Brock Huard’s keys: No. 4 Huskies face tough battle vs USC secondary
Nov 11, 2016, 6:30 AM | Updated: 9:02 am
Jake Browning and John Ross have connected on eight touchdowns over the past four games. (AP)
(AP)
No. 4 Washington (9-0 overall, 6-0 Pac-12) vs. Southern California (6-3, 5-2)
• Where: Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium
• Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. Saturday
• TV: FOX
• Line: Huskies by 9
Washington at a glance: The Huskies got back to steamrolling their competition last week, ripping Cal 66-27 seven days after they just survived in Utah for a 31-24 win. It looks like all systems are go on offense, with Myles Gaskin needing only 48 yards to reach 1,000 on the season, and the Jake Browning-John Ross connection having produced eight touchdowns over the past four games. The defense is riding high, too, but it also suffered a significant loss as leading pass-rusher Joe Mathis will miss the rest of the season due to foot surgery. That will put additional pressure on the secondary as well as the linebackers as the season wears on.
USC at a glance: It was only a year ago that the Southern California program was in complete disarray, falling from the Top 25 poll early in the season to an 8-6 finish and losing head coach Steve Sarkisian along the way. The Trojans are back in business, however, having risen to No. 20 in the College Football Playoff rankings thanks to a five-game win streak. Under first-year head coach Clay Helton, USC has a balanced squad, ranking 31st in the nation in total offense (476.4 yards per game) and 38th in total defense (373.1 yards allowed per game). They’re balanced on offense, too, averaging 264.6 passing yards (34th) and 211.9 rushing yards (35th).
Brock Huard’s key No. 1 for UW: Without Joe Mathis, the pass rush needs to feed off the crowd. The 70,000 people in the stands in Montlake will have to be instrumental Saturday. Husky Stadium can be one of the five loudest venues in college football and will once again have to create the havoc, confusion and half-step advantage for the edge rushers it is capable of doing. The good news is that UW’s staff feels a lot better about the replacements for Mathis than the fan populace does.
Huard’s key No. 2: Be patient in the passing game. The USC secondary will be the best that UW has faced this season with its overall speed and play-making ability. The Huskies will have to be patient, especially the quarterback, and the wide receivers will have to beat cornerbacks that can run with them and mirror their routes like no one other team in the Pac-12. The connection between John Ross and Jake Browning will be critical, and equally so is the precision and discipline in Ross’ route running and technique. USC will press, mix coverage and force Browning and crew to get to check-downs more than they have this season.
Huard’s key No. 3: Get the run game going to open up the play-action pass. If the Huskies’ offensive linemen can push around the USC defensive line, allowing Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman to run the ball like they are capable of doing, the Trojans’ safeties will have to commit to stopping the run. That will provide space and opportunities for Browning to go to a play-action game that has been potent all season.
