Can UW jumpstart offense?

Published 9:00 pm Friday, November 17, 2006

SEATTLE – Kenny James knows this is it. Sonny Shackelford realizes there isn’t any other opportunity. Carl Bonnell said it has to happen now.

After two straight weeks of offensively futility, the Washington football team has its last chance to turn things around and show that it actually can move the ball without Isaiah Stanback in the lineup.

The Huskies (2-6 Pacific-10 Conference, 4-7 overall) will try to end the season with a win – something the UW hasn’t accomplished since 2003 – when they meet Washington State (4-4, 6-5) in today’s 99th Apple Cup. Kickoff is 3:45 p.m. at Martin Stadium.

The Washington offense that earlier this season generated some excitement has stalled out in losses to Oregon and Stanford the past two weeks. The Huskies have scored only two touchdowns in those games, and both came as the result of interceptions setting up good field position. Washington hasn’t had a touchdown scoring drive of more than 70 yards since the California game, when it had two – a five-play march that covered 86 yards and a score-tying, 13-play, 72-yard drive capped by Carl Bonnell’s 40-yard, defelcted Hail Mary toss to Marlon Wood to end regulation. No Washington running back has scored a rushing touchdown since the second quarter against Arizona on Sept. 30.

“We’re just not getting it done,” said James, who had just 23 yards on 13 carries in his return to the lineup last week. “It’s everyone. We’re not getting holes, we’re not finding holes. We’re just not making plays.”

But why? Why has Washington managed just 52 yards on 41 carries in the last two weeks. Why have the Huskies been held to 299 total yards in that time? That’s an average of 2.4 yards a play. Washington gained more than 299 yards in five of its first eight games.

Certainly some of it has to do with the absence of Stanback. Washington offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said teams are clearly defending the Huskies differently without Stanback on the field.

“Isaiah presents a lot of different problems for the defensive coordinator,” Lappano said. “With his ability to get outside, his ability to pull it down, you don’t see a lot of man coverage. We’ve been seeing a little bit of that the last three weeks. You don’t get that with a mobile quarterback, because if he pulls it down and you’re locked up in man, he’s going to get 30 (yards). People are playing us a lot different.”

With no Stanback, and a banged up Bonnell filling in, opponents have been able to load up the line of scrimmage, blitz the quarterback and take away running lanes while daring Washington to throw the ball. That might work OK, except that the Huskies receivers have started dropping passes regularly.

“We’re hurting ourselves, we know that,” Shackelford said. “We’re getting open but we aren’t making the play. If we start making those plays, it opens things up. But we’ve got to start making them.”

You can be sure Washington State will come after Bonnell, who is struggling with a bruised thigh that limits his scrambling as well as a separated non-throwing shoulder that has bothered his passing. The UW offensive line has struggled to keep defenders away from Bonnell, and the Cougars lead the Pac-10 in sacks, averaging three a game.

And that was with a unit that was thin with injuries. A lack of depth forced WSU to go to a three-man front, but now the Cougars are healthy again, meaning defensive ends Mkristo Bruce (10 sacks) and Lance Broadus (7 sacks) will be free again to get after Bonnell.

“Bruce is one of the better players in our conference,” UW head coach Tyrone Willingham said. “He’s accompanied by some pretty good linebackers and a safety that is playing well for them this year. They are a good, solid unit that has a spectacular player.”

“We’re not looking to make excuses,” Washington offensive lineman Stanley Daniels said. “Yes, Isaiah is out, but he’s been out for awhile now. We have to adjust and work with what we have. We can still score points. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to move the ball and score points. We have the talent. We just have to do it.”