Washington is trying to flush the Minnesota loss and turn the page fast, because USC is next. After a 27-24 defeat at Husky Stadium last Saturday, head coach Jedd Fisch said Monday that he’s been grinding through the film and moving the Huskies toward this weekend’s matchup.
Fisch said the review didn’t uncover anything the team hadn’t already seen in real time. The bigger issue, in his view, was simple: Washington didn’t play well enough on either side of the ball to win.
The offense spent too much time in bad down-and-distance situations, and Fisch pointed to the numbers that told the story. Eight of Washington’s 10 third downs came on third-and-8 or longer, which he said is not a recipe for success. He also said the Huskies had too many negative plays.
What he wanted most, he said, was cleaner execution.
Minnesota also won the field-position battle, repeatedly forcing Washington to start deep in its own territory. Fisch said that was a major factor throughout the game.
At quarterback, Fisch said he still agrees with his postgame assessment that Demond Williams needs to get the ball out faster. He said the offensive line did a good job in protection overall, though there were plays the unit would want back. The larger goal, Fisch added, is for the offense to become a group that can hold the ball for 30 to 35 minutes.
Fisch pushed back on the idea that the receivers aren’t getting open quickly enough. He said they are doing a good job separating and that Williams doesn’t need to bail from the pocket more. The issue, as Fisch sees it, is getting the ball out sooner.
There’s also some moving parts up front. Fisch said whether John Mills keeps rotating at left tackle depends a lot on Landen Hatchett’s status.
If Hatchett is back this week, Kolt Dieterich would be available to play left tackle, which Fisch said could change a lot for the group. He said he expects to know more about Hatchett later today.
The young backs are still a work in progress, and Fisch didn’t hide that. On Brian Bonner, he said every time the freshman gets a rep, he improves.
Trey Cooley, meanwhile, is working through rust while adjusting to a new system and being asked to handle things he hasn’t had to do before. Fisch said Bonner is dealing with the same learning curve, though he’s already shown some “really cool things” and has a chance to be very good down the road.
For now, he said, they’re just “trying to microwave it.
There were also several health and eligibility updates. Christian Moss had quad surgery and could possibly return by week 10 or 11, though Fisch wasn’t certain. He said the staff expects to know Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei's eligibility status on October 1st.
Fisch also addressed Rahshawn Clark, saying Clark had a calf injury and was limited to returns rather than playing defensive back. The hope is that he can play DB this week.
In Other News...
USC Heads To Washington With One Huge Concern After Oregon Loss
USC left Eugene with a 41-27 loss to Oregon in a top-20 matchup, but the Trojans still got a few useful offensive signs heading into their trip to Washington. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was the most productive pass catcher, finishing with seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown, while King Miller chipped in 74 rushing yards to help keep the offense moving at times.
The bigger issue came on the other side of the ball, where Jahkeem Stewart returned to the lineup but the Trojans also lost Desman Stephens II after he was ejected for targeting on a hit to Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. With Washington next on the schedule, USC will have to sort through both the emotional and competitive fallout from a physical game that ended with Moore injured and taken to the hospital. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Just Exposed A Bigger Problem Than One Bad Loss
Washingtons loss to Minnesota landed as more than a bad night in September. The Huskies went in as double-digit favorites and came out with a 27-24 defeat that raised real questions about where this offense is headed, especially with Demond Williams still trying to settle in and Jedd Fischs playcalling suddenly under the microscope.
The deeper concern is how many pieces were already working against Washington before the result ever became a headline. Injuries have thinned the backfield, the run game has not offered much help, and the protection problems have left the offense too vulnerable when drives stall. For a team with bigger goals, the issue now is not just one upset, but whether this version of the Huskies has enough answers to keep winning the games left on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than Just One Loss
A September loss can be brushed off in a hurry if a ranked team steadies itself the next week, but Washington has a little more to answer for after falling 27-24 to Minnesota and slipping to 3-1. The defeat cost the Huskies momentum at a time when the schedule was supposed to sharpen their national profile, and now the conversation around the program has shifted from early optimism to how quickly it can recover.
There is also the sting of where things stand in the polls, with Washington no longer carrying the national recognition it opened the season with. The timing is tough, because the next two games bring ranked opponents in USC and Iowa, a stretch that will show whether the Huskies can quickly reestablish themselves or whether this loss was the start of a more complicated slide. [Read more 🡒]