Washington Recap

§  Washington was able to put 50 on CU so that is 100 in two weeks on the road with Oregon coming in next week. 

§  My favorite play: Early in the first quarter, with the Buffs still in reach trailing 14-7 in the first quarter, “Pre & Mid-season All-American” senior Captain RG (never could quite cut it at tackle where he was supposed to play for 4 years) got his first (I hope so anyway) career sack by hitting Tyler Hansen like Ray Polk crushing a receiver out of bounds.  This play really killed early momentum and was even cited by the Daily Camera as the key play of the game-didn’t lose it but set the tone.

§  Washington’s first 5 drives resulted in touchdowns and they settled for a field goal on the sixth drive because they ran out of time, not downs, before halftime.  Now this defense must face Oregon (who might get Lamichael James back) without stalwart inside LB Doug Rippy (see below).

§  Bright spot?  They only committed 3 penalties for 30 yards, by far their best numbers of the year.  However, they more than made up for the lack of penalty mistakes with a plethora of blown assignments and bad plays.

§  Secondary bright spot?  Kicking game was by far the best phase today, not making any big mistakes or giving up and big plays (although they didn’t make any big plays).

§  Tertiary bright spot?  Come on, don’t you think that would be pushing it?!

§  Thirteen straight games without a bye (we knew we’d get sick of talking about this), and entering the heart of that schedule, the injuries are starting to pile up.  It was a bad day for Ohioans and knees as Rodney Stewart left sometime in the second quarter and never returned,  and then his cousin Doug Rippy got caught in a pile and tweaked his knee early in the fourth (with the game out of hand?!), and both are likely out for at least the Oregon game and probably more.  [One report even mentioned possibly the season for Rippy.]

§  It seems like every game there is a starter who unexpectedly does not play.  I didn’t think I had seen Josh Hartigan in the game and it turns out it was his turn this week.  He was held out with a lingering neck stinger (so why did Tony Clemons change numbers to 7?). 

§  LT David Bahktiari (who had already recovered from a knee injury earlier) had wrist surgery this week but still played; S Ray Polk is just playing through a wrist injury that will require surgery after the season.  Another defensive player is still playing through a torn labrum that will also require surgery. 

§  Kyle Cefalo was back out there with his elbow in a sleeve.  I guess it was nice to see he and Logan Gray make a few catches, but disappointing that few of the other younger receivers have grabbed the opportunity of P-Rich’s injury, who will still be out at least another week or two.  

§  Keenan Canty continued to play “okay” and it also looks like he will be the main kick return option now without Speedy.  I would have loved to see Tyler McCulloch step up-maybe next week?  Anyone else?

§  I guess I should be careful what I ask for, as between blowouts and injuries, we are getting to see and will get to see a lot more of many younger players.

§  Tony Jones filled in admirably at RB (2 TDs) and some decent yardage; Josh Ford even got one carry for 13 yards.  We will really get to see what we have in them next week and maybe longer.  It appears there is still the possibility of burning yet another redshirt of Malcolm Creer who really impressed coaches and teammates last week on the scout team, both as a kick returner (100-yard TD) and emulating RB Chris Polk.

§  At least our backup QB Nick looked better than their over-hyped backup Nick. CU’s Hirschman went 4-of-8 for 52 yards while Washington’s Baby Montana was sacked by Uzo-Diribe and fumbled on his first career snap, going 2-2 for 10 yards.

§  Mullen’s Brady Daigh seemed to get the bulk of the work when Rippy went down. Fellow TFr. Woodson Greer III (great LB name!)  as well as sophomore Derrick Webb and senior Patrick Mahnke will also help pick up the slack.  Maybe RFr. Lowell Williams will get his shot.  We will see how Cabral and company decide to deal with that gaping hole in the lineup.  This might make it hard for offenses to decide whether to go at the depleted CBs or straight at the middle of the defense without Rippy.

§  I had been thinking that LG Ethan Adkins has gotten very little press, not any really good, but not anything bad like the injuries, penalties or completely blown assignments that everyone else has been mentioned for in the press.  So, of course he went out and got pancaked and gave up a big loss inside the 5.

§  On the last offensive drive TFr Paulay Asiata came on at LG and RFr Kawai Crabb came in at center with soph David Bahktiari at LT, RFr Hirschman at QB and RFr Tony Jones at RB and RFr Kyle Slavin at TE, with WRs RFr Canty and TFr McCulloch.

§  The defense’s last series again featured 6 true frosh with DE Juda Parker, LBs Daigh and Greer, CB Henderson, and safeties Kyle Washington and KT Tu’umalo (Washington was obviously not going to throw deep).  Their inexperience showed when 3 of them overran the play where the RB was able to cut back for a long gain that led to the last TD.  Still, I would rather have those guys making that mistake and learning from it than seeing more seniors stay in and make them. (I believe the other 5 were actually seniors though.)

§  Senior Jonathan Hawkins finally got his shot at the CB spot opposite Henderson and seemed to hold up as well as anyone, although they weren’t throwing much late when he was in.

§  Chidera Uzo-Diribe (best name on team?) continues to alternate between making big plays (4.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles) and then getting pushed around and disappearing for chunks.  He is one of the players I really hope can step up his play in the last 6 games this year and going into next year as a consistent leader of the D.

§  I must admit I am starting to think ahead to next season and wonder what this team will look like.  There is a lot returning on defense (even if the all the suspended players don’t make it back).  It looks like we should be solid at kicker and punter for awhile as both Wil Oliver and Darragh O’Neill continue to be bright spots.  The offensive line will bring back a decent amount of experience as well.  I am really curious about Conor Wood.  Supposedly he has looked great in practice and does get time with the first and second team receivers (hopefully he is just throwing to the underclassmen).  And of course I am very excited to see him throw to Paul Richardson and the big tight ends!