{"id":105451,"date":"2022-10-23T09:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-23T09:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/uw-huskies-beat-cal-and-earn-first-road-win-despite-following-an-unfamiliar-script\/"},"modified":"2022-10-23T09:34:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-23T09:34:00","slug":"uw-huskies-beat-cal-and-earn-first-road-win-despite-following-an-unfamiliar-script","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/uw-huskies-beat-cal-and-earn-first-road-win-despite-following-an-unfamiliar-script\/","title":{"rendered":"UW Huskies beat Cal and earn first road win despite following an unfamiliar script"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

BERKELEY, Calif \u2014 UW’s first seven games followed a familiar script.<\/p>\n

They started, predictably, with a Washington touchdown on its opening drive. They highlighted the strong left arm of Michael Penix Jr., who distributed the ball with the frequency of a paper boy on his morning route. They featured an array of eligible wide receivers and a smorgasbord of explosive plays. They were touchdown-heavy and defense-light. They were fond of fourth-down gambles. They were peppered with porous pass defense \u2014 missed tackles and broken coverages and non-competitive cornerbacks. They were fun and frustrating and undeniably entertaining.<\/p>\n

For seven Saturdays, there were points.<\/p>\n

In UW’s 28-21 win over Cal, there were field goals and penalties.<\/p>\n

At least, at first.<\/p>\n

There were also drops and defensive stops, relative rarities for Kalen DeBoer’s 2022 Huskies. Together, they explain why Washington outgained Cal 245 to 83 in the first half \u2026 but led just 6-0.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn’t say it was frustrating,\u201d Penix said of UW’s slow defensive start. \u201cThis was a defense that doesn’t give up a lot of points. They’re a really tough defense, sound defense. We knew we had to execute the small things. And early on, I feel like we weren’t executing the small things the (way) we should get into the end zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

UW ran 24 combined plays in its first two offensive drives, but came away only with a pair of Peyton Henry field goals. Its opening salvo ended when a Penix designed run on third-and-6 was stuffed for a 2-yard loss at the Bears’ 23-yard line. It was the first time in eight games this season that UW’s opening drive didn’t end with an extra point.<\/p>\n

After quickly forcing a Cal punt, UW’s second drive yielded similar frustration \u2014 as a 14-play, 62-yard march fizzled when it mattered most. On third-and-5 from the Cal 20-yard line, tight end Jack Westover was penalized for a false start \u2014 holding his hands on his chrome gold helmet after acknowledging his error. After Penix hit running back Wayne Taulapapa for a 7-yard gain, UW \u2014 which went for it on fourth down 19 times in its first seven games, 11th<\/sup>-most in the nation \u2014 opted for a 35-yard Henry field goal instead.<\/p>\n

By now, perhaps, you’re privy to the theme. An encouraging UW defense forced yet another Cal punt, and Penix and Co. again methodically moved the chains \u2014 then stalled outside of the end zone. On second-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Penix found McMillan for a diving touchdown \u2026 which was negated by a pass interference penalty on wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. Henry pushed a 34-yard field goal attempt wide two plays later.<\/p>\n

UW’s defense forced four consecutive punts in the first half, while its offense succumbed to a flurry of self-inflicted wounds. For two quarters, the script was effectively flipped.<\/p>\n

For better or worse, the second half felt more familiar.<\/p>\n

Cal quarterback Jack Plummer found wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant for a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter \u2014 an 8-yard strike across his body while eluding the pass rush, and a 48-yard flair where Sturdivant burned Husky corner Jordan Perryman on third -and-7.<\/p>\n

UW also (finally) found the end zone, as running back Cameron Davis busted up the gut for a 6-yard score \u2014 his conference-leading 10th of the season. And after Sturdivant’s sprint tied the game at 14-14, the Huskies immediately answered \u2014 ripping off a 10-play, 75-yard drive, culminating with a back-shoulder 13-yard touchdown to McMillan on third-and-10.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s something we practiced all week,\u201d a smiling Penix said. \u201cWe knew if they kept the nickel to the field we’d have good numbers to the boundary. That’s what they did, and before I even snapped the ball I knew it was about to be a touchdown. It was just a matter of who was going to get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

A week after breaking UW’s single-game passing record with 516 yards in a win over Arizona, Penix was again precise \u2014 completing 36 of 51 passes for 374 yards and two touchdowns. UW coach Kalen DeBoer called his standout quarterback \u201cjust super consistent. Everyone knows what they get with him. He can make all the throws. Taking care of the football \u2026 there really isn’t a time where you feel like there’s too big of a risk when he throws the ball. He’s executing the offense.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMillan, likewise, led the Huskies with eight catches for 81 yards and the aforementioned score.<\/p>\n

But an offense alone is insufficient. After McMillan’s touchdown gave the Huskies a precarious 21-14 lead, UW’s pass rush did its part \u2014 as Voi Tunuufi sacked Plummer (with help from Zion Tupuola-Fetui) to force a three-and-out.<\/p>\n

At which point, Penix provided.<\/p>\n

On third-and-2 from the Cal 36-yard line, the redshirt junior took a snap, bought time and found running back Richard Newton \u2014 who stepped through a tackle attempt, viciously-armed nickelback Collin Gamble and high-stepped into the stiff end zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was fun to see,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cFrom where I was standing, it was so far off the field I thought he was five yards out of bounds. So it was cool just to see him snag that ball, because we all know Mike isn’t just out there throwing lobs for guys. Then for him to break a couple tackles and find his way, it was a huge play for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s always fun to see these guys that are fighting through adversity. With the injuries he’s had, he’s a fighter. It was fun to see him have that success in a different fashion than even probably what he expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 6-foot, 212-pound Newton \u2014 who missed the Arizona game with an injury \u2014 provided valuable insurance for a rapidly disintegrating pass defense. Because, trailing 28-14, Cal unsurprisingly answered \u2014 capping a 12-play, 80-yard drive with an 8-yard tight-window Plummer touchdown pass to wide receiver Mavin Anderson on fourth-and-7. <\/p>\n

But after UW was forced to punt, the pass rush again emerged \u2014 as Tupuola-Fetui sacked Plummer for a 10-yard loss on third down and shushed an already silent California Memorial Stadium. The Huskies forced a fourth-down incompletion on Cal’s following desperation drive as well.<\/p>\n

UW finished with five sacks in the win \u2014 two by sophomore edge Bralen Trice, and one apiece by Tupuola-Fetui, Tunuufi and Jeremiah Martin. Plummer completed 21 of 33 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n

When asked if Cal did anything schematically that allowed UW’s pass rush to pounce, Trice smiled, shook his head and said: \u201cO-line. That’s all. That’s it.”<\/p>\n

For 30 minutes, the Huskies followed an unfamilar script. And in the end, they strayed from the script in two other welcome ways.<\/p>\n

A year after finishing 4-8, Washington achieved bowl eligibility heading into the bye week \u2026 and earned DeBoer’s first road win in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re all over here partying and getting wild and getting loud, because we’re bowl eligible,\u201d said Trice, moments after Prince’s \u201cPurple Rain\u201d blared through speakers in the road locker room. \u201cWe just got that sixth win, and it feels great, coming from what happened last season. We’re 6-2 now. We’re doing our thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

BOX SCORE<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BERKELEY, Calif \u2014 UW’s first seven games followed a familiar script. They started, predictably, with a Washington touchdown on its opening drive. They highlighted the strong left arm of Michael Penix Jr., who distributed the ball with the frequency of a paper boy on his morning route. They featured an array of eligible wide receivers …<\/p>\n

UW Huskies beat Cal and earn first road win despite following an unfamiliar script<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":117607,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-to-watch-for-when-washington-hosts-no-24-oregon-state-plus-mike-vorels-prediction\/","url_meta":{"origin":105451,"position":0},"title":"What 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