When it comes down to November and bodies are battered, beaten or out of commission, it becomes imperative that someone from the fringe, someone you don’t normally expect, comes through when needed.
The Washington Huskies have a slew of them.
While UCLA coach Bob Toledo whines that injuries are turning his Bruins into Rice, the Huskies are even better than they were when they were relatively healthy. And it’s because they’re getting simply amazing play from many who formerly were just hoping to steal a few minutes of playing time during blowouts.
Saturday’s 42-28 victory over Stanford, which put the Huskies in great shape for a Pacific-10 Conference crown and a Fiesta Bowl bid, is a huge example.
Could the Huskies have completed their go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter without tight end Kevin Ware? All Ware did was catch two balls on the 14-play, 77-yard drive, the last of which came when free safety Tank Williams gave him a jolting shot he’s feeling today. Bottom line: It got the Huskies on the Stanford 3-yard line, and tailback Willie Hurst took it in from there.
Ware was in because Jerramy Stevens has been out since Sept. 22 with a broken foot. Over the years, Ware’s work ethic and attitude have been questioned. He ballooned 20 pounds to 280 last year and was asked to play offensive guard. He refused. At one point, he questioned whether he should be at Washington.
“I went back to Texas and thought,” Ware said. “I had to get my priorities straight. I had a good summer, worked hard, did what I had to do and came back ready to play.”
And how about kicker Jim Skurski. When last we saw Skurski, he was shanking chip shots against Arizona in 1998, the last of which the Wildcats eventually cashed in with Ortege Jenkins’ game-winning flip over three Huskies into the end zone.
On Saturday, Skurski was taking over kickoff duties from John Anderson, bothered by a pulled hip flexor. All Skurski did was boom seven kickoffs, four of which went unreturnably deep into the end zone. One went out of the end zone, caught by a tuba player. Two that did get returned didn’t make it to the 20-yard line.
What else do you need from a kicker?
Or how about Owen Biddle?
A former walk-on, Biddle finally received a scholarship during preseason drills, a time when he was penciled in as the starting free safety. Eventually, he would lose his starting job to Wondame Davis.
Biddle won’t remind anyone of Hakim Akbar or Lawyer Milloy. Biddle is 5-foot-10, 190 pounds of undersized safety. He’s had to rely on guts and hustle for every moment of notice he’s earned from the coaching staff.
One thing Biddle can do is hit. And hitting is what got Biddle back in the starting lineup.
All Biddle did against Arizona State Oct. 27, his return as a starter, was lead the team in tackles with 11, five unassisted, including one for a 2-yard loss when ASU tried a reverse.
On Saturday, Biddle had five tackles, four solo and one for loss.
So what does it all mean?
It means Washington is improving vastly, even without its stud athletes. It’s continuing its remarkable fourth-quarter joyrides with reserves. It means Washington is a very, very deep team.
Wideout Justin Robbins’ hamstring likely won’t allow him to play this year, so Pat Reddick and Wilbur Hooks have taken up the slack.
Zach Tuiasosopo was thrust into the fray when Kai Ellis’ knees looked like linguine. He filled in ably and is seeing more playing time, even now, after Ellis’ return.
Ware, Joe Collier and John Westra aren’t the receivers Stevens is, but they can block like a Clydesdale.
The Huskies are getting help from unexpected sources. As the season winds down, will their remaining opponents – Oregon State, Washington State, even mighty Miami – be able to say the same?
John Sleeper is the Herald’s college football writer.
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