“ Rebellions are built on hope. ” - Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
With the injuries piling up, the big question around Washington is still the same: who are these Huskies, really? It’s hard to know exactly what this team can be until it gets healthier, and even then the picture may keep changing. The next stretch should start revealing whether Washington keeps trending upward with Elijah Brown at quarterback or slips far enough to miss a bowl game altogether.
That uncertainty hangs over a week that brought a full round of media availability from the Huskies.
On the defensive side, Coach Walters said the line did a good job last Saturday of keeping Calandrea contained. He also praised the secondary, saying it is “playing like vets” now, and added that if ZRS keeps producing the way he did against Nebraska, “we’ll all be happy”.
Walters also made it clear that Penn State will present a different kind of test this week. Dawgman has a ($) transcript.
Coach Cummings spoke for the offensive coaches and spent plenty of time on Chris Lawson’s showing against Nebraska. He said Lawson had already pulled off that spin move in practice, and he had told him it would not work in a game.
Lawson’s response after scoring made the moment even better, with Cummings saying Lawson looked at him right after the touchdown and told him that you said it wouldn’t work. Cummings also pointed out that Penn State’s secondary is very strong, which means the receivers are in for a tough assignment this weekend.
Dawgman has a ($) transcript.
The defensive players who met with reporters were Jacob Lane and Alex McLaughlin. Lane said he could feel Penn State getting frustrated, especially after the first two turnovers.
McLaughlin, meanwhile, talked about his interception and said, “I definitely was going to go score a touchdown this time”. Dawgman has a transcript.
On the offensive side, Demond Williams and Chris Lawson discussed the final two plays of the touchdown drive against Nebraska and the trust that has grown between them. Dawgman has a transcript.
You can watch the whole press conference.
Dan Raley wrote that the defense got its swagger back by shutting down the Cornhuskers. He also pointed out a notable oddity in Washington’s Big Ten history: Penn State is the only conference team the Huskies have never beaten. Raley added that there are six other schools UW has a losing record against, including its next home opponent, Indiana.
There is also a personnel concern up front. Coach Fisch wants more from Washington’s offensive line, and that could be complicated by the status of Kolt Dietrich, who is questionable for this weekend.
McLaughlin’s big day earned him league recognition as well. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the first Husky to win the honor this season.
His interception against Nebraska was his second game-icing pick this year, with the other coming against WSU. It also marked his third touchdown as a Husky, after a pick-6 against WSU last year and a fumble recovery for a score against UCLA last year.
In cross country, freshman Sherry Drury was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. UW’s Nicole Bissell was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team.
In Other News...
Washington Is Suddenly In A Huge Battle For In-State 5-Star Guard
Washingtons recruiting momentum got a boost with the commitment of four-star shooting guard Jimmie Haywood from the Class of 2027, but the bigger local storyline is still unfolding around Bremerton High School standout Jalen Davis. The five-star combo guard has trimmed his list to four schools, and Washington is right in the thick of it as the Huskies continue pushing for one of the top in-state prospects in the country.
For a program trying to keep elite talent close to home, Davis represents the kind of recruit that can shape a class and energize the fan base at the same time. Prediction models currently give Washington a slight edge, but the race is still fluid, and with national powers in the mix, there is plenty of room for the picture to change before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Homecoming Brings A Rare Big Ten Test To Seattle
A rare Big Ten matchup is coming to Husky Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, when Washington hosts Penn State in a noon kickoff that will put a national spotlight on Seattle. The game is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX Sports One, with radio coverage available across multiple stations and streaming apps, giving Huskies fans plenty of ways to follow along.
For Washington, it is the kind of home date that carries a little extra weight because of the history attached to it. The programs have met four times before, and Penn State has controlled every one of those meetings, which adds another layer of intrigue to a game that already stands out on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Veterans Just Sent A Message About That Nebraska Road Win
The conversation around Washingtons road win at Nebraska has centered on the defense, and two veterans helped explain why. Jacob Lane and Alex McLaughlin met with the media to break down how the Huskies handled a tough road environment, with McLaughlin putting the spotlight on the group effort behind his conference defensive honor rather than treating it as an individual moment.
Lane walked through the plan for limiting Nebraskas quarterback and said Washingtons discipline showed up in the way the defense executed from start to finish. McLaughlin echoed that theme, framing the performance as something built by the whole unit, which is exactly the kind of message a team wants to hear after a statement win away from home. [Read more 🡒]