Here's Why the Huskies Are 3-2 Heading Into the Michigan Game

Everything points to a lack of commitment by the players in the two losses.

UW receiver Jeremiah Hunter gets tackled by Rutgers defensive back Shaquan Loyal (6) and linebacker Tyreem Powell. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The totally redrawn offensive line was supposed to be the biggest issue this season for the University of Washington football team.

Instead, this group has opened enough holes to enable Jonah Coleman to average 104.2 rushing yards per outing, protected Will Rogers so he can complete a pinpoint 75 percent of his passes and given up 7 sacks, or 1.4 per outing, though bad snaps certainly contributed to some of that total rather than missed blocks.

Defensively, the Huskies have allowed a relatively stingy 121.8 rushing yards each game, piled up 12 sacks and knocked down 25 passes.

After losses to Washington State and Rutgers in the first five games, more than one indignant UW football fan very vocally wants to fault Jedd Fisch for all of the shortcomings, for the Huskies dropping a pair of outings that were winnable, for not beginning 5-0 heading into Saturday's game against Michigan.

How about putting the blame where it squarely belongs in this situation -- on undisciplined players, whose actions have been borderline stupid.

The onus on them to perform is even greater these days because they're finally getting compensated over and above that scholarship allowance. The Husky weight room recently was upgraded, as was the edining hall, among other resources, with their performance in mind every step of the way. Their media commitments are almost nil or at the very minimum, leaving almost no distractions.

Everything is better in Montlake except the overall player commitment to what's happening between the lines on game day.

Now getting beat by a bigger, stronger, faster or more athletic opponent is going to happen, which is what could take place often when Michigan shows up. However, running up 16 penalties over a three-hour time frame against Washington State, with three players committing multiple infractions, is a slap in the face to those who are lobbying for them and giving them all of the resources to be at their best.

The Apple Cup flag fest was supposed to be a one-off. Yet the Huskies flew all the way across the country only to have starting center D'Angalo Titialii kill the first drive with a personal foul that involved a late hit on an opponent flat on his back and was under consideration for targeting. His misguided actions were followed by reserve safety Vince Holmes running on to the field in the second half to celebrate a blocked field goal by the Huskies -- while the play was still in progress -- negating everything .

If Fisch bears fault for any of this, it's the fact that everyone having a brain freeze has continued on as if nothing happened without obvious repercussions. Titiialii and Holmes kept playing in the uphill battle they helped create when others could have taken their spots, at least for a play, to send a message.

As the coach explained it, Fisch gave Holmes something of an out by telling the player that he was a freshman who made a freshman mistake. Except that this particular player is a redshirt freshman, who appeared in four games in 2023 and who's in his second year in the program after leaving for the transfer portal twice and coming back each time, which means he's capable of making decisions all on his own.

Losses are going to happen. Bad plays are going to happen. Yet with all of the changes to college football that now favor the players, there's a greater onus on them to perform and maintain their cool, to make only good decisions, most of all to have their heads in the game.

The coaches and players like to say they control only what they can control. When it comes to the Huskies, their overall lack of commitment is out of control.

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