It's time to turn Jacob Eason loose

With Utah favored by 3, here's a game prediction.

Glowing reports greeted the Washington football team when it entered the season.

NFL arm at quarterback.

Lot of promising young talent.

As UW coach Chris Petersen steadfastly reminded people, “It’s next man up.”

Unfortunately, everyone overestimated the Huskies defense. Assumed it would be stout. Weren’t counting on merely adequate.

The boys haven’t turned into men yet.

It’s a big reason why the UW (5-3 overall, 2-3 Pac-12) enters Saturday’s home game against Utah (7-1, 4-1) unranked with three losses in eight outings and is relegated to a three-point underdog to drop No. 4. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

It’s been all three rows on D that have been mundane. Minimal push up front. Not much speed at linebacker. Youngsters getting lit up in the secondary—because there’s not much push or speed.

Replacing 10 starters (not nine, because Benning Potae’a couldn’t reclaim his first-unit job) doesn’t happen without drawbacks. Experience and familiarity with each other aren’t in surplus.

The Huskies’ best bet this season was to take Jacob Eason and win by shootout. Like what Oregon did to the UW (35-31) and WSU (37-35).

The Huskies defense, however, couldn’t get a final stop against California or Oregon, hence the long faces coming into Week 9.

So what’s left?

Basically, it’s watch Eason up his NFL stock and see if those defenders can grow up some. It’s hard to replace playmakers such as Greg Gaines, Ben Burr-Kirven, Byron Murphy and Taylor Rapp. No one on the UW starting defense resembles any of them at the moment.

To pull the upset, the Huskies need to turn Eason and his 1,981 yards passing and 16 touchdown throws loose. He’s a pro pocket style passer who’s showing up regularly in the first round of the NFL mock drafts, most often as the fourth quarterback to hear his name called. One forecast pegged him 24th overall—going to the Patriots.

So it’s time to put the fear of Tom Brady into ninth-ranked Utah. Wind him up and let him go. Throw it downfield. Throw it a lot.

The Huskies aren’t going to stop Utes running back Zack Moss or mobile QB Tyler Hundley. Use Eason for what he’s worth over his likely final four to five games in a purple shirt.

There hasn’t been a Pac-12 team show up this season offering much of a defense. Don’t expect one to appear in Husky Stadium.

Prediction: Eason and his crew wins one of those shootouts. UW 30, Utah 28.