Return to Glory? Trent McDuffie Punt-Runback Prowess Could Really Elevate the Huskies
Following Dante Pettis' NCAA record-setting career as a punt returner at Washington, the Huskies struggled to find a consistent replacement.
The Husky punt return team wasn't terrible, it just wasn't opportunistic. The graduated Aaron Fuller chose to call for a fair-catch on many punts that appeared returnable. He had a few moments, just not enough.
On Saturday night against Oregon State, Trent McDuffie gave the Huskies a needed spark on special teams. He had a pair of punt returns for 56 yards, including a 45-yarder that took the ball to the OSU 15-yard line. The return set up a UW score.
He also had an 11-yard return midway through the first quarter. His 45-yard return was the longest play of the night for either team.
On his long one, McDuffie used an initial burst to blow past three defenders who had favorable angles on him around the 50.
Washington's blockers did their job in sealing off the edges between the hashmarks, leaving the punt returner virtually untouched until the OSU 32-yard line.
Showing open-field vision, McDuffie used UW receiver Ty Jones as a buffer to take on and elude two defenders while making a third OSU player totally miss despite being next to McDuffie.
Shielding himself with a referee around the 20, McDuffie finally was brought down at the OSU 15-yard line. With a short field, the Huskies were able to convert the opportunity into seven points and take a 24-14 lead.
For the two returns, McDuffie was recognized by the Washington coaches as the Special-teams Player of the Week.
McDuffie finished fifth on the team with four tackles, but his role in the blanket coverage gave the Huskies' defensive backfield to a No. 1 ranking nationally by Pro Football Focus.
He and the rest of the defensive backs held the Oregon State passing attack to 11 completions on 24 attempts for just 85 yards. The coverage also led to pair of sacks of Beavers quarterback Tristan Gebbia that resulted in two fumbles.
Yet it was McDuffie's aggressive punt returns that took a tight game and turned it into Washington's favor. That sort of special-teams play will win games, as John Ross and Pettis showed in previous seasons.
