Washington Dominates Weber State, Jonah Coleman and Huskies Run Away With 35-3 Win
Washington Huskies Football: Jonah Coleman Scores 3 Touchdowns, Husky Defense Stifles Wildcats in Season Opener
Big-time FBS college football programs are supposed to dominate their FCS counterparts. That happened on Saturday night — at least in Seattle — as the Washington Huskies (1-0) thoroughly dismantled the Weber State Wildcats (0-1), 35-3, in front of a decent-sized crowd at Husky Stadium.
“It’s all brand new for everybody,” Washington Head Coach Jedd Fisch said with a smile during his post-game interview on the Big Ten Network.
Forget about Kalen DeBoer, Michael Penix, and all of 2023. A new season and era began on Saturday night for the Washington Huskies.
The good of this Huskies team was obvious. Washington junior running back Jonah Coleman is fast, he is shifty, and he runs “angry” as the Big Ten Network commentators stated repeatedly. Coleman tallied three touchdowns and 127 rushing yards on 16 carries (7.9 yards per carry). The Weber State defense had no answer for Coleman. In his post-game interview, Coleman credited “the five men up front” for his big day on the ground.
Washington’s pass defense looked elite. Weber State quarterback Richie Munoz looked bad. The Huskies held him to 9-for-28, and 79 passing yards. I emphasize the word looked because this was an FCS team, and it is difficult to draw any conclusions about anything that went well for the Huskies because Weber State was clearly an inferior team on Saturday night.
The Huskies started the game with jitters.
In the first quarter, Washington’s offense stalled in its first two drives, turning it over on downs and then punting on another drive.
The Huskies’ defense also started shaky. Weber State junior running back Damon Bankston rushed for 45 yards in the Wildcats’ first drive before the Washington defense tightened up and forced Weber State to take (and miss) a 48-yard field goal.
Then things started to get going in the second quarter. The Huskies opened up the quarter and drove down the field, highlighted by a 32-yard catch and run by senior running back Cam Davis, and capped by a five-yard Coleman touchdown run up the middle.
Washington’s offense then got comfortable, scoring four more touchdowns in the team’s six subsequent drives. Rogers threw his first touchdown as a Husky in the second quarter, throwing a 33-yard strike to freshmen tight end Decker Degraff near the end of the first half. Coleman scored a pair of touchdowns to cap off his impressive night.
Washington’s defense settled in after the shaky first drive, forcing six straight Weber State punts until the Wildcats’ offense finally broke through with a field goal conversion with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter.
Holding a 28-3 lead entering the fourth quarter, Fisch pulled out Washington’s starters, and let players like freshman quarterback Demond Williams get valuable game experience and reps.
Notes, Observations, and Grades
Per the Seattle Times’ Andy Yamashita, Jedd Fisch says he doesn’t think senior tight end Quentin Moore’s injury is “too bad,” but the team has to consult with the medical staff before making any decisions.
Passing Offense Grade: C+
It’s difficult to tell watching the game on television if Washington’s wide receivers were able to gain separation consistently, but Rogers looked OK as the game progressed. He finished 20-for-26, with 250 yards and 1 touchdown. He acknowledged post-game that “there is a lot to clean up.” At times, it seemed like he had trouble finding open receivers, but he looked more comfortable once Coleman and the running game got established. Sophomore Denzel Boston and senior Giles Jackson emerged as Rogers’ favorite targets. The pair combined for 16 catches and 174 receiving yards.
The offensive line remains the weakest part of this team. As noted by Christian Caple, after the offense sputtered in the first quarter, Fisch and offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll shifted the line around, moving sophomore Drew Azzopardi from right tackle to left tackle, and senior Enokk Vimahi to right tackle, and sophomore Landen Hatchett to right guard. This seemed to solve things as the team scored its first touchdown on that drive, but there was more shifting happening throughout the game. It’s safe to say, positions are not set in stone with the offensive line.
Rushing Offense Grade: A
Coleman is good at making people miss. He has such an instinctual running style evidenced by the cuts and jukes he was making throughout the entire game. He also runs through contact at the end of his runs, instead of running to avoid contact. Davis added on a respectable 22 rushing yards on five carries.
Rushing Defense Grade: D
Things were not looking good after that first drive by Weber State, and the run defense ultimately did not matter because Weber State was playing from behind the entire game, but the numbers are not pretty. Bankston finished with 105 rushing yards on 16 attempts, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. The Wildcats totaled 155 rushing yards as a team.
Passing Defense Grade: A
These guys can ball. In particular, junior transfer cornerback Ephesians Prysock impressed me. At 6-4, his length helps him envelope opposing receivers. Senior cornerback Thaddeus Dixon led the defense with a pair of pass breakups.
Quick review of the game. Thank you!