Washington quarterback Jake Browning looks to throw the ball during a game against Arizona State on Oct. 14, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Washington quarterback Jake Browning looks to throw the ball during a game against Arizona State on Oct. 14, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Analysis: Huskies still in good shape at midseason

Despite a loss to ASU before the bye, UW is still in a good spot to repeat in the Pac-12 North.

At their bye-week break, the 12th-ranked Washington Huskies are 6-1, and in position to repeat as the Pac-12 North Division champions.

They have arguably the best defense in the conference, ranked No. 1 in points allowed (10.6), fewest yards (236.9), rushing defense (73.0) and opponents’ first downs (14.4). They are right behind league-leading Washington State University in pass defense (163.9, to the Cougars’ 162.4).

Jake Browning is guiding the Pac-12’s most efficiently-run offense (155.4 rating), and Dante Pettis is the reason the Huskies are tops in punt return yardage (23.1).

And yet, one terrible loss — last week’s 13-7 defeat to Arizona State — has folks wondering if the UW should truly be regarded as one of the nation’s elite programs.

This UW midseason review isn’t going to suggest any drastic personnel moves — like Browning being benched in favor of K.J. Carta-Samuels, for example — because that would be utterly foolish.

But there are tweaks that I wouldn’t mind seeing unfold before the Huskies open the second half of their schedule Oct. 28 against UCLA.

Three positive trends

1 More three-tight end sets from talented trio

UW coach Chris Petersen has always used a myriad of tight ends creatively in the past, even if that meant they were not prominently highlighted in the passing game.

But seniors Drew Sample and Will Dissly, and true freshman Hunter Bryant need to play more together.

Why? For starters, wide receiver Chico McClatcher’s season-ending injury and Andre Baccellia’s extended absence has essentially opened the door for the talented Bryant to seize the No. 2 pass-catching role behind Pettis.

And the Huskies can line Bryant up in a number of spots, and have in their first seven games: In the backfield, split out wide and even in near the line.

But Browning also has confidence in Sample and Dissly as safety-valve options in the passing game.

To open the second half last week against the Sun Devils, the Huskies had all three tight ends on the field. Their first play was a bootleg rollout pass by Browning to Dissly in the right flat for a 12-yard gain. That seemed to give the UW offense more rhythm moving the football than it had earlier in the game.

Another reason to go with three tight ends? Left tackle Trey Adams (knee) was lost for the season in the ASU game, and Sample and Dissly, both good blockers, might be needed more often in pass protection.

2 Keep Pettis as heavily involved as possible

When asked before the season if Pettis could challenge Reggie Williams’ single-season UW records for receptions (94) and yards (1,454), Petersen scoffed at the notion one receiver would hog all the targets in his offense.

Well, what about now?

With 44 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns, Pettis isn’t going to touch Williams’ yardage mark. But he could make a run at 90-something catches.

Three weeks ago, Pettis had a career-high 12 receptions for 105 and three touchdowns in the 42-7 win at Oregon State.

On Oct. 7, he backed that up with a 10-reception, 48-yard effort in the UW’s 38-7 victory over California.

And last week at ASU, the senior from San Clemente, California was targeted a whopping 15 times by Browning, catching seven passes for 56 yards.

Petersen would rather see Browning’s passes spread around to other threats. But Pettis is the only proven commodity the Huskies have on the perimeter that defenses fear. Force-feeding him at least 10 targets a game is the best idea for this offense to make big plays.

3 Continue to increase LB Bowman’s snaps

Perhaps the biggest question mark surround the Huskies defense entering the season was, “Where is the pressure on the quarterback going to come from?”

Well, so far the best source has been a walk-on outside linebacker — redshirt freshman Ryan Bowman.

The 6-foot, 262-pounder was part of a number of Class 3A state championship-winning squads at Bellevue High School before finishing his senior season at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Bowman has seen action from the first game at Rutgers on with the second-string defense behind starter Benning Potoa’e.

Slowly, Bowman has been eating into Potoae’s snaps, and has responded with a team-high 31⁄2 sacks. The Huskies’ 23 sacks are tied for second in the Pac 12 behind Oregon’s 24.

Bowman’s strength, lateral quickness and ability to read the play have really paid dividends. At worst, he and Potoa’e should be in a 50-50 split the rest of the way for playing time.

Three negative trends

1 Freshman running back Ahmed’s minimal usage

This seems to be the head-scratching issue at the top of everybody’s listed.

And by Petersen’s reaction to why Ahmed was used so little after his 50-yard touchdown run was negated by a ticky-tack holding penalty, that appears to be something the coaching staff intends to examine during the bye week.

“We have to continue to look at ways to get him the ball and get him on the field,” Petersen said. “You can see when he does it, he can be different.”

Being stuck behind running backs Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman, it is easy to understand how the true freshman from Juanita High School can get lost in the shuffle.

But what about lining Ahmed up more often at slot receiver as a McClatcher replacement?

What about having Ahmed back there as the primary kickoff returner ahead of Sean McGrew?

There is just no excuse to limit Ahmed to five meaningful offensive snaps a game. He is a difference-maker at the same level as Bryant.

2 Install Vizcaino as the primary placekicker

It is no secret the Huskies are in the midst of a kicker-confidence crisis. Tristan Vizcaino (4 of 9) and Van Soderberg (1 of 3) have combined to go a conference-worst 5-of-12 on field goal attempts.

This run of kicker musical chairs has not benefited anybody. That is why Petersen should just recommit to the guy with whom he began the season as the starter — Vizcaino.

Placekickers often display a much different flair for football than their teammates. Vizcaino, who appears both cocky and flaky, fits right into the fraternity.

He also easily has the strongest leg of the two UW kickers. He has the most talent. Sooner or later, he is the guy who should be called upon to starting making field goals again — from 45 yards and in.

3 Give wide receiver Ty Jones a longer look

This fall camp, even with the receiving corps at full strength, there was something about Jones, a true freshman, that stood out.

A big part was his frame: The Utah product is 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds.

The other part was that, for a big man, Jones had a knack for making big, athletic plays down the field.

Know anybody’s passing offense that could use that kind of kick in the rear end?

Before the ASU loss, Jones had played in every game since debuting against Fresno State. He has seen one pass thrown in his direction, by Carta-Samuels in mop-up time against Cal.

Last week, 10 of Browning’s 13 incompletions were intended for wide receivers. A few of them were on drops, including two by Brayden Lenius, the team’s other big receiver (6-5, 230).

This offense could benefit from the presence of a bigger receiver, one capable of not only bigger plays down the field, but also in the red zone. Jones could be that guy.

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