BY JOHN SLEEPER
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – He flew past, a blur that caught your breath, one you really couldn’t believe until Chris Massey was sprinting across the 50-yard line, en route to the goal line.
Then you remembered it happened two weeks ago. A carbon copy. The block. The free ball. Roc Alexander picks it up, runs like a chased jaguar and scores.
The pattern is unmistakable in the early days of the Washington Huskies’ 2001 season. This is the way the Huskies are going to win games. Not so much with a grind-it-out, ball-control offense of 1999 and 2000. That was slow death. A boa constrictor that squeezes life away. This is a cobra. Quicker. More shocking.
“The biggest difference out there was speed,” UW special teams coach Bobby Hauck said after the Huskies polished off Idaho, 53-3. “That’s it. We had more speed than they did.”
No one was going to catch Massey Saturday after Larry Tripplett blocked Brian Pope’s field-goal attempt. With, of course, the possible exception of Alexander. Or Charles Frederick. Or Paul Arnold. Or Reggie Williams.
See the pattern?
Speed.
You can’t coach speed.
So in the past two years, the Huskies have recruited it.
They’ve collected guys who are faster than rent. And it’s showing now.
“It’s our recruiting philosophy,” said Hauck, one of the most formidable procurers of young flesh in college football. “We want to go out and get guys who can run.”
They’re fast enough to change the unexpected to the expected. Once Alexander juked past the initial wave of defenders and found some room, a 95-yard kickoff return was inevitable. He’s roadrunner fast. Ran a 10.3-second 100 meters in high school. Gone in a cloud of dust. Wile E. Coyote drops his jaw to the ground.
Get used to it.
And get used to Frederick, dubbed E.T., and what he did Saturday. Forget the fumbled punt return. That was the first time he’d handled a football in college.
The second time, he juked, stopped, started again, turned a corner and WHOOSH. Gone. Eighty-seven yard TD. Cue Wile E. Coyote’s jaw again.
“He can stop and start suddenly,” Hauck said. “He can make people miss. Roc’s the fastest guy on the team, but E.T. can make you look bad.”
It was thought that the offense would be more explosive than ever. It may still be. It will, however, take time, given the offensive line’s youth, a new quarterback and new talent in the skill positions. That’s just the way offense is.
There’s no such wait for the defense. Defenders have four interceptions already. They had six all last year. And again, look at the speed. Alexander, Massey, Omare Lowe and Sam Cunningham at corner. Wondame Davis at safety. Anthony Kelley and Kai Ellis at outside linebacker. Marquis Cooper at inside linebacker. Tripplett is explosive at defensive tackle.
The defense had 18 tackles for loss Saturday, including four sacks. That takes speed. These guys not only stop offenses, they also use defense as a weapon.
And that’s what the Huskies will need as the season wears on and injuries mount. Superstar tight end Jerramy Stevens will be out for most of the season because of a broken left foot. It’s a huge hit to a young offense that’s trying to find its identity.
That puts more pressure on defense and special teams. And it makes demands that they do the spectacular, to make the interceptions, to break long runs on kickoff and punt returns.
To keep doing what they’ve done in the first two games.
“We have a lot of guys who can run,” UW coach Rick Neuheisel said. “But they also can make plays.”
The Huskies will need every one they can make.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
