UW Will Send Full Complement of Receivers Against Oregon This Time
Entering the season, the Washington Huskies were touted by many national media outlets as having one of the best wide-receiver groups in the country, yet the top six receivers have played together in a game just once this season because of injuries.
That happened in the Huskies' 22-20 win over the Oregon State Beavers, but it was the only time in quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s UW career in which he failed to reach a 50 percent completion rate and 200 passing yards.
Under a roof at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Penix won't need to deal with any type of weather and he will be well-equipped to attack Oregon's secondary in Friday's Pac-12 championship game. He will have all of his receivers available, too.
During the October matchup with the Ducks, wide receiver Jalen McMillan attempted to return from a knee injury that would keep him out for the better part of two months, but he had to leave the game early after suffering another setback.
Yet after recording 5 catches for 26 yards against Washington State in the Apple Cup, he should have a much bigger role in the Pac-12 championship.
"J-Mac is just different when he's in the middle of the field and in the slot," offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. "I think we can certainly move him around with plays where he's on the outside and on the inside."
While Germie Bernard has done a good job of filling in for McMillan, it's hard to replicate the threat his junior teammate brings. After pulling in 79 receptions for 1,098 receiving yards in 2022, McMillan was on pace to top those numbers before suffering his knee injury against Michigan State.
Having McMillan as a reliable option over the middle of the field will be helpful for Penix, but he isn't the only receiver who has missed time for the Huskies this year.
Senior Giles Jackson sat out the first five games of the season with a thumb injury. Jackson made his season debut against Oregon and caught 6 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown yet he has played in just 3 games since then because of various injuries and coaching staff's desire to preserve his eligibility for 2024.
With Bernard, Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk also in the mix, the Oregon secondary will have its hands full with Washington's full receiving corps. In the first matchup with the Ducks, Penix threw for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns and, with his full receiving corps around him, could replicate those numbers in the Pac-12 championship.
The No. 3 Huskies are big underdogs in the game according to most major sports books, but if Washington's passing attack can return to early season form thanks to the added depth at receiver, it will be tough for Oregon's secondary to defend against Penix and all of his options.
Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.
Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.
Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12
Follow Roman Tomashoff of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @rtomashoff34 or @UWFanNation
Subscribe to the Locked On Huskies Podcast on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question? Message me on Twitter!
