked like an absolute monster when he sacked Laviano in the first quarter. You better believe that won’t be the last time his 6-foot-4, 346-pound frame fills up TV screens this season after sacking a quarterback.

They said it: Washington coach Chris Petersen: “I’m really pleased with how fast they started. … Excited to get some more explosive plays on offense, deep ball going a little bit.”

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John Ross, Jake Browning lead No. 14 Huskies past Rutgers 48-13