Washington punter Hunter Green is getting some national recognition after another strong day helping the Huskies survive field-position battles against No. 19 Southern California.
Green, a fourth-year player and fifth-year punter, was selected as one of the “Ray 8’s” for Week 5 and is now in the mix for Ray Guy Punter of the Week. Fans can vote for him against seven other candidates: Jakob Anderson of Rutgers, Bryan Hansen of West Virginia, Will Karoll of Texas Tech, Patrick Rea of James Madison, Jackson Ross of Tennessee, Daniel Sparks of Virginia and Oliver Straw of Alabama-Birmingham.
Against USC on Saturday, Green punted six times for 310 yards, good for a 51.7-yard average, with a long of 63 yards. Three of those punts were downed inside the 20, and one forced a muff by the Trojans’ punt returner. Washington’s defense did its part by holding USC to 19 points, but the Huskies still came up short in a 25-21 loss.
Green’s work has been a steady bright spot for a Washington team that has leaned on its defense through the first five games of the season. He’s punted 24 times this year and is averaging 47.7 yards per kick, which ranks 13th nationally and third in the Big Ten behind Purdue’s Dylan Drennan and Oregon’s Bailey Ettridge.
He was also named to the preseason Ray Guy Award watchlist, the annual honor for the nation’s top punter. The award is named for Ray Guy, who played at Southern Mississippi from 1970-72 before being selected 23rd overall in the 1973 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Guy went on to play for the Raiders from 1973-86, winning three Super Bowls and earning eight All-Pro selections, including six first-team nods and two second-team honors.
At his weekly news conference Monday at Husky Stadium, Washington coach Jedd Fisch praised Green’s impact on the field position game.
"(Green's) ability to flip the field has been exceptionally good," Fisch said in a weekly news conference at Husky Stadium on Monday. "For some reason, there's been a lot of backed up plays for the offense.
We've also been pushed back more times than I could ever remember, starting drives inside the 10-yard line. ... He's been able to give such as long field back to the other teams."
In Other News...
Washington Still Has One Big Offensive Line Question Before Iowa
Washington is still sorting out its offensive line ahead of a trip to face No. 20 Iowa, and the main reason is simple: the Huskies have enough moving parts that one change can ripple through the rest of the front. Jedd Fisch said John Mills handled left tackle well, and the staff has been working through different combinations as it tries to settle on the best five up front for a game that figures to demand both toughness and stability.
Landen Hatchetts expected return at center could free the staff to shift other linemen into more natural spots, but there remains one question hanging over the group. Washington is also weighing whether freshman Kodi Greene should slide inside, and until that decision is made, the left side of the line may stay in flux right up to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Let A Winnable USC Game Slip Away Again
Washington had USC in a favorable spot late in the third quarter, carrying a 21-10 lead and control of a game it needed to finish. Instead, the Huskies again found themselves sorting through the same familiar frustrations afterward, with the offense unable to sustain drives, the passing game stuck in gear and the defense left to carry too much of the burden in a matchup that was there to be won.
There were bright spots in the grades and film, including a few individual efforts that helped Washington stay in front for as long as it did. But the larger issue remains the same one that has dogged the Huskies in league play: missed chances on key downs, sloppy execution when the game tightens and enough breakdowns to turn a solid position into another frustrating finish. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Faces A Troubling Iowa QB Situation This Weekend
No. 20 Iowas quarterback picture remains unsettled heading into its Big Ten meeting with Washington, with Hank Brown listed as the starter even as the Hawkeyes sort through the aftereffects of last weeks loss at Ohio State. Iowa also got a boost in the backfield with L.J. Phillips Jr. back in the running game after working his way through a high ankle sprain, giving the Hawkeyes at least one more piece of stability as they prepare for a Washington defense that will be keeping close tabs on the quarterback situation.
For the Huskies, the uncertainty matters because this trip comes with plenty at stake in a 3-2 season and a matchup against a team that can still lean on its physical identity if the passing game is compromised. Washington has its own offensive engine in Demond Williams Jr., whose dual-threat production has been a major part of the start, and the Huskies would prefer to control the game on their terms rather than let Iowa dictate it with defense and the ground attack. [Read more 🡒]