Washington is heading into its Big Ten opener with a different kind of problem on its hands.
After three straight nonconference games against quarterbacks who could hurt defenses with their legs, the Huskies now have to deal with Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior who wins from the pocket. Washington and Minnesota are set for an 8 p.m. PT kickoff Saturday at Husky Stadium, with the Huskies unbeaten at 3-0.
That shift changes the shape of the challenge. Washington’s defensive line spent the first three weeks trying to corral athletic passers, including Eastern Washington’s quarterback, who ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. This time, the emphasis moves toward coverage and communication on the back end.
“The talent on the roster is better (than our previous opponents),” UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said in a weekly news conference Tuesday at Husky Stadium. “They're big up front, work really well together.
Quarterback is a big, traditional pocket-type passer. Big arm, gets the ball out on time.
Wideouts (are) really disciplined, run really good routes, good catch radius and they do a good job of getting (yards after catch).”
Lindsey has completed 65% of his passes for 747 yards and four touchdowns against one interception so far this season. For Washington, that means the pressure isn’t just about winning at the line of scrimmage anymore. The secondary has to be ready for Minnesota’s timing game and the receivers’ ability to create after the catch.
Walters also pointed to Mississippi State’s 38-13 win over Minnesota on Sept. 12 as a useful reference point, while stressing that the game flow matters. The No. 24 Bulldogs held the Gophers to 13 points, and Washington’s staff has studied the tape for clues.
“They got downhill fast,” Walters said. “They played really physical.
They gave them a bunch of different looks from a front-perspective. They pressured a lot.
I think Mississippi State scored touchdowns on the first three drives, so kind of put Minnesota behind the eight-ball and (they) sort of had to change their mentality during the course of that game. You can't really look at how Mississippi State played them because the score early got so lopsided.”
Washington’s offensive line has its own problem to solve on the other side of the ball.
Minnesota brings a disruptive lineman who finished 2025 with 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last year. Through three games this season, he has half a sack and two tackles for loss. That has already made him a focal point in the Huskies’ early planning.
“(He's) a really good player,” offensive line coach Michael Switzer said Tuesday. “Obviously have a plan for him this week.
That's been a big discussion in terms of early game-planning. Making sure that we're putting ourselves in good positions, whether it's protection, whether it's run game.
For sure he'll be a focus of our game plan and how we're gonna attack him.”
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