Washington's Pass Rush Had Its Best Day Of The Season Against WSU
The Washington pass rush has struggled to get the quarterback on the ground all season. Despite putting constant pressure on opposing passers, the Huskies recorded only 14 sacks in 11 games leading up to the Apple Cup.
On Saturday, the UW pass rush got its hands on Washington State quarterback Cam Ward five times. Edge rusher Bralen Trice not only recorded his fifth sack of the season, he created enough pressure to force Ward into throwing a pair of interceptions.
Trice didn't do it all by himself, though. Junior Voi Tunuufi lined up at defensive tackle throughout the game and did an effective job in forcing Ward off his spot. Tunuufi didn't register a sack against the Cougars, but his constant pressure helped senior edge rusher Sekai Asoau-Afoa earn his first career sack.
In the third quarter, redshirt freshman edge rusher Lance Holtzclaw brought down Ward for the first sack of his young career.
While the offense struggled to find a rhythm for a majority of the afternoon, the defense did everything in its power to keep the game close. It was a matter of taking accountability.
"Before we get on the field, we tell ourselves 'It's on us,' " cornerback Jabbar Muhammad said after the game. "That's what it is every week: it's on us. No matter if it's a turnover, a stop, a third- or fourth-down stop, we know it's on us to get the job done."
After Muhammad's stellar performance against Oregon State, it was the pass rushers' turn to help secure Washington's 24-21 victory and cap off an undefeated regular season.
Now as the Huskies prepare for a quick turnaround to play the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 championship, the pass rush will need to find a way to replicate its Apple Cup success against a much better offensive line.
This will start with Trice, who put noticeable pressure on Oregon quarterback Bo Nix when the two teams met in October. Trice consistently won his matchup against right tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who earned a pass-blocking grade of just 13.6 for the game from Pro Football Focus.
However, Trice will need some help. Tunuufi had a productive day on the interior against WSU, as did true freshman Jacob Lane, who didn't play in the first matchup with the Ducks.
Lane has become an important part of Washington's pass rush, with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound edge rusher providing an extra boost of speed in obvious passing scenarios.
The smaller, faster defensive line the coaching staff prefers for the pass rush could go a long way in containing Nix. This athletic group of rushers wouldn't let Ward escape and scramble for extra yardage and will have to do the same in order to secure a Pac-12 championship.
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