Published: Thursday, September 17, 2009
Defense a concern for Dawgs
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Stephen Brashear / Associated Press
Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant (left) tackles Idaho’s Princeton McCarty in Saturday’s game.
SEATTLE — If a season-opening loss to LSU included the so-called moral victory of sticking with a nationally-ranked team, last Saturday’s win by the University of Washington football team might have had elements of a moral defeat.
During a convincing, 42-23 win over Idaho, the Huskies gave up far too many passing yards (349) to an offense that’s not nearly as dangerous as the ones UW will face in Pac-10 play.
While the coaching staff has not hit the panic button, by any means, there is reason for concern as the Huskies move forward — beginning with third-ranked USC this weekend.
“We have to play with a passion I know our kids can play with, and we have to execute,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said Wednesday. “There were times where we drifted off (in the Idaho game).
“I feel good about our game plan that we have in place on defense. I know (defensive coordinator Nick) Holt and those guys are going to get fired up. The challenge is to stay focused and to do it down after down after down and not drift off after every third or fourth play.”
Holt is working to get the defensive problems corrected, but he admitted Wednesday that youth and a lack of overall talent might handicap his unit in the near future.
“I think we’re getting better,” Holt said. “I think there are some deficiencies there with personnel. But we’ll make do.”
While the Huskies’ defense includes 14 returning players who started at least one game in 2008, the experience has been giving way to youth as of late. Three true freshmen — cornerback Desmond Trufant, defensive end Talia Crichton and defensive tackle Semisi Tokolahi — saw significant action in Saturday’s win over Idaho. The game also marked the debut of a new starting free safety in Justin Glenn, a converted cornerback who’d had only five days of practice at the position.
For an experienced defense, the Huskies are certainly suffering from some inexperience at times.
“Some of the passes, we had some mental things. That happened a couple of times,” Holt said in summing up the Huskies’ performance against Idaho. “A couple of them were by true freshmen, and that’s going to happen. One bust was by a safety that was just moved to that position last week.”
Glenn admitted that he is still learning the position, but the redshirt freshman from Kamiak High School was generally solid in his first game replacing Greg Walker as the starting safety.
“It’s hectic trying to learn everything, but I’m getting it down,” he said, adding that he is in favor of the move to safety. “As everything is starting to slow down, I’m starting to see everything.”
During the course of Saturday’s game, UW gave up four scoring drives of 60 yards or longer, including a 92-yard drive late in the game that came against a watered-down defense made up of several reserves. Holt said that the lack of starters on the field at the end of the game was no excuse for the late performance.
“We just need to do a better job with our backups,” he said. “We hold them to as high a standard as the ones when they get to play for the Washington Huskies. We were just a little lackadaisical late in the game, really lackadaisical.”
Even before that drive, Idaho did plenty of damage. Vandals quarterback Nathan Enderle had completed 22-of-33 passes for 279 yards despite sitting out the 92-yard drive.
It wasn’t the kind of performance that inspired a whole lot of confidence from the Husky faithful.
“They’re playing hard,” Holt said of his defense. “They’re playing hard and they’re trying to hit people, and that’s the first step. Now we’ve just got to keep on coaching them.”
UW notes
In his first interview of the week leading up to a game against his former employer, Holt said Wednesday afternoon that Saturday’s tilt with USC is just another game. “I haven’t really thought about all that stuff because I’ve been really busy preparing the kids,” said Holt, who was the Trojans’ defensive coordinator last year. “I’m sure as it gets closer, I’ll maybe start feeling some things. But it really doesn’t feel any different than LSU or Idaho, quite honestly.” ... Sarkisian did not directly admit to instructing that certain players not be made available to the media this week, but he acknowledged Wednesday that keeping the players grounded is a focus. “The real challenge (for the players) is to remain humble because it’s a long season,” he said. ... Sarkisian said that reserve defensive tackle De’Shon Matthews (knee) will not play Saturday, while starting defensive end Darrion Jones ( leg) and starting left guard Gregory Christine (ankle) have a chance to play despite missing practice time with injuries. Both Jones and Christine returned to the practice field Wednesday afternoon but were limping through most of the session. Starting strong safety Nate Williams was also limited in the session. “He’s a little banged up,” Sarkisian said. ... Deontae Cooper, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back from Citrus Hill High School in Perris, Calif., has verbally committed to Washington, according to Dawgman.com.
During a convincing, 42-23 win over Idaho, the Huskies gave up far too many passing yards (349) to an offense that’s not nearly as dangerous as the ones UW will face in Pac-10 play.
While the coaching staff has not hit the panic button, by any means, there is reason for concern as the Huskies move forward — beginning with third-ranked USC this weekend.
“We have to play with a passion I know our kids can play with, and we have to execute,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said Wednesday. “There were times where we drifted off (in the Idaho game).
“I feel good about our game plan that we have in place on defense. I know (defensive coordinator Nick) Holt and those guys are going to get fired up. The challenge is to stay focused and to do it down after down after down and not drift off after every third or fourth play.”
Holt is working to get the defensive problems corrected, but he admitted Wednesday that youth and a lack of overall talent might handicap his unit in the near future.
“I think we’re getting better,” Holt said. “I think there are some deficiencies there with personnel. But we’ll make do.”
While the Huskies’ defense includes 14 returning players who started at least one game in 2008, the experience has been giving way to youth as of late. Three true freshmen — cornerback Desmond Trufant, defensive end Talia Crichton and defensive tackle Semisi Tokolahi — saw significant action in Saturday’s win over Idaho. The game also marked the debut of a new starting free safety in Justin Glenn, a converted cornerback who’d had only five days of practice at the position.
For an experienced defense, the Huskies are certainly suffering from some inexperience at times.
“Some of the passes, we had some mental things. That happened a couple of times,” Holt said in summing up the Huskies’ performance against Idaho. “A couple of them were by true freshmen, and that’s going to happen. One bust was by a safety that was just moved to that position last week.”
Glenn admitted that he is still learning the position, but the redshirt freshman from Kamiak High School was generally solid in his first game replacing Greg Walker as the starting safety.
“It’s hectic trying to learn everything, but I’m getting it down,” he said, adding that he is in favor of the move to safety. “As everything is starting to slow down, I’m starting to see everything.”
During the course of Saturday’s game, UW gave up four scoring drives of 60 yards or longer, including a 92-yard drive late in the game that came against a watered-down defense made up of several reserves. Holt said that the lack of starters on the field at the end of the game was no excuse for the late performance.
“We just need to do a better job with our backups,” he said. “We hold them to as high a standard as the ones when they get to play for the Washington Huskies. We were just a little lackadaisical late in the game, really lackadaisical.”
Even before that drive, Idaho did plenty of damage. Vandals quarterback Nathan Enderle had completed 22-of-33 passes for 279 yards despite sitting out the 92-yard drive.
It wasn’t the kind of performance that inspired a whole lot of confidence from the Husky faithful.
“They’re playing hard,” Holt said of his defense. “They’re playing hard and they’re trying to hit people, and that’s the first step. Now we’ve just got to keep on coaching them.”
UW notes
In his first interview of the week leading up to a game against his former employer, Holt said Wednesday afternoon that Saturday’s tilt with USC is just another game. “I haven’t really thought about all that stuff because I’ve been really busy preparing the kids,” said Holt, who was the Trojans’ defensive coordinator last year. “I’m sure as it gets closer, I’ll maybe start feeling some things. But it really doesn’t feel any different than LSU or Idaho, quite honestly.” ... Sarkisian did not directly admit to instructing that certain players not be made available to the media this week, but he acknowledged Wednesday that keeping the players grounded is a focus. “The real challenge (for the players) is to remain humble because it’s a long season,” he said. ... Sarkisian said that reserve defensive tackle De’Shon Matthews (knee) will not play Saturday, while starting defensive end Darrion Jones ( leg) and starting left guard Gregory Christine (ankle) have a chance to play despite missing practice time with injuries. Both Jones and Christine returned to the practice field Wednesday afternoon but were limping through most of the session. Starting strong safety Nate Williams was also limited in the session. “He’s a little banged up,” Sarkisian said. ... Deontae Cooper, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back from Citrus Hill High School in Perris, Calif., has verbally committed to Washington, according to Dawgman.com.
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