Huskies Faced with Same Match-up Scenarios for Beating Michigan State
Heading into last season’s matchup with Michigan State, the main topic of discussion was two-fold for Washington: Could the Huskies slow down the two-headed rushing attack of Jalen Burger and Jarek Broussard? Would the offensive line be able to hold up against MSU’s vaunted pass rush?
Coincidentally, both of those questions remain true again heading into Saturday’s week 3 contest in East Lansing.
Burger, now a redshirt junior, has taken a back seat to sophomore running back Nate Carter, a Connecticut transfer this past offseason, through the first two games of the season.
Carter recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances against Central Michigan and Richmond, totaling 224 yards and four touchdown on 37 carries.
"I think they've got a great running back," UW co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell said Monday, referring to Carter. "The kid that came in — transferred in to them — is a really good running back,"
In the same breath, Burger has compiled just 37 yards and one touchdown on 10 rushing attempts, one more yard than junior quarterback Noah Kim.
“Systematically they’ve stayed very consistent,” Morrell added.
Kim has completed 37 of 56 pass attempts for 582 yards and 5 touchdowns without an interception to start the season after backing up Peyton Thorne, who started for the Spartans at Husky Stadium last season and is now at Auburn.
UW has matched MSU’s 5 rushing touchdown while needing only 41 attempts to do so. Through the first two games, the Huskies have 11 fewer carries than any other Pac-12 school.
Following the week 2 victory over Tulsa, UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said they’re close to having junior running back Dillon Johnson return, which could be a key factor in Saturday’s contest.
Although Grubb has remained adamant the offense needs to get more out of its running backs, he recognizes if an opposing defense gives him chances down the field, he takes it.
“There’s definitely some things that are a little bit different.” Grubb said of the Spartans’ defense this season.
Redshirt senior linebacker Aaron Brule leads MSU with a pair of sacks in the first two games while fellow senior Jacoby Windmon registered his first sack against Central Michigan in the season opener.
Before the 2022 matchup, the linebacker duo collected 6.5 sacks in the first two games, before finishing with just three more sacks over the final nine games of the season.
For UW, it’s the same offensive approach heading into this matchup: protect Michael Penix Jr. and enable the running backs to control the clock.
Penix didn't have his first 400-yard passing game last season until the seventh week against Arizona when he threw for 518 yards. Against Michigan State, Penix had 397.
Led veteran wide receivers Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja'Lynn Polk plus MSU transfer Germie Bernard, if the UW offensive line can replicate its early success against the Spartans the trip east should be fairly straightforward.
Sixth-year senior Matteo Mele’s status for the game is still unclear. UW has been to get redshirt freshman Parker Brailsford 15 snaps at center in the first two games.
If Mele is unable to go, the expectation is for Brailsford to slide over from right guard to starting center.
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