With Rosengarten Penalty in Mind, Huskies Seek More Disciplined Outing

There's a time and a place to be an enforcer, but it's not at the goal line.

A week ago, Michael Penix Jr. was in a big hurry with the clock winding down in the fourth quarter when he marched the University of Washington football team from its 7 to the UCLA 6, where the quarterback threw an incomplete pass meant for Ja'Lynn Polk in the end zone.  

The play was over, yet it wasn't.

Husky tackle Troy Fautanu and Bruins linebacker Gabriel Murphy next got into it, exchanging shoves at the Rose Bowl.

Admittedly, UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was looking down on his play sheet and didn't see how everything unfolded. Yet was later told that UCLA players went after Penix.

"Some of the guys were exchanging words, nothing out of the ordinary," Grubb said. "They had their hands on Mike, were getting in Mike's face, and I think a couple of guys got in there to separate it."

Husky offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten was one of them. The redshirt freshman took exception to Murphy giving Fautanu an extra shove and he knocked the UCLA defender to the ground.

Flags went flying. Rosengarten was docked for an unsportsmanlike penalty, moving the ball back to the 21— one of a season-high nine penalties for 98 for the UW and potentially the costliest one. How UCLA, the instigator, didn't share in the punishment was never explained.

The dilemma for the Huskies, especially the linemen, was they couldn't very well ignore the aggression initially shown their quarterback or it would continue. 

"Mike's our guy, we've got to protect him," Husky offensive guard Jaxson Kirkland said. "It was family back there."

Still the UW, trying to mount a late rally, got moved 15 yards away from the goal line to pay the price for apparently getting seen last administering justice by the officiating crew. Even though the Huskies scored three plays later on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Penix to Rome Odunze, they wasted valuable time doing it. 

"Our message to the guys was we can't live in the gray area, especially down there," Grubb said, referring to the end zone.

The Huskies wound up losing 40-32 and Rosengarten gently was told a penalty like that near the goal line can't happen again. There was far too much at stake for him to play dutiful enforcer. One of the team goals at ASU is to be more disciplined and cut down on the game infractions.

The only redeeming UW outcome was Rosengarten, the 6-foot-6, 304-pound redshirt freshman, showed everyone he's no wallflower when it comes to aiding a teammate in distress.

"You love to see it," Kirkland said, "if it wasn't a penalty, for sure."

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