Washington enters Saturday’s game against Oregon as a model of inconsistency.
After starting the season as a top-25 team at 3-1, the Huskies have lost three of their last four games, including a 28-17 home loss to Nevada on Oct. 11.
Washington appeared to have rescued its season by following the loss to the Wolf Pack with a 21-point trouncing of Oregon State in Corvallis two weeks ago. But just when the Husky-faithful started to breathe easy again, Washington was dismantled by USC, 43-23 last Saturday in Seattle.
If the Huskies are to get back to their winning ways against the Ducks, their down-the-field duo of senior quarterback Cody Pickett and junior wide receiver Reggie Williams will have to produce big numbers against the Oregon defense, much like they did in last year’s 42-14 win at Autzen Stadium. Pickett threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns, and Williams caught 14 balls for 198 yards and three scores as the Huskies tallied 42 unanswered points.
Oregon is currently ranked last in the Pacific-10 Conference against the pass, allowing 281.6 yards per game. The Huskies have the Pac-10’s fourth-best aerial attack, averaging 278.6 yards per game.
Despite these statistics, Washington head coach Keith Gilbertson downplayed the importance of a big game from just one or two players, saying the Oregon defense looked much improved during last week’s 35-0 win over Stanford. Gilbertson was also cautions because of the uncertainty surrounding the health of junior wide receiver Charles Frederick, the Huskies’ No. 2 receiver. If Frederick can’t go, the Ducks can focus more on stopping Williams.
“We don’t want to be too one-dimensional in anything we do throwing the football,” Gilbertson said. “We are certainly going to try not to be. We are going to have lots of people involved. We are going to have balance across the board in our passing game, although we do have two guys that are extra special, and when you have them on the field, then you have to contend with both of them.”
Frederick sustained an injury to his clavicle area, Gilbertson said. Frederick is second on the team with 39 receptions for 586 yards and three touchdowns, behind only Williams’ 58 catches, 776 yards and seven touchdowns.
“There is a chance (Frederick) will play Saturday,” Gilbertson said. “But there is nothing to say for sure.”
If either receiver is on the field, there’s a good chance Pickett will find him. The Pac-10’s sixth all-time leading passer with 9,364 career yards has thrown for 2,187 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2003, including 274 yards against the Trojans on Saturday.
The Huskies could also use another big game from senior running back Rich Alexis, who amassed 122 yards and two touchdowns against the Ducks last November. He is averaging more than four yards per carry in 2003, with 566 yards and four touchdowns on 138 attempts.
Defensively, Washington is led by senior linebacker Marquis Cooper, who has 60 tackles. Senior tackle Terry Johnson has a team-high eight sacks, while junior cornerback Derrick Johnson leads the team with four interceptions.
The defense will need to step up against the run as Oregon is second in the conference with 151 rushing yards per game. Defensive linemen Manase Hopoi, Jerome Stevens, Donny Mateaki and Johnson have been struggling of late, allowing 121 yards per game, which ranks seventh in the Pac-10. After Terrence Whitehead ripped off 172 yards and two touchdowns against Stanford, this will be an area of concern.
Washington will also have to match Oregon’s intensity, as the Ducks enter Husky Stadium ticked off from last year’s extended on-field celebration by the Huskies. Gilbertson said there’s nothing he can do about it as this point, while reminding others that he was not the head coach at the time of the celebration.
“You guys know how I am,” Gilbertson said. “I certainly can’t control how (Oregon head coach) Mike (Bellotti) or anybody talks to his team about it. It wasn’t in my lane last year in any fashion. I certainly can’t go back and change it.”