Five things to know about Boise State’s Las Vegas Bowl opponent: the Washington Huskies
The Boise State football team will make its fifth appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl since 2010 on Dec. 21 and face a familiar coach in Washington’s Chris Petersen.
Petersen was the Broncos’ head coach from 2006 to 2013, and he took the bulk of his staff with him to Seattle. But while some of the Broncos’ current coaches may be familiar with some of their former coworkers’ tendencies, Boise State and Washington haven’t played each other since 2015 in a game the Huskies lost 16-13.
“We know some of the things that they do and obviously we’ve worked with some of the coaches on that staff, but you still have to dive into the game plan and start looking at, ‘All right, what have they really done?’ ” Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said Sunday.
As Boise State begins game-planning for the Huskies this week, here are five things to know about the Broncos’ Las Vegas Bowl opponent.
Their QB has an impressive pedigree
Washington quarterback Jacob Eason was the 2015 National Gatorade Player of the Year after finishing his high school career with 9,813 passing yards and 102 touchdowns. Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 1 quarterback in the country. 247sports.com ranked him No. 7 overall and No. 2 among quarterbacks, behind Michigan’s Shea Patterson.
Eason signed with Georgia out of high school and started 12 games as a true freshman. He threw for 2,430 yards and 16 touchdowns and led the Bulldogs to an 8-5 record and a win in the Liberty Bowl. The following season, he beat current Georgia starter Jake Fromm for the starting job, but a knee injury in the season opener sidelined him for the rest of the season.
After sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, Eason stepped in as the Washington starter this fall and he’s completing 63.8 percent of his passes, which ranks No. 5 in the Pac-12. He’s No. 4 in the conference in passing yards (2,292) and No. 5 in passing touchdowns (22).
Eason (6-foot-6, 227 pounds) has the size and arm strength NFL teams covet, though his accuracy has been called into question this fall. Four of his eight interceptions were thrown in a two-game span late in the season. He was picked off twice but also threw four touchdowns in a 33-28 loss to Utah, and he threw two more interceptions the following week in a 19-7 win at Oregon State.
They’re still looking for a No. 1 receiver
The Huskies returned their top two wide receivers from a year ago, but neither stood out then as a true No. 1 with the ability to stretch defenses vertically, and the same is true now.
Senior Aaron Fuller (5-11, 188) leads the team in receptions (54) and receiving touchdowns (six), and he’s second with 673 yards. Fellow senior Andre Baccellia (5-10, 175) caught 55 passes a year ago, but only has 26 grabs for 280 yards and three touchdowns this fall.
Washington’s passing game has run through tight end Hunter Bryant, who leads the receivers with 825 yards. He’s second in receptions (52) and he’s tied with Baccellia with three receiving touchdowns.
But Bryant declared for the NFL Draft via a video posted to Twitter on Friday, and Petersen confirmed he will not play in the bowl game.
That leaves a serious void for the Huskies to fill. Washington routinely goes with two-tight end sets, and Cade Otton is third on the team with 29 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns, but he’s much more of a blocking tight end than a receiving threat.
The only other tight end on the roster who has seen regular playing time this year is redshirt freshman Jack Westover, who has appeared in 12 games but only has three catches for 9 yards and one touchdown.
They’re loaded in the secondary
The Huskies had to replace nine starters on the defensive side of the ball this season, and safety Myles Bryant was the lone returner in the secondary. But if there’s one position where Washington is loaded, it’s defensive back.
Bryant is second on the team with 66 tackles and two interceptions, while first-team All-Pac-12 pick Elijah Molden — filling a role similar to that of Boise State nickel Kekaula Kaniho — leads the team with 70 tackles and 13 pass breakups. He’s tied with true freshman cornerback Cameron Williams with a team-high three interceptions.
As a team, Washington is giving up 225.1 passing yards a game, which ranks No. 2 in the Pac-12, and the Huskies are holding opposing quarterbacks to a 122.07 rating, which ranks No. 33 in the nation.
The Huskies haven’t produced an outrageous number of interceptions (11), but Washington has a quartet of young cornerbacks who have started at least one game and appeared in at least 11.
True freshman Trent McDuffie has appeared in all 12 games and has 41 tackles and an interception to his credit. Redshirt freshman Kyler Gordon also has been in every game and has 31 tackles, a sack and four pass breakups. Williams (three interceptions) has appeared in 11 games, as has fellow true freshman Asa Turner.
They have their own rushing streak
Junior running back Salvon Ahmed came into the season with big shoes to fill. He took over for Myles Gaskin, who finished his career as the first player in Pac-12 history to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons and as Washington’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,323) and rushing touchdowns (57).
Ahmed became Washington’s ninth 1,000-yard rusher in the past 10 seasons. He hit 1,000 rushing yards on the nose, which ranks No. 4 in the Pac-12, and earned his second career honorable mention all-conference nod.
Boise State’s George Holani is 21 yards from extending the Broncos’ streak of seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher to 11 straight.
Ahmed is averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and his best performance of the season came against former Boise State defensive coordinator Andy Avalos and the Oregon Ducks when he posted 140 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the Huskies’ 35-31 loss on homecoming weekend.
They win games in the trenches
Ahmed isn’t the same explosive, creative runner that Gaskin was, but he’s running behind an offensive line that is massive and loaded with talent that is destined for the NFL.
Four of the Huskies’ offensive linemen came into the season with starting experience, including senior center Nick Harris (6-1, 302), a four-year starter who was named first-team All-Pac-12 on Tuesday for the second year in a row. He’s playing next to a two-year starter at left guard in Luke Wattenberg (6-5, 300) and a 315-pound sophomore in Jaxson Kirkland at right guard.
Senior Jared Hilbers (6-7, 313) moved to right tackle this season after starting 11 games last fall on the left side in place of the Huskies’ top offensive lineman, Trey Adams — a 6-8, 314-pound senior who earned his second career first-team All-Pac-12 honor this year.
Washington won’t have Adams for the bowl game, though. Petersen announced Sunday that his left tackle will join Bryant in skipping the game in preparation for the NFL Draft. The Huskies could move Hilbers back to the left side for the bowl game or go with Adams’ backup, 6-6, 295-pound senior Henry Roberts. Petersen wouldn’t say on Sunday.
The Huskies are almost as big and just as talented on the defensive line.
Defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike (6-3, 293) was named first-team all-conference Tuesday. He leads Washington’s defensive linemen with 41 tackles and has two sacks to his credit.
Joe Tryon — a 6-5, 262-pound sophomore playing a role similar to that of Boise State STUD Curtis Weaver — leads the Huskies with eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He and defensive end Ryan Bowman (5.5 sacks, 8.5 TFLs) were named second-team all-conference.
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 5:18 PM.
