3 Keys for a Washington Victory over Oregon State in a Long-Overdue Season Opener
Let’s try this again.
The Washington Huskies open their season against the Oregon State Beavers at Husky Stadium on Saturday at the late hour of 8 p.m. The Huskies have yet to announce a starting quarterback, let alone put one on the field in a game situation. Meantime, the UW got a good look at the Beavers in their 38-28 loss to Washington State.
Based on what the Beavers showed against WSU, here are three keys for the Huskies to begin with a win.
Run a balanced offense
Keeping a defense honest is one sure way to have a productive and successful offensive day. WSU surprisingly threw off the Beavers defense with how balanced it was with its run and passing games. The Cougars rang up 456 total yards on only 12 drives, with 227 passing yards coming from true freshman Jayden de Laura and another 229 from his running backs on the ground to be nearly perfectly balanced. With Washington's talent at running back and depth of stellar receivers, the Huskies similarly should have an edge.
Defensive containment of Jermar Jefferson
Jefferson rushed for 73 yards in the opening half against WSU. This junior is one of the top backs in the conference and currently the ninth most productive back and climbing at Oregon State with 2,185 yards. Jefferson finished with 120 yards on 21 attempts and three touchdowns against the Cougars, and added five receptions for 50 yards. The Husky defensive line and linebackers will have their hands full trying to keep Jermar in check. If they can limit him to 115 all-purpose yards, the Huskies should be satisfied with that.
Defense must get off the field
The Beavers put up 29 first downs, which means they could move the ball. Yet they didn't have long drives or eat up the clock. Oregon State struggled on third-down efficiency against the Cougars. If the Husky defense can force Beavers quarterback Tristan Gebbia into third-and-unmanageable situations, then Washington should have the upper hand.
